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Cozens W.H. - The Lost Olympiad - Stockholm 1937
Cozens W.H. - The Lost Olympiad - Stockholm 1937
W. H. COZENS
STOCKHOLM 1937
THE LOST
OLYMPIAD
Stockholm 1937
W. H. COZENS
Foreword
The Olympiads of Hamburg 1930, World Championship began on Octo
Prague 193 1 , Folkestone 1933 and ber 4th and immediately (as is the way
Warsaw 1935 each had at least one with chess magazines to this day) they
book devoted to the event, giving began to report - indeed, as some
descriptive details and a selection of think, to over-report - these match
games; and from Buenos Aires 1939 games to the exclusion of everything
the custom grew up (with the excep else. The congestion was made worse
tion of Malta, 1980!) of publishing also by the grandmaster tournament of
a set of bulletins giving all the game Semmering-Baden, sandwiched be
scores - wheat and chaff together - tween these two events. Games from
in addition to the many more readable the latter two-thirds of Stockholm
commemorative volumes. One can never saw the light of day.
only wonder why it was that only Beyond these immediate obstacles,
Stockholm 1937 was allowed to go moreover, was the long-term political
quite unsung, except in a small way by havoc wrought by the war. The inde
the periodicals. pendent states of Estonia, Latvia and
The immediate enthusiasm of the Lithuania were absorbed into the
chess fraternity of the host country - Soviet Union. Most chess records (and
Sweden - may perhaps have been some chess players) from these regions
damped by the unhappy decline of vanished without trace. The pre-war
their team from 3rd at Folkestone and chess archives of Yugoslavia also seem
2nd at Warsaw to the middle of the to have been lost.
table. And then by the end of the war Yet over the years game-scores have
it was too late for a book to be topical, been trickling in. Some have come
and so, down the years, this lacuna in from national chess associations. (Hol
the history of the Chess Olympiads land and Hungary were conspicuously
has remained. Sooner or later this helpful.) Some came from the actual
book had to be written. players in the Olympiad; Paul Keres,
The hunt for the lost games, which for instance, made available the whole
has gone on sporadically for some of the relevant part of his score-books.
twenty years, proved to be an uncom Not all were so obliging; some frankly
monly difficult task - though a re stated that they never kept any game
warding one. Chief among the causes scores at all. Help has come from
of difficulty was the close juxtaposition unknown individuals in many countries
of the Olympiad and the second Euwe who have taken the trouble to send
Alekhine World Championship Match. games, often ones already known but
The Olympiad was played during the occasionally a welcome new one.
month of August, and the September These letters have varied from neat
chess press began to report the event. typescripts to scores written on tissue
Games from the earlier rounds at paper in watery ink and in handwriting
Stockholm ate easy to find. But the that would tax the powers of a pro-
2, THE LOST OLYMPIAD
The Growth
of the Olympiads
There have been chauvinistic argu teams of (usually) four compete in a
ments about the origins of the Olym sort of World Team Championship.
piads but the disputes are essentially Budapest 1926
about semantics - not facts. The real pioneer ineternational team
What is a chess Olympiad? If it is to tournament was held in Budapest in
be defined as a chess event held in 1926. Six national teams of four en
conjunction with the Olympic Games tered, but two (Austria and Czecho
then priority must go the the tourna slovkia) withdrew leaving a tourna
ment organised by the Stockholm C. C. ment of four teams. The final game
in 1914 - one of Alekhine's earliest totals (out of 12) were Hungary 9,
triumphs. Yugoslavia 8, Romania 5 and Germany
There was also a chess event con 2. (Germany, of course, meant the
nected with the Olympic Games of whole of Germany, from Poland in the
Paris 1924 and here the germ of the east to the Netherlands in the west.)
idea of a contest between nations as These four countries were the real
well as individuals is to be seen, for founder-members of the Olympiads.
national as well as individual perform London 1927
ances were published. However, it was Budapest 1926 had been a trial run
in no sense a team tournament but a sort of pilot scheme for the real
rather a big 8-round proto-Swiss. The thing. Subsequently the Hon. F. G.
national totals were meaningless since Hamilton-Russell presented a hand
a "country" could mean any number some challenge cup for an inter
of players up to four. Canada and national team tournament and the
Ireland, for instance, were each rep Olympiads got off to their official start
resented by one player only. Not sur in London in 1927. This is Olympiad
prisingly eight of the first nine totals No. 1 in the FIDE reckoning.
were amassed by countries with four Of the four founder-members only
players. Latvia, fielding only three Romania was missing; Austria and
players, did remarkably well to share Czechoslovakia made good their en
fourth place. tries this time, and so did eleven other
In current usage, however, the title nations. With a theoretical maximum
Chess Olympiad does not imply any of 60 points the final totals were:
connection with the quadrennial Olym Hungary 40, Denmark 38%, Britain
'pic Games, which are concerned with 36Vz, Holland 35, Czechoslovakia 34Vz.
athletics. What it does imply is an inter Austria and Germany each 34, Switzer
national team tournament in which land 32, Yugoslavia 30, Italy 28Vz ,
4 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
many of the regulars would stay away, when the USSR equalled it.) Poland
but to make quite certain of a mam came second with 108 points, and
moth event they took the unpre Germany, playing for the first time
cedented step of doubling the size of since 1931, came third with 1061/z .
the teams. Each match would be Then came Yugoslavia 1041/z , Czecho
played on eight boards, and countries slovakia 104, Latvia 96¥2 , Austria 95,
were invited to bring 10 players. Sweden 94, Denmark 91¥2. Estonia 90;
Official or not, this huge team tour Then a gap around the 50% mark
nament was a resounding success. before Lithuania 77 lf2 , Finland 75,
From the Warsaw line-up five nations Holland 7 1 lf2, Romania 68, Norway
were missing: Britain (who would be 64lf2, Brazil 63, Switzerland 6llf2 , Italy
host-nation at Nottingham, and four of 59, Iceland 57lf2 ; then another con
whose strongest players would be com siderable gap before France 431/z and
peting there), the USA (whose team Bulgaria 381/z .
would have had to manage without And so to 1937
Reshevsky and Fine), Argentina, Pales FIDE continued with its schedule of
tine and Ireland. Even so there was a biennial Olympiads as if Munich had
nett increase in the entry. Germany never happened, and Stockhohn was
herself was playing again, as were the next venue. After the super-Olym
Holland, Iceland and Norway, and piad of Munich 1936 anything was
there were two complete newcomers liable to be an anticlimax, but Stock
in Bulgaria and Brazil. With 21 teams hahn was by no means that - except
each playing all the others on eight in the matter of sheer size. Seven of
boards, the total number of games was the Munich entrants dropped out,
more than twice the total played in including Germany herself, in spite of
any previous Olympiad. Kurt Richter's her excellent third place last year. The
two-volume book on the event gives others were Austria, Switzerland,
less than one tenth of the 1680 games France, Brazil, Bulgaria and - at the
played - a total that was not to be last minute -- Romania; in addition
exceeded for 24 years (Leipzig 1960). Spain, Palestine and Ireland continued
The result was a triumph for the to abstain. Against these abstentions
Hungarians - their greatest achieve was set the return of the USA, England,
ment until, in 1978 at Buenos Aires, Argentina, Belgium and Scotland, so
they became the first team ever to the nett decrease was only two. With
outpoint the USSR. Not only were they 19 nations competing, the Stockholm
back at the top again after eight years, event was, with Prague 1931, the sec
and not only did they amass the fine ond largest contest for the Hamilton
total of 1 10¥2(160), but they performed Russell Cup - just one entry short of
the remarkable feat of winning every Warsaw 1935.
match. Indeed, only four times in the What were the Prospects?
twenty matches was their winning Who would be the winners this time?
margin held to a single point. Had the Hungary, after defeating all twenty of
event been scored on match-points, he rivals last year, had to be favourite,
Hungary would have had 100%. (This although some prophets preferred the
record also stood until Leipzig 1960 USA, pointing out that before missing
STOCKHOLM 1937 7
Round 1 Hungary
USA
Iceland
4 (4)
3¥2(4)
3¥2(4)
Saturday July 31st Argentina 3 (4)
17.30 - 22.30 Czechoslovakia 3 (4)
Estonia 3 (4)
Holland 3 (4)
Hungary 4 Norway 0 Poland 2112(4)
USA JV2 Lithuania V2 Finland 2¥2(4)
Iceland JV2 Belgium lf2 England 1 ¥2(4)
Argentina 3 Sweden 1 Scotland 1 ¥2(4)
Latvia 1 (4)
Czechoslovakia 3 Italy Denmark 1 (4)
Estonia 3 Denmark 1 Italy 1 (4)
Holland 3 Latvia Sweden 1 (4)
Finland Scotland Belgium ¥2(4)
2V2 lV2
Lithuania ¥2(4)
Poland 2V2 England lV2 Norway 0 (4)
Yugoslavia had the bye. Yugoslavia 0 (0)
Before the session is halfway through The only way to hold the e-pawn,
comes the first result - Board 2 of the but now Montgomerie is open to the
Finland-Scotland match, where the in queen check from h4 and probably for
experienced Montgomerie is up against the first time experiencing what it
Eero Book, one of the rising masters means to face an international master
of the day. on the kill.
