Water O. Cruz and Dr. Luiz Tavares, Brazilain Masters

Walter O. Cruz

    After many years of misery because of the depression and World War II the postwar prosperity was starting to get underway in 1949. Sales of consumer items like televisions and big cars were booming. 

    On the international scene China became a communist country and Russia had nuclear bombs and there was increased the tension between East and West, i.e the US and Russia in what was known as the Cold War. 

    In the US, one of the first long-running and successful sitcoms, The Goldbergs, first aired live on January 17, 1949. It was on the air until 1956. It was about the daily lives of a Jewish family in New York, tackling the everyday issues of an ordinary family. 

    President Harry S. Truman gave his fair deal speech in which he expressed his thoughts on how every American should expect a fair deal from the U.S. government. 

    In chess news, the year started off with Nicholas Rossolimo winning Hastings 1948/49. Larry Evans won the Marshall Club Ch. The strong local master James B, Cross tied with Arthur Bisguier and Larry Evans in the US Junior Championship, held in Fort Worth, Texas. Cross won the1950 US Junior Championship and was the 1957 California State Champion. In the late 50s or early 60s Cross gave up chess. 

    Claude Shannon presented a paper on programming a computer to play chess. Reuben Fine won the New York International. 

    Down in Brazil Walter Oswaldo Cruz (January 23, 1910 - January 3, 1967) won the country's championship dor the fifth time. He had been champion in 1938, 1940, 1942, 1948 and won the titl for the last time in 1953. He was runner up in 1928, 1929and 1939. 

    He played third board for the Brazilian team at the 1939 chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires where he scored +4 -7 =5. For many years he was a regular participant in South American tournaments. 

    His opponent in the following game was Luiz Tavares da Silva (April 13, 1916 – June 29, 1994). He was Brazilian Champion in 1957. He was also President of the Brazilian Chess Federation from 1968 to 1970 and again from 1986 to 1988. 

    In addition to his chess career, he was also an eminent thoracic surgeon and cardiologist, who lived and studied in London for part of his life and was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. There is an excellent article (with photos) about Tavares HERE.  

    In the game when Tavares' Knight threatened to penetrate his position, Cruz failed to recognize that he had to exchange it and so lhe ended up losing[ it was his only loss in the tournament which he won. 

[Event "Brazilian Chp, Rio de Janeiro"] [Site "Rio de Janeiro BRA"] [Date "1949.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Luiz Tavares"] [Black "Walter O. Cruz"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E70"] [Annotator "Stockfiah 16"] [PlyCount "49"] [EventDate "1949.08.22"] {E88: King's Indian: Saemisch} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 O-O 5. Be3 d6 6. f3 {Friedrich Saemisch developed this system in the 1920s. It often leads to very sharp play with the players castling on opposite wings and attacking each other's King.} c6 7. Qd2 e5 8. d5 {It was thought that this move promises little and that white does better by maintaining the tension in the center, for the time being at least, with 8.Nge2. However, Tavares has an interesting idea planned.} cxd5 9. cxd5 Ne8 {White has tried several move herem but 10.h4 is a new, and now pretty much forgotten, one.} 10. h4 {At the time this was criticized as, well, let's quote the annotator of the day... Another inconsistent move. As will become obvious, the weakening of g3 only diminishes white's chances of opening lines on the King-side. 10 0-0-0 is better. That said. 10.h4 is Stockfish's preferred move.} (10. O-O-O f5 11. Bd3 {Preferrable is 11.exf5} Na6 12. Nge2 Nc5 13. Bc2 a5 14. exf5 gxf5 15. h3 { with equal chances. Gheorghiu,F (2525)-Kozul,Z (2450) Graz 1987}) 10... f5 11. O-O-O {Here white has tried 11.g3,m but it is too passive.} (11. Bg5 Bf6 12. exf5 gxf5 13. O-O-O f4 14. Ne4 {with equal chances. Lorenzo de la Riva,L (2391) -Vidal Zamora,A (2112) Figueres ESP 2011}) (11. h5 {This is an interestingm but untested, line. After} f4 12. Bf2 g5 13. h6 Bf6 14. O-O-O {followed by 15. g3 seems to offer white good attacking chances.}) 11... Nf6 12. Nh3 (12. exf5 { is promising...} gxf5 13. h5 f4 14. Bf2 h6 15. g4 {with attacking chances.}) 12... Nbd7 {Strangely enough, black ignores the dangerous threat of Ng5-e6. He must play 12...f4} (12... f4 13. Bf2 h6 {And white's advantage is minimal.}) 13. Bc4 {Pointless. For the time being at least white ignores his own threat!} (13. Ng5 Nb6 (13... Re8 {Leads to white getting a decisive attack in which many roads all lead to victory.} 14. Ne6 Qa5 15. Bh6 Bh8 16. h5 f4 (16... Nxh5 17. Rxh5 gxh5 18. Qg5+ {mates}) 17. hxg6 hxg6 18. g3 Nc5 19. gxf4 Nxe6 20. dxe6 Bxe6 21. f5 Bf7 22. fxg6 Bxg6 23. Bc4+) 14. Ne6 Bxe6 15. dxe6 {is similar to the game continuation.}) 13... Qc7 {Black still should play 13...f4} (13... f4 14. Bf2 h6 {and the chances are equal. Thius shows the drawback to white's 13. Bc4}) 14. Bb3 fxe4 {After this black faces serious difficulties. He could still play 14...f4, but now there is time to try a counterattack with 14...Bc4 and after 15.Bc2 then 15...b5} (14... Nc5 15. Bc2 b5 16. Nxb5 Qb6 17. Nc3 Rb8 { etc.}) 15. Ng5 {Finally.} Nc5 16. Bxc5 Qxc5 17. Ne6 Bxe6 (17... e3 {is his best try.} 18. Qe2 Qb6 19. g4 Bd7 20. h5 Rac8 {Of course white is clearly better, but at least black has some play.}) 18. dxe6 {This interloper on e6 turns out to be a mighty passed Pawn. Add to that white's control of the d-file and he has a decisive advantage.} d5 {Black hopes for 19.Bxd5} 19. fxe4 (19. Bxd5 Nxd5 20. Qxd5 Qxd5 21. Nxd5 exf3 22. e7 Rfe8 23. gxf3 Kf7 {and black has equalized.}) 19... Nxe4 20. Qxd5 Bh6+ (20... Qe3+ {is no salvation.} 21. Kb1 Nxc3+ 22. bxc3 Kh8 23. h5 {with a decisive advantage.}) 21. Kb1 Qxd5 22. Rxd5 {This is the correct way. Other recaptures are less effective.} Nxc3+ 23. bxc3 Rfe8 24. Rd7 Be3 25. Rf1 {There is no way to prevent 26.Rff7 so black resigned.} 1-0