Daring Tactics by Anthony Suraci

 

     Anthony Suraci of East Haven, Connecticut played in the 1948 US Championship where he scored +3 -16 =0 and finished in 19th place out of 20. He was the 1951 state champion. Other than that nothing is known about Suraci. 

     However, the July 30, 1964 issue of the New York Times chess column headlined, “An Unknown Becomes Known Through Some Daring Tactics”. 

     So, he was an unknown local player. Chessgames.com has 27 of his games, mostly from the ‘48 championship and a couple of US Opens, the last being in 1962.

     Here is Suraci’s game featuring those daring tactics. His opponent was Harry Lyman (1915-1999), many time champion of New England and the 1957 US Amateur Champion who is remembered as the Dean of Boston chess. He was the uncle of Shelby Lyman. 

     At the time, Lyman was the champion of the Marshall Chess Club and was, himself, a fearless and dangerous tactician. When the two met and both were bent on complications a fierce battle ensued. The symmetrical opening meant a slow start, but things heated up after black’s 13th move.

 

[Event "Central New England Open, Fitchburg"] [Site "?"] [Date "1951.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Harry Lyman"] [Black "Anthony Suraci"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A00"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "1951.??.??"] {A05: Reti Opening} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O O-O 5. d3 d6 6. Nbd2 e5 7. e4 Bg4 8. h3 Bd7 9. Nc4 Qc8 (9... Nc6 10. c3 Ne8 11. Kh2 f5 12. exf5 Rxf5 {looks to be about equal. Apatoczky,P (2250)-Ponyi,A (2095) Hungary 1993}) 10. Kh2 Nc6 11. c3 Be6 12. Nh4 {The prelude to a K-side attack that never materializes. Probably his best course was to continue the slow maneuvering with 12.Ne3} Nh5 (12... Nxe4 {is the engine's preference, but after} 13. Bxe4 d5 14. Nxe5 dxe4 15. Nxc6 bxc6 {it's unlikely that a human would prefer black.} ) 13. f4 {Typical of Lyman's aggressive play, but here it opens up the K-side in black's favor. Again, 13.Ne3 was a solid continuation.} b5 {This is irrelevant and should have only served to drive white's N to a good square on e3.} (13... exf4 $1 $17 {and life is bright.} 14. gxf4 Bxc4 15. dxc4 Qe6) 14. Na3 {This places the N offside...it needs to be on e3 after which white's game would have been slightly better.} exf4 15. gxf4 Qd8 16. Nf3 Rb8 {With little to be immediately accomplished on the Q-side Suraci switches to the Q-side... real master play!} 17. d4 b4 18. Nc2 Bc4 19. Rf2 bxc3 20. bxc3 Ba6 {[%mdl 2048] } 21. e5 {This natural looking P push is the wrong one and it leaves white with a lost game.} (21. f5 {keeps white in the game.} Ne7 22. Ne3 Bc8 23. Kg1 d5 24. fxg6 hxg6 25. e5 c5 {and it's still a fight.}) 21... dxe5 22. Ba3 e4 { Offering the exchange, but white does not immediately accept it.} (22... Nxf4 { This was an alternative.} 23. Bxf8 Bxf8 24. Nxe5 Nxe5 25. dxe5 Qe8 {with an active position.}) 23. Ng5 {This is more of a gesture than anything. The immediate capture of the R was also playable.} f5 {[%mdl 32]} 24. Bxf8 Bxf8 25. Bf1 Bd6 26. Nxe4 {This only hastens the end, but it makes little difference what he plays.} fxe4 27. Bxa6 Nxf4 28. Bc4+ Kg7 {[%mdl 32]} 29. Kh1 Qh4 { The climax of black’s attack} 30. Qf1 Nxh3 31. Rf7+ Kh6 (31... Kh8 {lessens the force of his attack because white can trade Qs} 32. Qf6+ Qxf6 33. Rxf6 Rb2 34. Bb3 {But even here black's advantage is decisive.}) 32. Qe1 Bg3 33. Qd2+ g5 34. Be6 Nf4+ 35. Kg1 Nd8 36. Ne3 {Black still has toi be alert...allowing 37. Nf5 would be a tragedy.} Kg6 37. Rg7+ {Is black in trouble?} Kf6 {Not after this move!} (37... Kxg7 38. Nf5+ Kf6 39. Nxh4 Ndxe6 40. Ng2 Nh3+ 41. Kh1 Nf2+ { and black has to take the draw.}) 38. Bb3 Rxb3 {[%mdl 512]} 39. axb3 Nh3+ 40. Kf1 {Not that it matters, but 40.Kg2 holds out a bit longer.} Qf4+ 41. Kg2 Qf3+ 42. Kxh3 Bf2+ {It's mate in 2 so White resigned. Yes, 42...Bf4 was mate.} 0-1