Brilliant Miniatures!
Grandmaster Gildardo Garcia was capable of taking down any grandmaster in the world on any given day. Fearless, Gildardo had a versatile style of play. He was as at ease in wild, tactical skirmishes as he was comfortable in long positional struggles. Like the great Viktor Korchnoi, Gildardo was a thinker and was just as often in time trouble!
Gildardo’s opening repetoire was carefully worked out and very reliable. With White he almost always preferred 1.e4, while with Black he preferred solid classical choices such as the Spanish and the Queen’s Gambit Declined.
More than many grandmasters, Gildardo had a well deserved reputation for winning many games in less than 25 moves. Miniatures. Today I present a number of these impressive victories. Enjoy!
Game One
Hoyos-Millan,L – gm Garcia,Gil – NYC 1986 (0-1)
1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 c6 4.Nc3 exf4 5.Nf3 Bd6 6.d4 Ne7 7.dxc6
Nbxc6 8.d5 Nb4 9.Bc4 O-O 10.a3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} b5$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There are other moves, but this is so tempting!</strong>} 11.Bxb5$6 Nbxd5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 12.Nxd5 Nxd5
13.Bc6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ba6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 14.Qxd5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Re8+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 15.Kd1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 15.Bxe8 Qxe8+ )
Be2+ 16.Kd2
Bc4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Very artistic finish!</strong>} 17.Bxa8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 17.Qxc4 Bb4# )
( 17.Qd4 Qa5+ 18.c3 Re2+ 19.Kd1
Qa6 )
Bxd5 18.Bxd5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bb4+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A brilliant miniature finish. It must have come as a relief for White to resign!</strong>} 0-1
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Game Two
gm Garcia,G – gm –Lukov,V La Pobla de Lillet (Spain) 1996 (1-0)
1.e4 c5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Always a risky choice against Gildardo!</strong>} 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Bd3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A very solid and respected plan for White.</strong>}
Nf6 8.O-O Bd6 9.f4 Nxd4$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">At the time this line was experimental</strong>}
(9...Bc5!)
10.e5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bxe5 11.fxe5 Qxe5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black has extra material, but White has more development. Today this line is considered too risky for Black to play against a strong player.</strong>} 12.Qd2{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Nc6 13.Rae1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
O-O?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Curiously, the decisive mistake.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Black had to play </strong> } 13...Ng4! 14.Bf4 Qd4+ 15.Kh1 f5{<strong style="color:black;"> with chances to survive.</strong> } )
14.Bb6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The Queen will have trouble finding a good hiding place.</strong>} Qh5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 14...Qd6? 15.Bxh7+ ) 15.Rxf6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A very unpleasant surprise for the Bulgarian Grandmaster</strong>} gxf6 16.Ne4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">White has more than one way to proceed. For example: </strong> } 16.Re3$5 f5$6 17.Rh3
Qg6 18.Rg3! )
Kg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">There are only bad choices: </strong> } 16...Qg6 17.Re3! f5 18.Rg3 fxe4 19.Bxe4 f5
20.Rxg6+ hxg6 21.Bxc6 bxc6 22.Qh6{<strong style="color:black;"> with an easily winning attack</strong> } )
17.Re3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White’s pieces quickly enter into the attack</strong>} Ne5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">There is little relief in </strong> } 17...f5 18.Rg3+
Kh8 19.Be2 Qh4 20.Ng5 d5 21.Bc5! )
18.Bd4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} d6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} ( 18...Nxd3 19.Rg3+! )
19.Rg3+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kh8 20.Nxf6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} ( 20.Qf4$5 ) Qh4 21.Qf2!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Curiously, White is hunting both the King and the Queen!</strong>} Nf3+$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Desperation. Resignation is a good alternative.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">The planned </strong> } 21...Ng6 22.Rh3
Qxf2+ 23.Kxf2{<strong style="color:black;"> would not have staved off mate.</strong> } )
22.gxf3 e5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 23.Nxh7!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Ouch! Black threw in the towel here. If he continues with </strong>}
Qxd4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} ( 23...Rg8 24.Rxg8+ )
( 23...Rd8 24.Be3 ) 24.Qxd4 exd4 25.Nxf8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White is up decisive material. A brilliant attacking game!</strong>} 1-0
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No Comment Necessary!
gm Garcia,Gil – gm Garcia,Sil
gm Garcia,Gil – Moran,B (2400)
gm Hoffman,A – gm Garcia,Gil