D Montgomerie (SC) • Boak (SF)
1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 4jc3 l;tb4 4 eS 4Je7
This cagey line keeps White guess
ing whether Black intends to follow
with an undermining c5 or to remove
the white-square bishops by b6 and
J;ta6. The usual reaction nowadays is
the forthright 5 a3, though . some
players prefer the aggressive 5 �g4,
and Stoltz had won a fine game from 10 . . . 16!
Book the previous year with 5 l;td2. Destroying the white centre and
Montgomerie, however, seeing that his opening the f-file against a king which
d-pawn is not attacked, decides on the will never have time to castle.
ambitious attempt to acquire the lt jid3 IXeS
bishop-pair without getting doubled Now 12 fXe5 would lose a piece to
c-pawns. �h4+ and �Xd4.
S 4Je2 cS 6 a3 -'l,Xc3+ 7 4J Xc3 12 -'l, Xg6 hXg6 13 4je2
cXd4 8 4jbS 0-0 9 4jXd4 4jg6 10 14 Against 13 fXe5 the reply �h4+ is
STOCKHOLM 1937 9
still too strong. There is nothing else for it: the two
13 . . . �h4 14 g3 �h3 15 �d3 centre pawns must go, at the cost of
Still he cannot play fXe5 (�g2). the bishop. 23 �d3 would allow 23 . . .
But now he will be crushed by the �g2 24 ,§fl e2! 25 ,§f4 �gl + 26
rolling centre. �d2 �Xal, threatening �dl mate.
15 . . . e4 16 �c3 4:)c6 17 ,ile3 e5! 23 . . . dXe3 24 �Xe3 .§ e8 25 �d2
18 fXeS _ilg4! �g2+ 26 �c3 .§ XeS 27 �g1
Threatening �g2 with a double �f3+ 28 �d2
threat on e2 and hl. 28 �c4 allows the mirror mate
19 �d2 d4! 20 4:)f4 ,ile6.
Taking the d-pawn is unthinkable: 28 . . . .§ e2+ 29 �c1 �e4 0-1.
20 4:)Xd4 ,§adS 21 c3 4:) Xe5! By the end of the first session the
Hungarians already had their noses in
BB B E4'B
Y41'1t
� -
.
front - the only team with a clean
score of 4(4). The Americans had
• dropped a half-point to Lithuania.
• • u &'� August 1st brought the first taste of
• •t'
M
u·. ·� 11•
- 'w�· �
ten-hour chess with Rounds 2 and 3.
�
d ��
·· .!l.. iel - •
From now on the incidence of the bye
8 -··'-i"@"l
� "'
makes it difficult to get an accurate
�
a � view of the developing scores. The
20 . . . .§ Xf4! 21 .Q.. Xf4 g5 22 _ilXgS position tables show which teams are
e3 23,i1Xe3 a match short.
Round 2 Hungary
- Argentina
Czechoslovakia
7 (8)
6Vz (8)
6Vz(8)
Sunday August 1st USA 6 (8)
10.30 - 15.30 Poland 5Vz(8)
Holland 5 lfz(8)
Finland 4lfz(8)
Argentina 31/z Norway Vz Estonia 4lfz(8)
Belgium 3Vz Scotland Vz Belgium 4 (8)
Czechoslovakia 3Vz Iceland Vz Iceland 4 (8)
Hungary 3 Yugoslavia 1 England 3lfz(8)
Denmark 3 (8)
Poland 3 Italy 1 Lithuania 2Vz(8)
USA 2Vz Sweden l Vz Sweden 2lfz(8)
Holland 2Vz Estonia l Vz Italy 2 (8)
Scotland 2 (8)
Lithuania 2 Finland 2
Latvia 1 (4)
England 2 Denmark 2 Yugoslavia 1 (4)
Latvia had the bye. Norway lfz(8)
10 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 3 Poland
Argentina
Czechoslovakia
9112(12)
9 (12)
9 (12)
Sunday August 1st USA 9 (12)
17.30 - 22.30 Holland 8 (12)
Hungary 7 (8)
Estonia 7 (12)
Lithuania 4 Belgium 0 Finland 6%(12)
Poland 4 Iceland 0 Lithuania 6%( 12)
USA 3 Norway Denmark 5%(12)
Argentina 2Vz Yugoslavia 1% England 5 (12)
Sweden 4%(12)
Estonia 2Vz Latvia 1% Belgium 4 (12)
Czechoslovakia 2Vz Scotland 1% Iceland 4 (12)
Holland 2Vz England lljz Italy 3112(12)
Denmark 2 Vz Italy lljz Scotland 3ljz(l2)
Yugoslavia 2 Vz (8)
Finland 2 Sweden 2 Latvia 2% (8)
Hungary had the bye. Norway lljz(l2)
Carlos Guimard, 24 years old, was the active by taking the c-pawn and feint
reigning champion of Argentina yet ing to keep it, see page 34.
he was ranked No. 4 in the Olympic 4 . . . e6 5 -'l,d3 �bd7 6 �c3 -'l,d6
team, behind Piazzini, Jacobo Bolbo Most players were content with
chan and Grau. The following fine -'l,e7 here, but Kostic is playing for
game was played at Board 3, for e5. His formation is now an inverted
Piazzini was resting; and as Vukovic Colle.
of Yugoslavia was also taking a round 7 0-0 0-0 8 e4 dXc4 9 -'l,Xc4 e5
off it was in fact a battle between two This was KostiC's plan for equality,
number fours. but in fact White retains a strong
D Guimard (AR) • Kostic (YU) initiative.
1 d4 �f62 �f3 d5 3 c4 c6 10 lig5! Vjye7 11 d5! h6 12 lih4 �b6
The Slav was all the rage in the late The knight goes out of play here,
'30s. Everyone, right down to club but Black must release his Q-side
level, believed it to be the final answer pieces somehow.
to the Queen's Gambit, for it had been 13 -'l,b3 .§ d8 14 Vjyc2 -'l,g4 15 dXc6
explored in depth in the 1935 World bXc6
Championship match, in which both The organic weakness thus created
Euwe and Alekhine had adopted it in the black Q-side is what eventually
repeatedly. loses this game, albeit after a lot of
4 e3 play on the other wing.
The natural line, allowing a simple 16 �d1 -'l,Xf3!?
recapture at c4. For the alternative, The pros and cons of this move, as
4 � c3, which allows Black to become always, have to be carefully weighed.
STOCKHOLM 1937 13
Round 4 Poland
Czechoslovakia
USA
13¥2(16)
12¥2(16)
12 (16)
Monday August 2nd Argentina 1 1 (16)
10.30 - 15.30 Holland 1 1 (16)
Finland 9¥2(16)
Hungary 9 (12)
Poland 4 Scotland 0
Sweden 8 (16)
Czechoslovakia 3V2 Lithuania V2 Denmark 7¥2(16)
Sweden 3¥2 Belgium 1/:i Estonia 7 (12)
Latvia 3 England 1 Lithuania 7 (16)
England 6 (16)
Holland 3 Italy Iceland 6 (16)
Finland 3 Norway 1 Latvia SV2 (12)
USA 3 Yugoslvia 1 Belgium 4¥2(16)
Iceland 2 Denmark 2 Italy 4112 (16)
Yugoslavia 3V2 (12)
Hungary 2 Argentina 2 Scotland 3¥2(16)
Estonia had the bye. Norway 2¥2(16)
Round 5 Poland
Czechoslovakia
USA
16 (20)
15¥2(20)
14 (20)
Tuesday August 3rd Holland 13lf2(20)
10.30 - 15.30 Finland 1 1lf2(20)
Argentina 11 ( 16)
Hungary 11 ( 16)
Czechoslovakia 3 Sweden 10 ( 16)
Estonia
Estonia 3 England Denmark 10 (20)
Belgium 2¥2 Norway 1 lf2 Sweden 9 (20)
Poland 2h Lithuania 1 lf2 Lithuania 8lf2(20)
Latvia 7lf2 ( 16)
Denmark 2¥2 Scotland llf2 Iceland 7lf2(20)
Holland 2¥2 Iceland 1¥2 England 7 (20)
USA 2 Hungary 2 Belgium 7 (20)
Yugoslavia 2 Finland 2 Italy 6lf2(20)
Yugoslavia 5lf2 ( 16)
Latvia 2 Italy 2 Scotland 5 (20)
Argentina had the bye. Norway 4 (20)
The key match of this round was Steiner hitting back with a win over
Hungary versus the USA, and it ended Kashdan. This round was particularly
honourably in a 2-2 draw, Reshevsky hard-fought, no team scoring more
having beaten Lilienthal but Endre than three; indeed, only two teams -
16 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 6 Poland
Czechoslovakia
Holland
19¥2(2�)
18112(24)
17 (24)
Tuesday August 3rd USA 16¥2(24)
17.30 - 22.30 Hungary 14 (20)
Estonia 13 (20)
Holland Argentina 12¥2 (20)
3¥2 Scotland h Finland 12¥2(24)
Poland 3¥2 Sweden h Lithuania 1 1 ¥2(24)
Estonia 3 Italy 1 Denmark 1 1 (24)
Lithuania 3 Denmark 1 Latvia 10 (20)
Sweden 9¥2(24)
Hungary 3 Finland Iceland 9 (24)
Yugoslavia 3 Belgium Yugoslavia 8¥2 (20)
Czechoslovakia 3 Norway Belgium 8 (24)
Latvia 2¥2 Iceland Italy 7¥2(24)
England 7 (20)
USA 2¥2 Argentina Scotland 5112(24)
England had the bye. Norway 5 (24)
Round 6, played only two hours after both used this line.
