We always desire to avoid difficult positions, although sometimes things don’t work out as planned. In this little article, we’ll see an instructive example in which the talented player Jesus Suasnabar seems to be lost against Jonathan Sanchez in the eleventh round of the III Roberto Morales Memorial Tournament. However, a surprising combination suddenly reverses the outcome of the game.

[Event “III Roberto Morales Memorial”]
[Site “Lima, PER”]
[Date “2013.02.10”]
[Round “11”]
[White ” Jesus Suasnabar”]
[Black “Jonathan Sanchez”]
[Result “1-0”]

Black has just sacrificed a piece to reach this mating attack. Here 24…Bh6! would be definitive because of the threat Bf4 mating 24…Rf5?? Ok, the idea is Rh5 and mate on h2. But Black didn’t calculate well.

25.Nd4! Now if 25…Rh5?? 26.Nxf3 and White’s king is totally safe.

25…Rxd4?? It leads to disaster 25…Rxe5! was better looking for simplification 26.Nxf3 Rxe3 27.Nxh4 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 Bxc3 29.bxc3 with some drawing chances 26.Qxd4 Qh3 27.Qd5+ Kh8 28.Rg1 h6 If 28…Rh5 29.Qd8+ mate next move 29.Rg3 Qh4 Not waiting for White’s answer, Black resigned 1-0

Robert M. Cuadros
March 2013

Have a question for Professor Robert Cuadros?
Write to rmcuadros@instructor.net

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