Our illustrious neighbour Brazil, held its National Chess Championship recently with grandmaster Giovanni Vescovi emerging as the sole winner and tying a national record that has stood for over fifty years. With this victory, Vescovi won his seventh national title equalling local legend Joao de Souza Mendes, also with seven titles.The first four were won from 1927-1931, and the last one thirty one years later in 1958. Rafael Leitao fnished seventh in the 12-player event but produced a moment of genius against El Debs. Leitao’s 18th move Bx f7+!! can only be described as a flash of genius and begins a series of startling moves from White.
Leitao, R (2626) – El Debs, F (2502)
77th ch-BRA Americana BRA (8), 5.12.2010
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Bh4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 dxc4 7.e3 Be6 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 c5 11.Rb1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd5 13.Qc2 Qc7 14.e4 Bc6 15.Bxc4 Be5 16.h3 Re8 17.f4 Bf6
18.Bxf7+!! Kxf7 19.Qb3+ e6
20.f5! g5. 21.fxe6+ Kg6 22.Qc2 Qe5 23.Rxf6+! Kxf6 24.Qf2+ Kg7
25.Rxb7+!! Kh8. 26.Bg3.
It is mate with Qf6+ after the black queen moves. Black Resigns! 1-0.