ASIA's FIRST GRANDMASTER

GM Eugene TORRE vs Junior SOL CRUZ
104th MERALCO Employees' Day Simul
Pasig City

1 e4 e5
THE IDEAS BEHIND THE CHESS OPENINGS, "Open with either the e-pawn or the d-pawn."

2 Nf3 Nc6
CHESS FUNDAMENTALS, "Bring out N's before bringing out B's."

3 Bb5
The RUY LOPEZ OPENING.

3 ... d6
In theory, this is the STEINITZ DEFENSE (ECO C62), named after the first World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz of Austria.

MANUAL OF CHESS, "The oldest defense is 3 ... d6, which is the most direct one. Surely a sound and substantial one, though it may not appeal to the high-flown fancy."

4 d4 Nf6 
Often played is 4 ... Bd7 as in Lasker vs Steinitz in World Championship 1894 where the defense was played 4 times. Incidentally, Chessgames.com featured its Game 7, where Lasker sacrificed a B on the 34th move, as Game of the Day with an apt title "Lasker, Ye Shall Receive"


5 Nc3 Be7?
THE COMPLETE CHESS PLAYER, "The time to secure the advantage of a powerful pawn center is in the opening. Likewise, the time to break up a potentially powerful hostile pawn center is also in the opening."

6 PxP Ng8?
THE TEN MOST COMMON CHESS MISTAKES, "Don't lose time by moving the same piece twice."

7 O-O
WINNING CHESS OPENINGS, "The purpose of the opening is to get a safe K and an equal middle game."

7 ... Nh6 8 Nd5 Bf8?
CHESS FUNDAMENTALS, "Before development has been completed, no piece should be moved more than once, unless it is essential in order to obtain a material advantage or secure freedom of action."

9 Bg5 Qd7 10 BxN PxB?? 11 Nf6+
THE TEN MOST COMMON CHESS MISTAKES, "Many beginners have trouble mastering the tricky gyrations of the only piece that can leap over friendly or enemy units."

11 ... Ke7 12 NxQ BxN 13 PxP+ PxP 14 e5 PxP 15 Re1 f6 16 BxN BxB 17 Nd4 Bd5 18 Nf5+ Ke6 19 Qg4 Rg8??? 20 QxR KxN 21 QxB Kg6 22 Rad1 Be7 23 Rd3 Rd8 24 Qe5+ Kf7 25 Qc4+ Kf8 26 Rg3 Ke8 27 Qe6 Rd7 28 Rg8# 
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