Round 5, saw Poland continuingto pull 6 e4 � Xc3 7 bXc3 cXd4 8 cXd4
away at the top, and the challengers j;tb4+ 9 j;td2 j;tXd2+ 10 '1;1{Xd2
were now spreading out. Sadists may 0-0
notice that a private battle was devel After all the exchanges Black hopes
oping between Scotland and Norway for equality, but his chances are much
for the privilege of not being No. 19. more circumscribed than in the super
D Foltys (CZ) • Gulbrandsen (NO) ficially similar Griinfeld - lacking, as
1 �f3 d5 2 d4 �f6 3 c4 e6 4 �c3 c5 he does, the black-square bishop to
5 cXd5 � Xd5 bear down on the white centre pawns.
Offering White the opportunity to 11 j;tc4!
form an imposing centre. Of course This bishop is more usually devel
the whole point of the Semi-Tarrasch oped at e2 but in the present game it
for Black is to avoid getting an isolated turns out to be strong at c4.
d-pawn after eXd5, and indeed White 11 . . . 'l;tte7
would get excellent play after 5 . . . After this Black's retarded develop
eXd5 6 .Q.g5! j;te6 7 j;t Xf6! '1;1{ Xf6 ment does become serious. It was time
8 e4! dXe4 9 j;tb5+ and 10 � Xe4. to develop the minor pieces.
There is something to be said, how- 12 0-0 b6 13 .§ act !J.,b7(see diagram)
ever, for 5 . . . cXd4. After 6 '1;1{ Xd4 14 d5!
� Xd5 (or 6 . . . eXd5 7 e4!) 7 � Xd5 Black underestimated the strength
eXd5 8 e4! dXe4 9 '1;1{ Xe4+ 'l;tte7 of the bishop on c4. His best now
Black's slight lag in development is would probably be 14 . . . eXd5 15
not serious. Keres and Geller have eXd5 'l;ttd6. He tries another way of
STOCKHOLM 1937 19
winning easily.
The rook should have returned to f8 now his queen goes instead.
but Gulbrandsen cannot bring himself 24 �Xh7+ �Xf7 25 � Xf6 .§. Xdl+
to retract his 14th move. The knight 26 �Xd1 gXf6
move does indeed defend f7 and attack It is pointless to play on. One or
the bishop at the same time, but as the other of the disconnected pieces is
knight cannot be maintained at eS the bound to fall.
defence must fail. White simply with 27 �d6 �e4 28 �d7+ �g6 29 g4
draws the bishop, retaining all his 1-0.
threats. Wednesday August 4th saw the USA
19 �b3! .§. d7 sitting on the sidelines with the bye,
It is possible that Gulbrandsen had which surprisingly dropped them only
intended to break the white attack at one place in the table - to fifth; but
this point by 19 . . . h6, and only now ominously it was Hungary who went
realised that White would then win ahead of them to stand fourth with a
outright by 20 � Xf7! � Xf7 21 .§. c7. match in hand over all the top three.
The rook move is a useful one, guard Czechoslovakia actually lost a match,
ing f7, re-blocking the d-pawn and to their neighbours Yugoslavia, and
making room for the other rook to now shared their second place with
come across. Even so Foltys still has Holland. Norway went ahead of Scot
too many trumps in his hand. land by squeezing two heroic draws
2014 �c6 out of Poland while the Scots were
20 . . . h6 still does not work: 21 being clobbered 4-0 by Latvia.
fXeS � XgS 22 � XgS hXgS 23 e6!
20 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 7 Poland
Czechoslovakia
Holland
22Vz(28)
20 (28)
20 (28)
Wednesday August 4th Hungary 17% (24)
10.30 - 15.30 USA 16Vz (24)
Estonia 16% (24)
Argentina 15Vz (24)
Latvia 4 Scotland 0 Latvia 14 (24)
Hungary 3Vz Belgium Vz Finland 13Vz(28)
Estonia 3Vz Iceland Vz Lithuania 12Vz(28)
Argentina 3 Finland 1 Sweden 12%(28)
Denmark 12 (28)
Poland 3 Norway 1 Yugoslavia 11 (24)
England 3 Italy 1 England 10 (24)
Holland 3 Lithuania 1 Iceland 9Vz(28)
Sweden 3 Denmark 1 Belgium 8Vz(28)
Italy 8Vz(28)
Yugoslavia 2Vz Czechoslovakia 1 Vz Norway 6 (28)
USA had the bye. Scotland 5%(28)
Isaias Pleci, who was ranked as reserve a sort of inverted Maroczy Sicilian.
for Argentina, proved altogether too The middlegame now gets under way
strong for most fourth and fifth board with no weaknesses in either camp.
players in the Olympiad. Nothing was 7 �a4 f6 8 0-0 e5 9 e3 l;ld7 10 �d1
further from his thoughts than keeping i;le6 11 .§ e1!
the draw in hand, as the following With this powerful move, played
game shows. after a tentative excursion with the
0 Pleci (AR) • Ojanen (SF) queen, Pleci evidently decides on the
1 c4 .!fJ f6 2 .!fJ c3 c5 3 .!fJf3 sort of attack which had won him
Here Black has quite a choice - many a game. He clearly means to
./fj c6 or e6 or g6 for instance; but play d4, opening up the central files
Ojanen was also of the win-every-game and diagonals. If it should cost him
temperament, and he goes for the open a pawn, so be it.
centre at once: 11 . . . �d7 12 d4! cXd4 13 eXd4
3 . . dS 4 cXd5 ./fj Xd5 5 g3
. eXd4 14 ./fje4
Alternatives here for White include
••
��--���--�
This position was Pleci's aim. He is opposite-coloured bishops will only re
a pawn down but has his open lines. inforce the white attack, for Black will
Black's extra pawn is the notorious have simultaneously deprived himself
isolated d-pawn - a long-term weak of his stronger bishop and brought
ness but for the moment a considerable White's into powerful play. On the
attacking unit in its own right. White other hand 21 . . . g6 is impossible
will have to go all out to win - which because of the fiendish 22 �XdS + ! !
in any case was Pleci's ambition. �XdS 23 .§.Xe8+ .§.Xe8 24 fJ.. XdS+.
14 . . . !J.,e7 15 !J.,f4 'f:)d5 16 .§. ct !? Ojanen decides, logically enough, to
Fascinating. White masses tremen take off four pieces and run for the
dous force on the centre files, at the endgame.
same time allowing his own K-side to 21 . . . !J.. Xe4 22 !J.. Xe4 .§. Xe4!
be horribly shattered. 23 'f:)Xe4 d3
16 . . . '£:) Xf4 17 gXf4 The crisis. Black still has just the
In an endgame now White would be extra pawn, and it springs into menac
lost, for Black has not only an extra ing life. Alas, he still has that king, and
pawn but also the two bishops and he is to be made to pay the full price
plenty of targets. Nevertheless White for opening White's g-file.
is happy, for Black also has a king. It 24 ®h1! .§. e8
can hardly stay in the centre but
whichever side it castles it will alight r--;•""'a"" -.B '""' ""a
,. =•"'"'* ,. c;;:•:-;;; ""'l!i
f_41�t
- 1i ·-· •""• - �t
on a file just waiting to be filled with - �. -
white rooks. Ojanen chooses: . - .
