Zenon Franco Ocampos

 The well known author and GM Zenon Franco Ocampos has passed way at the age of 68. For a long time he was the No. 1 player from Paraguay, and there only GM. Although I first came across him as the author of some high quality chess books, I later discovered his exploits as a player (especially at Olympiads) were equally impressive.

But it was at one Olympiad he did have a remarkable escape. Papua New Guinea were paired against Paraguay in round 1 of the Dresden Olympiad (2008). On Board 1 Franco misplayed the opening an was soon down a rook against Stuart Fancy. Even after recovering a piece he was still in a position where he would have resigned against a higher rated opponent. But luck was on his side after Fancy donated back a rook to a bishop fork, giving Paraguay their expected point.

Fancy, Stuart vs Zenon Franco Ocampos
2008 Chess Olympiad, Round 1, 2008

1. Nc3 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Ndb5 Nf6 6. Bf4 e5 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Nd6+ Kf8 9. e3 Ne8 10. Bxe7+ Qxe7 11. Nce4 Nxd6 12. Nxd6 g6 13. Bc4 Nd4 14. Nxf7 Qb4+ 15. c3 Qxb2 16. Rc1 d5 17. Nxh8 dxc4 18. exd4 exd4 19. Rc2 Qb6 20. Qxd4 Qxd4 21. cxd4 b5 22. Kd2 Bb7 23. f3 Bd5 24. Rb1 a6 25. Kc3 Ke7 26. Nxg6+ hxg6 27. Re1+ Kd6 28. Rce2 Rb8 29. Kb4 a5+ 30. Kxa5 Ra8+ 31. Kxb5 Rb8+ 32. Ka4 c3 33. Re8 Bc6+ 34. Ka3 Bxe8 35. Rc1 Bf7 36. Rxc3 Ra8+ 37. Kb4 Rxa2 38. g3 Rb2+ 39. Ka3 Rxh2 40. Rc8 Rf2 41. Kb4 Rxf3 42. Rc3 Rxc3 43. Kxc3 Kd5 44. Kd3 Be6 0-1