SPOT ON CHESS PUZZLES For FRIDAY, June 16th, 2023: A View to a Kill…

A view to a kill…

Exciting chess quite often follows in the wake of FIDE Master Nick Raptis’s passing. With a passion for chess and a combative style and cool nerves under time pressure Nick’s games are tailer made for exciting tactical finishes. Like for example his game against Wilson Gibbons from the 2023 edition of the Oregon Closed Chess Championship!

Game given below:

[Event "Oregon Closed"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.02.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Gibbins, Wilson"]
[Black "Raptis, Nick"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "PostM"]
[UTCDate "2023.02.25"]
[UTCTime "05:09:27"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "D32"]
[Opening "Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c5 5. e3 Nc6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bb5 Bd6 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. O-O O-O 10. b3 Bg4 11. Bb2 a6 12. Be2 Rc8 13. Rc1 Be7 14. Nd4 Bd7 15. Nxc6 Bxc6 16. Qd4 Bd6 17. Bf3 Re8 18. Rfd1 Be5 19. Qd2 Qd6 20. g3 Qe6 21. Bg2 h5 22. Rc2 h4 23. Ne2 Bxb2 24. Rxb2 Qe5 25. Qd4 hxg3 26. hxg3 Qf5 27. Qf4 Qh5 28. Bf3 Qg6 29. Nd4 Bd7 30. Kg2 Bg4 31. Bxg4 Nxg4 32. Rbd2 Nf6 33. Qf5 Qxf5 34. Nxf5 Rc6 35. Nd4 Rc5 36. Rc2 Rxc2 37. Nxc2 Rc8 38. Nd4 Kf8 39. f3 Ke7 40. Kf2 Kd6 41. Ke2 Rh8 42. Kd3 g6 43. Rc1 Rh2 44. Rc2 Rh1 45. g4 Nd7 46. Rc8 Ne5+ 47. Kd2 Rh2+ 48. Kc3 Rxa2 49. Rb8 b5 50. g5 Nd7 51. Ra8 Kc5 52. Rc8+ Kd6 53. Ra8 Kc5 54. Rc8+ Kb6 55. Rd8 Kc7 56. Ra8 Nc5 57. Rf8 Kb6 58. Rb8+ Nb7 59. Rf8 Nd6 60. Rb8+ Kc7 61. Ra8 a5 62. Ra7+ Nb7 63. Ra6 b4+ 64. Kd3 Nc5# 0-1