17 . . . 0-0 18 'f:)g3 .§,fe8 19 'f:)h4 !J.. � . . �
f&]
= .'ZJ
•'-' "
�·
20 .§. e4! Ads
• •t• .
. .... � J.':"_4l·. �li -
.u.U • U �.·". �. �.·.·
d
J.':".fi!l�_ t ®
�
- • § • .
- - . 25 'f:)Xf6+! gXf6 26 .§. g1 + ®f8
•
¥:;1"%� � %
• Either way Ojanen's queen is lost:
I!-��� -�n " Li
· .
. . . �-
26 . . . ®h8 27 'f:)g6+ followed by
g • •
�U J.':"_4l.,li - �� 28 'f:)eS+ .
.!!. - dd!:L� . I'll Ji:! '%� 27 �h6+ ®e7 28 .§. g7+ ®d8 29
• �g· �
. R.M.. iJ:1;1l
.§. Xd7+ ®Xd7 30 �Xh7+ 1-0.
21 �h5!! Thursday was the third double-round
No half-measures for Pleci. If Black day:
accepts the exchange sacrifice the
22 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 8 Poland
Czechoslovakia
Holland
25 (32)
22 (32)
22 (32)
Thursday August 5th Estonia 20¥2 (28)
1 0.30 - 15.30 USA 20 (28)
Hungary 19¥2 (28)
Argentina 18 (28)
Estonia 4 Scotland 0
Lithuania 16 (32)
England 3¥2 Iceland ¥2 Latvia 14¥2 (28)
Lithuania 3¥2 Latvia ¥2 Sweden 14¥2(32)
USA 3¥2 Finland ¥2 Finland 14 (32)
England 13¥2 (28)
Argentina 2¥2 Belgium 1 1/2 Denmark 13¥2(32)
Poland 2¥2 Yugoslavia 1 ¥2 Yugoslavia 12¥2 (28)
Norway 2¥2 Denmark 1¥2 Iceland 10 (32)
Sweden 2 Holland 2 Belgium 1 0 (32)
Italy 8¥2 (2e)
Hungary 2 Czechoslovakia 2 Norway 8¥2(32)
Italy had the bye. Scotland 5¥2(32)
Another key pairing - Hungary v after the bye in Round 7 he came back
Czechoslovakia - also ended 2-2. with a typical win against the Finnish
The Americans meanwhile scored 3¥2 champion:
and leapfrogged over Hungary - not, D Reshevsky (US) • Gauffin (SF)
however, into fourth place, because 1 d4 d5 2 .l£)f3 {Jf6 3 c4 e6 4 .l£jc3
Estonia, by beating Scotland 4-0, A,e7
vaulted over both of them. It was a Gauffin is not interested in the sup
black day for Scotland, who not only posedly equalising line 4 . . . cS (see
suffered a second successive 4-0 Gulbrandsen's play on page 18) but
defeat but saw Norway actually win prefers the Orthodox Defence.
a match, scoring 2¥2 against their fel 5 e3
low Scandinavians Denmark. Holland However, Reshevsky does not oblige.
held on to their shared second posi This deceptively quiet line had been
tion. Euwe was playing like a machine; used in the 1880s, e.g. by Zukertort,
Stahlberg was his sixth victim in six who got some far from quiet middle
games. games out of it. "Old enough to be a
During the mid- and late 'thirties novelty" said Reshevsky. Najdorf sub
Reshevsky was one of the most feared sequently made use of it.
of all players. At the age of 25 his 5 . . . 0-0 6 A,d3 c5 7 0-0 .l£)c6 8 b3
victims already included the three After which it is no longer possible
World Champions Lasker, Capablanca to transpose into a Queen's Gambit
and Alekhine. It was something of a Accepted.
sensation when he lost in the sixth 8 . b6 9 A,b2 A,b7 10 'l/1e2
. .
round to Piazzini of Argentina, but Now Black takes the strategic deci-
STOCKHOLM 1937 23
sion to give White a pair of hanging two white bishops. Black has little
pawns. choice of reply.
10 . . . cXd4 11 eXd4 dXc4 12 bXc4 17 . . . d£Je7
'{fffc7 Anywhere else the knight would be
And not 1 2 . . . d£jXd4. The hanging too far out of play; in fact, after 17 . . .
pawns are not that weak. 13 4)Xd4 d£ja5 Black would probably be mated
'{ffj X d4 14 d£jd5! '{fffc5 15 AXf6! and after 18 AXh7+ <i!(Xh7 19 d£jg5+,
then either 15 . . . AXf6 16 '{fffe4, or whether the king went to g8 or g6.
15 . . . gXf6 1 6 '{fffg4+ <i!(h8 17 '{fffh4. Reshevsky gave 19 . . . <;!fg8 20 '{ffjh5
Reshevsky here suggested a remark Ad6 21 §,el. Or 19 . . . <i!(g6 20
able defence for Black which few '{fffe4+ ! <i!( Xg5 21 §. d3.
masters would have considered: 12 . . . 18 d6!!
§.c8, and then '{fffc7, '{fffb8 and '{fffa8! So much for the weak hanging
n aJ §.td8 14 §. td1 Ats pawns and the weak isolated d-pawn.
With ultra-caution Gauffin over-pro Now Black has only the choice be
tects g7, but this very caution gives tween major and minor disasters: 18 . . .
Reshevsky just the time he needs to '{ffj Xd6 19 j;tXh7 + or:
"start playing". Black is no doubt think 18 . . . §. Xd6 19 l;teS AXf3 20
ing comfortably of the hanging pawns '{ffJ Xf3 §. Xd3 21 AXc7 §. Xf3 22
as the familiar long-term liability, but gXf3
the present game is a good illustration
of the fact that they can sometimes be
turned to such good offensive account
in the short-term that long-term con
siderations are irrelevant. So sound a
judge as Euwe said "Any player who is
looking for a real fight can well afford
to accept the risks inherent in the
hanging pawns" - and Reshevsky in
the 1930s was always "looking for a What a demanding game chess can
real fight". be! Gauffin has played the last few
moves the best way and now White,
after beautifully dominating the middle
game, finds himself, with rook against
knight it is true, but a pawn down and
with his pawns split and isolated com
pared with Black's neat rafts of three
and two. But endgame technique was
as natural as breathing to Reshevsky,
and he makes it all seem quite easy.
15 dS! eXdS 16 d£jXd5 d£j X d5 17 22 . . . d£jfS 23 a4 §, e8 24 <i!(fl Acs
cXdS Black has apparently placed all his
. . . and again the d-pawn is taboo, pieces on good squares, yet against
since 17 . . . §. Xd5 loses the exchange the two white rooks there is little more
to 18 .Q.. X h7+. But now look at those they can do.
24 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 9 Poland
Holland
27 (36)
24¥2(36)
Czechoslovakia 24 (36)
Thursday August 5th U.S.A. 23¥2 (32)
17.30 - 22.30 Estonia 22 (32)
Hungary 211jz (32)
Argentina 20 (32)
U.S.A. 3 '12 Belgium lf2 Lithuania 18¥2(36)
Yugoslavia 3¥2 Denmark 'h Sweden 17¥2(36)
Italy 3 Iceland 1 Yugoslavia 16 (32)
Sweden 3 Latvia Latvia 15 ¥2 (32)
England 15¥2 (32)
Lithuania 21fz Estonia 1 ¥2 Finland 14 (32)
Holland 2¥2 Norway 1 ¥2 Denmark 14 (36)
Czechoslovakia 2 Argentina 2 Italy l l1f2 (32)
Poland 2 Hungary 2 Iceland 1 1 (36)
Belgium 10¥2(36)
England 2 Scotland 2 Norway 10 (36)
Finland had the bye. Scotland 71f2(36)
The local Derby between England and D Ozols (LA) • Danielsson (SW)
Scotland ended 2-2. Montgomerie, 1 c4 e6
who lost 14 games at Stockholm, chose Half the charm of the English is its
this occasion to score his only win - vagueness. Black can only guess what
against, of all people, C. H. O'D. White intends, while White is giving
Alexander. Norway gave Holland a Black a big choice of defensive for
fright, scoring 1 'h against them. mations. In half a dozen moves they
Examination of the table now shows will be reading one another's minds.
a clear group of seven teams running Black's e6 at least indicates that it will
strongly for the cup. not be a King's Indian.
