Tuesday, November 26

Bologna tournament, Round 1: Favorites win; all games decisive

The opening round of the Italian national tournament at Bologna, held under the auspices of the publication L'Italia Scacchistica, offered uncompromising play, with all five games finishing decisively. Tourney favorites Arturo Reggio and Stefano Rosselli del Turco each duly recorded a victory, the former besting Giovanni Cenni, himself tipped for high honors, and the latter scoring against Ferrara's Pietro Belli.  In the day's other contests Guido Matteucci of Pisa checkmated the Genovese Efrem Ferraris, Corrado Buono defeated Gastone Montessori, and Alberto Batori of Viareggio topped the Florentine Giuseppe Benini. Camillo D'Amelio was free by virtue of having the bye.

We have received three games from Bologna, the victories by Reggio, Rosselli, and Matteucci, which the reader will find presented below.

Standings after Round 1:  Reggio, Rosselli, Matteucci, Buono, Batori 1; Cenni, Belli, Ferraris, Montessori, Benini, D'Amelio* 0.
Players marked with an asterisk * have already had the bye.

Cenni sacrificed a Bishop for three pawns vs. Reggio, perhaps hoping to advance his central pawn mass, but soon succumbed to the attack of his opponent's heavy pieces.


Rosselli punished some rather indifferent opening play by Belli to earn the win with the Black pieces.


Matteucci sacrificed a Knight against Ferraris and scored the game to his credit when his opponent mismanaged the defense. 31.Qc1?? would appear to be White's final error, with either 31.Kb1 or 31.Qb2 being preferable.



 

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