Stefano Rosselli del Turco (1877-1947) was an Italian player, writer and publisher. Born in Florence, He was a member of the famous Rosselli del Turco noble family. He received the title of National Master in 1900.
He won the Italian championship five times and represented Italy in the Chess Olympiad seven times.
del Turco participated in the 1928 World Amateur Championship at The Hague (won by Max Euwe) placing 9th-11th with a score of 6-9. In 1911–1916 and 1924–1943, he was the founder and an editor of the Italian chess journal L'Italia Scacchistica. Later in his career he took up correspondence play.
He was a strong attacking player with a sharp style and it’s evidence in the following game in which he defeated Richard Reti. Things were even in a modern looking Ruy Lopez and when things got complicated around move 19 Reti got the upper habd, but then he underestimated the strength of del Turco’s counterattack. As a result he ended up falling victim to del Turco’s aggressive play which ended the game with a couple of sharp moves.
[Event "San Remo"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1911.02.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Richard Reti"]
[Black "Stefano del Turco"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C84"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 17.1"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "1911.??.??"]
{C90: Closed Ruy Lopez} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6.
Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. Nbd2 O-O 12. Nf1 Bb7 {
In this highly analyzed variation the correct move is 12...cxd4. Black's move
is not so good because the B is soon shut completely out of the game.} 13. Ng3
g6 {This prevents a possible Nf5, but 13...cxd4 was still his best option.} 14.
Bg5 Nc6 15. h3 Ne8 {This was his last chance to play ...dxc4. Instead, de;
Tirco's plan is to reposition his pieces for K-side play.} 16. d5 Nd8 17. Bh6
Ng7 18. Re3 (18. h4 {and white has the initiative with play on both sides of
the board.} Bc8 19. h5 a5 20. Qe2 Rb8 21. a4 {with the better game.}) 18... f6
19. Nh4 Bc8 {This allows Reti to get a promising position with attacking
chances. A better defense was 19...Nf7} (19... Nf7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Qg4 Ng5
22. Nhf5+ Kh8 (22... gxf5 23. Nxf5+ Kh8 24. h4 Rg8 25. hxg5 Rxg5 26. Qf3 {
Whiye is better.}) 23. Nxe7 Qxe7 {with equal chances.}) 20. Bxg7 (20. Ngf5 {
was better.} gxf5 21. Rg3 Rf7 22. exf5 {followed by Qh5 with a strong attack.})
20... Kxg7 21. Ngf5+ Bxf5 (21... gxf5 {loses quickly.} 22. Rg3+ Kh8 23. exf5
Nf7 (23... Rg8 24. Ng6+ hxg6 25. fxg6 {wins}) 24. Ng6+ hxg6 25. fxg6 {White is
winning.}) 22. exf5 g5 {Keeping the K-side closed.} 23. Nf3 Rh8 24. a4 {
With the K0side closed Reti turns his attention to the other side.} Nf7 25. Qe2
Qb7 26. Bd3 c4 27. Bc2 Bd8 28. Nd2 h5 29. Qf3 {Reti has underestimated the
strength of black's coming counterattack on the K-side ior he would have
played 29.h4} (29. h4 g4 (29... gxh4 30. Rh3 Ng5 31. Rxh4 Qxd5 32. Be4 Nxe4 33.
Nxe4 {with much the better of it.}) 30. Ne4 {with fully equal chances.}) 29...
Bb6 30. Ree1 Rag8 31. Qe4 {White's inaccurate assessment of the situation has
allowed del Turco to get a very dangerous counterattak. The change of events
seems to have left Reti nonplussed.} g4 {[%mdl 2560] Keeping White busy.} 32.
hxg4 {[%mdl 8192] This leads to a sudden and complete collapse of white's game.
} (32. Qe2 {is his best try. After} Qxd5 33. axb5 axb5 34. Be4 Qc5 35. b4 cxb3
36. Nxb3 Qxc3 37. Ra6 Qxb3 38. Rxb6 {with approximate equality.}) 32... Ng5 33.
Qe2 hxg4 34. Nf1 Kf8 35. Ng3 Qh7 36. Qxg4 {del Turco now finishes up with a
couple of sharp tactical blows.} Nf3+ {[%mdl 512]} 37. Qxf3 Rxg3 {[%mdl 512]
White resigned.} 0-1
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