Here is how Sweden scored one of 2 �f3 �16 3 b3 d5 4 .Q._b2 �bd7 5 e3
her three points against Latvia: c6 6 .Q.,e2 '{f:fc7
STOCKHOLM 1937 25
White has chosen a Queen's Indian might well have exchanged inquiring
formation and it looks as though Black glances and adjourned to the bar. This,
intends to open up with . . . e5. however, was an Olympiad, and the
7 .:£lc3 dXc4 8 bXc4 .Q_d6 9 d4 0.0 honour of Latvia and Sweden was at
10 0.0 e5 stake.
With this freeing of his Q-bishop 25 . . . .§, b4!?
Black attains equality. Now suddenly the game goes wild.
It c5? One wonders how much Danielsson
An anti-positional move. Owls sets saw at this point and exactly what he
up a pawn chain which Black will was aiming at. There is no doubt about
promptly dismantle. what Ozols saw - a black ·queen
11 . . . !it,e7 12 �b3 eXd4 13 eXd4 b6 heavily overloaded, looking after b4,
First the base and then the head. All f4 and c6 simultaneously.
that will be left of the chain is an iso 26 .§. Xc6!?
lated d-pawn. Planning to meet 26 . . . �Xc6 with
14 cXb6 .:£lXb6 27 �Xb4. At a stroke White has
Played this way Black also gets two converted his isolated pawn into a
isolated pawns. He wants the use of menacing central passed pawn. He had
the b-file. not foreseen Black's next:
1§ �c2 !it,d6 16 .Q.,d3 h6 17 .i£)e4 26 . . . ./£)h3 + !I
'fjXe4 18 i;l,Xe4 .Q.,a6 Now the fat is in the fire. White has
The attempt to win the black c-pawn three possible moves and the simplest
now by 19 .§, fcl would be foiled by is probably the best; namely 27 gXh3
1 9 . . . !it,f4. �Xc6 28 �Xb4 �Xf3. Ozols pre
19 ..\ld3 i;l,Xd3 20 �Xd3 .§. ab8 sumably disliked this break-up of his
21 .§ act ./£)d5 22 ,ila3 ./£)f4! 23 king's position, but after 29 �b3 he
jiXd6 �Xd6 24 �d2 .§, fd8 25 could hardly lose.
,§ fd1 He cannot play 27 �hl because of
27 . . . � X c6 28 �Xb4 .:£l Xf2+ .
• • ••• There remains:
-_ ·�. •
f41 . •.t• -.. ..
27 �1 � Xc6 28 �Xb4
•tM
d �- d• - �
• •
• •
• • • .!£) .
.JJ. D
4l>- U � �
. .· .� 4l>- f�>
�� U .JJ. d
-
B � �-
_
r� c=,. a
B i"f"\
The disappearance of all the bishops •
seems to have reduced the game to .ft
something of a dead end. Material is •
equal; there are two fully open files on 28 . . . �a6 +!
which all the rooks might be ex And suddenly Black is winning. Out
changed; each side has a half-open of the barren-looking position at the
file; each side has two isolated pawns; previous diagram Danielsson has con
each king looks safe enough. Pacifists jured up a mating attack. The white
26 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
king has no option but to walk right comes to the c-file it is mate: 32 �c3
into it. .§. c8 + and then either 33 �d3 'lf;jc2
29 �e1 .fjf4! mate or 33 �b4 .§. c4+ 34 �b5 'lf;ja4
A deadly continuation. The threats mate.
at e2 and g2 are now impossible to 32 �d3 .fjf4+ 0-1.
meet. After 33 �e3 or �c3 the queen is
30 'lf;je7 .fj Xg2+ 31 �d2 'lf;jXa2+ lost by knight fork, or after 33 �e4 by
This puts an end to it, for if the king the skewer 'lf;je2 +.
Round 10 Poland
Holland
USA
29Vz(40)
27 (40)
26Vz (36)
Friday August 6th Czechoslovakia 25 (40)
1 0.30 - 15.30 Estonia 24 (36)
Hungary 24 (36)
Argentina 21 Vz (36)
Italy 4 Scotland 0 Lithuania 20Vz(40)
Latvia 3 Norway Sweden 19¥2(40)
USA 3 Czechoslovakia 1 Latvia 18Vz (36)
Holland 2¥2 Yugoslavia 1Vz Yugoslavia 17Vz (36)
England 17Vz (36)
Hungary 2Vz Denmark 1Vz Finland 16 (36)
Poland 2Vz Argentina 11/z Italy 15¥2 (36)
Lithuania 2 England 2 Denmark 15Vz(40)
Sweden 2 Estonia 2 Belgium 12¥2(40)
Iceland 11 (36)
Finland 2 Belgium 2 Norway 1 1 (40)
Iceland had the bye. Scotland 7Vz(40)
Friday was the easy day - provided (to Pirc). His record to date was six
you had not accumulated any arrears. straight wins - against Petrov, Keres,
The USA did themselves a doubly Castaldi, Gilfer, Mikenas and Stahl
valuable good turn by scoring three berg.
against Czechoslovakia and thus mov Here is the one win which gave
ing above them into third place while Holland their victory over Yugoslavia:
still a match in hand, not only over D Landau (ND) • Trifunovic (YU)
Czechoslovakia but also over Poland 1 d4 .fjf6 2 c4 e6 3 .fjc3 -'l,b4 4 e3 dS
and Holland. Meanwhile Estonia and 5 -'l,d3 cS 6 .fjfe2 cXd4 7 eXd4 dXc4
Hungary were probably fairly content 8 -'l,Xc4
with their shared fifth place, for four Out of Rubinstein's variation of the
of the five teams ahead of them had Nimzo-Indian has emerged what is
the bye still to come. virtually a Queen's Gambit Declined
Euwe actually dropped half a point with two unusually-placed pieces -
STOCKHOLM 1937 27
and if he could only plug the e-file by Schelfhout later on suggested the
4j X eS his worst worries would be forcing line 3S dS eXdS; then ex
over. Landau, however, knows far too change of all four rooks on e7 followed
much about position play to let himself by _Q,XdS+ and .Q,Xb7. But with the
be robbed of the new weakness just clock ticking away Landau pursues the
created at e6. All eyes on the black methodical course previously mapped
e-pawn now; other targets can wait. out in his mind. He has just one piece
25 4Jc4! §fe8 26 § e3 4jf8 27 h5! not pulling its weight - the black
§ e7 28 § g3 square bishop. This piece he proposes
Beautifully alternating his blows to bring across to a3 and drive one
against e6 and g6. black rook off the e-file. There is,
•A
•
d •. .
{gj
d ...
8 V'.�
d.
however, one danger, of which Landau
� Wi fwt • is well aware. If the win of the e-pawn
� t !
JI Ik � . t should involve the exchahge of White's
• •t•t• black-square bishop for the knight,
• • t • ft then the unopposable bishops remain
0 . ing would make things difficult; the
ir
u4"
rh
d win might even evaporate. These con
ft . g� · ft · siderations explain the manoeuvring
�
- 't"1 -
B e:=. . �
� - Rl"'
• !Ql
which follows.
28 . . . .Q,c2! 35 Act ! ®g7 36 ®12 b5
The resourceful Trifunovic pulls a Threatening 37 . . . b4!
startling manoeuvre out of the hat. 37 .Q,a3 §c7 38 .Q,b4 §a8
He achieves some simplification with Trifunovic fights all the. way. His
this indirect exchange and hopes to e-pawn is lost and he will not achieve
hold his game together. Landau, rather the opposite bishops, so he reverts to
surprisingly in view of his attacking the Q-side, intending now to under
possibilities, goes willingly into the mine the white centre with aS and b4.
endgame, judging, no doubt correctly, 39 .Q,a5! § c6 40 ®e2 § a6 41 .Q,b4
that the black weaknesses will then be § b6 42 ®d3 a5 43 .Q,c5 §c6 44
more easily and surely exploited. .Q,Xe6
29 .Q,Xc2 �Xc4 30 � Xc4 § Xc4 The moment has come. This pawn
31 .Q,b3 § c8 32 §el .Q,f6 33 §ge3 win has taken twenty moves. Before
White continues his alternation be making the capture Landau has cen
tween e6 and g6. One of them is bound tralised his king and established the
to fall soon. best conditions for driving home the
33 . . . §ce8 34 hXg6 hXg6 advantage of the passed d-pawn. He
•
.d • d•m
. ....
:-:V' �
d
also has the h-file available for a diver
. .% t � M .. sion if necessary.
� -
� • fai M iGiG
D
44 . . . § d8
-
M •tBtM Threatening 4S . . . § XeS.
• • MtM 45 ®c2 .Q,Xd4
-iS" �& �.. iru 4" -
iS
•
·
•·
-�u r� -
�
- -� �
it t't"1i D
.W At last the patient Trifunovic is
driven to attempt a desperate remedy.
ft . g . ft .
