Do You Like Sacrifices?

     If you do, you'll like the following game from a tournament in Parana, Argentina in 1949 between Raul Sanguinetti and Paul Michel. Using an opening that was considered inferior for many years the 16-year old Sanguinetti's sacrifices destroyed the position of black's King. 

     Raul Sanguinetti was born in Parana on February 2, 1933. He won the Argentine Championship seven times (1956, 1957, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1973 and 1974) and scored many successes in South American tournaments and the Olympiads in a career that stretched into the late 1970s. FIDE awarded him the Grandmaster title in 1982. He passed away in Buenos Aires at the age of 67 on August 6, 2000.

     IM Paul (Pablo) Michel (December27, 1905 – September 14, 1977) was a German-Argentine master. In August–September 1939, he was a member of the German team at the Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires. He played at second board (+3 –0 =11), and won team gold medal. When World War II was broke out, Michel along with all German players (Eliskases, Engels, Becker, Reinhardt) decided to stay permanently in Argentina.

Raul Sanguineti - Paul Michel

Result: 1-0

Site: Parana

Date: 1949

French Defense

[...] 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.♘c3 ♘f6 4.e5 ♘fd7 5.♘ce2 c5 6.c3 ♘c6

6...cxd4 was suggested by Pirc 15 years earlier with his analysis running 7.cxd4 f6 8.f4 with complications.

7.f4 f6 8.♘f3 cxd4 This is questionable as black should postpone exchanges in the center.

8...♕b6 9.a3 Introduced by Spielmann. 9...♗e7 with equal chances.

9.cxd4 ♗b4+ 10.♘c3

10.♗d2 ♗xd2+ 11.♕xd2 O-O 12.h4 is equal. Ter-Sahakyan,S (2568)-Ravi,T (2302)/ Chennai 2013

10...fxe5 11.fxe5 O-O 12.♗e3

12.♗d3 ♖xf3 13.♕xf3 ♕h4+ 14.♔d1 ♘xd4 15.♕f4 ♕h5+ 16.g4 ♕xe5 17.♖f1 ♕xf4 18.♗xf4 and black is better. Minasian,A (2580)-Lputian,S (2580)/Erevan 1996

12...♘b6 This is actually black best move and it's sufficient to maintain equality.

12...♗e7 Fortifying the position of black's K was suggested at the time, but the move is actually a mistake. After 13.♗d3 ♘b4 14.♗b1 ♖f7 15.h4 White has the makings of a strong K-side attack.

13.♗d3 ♘c4 14.♗xc4 dxc4 The exchange of white's B looks like a success for black, but the disadvantage is that he has lost time. Additionally, black is hindered by the need to defend his c-Pawn. 15.O-O ♘e7 16.♕e2 Black should now play 16...Nf5 and then ...Bd7. 16...♗xc3 17.bxc3 ♕c7 This fatally misplaces his Q.

17...♗d7 18.♘g5 h6 19.♖xf8+ ♕xf8 20.♖f1 ♕e8 21.♘f7 ♘f5 22.♘d6 ♘xd6 23.exd6 ♕g6 24.♕xc4 ♖f8 25.♖xf8+ ♔xf8 would have at least offered him some chances of defending.

18.♘g5 It's something of a surprise that this attack is so strong even without white's light squared B. The main reason for white's successful attack is his control of the f-file. From now on be on the lookout for sacrifices! 18...♗d7 19.♕h5 h6 20.♖f7 ♕d8 This loses brilliantly, but he was already lost.

20...hxg5 was relatively best, but after 21.♖xe7 ♖ae8 22.♖xg7+ ♔xg7 23.♗xg5 ♗c6 24.♗f6+ ♖xf6 25.exf6+ ♔xf6 26.♖f1+ white wins

(20...♗e8 is met by 21.♖xf8+ ♔xf8 22.♘xe6+ ♔g8 23.♕g4 and wins) 21.♖af1 The bombardment begins... three sacrifices in a row. 21...♘f5

21...hxg5 is met by 22.♗xg5 and now his best chance is 22...♘f5 23.♗xd8 ♖xf7 24.♗g5 ♖af8 but even here white has a winning advantage.

22.♖1xf5 exf5 23.♖xg7+ ♔xg7 White has but one winning move and Samguinetti finds it. 24.♘e6+ Brilliant! 24...♗xe6 25.♗xh6+ ♔h7 26.♗g5+ White wins not only the Q, but also the B. 26...♔g7 27.♕h6+ ♔f7 28.♗xd8 ♖axd8 29.♕f6+ ♔g8 30.♕xe6+ ♔g7 31.♕e7+

31.♕e7+ ♔g6 32.♕xb7 ♖f7 33.♕c6+ and the Rs are no match for the Q and Ps.

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