There are characters who bring something special, differentiating, to the tournaments where they attend. And Joaquim Durao (1930–2015) was one of them. Very cultured, friendly, polyglot and with infinite passion for chess, to which he dedicated himself intensely for more than sixty years, the atmosphere after the games in the playing room or the hotel lobby was always better with the presence of the thirteen-timer. Portuguese champion.
Furthermore, Durao was a very interesting style player, as can be seen in the gem contained in this video. It is a duel without shields between two great personalities of Iberian chess; His rival, Francisco José Pérez, was also a prominent figure, both in Spain and Cuba. The game, with its inevitable tactical inaccuracies, is very brilliant.