�
•- - � h
• �d !Ql
Rl"' His combination is unsound but it is as
STOCKHOLM 1937 29
Round 11 USA
Poland
Holland
30
30 (44)
28¥2(44)
(40)
The bye must have been very welcome to Euwe, and Estonia were strongly
l o Belgium's four-man team, and it fell placed, as the table shows.
nt the best time - half way through Here is England's one win in their
I he Olympiad. The meeting of the match with Sweden - it brought
leuders, Poland and the USA, seemed Alexander's personal score to 6 wins,
lo bring the end in sight. The USA 1 draw, 2 losses.
Ncored 3V2- V2. bringing them level on D Lundin (SW) • Alexander (EN)
points with Poland with a match in 1 �f3 �f6 2 c4 e6 3 �c3 d5 4 d4 c5
hund. Reshevsky inflicted on Tarta , In the Semi-Tarrasch the shape of
kower one of his two defeats at Stock the middlegame depends largely on
holm. Meanwhile Keres had lost only who does the exchanging and in what
30 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
point. He must have known the could not recapture because of the
Y udovich brilliancy yet he had no wish further threat 21 . . . �e2+, discover
to investigate whether Lundin had ing on the white queen.
discovered some improvement for 19 . . . �Xd4 20 � X d4 � Xd4
White. By · simply exchanging pawns 21 .§. d6
the other way the whole line is by The white isolated pawn has van
passed. ished; the black one remains as a
5 . . . dXc4 6 e3 �c6 7 .Q.Xc4 cXd4 winning asset.
8 eXd4 21 . . . �13+ 22 <it'g2 d4 23 �d5 .§. c2
And there it is - the isolated d 24 �f4(see dzagram)�h4+! 25 <it'h3
pawn, and an open game with chances The British Chess Magazine gave
for both sides. · Alexander's analysis running as far as
8 . . . Jie7 9 0.0 0.0 10 .§. e1 �d5 move 38 to demonstrate that White
11 JiXd5 eXd5 would have been even worse off after
STOCKHOLM 1937 31
. . �-·· •
-
� -
. U1
. - •t •
Z'-
.oim R � . .
1%41 .
Bii
-
�
c
• • • • • •
U1
. - � � " .
�
-Ml D •
• • • R
r� • 81 �:-
• t ,�� �� t6t
..u..
4l- U ••
2'.4li�il a 8 .ft . �- • D
� •- . • • • •
25 �fl gS, 25 �gl gS or 25 gXh4 38 .§e4+
.§ X£4. Apparently forcing off a pair of rooks.
25 . . . ./£jl5 26 .§ d7 38 . . . �16!!
White's priority is to hold back the For 39 .§ Xe3 would allow 39 . . .
passed pawn; Black's is to see that ./£j f4 mate. So the exchange goes.
White does not get a chance to double 39 .§ a8 ./£jl4+ 40 .§ X14 gXI4 41
rooks on the seventh rank. In parti ,§18+ �e5 42 ,§ 15+ �d4 43
cular it would be risky for the c2 rook .§ X14+ �c3 44 a4 .§a2 45 ,§ 18 d2
lo quit the c-file, even to win a pawn. 46 .§c8+ �Xb4 47 ,§ d8 .§e1 0-1.
26 . . . .§ e8 27 .§ d1 g5 28 ./£jh5 .§ e6 The triumph of the isolated d-pawn.
29 .§ Xa7 .§ X12 30 .§ c1
Instantly seizing the file. Now White
will get the 7th rank with what looks
like dangerous counterplay. Already
he threatens mate in two but Alexander
hus calculated that he can hold off the
ultuck, making good use of his king,
und presently push the pawn. After
ull, White has voluntarily abandoned
lhe d-file.
30 . . . .I£Je7 31 .§ 1c7 �17! 32 .§ d7
.!'J. e41
A handy move, protecting the vital
puwn and threatening 33 . . . g4 +.
33 g4 ,§e3+ 34 ./£jg3 d3 35 .§ a3 England team captain Alexander
The white rook humbly leaves the watches Owen Hindle at the 1964 Tel
7th rank to hold up the pawn, but its Aviv Olympiad.
1 riumphant advance can no longer be That evening some of the players
prevented. were sitting down to their twelfth game
35 . . . .§ d2 36 b4 �e6 37 .§ d4 ./£jd5! in eight days. It was a high-scoring
With all eyes on the d-pawn round with seven teams scoring three
Alexander has not forgotten that the or more, and there were no drawn
white king is in a mating net. He now matches. The USA mercilessly took
lhreatens 28 . . . ./£jf4+ 29 .§ Xf4 gXf4 all four from Denmark and pulled
followed by fXg3 winning a whole away into the lead. England now stood
rook. at 50%.
32 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 12 USA
Poland
Holland
34
32Vz(48)
31Vz(48)
(44)
made possible by White's ill-judged 22 . . . .l£j Xc1 23 .§. Xcl .!£jd311 0-1.
lOth. Rook and knight are attacked and
14 .!£jdb5 .Q.e6 cannot both be saved. A game typical
Everything consistently focusses on of Flohr's style at the age of 29. Hardly
White's Q-side corner. any inkling that he knew of the exis
15 .l£jXa7 �b6 16 .!£j7b5 .{J Xa2 tence of the white king, yet from the
17 .§bt .§,fd8 start Dunkelblum seemed unable to
In a superficially symmetrical posi undertake anything at all.
tion Black has achieved a strong initia Sunday August 8th was a genuine
tive. White's h3 was a non-productive day of rest, and never was one more
move and Black keeps a jump ahead, welcome, for in the preceding eight
doing all the threatening. days twelve five-hour rounds had been
18 �e2 -'td7! played, and all adjourned positions
The advanced white knight now has cleared up as well. The players, except
no safe retreat, for 19 .!£jc3 would lose those who chose to sleep all day, en
u rook after 19 . . . .Q.Xc3! 20 bXc3 joyed a refreshing sea trip round the
.!£jXc3 21 .§. Xb6 .!£j Xe2+ 22 �h2 Stockholm Archipelago, no doubt talk
.§. X b6. So White must resort to in ing chess all the way. Moreover
direct defence. Monday was to be a "single" day. The
19 .§.at .!£j6b4! 20 .§, dl .Q.XbS 21 schedule was becoming almost restful.
.§ Xd8+ .§. Xd8 22 .!£jXbS
Saving everything? No! Flohr always
saw further.
Round 13 USA
Poland
Holland
36
35 (52)
33ljz(52)
(48)
Black's strength, has become his weak 25 . . . .§. ab8 26 .§. Xa7+ ®g6 27
ness. ,§. 1a6 1-0.
14 . . . ,fJd7 15 �a6! Black is bound to lose more material.
Threatening to take over rank as So ends one more attempt to keep the
well as file by .§. b7. queen's gambit pawn.
19 . . . .fjb6 20 -'l,c5 �c6 21 e4! There were two more of the killing
Settling the e-pawn argument at an ten-hour days to come, scheduled for
opportune moment. The move not Tuesday and Thursday, with the inter
only seizes the centre but has the vening Wednesday to be another com
tactical point of squashing any ideas pletely free day. On the Tuesday morn
Black may have had of getting counter ing no fewer than five of the nine
play by �c6-d5-h5. matches were drawn, only two teams
21 . . . ,§.hb8 scoring as many as three points.
Seeing no hope of achieving any Hungary's win was significant, for
thing on the h-file, the rook comes with all the rest of the top six scoring
across to the main theatre of war; and tv.:o points it brought Hungary within
now all eight pieces are on the a-b-c l 'h points of Poland (with a match in
files. hand), and even within theoretical
22 ,§. b4 .§. c8 23 �b5 �Xb5 24 striking distance of the USA. The
.§. XbS g5 25 .§. baS deficit of 2V2 points with five rounds
Threatening not only .§. Xa7+ but still to go did not look an insurmount
also -'l, Xb6. able hurdle.
Round 14 USA
Poland
Hungary
38
37 (56)
(52)
35 ¥2 (52)
Tuesday August lOth Holland 35¥2(56)
10.30 - 1 5.30 Estonia 33V2 (52)
Czechoslovakia 33V2 (52)
Lithuania 30 (52)
Yugoslavia 3 Italy Argentina 29V2 (52)
Hungary 3 England Sweden 29%(56)
Norway 2¥2 Iceland l V2 Yugoslavia 27 (52)
Denmark 2V2 Belgium l V2 England 24V2 (52)
Latvia 24V2 (52)
Sweden 2 Scotland 2 Finland 23 (52)
Czechoslovakia 2 Poland 2 Italy 20V2 (52)
Finland 2 Holland 2 Denmark 20¥2(56)
USA Latvia Iceland l8V2 (52)
2 2
Belgium 16 (52)
Argentina 2 Estonia 2 Norway 16 (56)
Lithuania had the bye. Scotland 1 1 ¥2 (52)
36 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 15 USA
Holland
Hungary
40¥2 (56)
38¥2(60)
37lf2 (56)
Tuesday August lOth Poland 37 (56)
17.30 - 22.30 Czechoslovakia 36 (56)
Estonia 35 (56)
Lithuania 32 (56)
Holland 3 Belgium Argentina 32 (56)
Latvia 3 Finland Sweden 31 lf2(60)
Czechoslovakia 2112 Denmark 1¥2 Yugoslavia 29 (56)
USA 2¥2 Estonia Latvia 27112 (56)
1lf2
England 26 (56)
Argentina 2¥2 England l lf2 Finland 24 (56)
Lithuania 2 Sweden 2 Italy 22112 (56)
Scotland 2 Norway 2 Denmark 22 (60)
Iceland 20¥2 (56)
Iceland 2 Yugoslavia 2
Norway 18 (60)
Hungary 2 Italy 2 Belgium 17 (56)
Poland had the bye. Scotland 13¥2 (56)
This was the round when Hungary board, Storm-Herseth (see page 55).
missed her great chance of coming up The set piece of the evening, how
to one point behind the USA, for the ever, was the meeting of Keres and
Americans scored only the minimum Reshevsky, the two outstanding young
win against Estonia; Poland had the rivals of the day. Just before the
bye, and Hungary was paired with Italy, Olympiad, at Kemeri, Reshevsky as
who stood 14th in the order. However, Black had scored a splendid positional
the Hungarians were by now very tired, victory - a victory moreover which
being virtually only a four-man team. had allowed him to score twelve points
In this second match of the day only against the 1 1 Y2 of Keres and Alekhine.
Steiner could win for them and Havasi Now Keres has White again.
actually lost, so at the end of the day D Keres (ES) • Reshevsky (US)
they found themselves below Holland 1 e4
again (not a real position, of course, The Kemeri game had opened 1 d4
for Holland's bye was still to come, d5 2 � f3 �f6 3 .Q.J4?!. This time
but the likelihood of picking up three Keres returns to austere orthodoxy.
points against the USA in the last four 1 . . . e5 2 �f3 �c6 3 .Q.. b5 a6 4 .Q..a4
rounds was remote). �f6 5 0-0 .Q..e7 6 §. e1 b5 7 .Q..b3 d6
This day - August lOth, 1937 - 8 c3 �aS
must have been one of the most mem This familiar manoeuvre is slightly
orable of Dr Aitken's life, for he fol mistimed. Black would do better to
lowed up his great defeat of Stahlberg castle first, according to Keres, so as
in the morning with a brilliant win in to have the QR defended in what
the evening against the Norwegian top follows.
STOCKHOLM 1937 39
But this makes it easy. Reshevsky members there were 14 who had not
was, of course, already short of time, taken a single rest: Foltys (CZ), Kostic
with 20(!) moves to make before the (YU), Danielsson (SW), Petrov (LA),
time control. Black also loses beauti Book (SF), Mikenas and Vaitonis (LI),
fully after 30 . . . 2£)g7 31 2£) fS! 'l!Jc7 Lilienthal, Szabo and Steiner (HU) and
32 2£) Xg7 'l!J Xg7 33 'l!J Xe8 + ! ! the whole Belgian team: Dunkelblum,
.§. X e8 34 .§. XeS+ and 3S .§. e7. O'Kelly, Baert and Defosse.
But the best line (following Keres' This day of recuperation was to be
analysis) would be 30 . . . �f8 31 followed by one last double-round day
2£) dS! 'lfjd8 32 .§. X eS .§. XeS 33 on the Thursday and then the event
.§. X eS dXeS 34 'lfjfS+ �g8 3S would end with two single-round days
'l!J X eS! etc. on Friday and Saturday, thus allowing
31 2£)f5 .§.8e6 32 'lfjXhS+ �g8 33 two five-hour evening sessions for
'lfjgS+ �f8 34 'l!Jg7+ �e8 35 clearing up all unfinished games.
2£) Xd6+! 1-0. With players refreshed by their rest
A magnificent revenge for Kemeri day, the Thursday morning saw some
- 'The Pearl of Stockholm', Tarta ruthless slaughter, no fewer than three
kower called it. A month later these teams whitewashing their opponents
two were at each other's throats again 4 -0. Lithuania achieved this for the
in the double-round tournament of fourth(!) time, Argentina and Yugo
Semmering-Baden, where they won slavia for the first. ·The USA and
one each. Poland kept up the pace with 3ljz, and
Given the number of days available Hungary scored three. Euwe was be
for the whole Olympiad the organisers ginning to tire, and after dropping
had done their work well. After lS three points in five games decided to
hard rounds in eleven days the only take two consecutive rests. It must be
planned activities for Wednesday remembered that he was due to defend
August 1 1th consisted of a Civic Re his World Championship - against
ception and Banquet, and the players Alekhine - only a few weeks after the
were able to relax. Of the 94 team end of this gruelling team tournament.
Stahlberg v Keres - a post war photo taken at the Maroczy Memorial Tourna
ment of 1952.
STOCKHOLM 1937 41
Round 16
Positions and Scores
USA 44 (60)
Hungary 40¥2 (60)
Poland 40¥2 (60)
Thursday August 12th Holland 40lf2(64)
10.30 - 1 5.30 Czechoslovakia 38 (60)
Lithuania 36 · (60)
Argentina 36 (60)
Lithuania 4 Norway 0 Estonia 35lf2 (60)
Yugoslavia 4 Scotland 0 Yugoslavia 33 (60)
Argentina 4 Italy 0 Sweden 31 lf2 (60)
USA 3lf2 England lf2 Latvia 30 (60)
Finland 27lf2 (60)
Poland 3lf2 Denmark lf2 England 26lf2 (60)
Finland 3lf2 Estonia lf2 Italy 22lf2 (60)
Hungary 3 Iceland 1 Denmark 22lf2(64)
Latvia 2lf2 Belgium l lf2
Iceland 21 lf2 (60)
Belgium 18¥2 (60)
Czechoslovakia 2 Holland .2 Norway 18 (64)
Sweden had the bye. Scotland 13112 (60)
with . . . �e7 White finishes him off Threatening . . . f4. Amazingly, the
with 24 �e5+ �g8 (or 24 . . . �h6 centre being stabilised(!), Kashdan is
25 §d3) 25 �f6! �f8 26 d8=�! beginning a K-side attack of his own!
� Xd8 27 § Xd8 and 28 �f7 mate. 27 f4 §g8!
23 . . . h6!! He switches to the g-file and, in spite
Yet again the only move. Kashdan of everything, undoubtedly has the
is like a tennis player saving one match initiative.
point after another. Had Alexander fore 28 �cS g5! 29 �Xb7 § Xb7
Neen this ingenious move, giving the White has prudently exchanged off
black king a flight, he would no doubt the black QB which would have been
have prefaced his 23rd move with 23 deadly in combination with rooks on
'&"eS+ �f6 and only then 24 § adl the g-file. Nevertheless, Kashdan, with
t/Je7 25 �Xc7, after which even out relaxing the blockade of the passed
Kashdan could hardly have wriggled. pawns, contrives to get his heavy
24 §fel!? pieces into active play.
It is ironical that each of these two 30 c4 gXf4 31 �Xf4 §g6 32 �h4!
powerful rook moves gives away an Innocently threatening 33 �Xe7 + !
ulmost certain win. Although White �Xe7 3 4 d8=�. Those passed
hus every piece strongly in play, and pawns are still in existence.
I hree pawns for the piece, Kashdan 32 . . . § b8! 33 § e5 �f8! 34 �f2
cun now blockade the passed pawn. §d8
His tremendous resilience is rewarded The changing of the guard.
• �,a
� �
und he can at last begin to play his
. .
illll •
own game. •
. �
r�
•
·- •
It was Dr Euwe who, at the end of
I he game, pointed out the magnificent
tR as •
consummation available to Alexander . . �t·
ut this point: 24 e7! ! �Xe7 25 § fe l ! R ft R R R
u£ter which the main line of his analysis R ft R R R
runs 25 . . . �c6 26 �d5 § f8 27 �e7 41-. •
.!..!. . • • �
iel
-
• - ·� �·
- i " !.
�f6 28 �Xc6 § Xc6 29 �d4+ § f6
JO .§ e8. Now back to the game, to Black has made considerable pro
watch the revitalised Kashdan com gress. His queen is now free for active
plete his recovery. service and his extra knight, though
only a static piece of wood for the
�- .
�� Wi
� ... �
81--.� R moment, is nevertheless playing an
. .. . .!.!.
·.E.· .
41- · .. -
essential part, while White's extra
t R R ft R t • pawns are achieving nothing.
R m RtR 35 �cS c6 36 § ft!
• • • • With time running out (still fourteen
• •
4
J.!. 4 �a
�fuH"•·�' ..!!. ·"·'
moves to the control), Alexander is
R
� '*
�
� also fighting manfully to keep his
• •�� a -
• attack going. Here he is threatening to
24 . . . �e7 25 �e5+ �h7 26 �a4 win by 37 §eXf5! �Xf5 38 �Xf8
�f8 § Xf8 39 e7 � X e7 40 § Xf8. With
44 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 17
Positions and Scores
USA 47 (64)
Hungary 44¥2 (64)
Poland 43 (64)
Thursday August 12th Holland 42 (68)
1 7.30 - 22.30 Czechoslovakia 40 (64)
Argentina 40 (64)
Lithuania 38¥2 (64)
Argentina 4 Iceland 0 Estonia 38¥2 (64)
l l ungary 4 Scotland 0 Yugoslavia 34¥2 (64)
Estonia 3 Belgium Sweden 34¥2 (64)
I J SA 3 Italy Latvia 32 (64)
England 29¥2 (64)
l ·:ngland 3 Finland Finland 29¥2 (64)
Sweden 3 Norway Italy 23112 (64)
Lithuania 2¥2 Yugoslavia 1 112 Denmark 22112 (64)
Iceland 21 ¥2 (64)
Poland 2¥2 Holland 1 ¥2
Belgium 19¥2 (64)
l .utvia 2 Czechoslovakia 2 Norway 19 (68)
I >enmark had the bye. Scotland 13¥2 (64)
l lcre is Holland's one win against expected that Black would try to estab
Poland: lish his QN on cS.
1J Prins (ND) • Appel (PO) 9 . . . �fd7?!
I d4 �f6 2 c4 e6 3 �c3 l;tb4 4 e3 ().() Pursuing his policy of Steinitzian
"Wait and see" tactics. Before com undevelopment, Appel decides to
mitting himself to . . . dS, . . . cS, . . . b6 transfer the other knight to cS, clearing
or . . . � c6 Black leaves White to the way also for the advance of his
dwose his line. f-pawn.
� 4Jge2 10 h4!
With the idea of forcing the bishop Trying to counter Black's moves
either to retreat or to exchange itself before he makes them, in what might
lor the knight without doubling the now be called the Petrosyan style.
�··puwn. (Petrosyan was eight years old at the
� .§. e8 time.) A natural move for Black would
An experimental line. Appel pro have been 10 . . . g6, redeploying the
poses to take his bishop back to f8 and the bishop and preparing . . . fS. Prins
1 hen prepare the further advance of discourages . . . g6 by threatening to
his e-pawn, taking advantage of the meet it with hS.
n hsence of a white knight from f3. 10 . . . �c5 11 h5!
() u3 ,ilf8 7 �g3 d6 8 l;td3 e5 9 d5 Prins does not pause to secure his
Black has succeeded in freeing one KB. If Black cares to exchange off his
hishop while firmly blocking in the only active piece, let him!
other one - the one which has already 11 . . . � Xd3+ 12 �Xd3
hcen out and back. It would now be A remarkable opening. After White's
46 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Round 18
Positions and Scores
USA 51 (68)
Hungary 46lfz (68)
Poland 44lfz (68)
Friday August 13th Argentina 44 (68)
10.30 - 15.30 Holland 44 (72)
Czechoslovakia 42lfz (68)
Lithuania 40lfz (68)
USA 4 Iceland 0
Estonia 40 (68)
Argentina 4 Scotland 0 Yugoslavia 36lfz (68)
England 3 Belgium 1 Sweden 36¥z (68)
Finland 3 Italy Latvia 34lfz (68)
England 32lfz (68)
Latvia 2lfz Poland l lfz Finland 3 1 lfz (68)
Czechoslovakia 2lfz Estonia l lfz Italy 24lfz (68)
Yugoslavia 2 Sweden 2 Denmark 24lfz (68)
Hungary 2 Lithuania 2 Iceland 2l lfz (68)
Belgium 20lfz (68)
Denmark 2 Holland 2 Norway 19 (68)
Norway had the bye. Scotland 131/z (68)
problem to solve before he can turn Black will play against the black
this into the full point. squares and White will find them in
• \�
·
-
� !Ill ·
-- ··
·
� creasingly difficult to defend.
•v• 38 '3;;;hl .§,16 39 flldt .§,12 40 �d3
• • •t•t .§. Xc2 41 l;tXc2 l;tXb2
-
- �
- t�-
.
� The fall of a second pawn, giving
• • •
�· . . . Black majorities on both sides of the
board, is a positive step towards vic
0 • • . ft
z
�
� • ..M. g"'"'·� 41-.!.!. •
.g
• ·•
tory. At the same time the disappear
!@ • '�
�
• �� •
� �
!@ • i.Ql
ance of the rooks has largely removed
the fear of mating combinations and
28 . . . f¥h4 given the position the character of a
Threatening to win outright by 29 . . . pure endgame.
l;t X£2+ and . . . f¥ Xa4, netting a sec 42 a4 �e5 43 l;tb3 f¥14 44 '3;;;gt a6
ond pawn and removing the bishops. Mikenas is now proceeding to create
29 �b3 e5 30 .§.fl f¥14 31 .§. dt .§,16 a distant passed pawn.
32 .§. d2 '3;}g7 33 l;tdt 45 �c2 b5 46 aXb5 aXb5 47 �b3 b4
White's aim in life is to do nothing. 48 �c2 h5!
Black's is twofold: to advance his e And now the K-side majority rolls.
and £-pawns as opportunity allows and 49 �b3 �d4+ 50 '3;;;ht �e5 51 '3;}gt
to keep up the pressure against £2, for g5 52 f¥13
these opposite-bishop endings with The position of the white king is
heavy pieces still on the board have a becoming untenable and Lilienthal de
notorious habit of turning into mating cides that for better or worse he must
attacks. offer the exchange of queens.
33 . . . .§. e6 34 .§. c2 .§. d6 52 . . . �d4+ 53 '3;}hl f¥XI3 54 gXI3
Again threatening 35 . . . � X f2 +, 15
picking up a pawn and removing the Black holds all the trumps - passed
bishops. pawn on one side, pawn majority on
35 fllet e4! 36 l;te2 e3! 37 1Xe3 the other and the more active king.
f¥Xe3+ 55 �dl '3;;;16 56 14
One pair of pawns gone. Black's new Trying to break up the phalanx or
candidate is the £-pawn, but more im thin out the pawns.
portant is the reduction of the white 56 . . . g4! 57 '3;}g2 l;te3 58 hXg4 1Xg4
king's protection, so that the spectre 59 '3;}g3 l;td2 60 l;tc2
of a mating attack becomes more real. Keeping the black king out for the
moment.
• • • • 60 . . . �el + 61 '3;}g2 h4 0-1.
-
- �- •
• �
- t !R
1.ii'l t
- t•
- Very correctly played throughout by
- .
� �{WI .• Mikenas, and staunchly, though un
• • • • availingly, defended by Lilienthal in a
•
�• E
• �� • �• •
• •• .
741�_
� •
-
�
� --
�
. 41-
.!.!.
good cause. /
By an irony of the draw the final
0 •
·
-
�
� •
�
• f!'j
i.Ql
round paired the USA with, Scotland.
For America it was merely a lap of
STOCKHOLM 1937 51
honour, but for Hungary and Poland point, did actually share third place
the last round was a serious matter, with Poland. The astonishing Argen
with Argentina breathing down their tinian climb from eighth to third in the
necks and threatening to snatch third last five rounds gives the impression
or even second place. In the event, that if the Olympiad had gone on for a
Argentina, by closing up a further half few more rounds they would have won.
Round 19
Final Positions and Scores
1 USA 54¥2(72)
2 Hungary 48¥2(72)
3 (Argentina 47 (72)
Saturday August 14th (Poland 47 (72)
10.30 - 1 5.30 5 Czechoslovakia 45 (72)
6 Holland 44 (72)
7 (Estonia 4 1 ¥2(72)
USA 3% Scotland 1f2 (Lithuania 4 1 ¥2(72)
Yugoslavia 3¥2 Norway 1f2 9 Yugoslavia 40 (72)
Latvia 3 Denmark 1 10 Sweden 38¥2(72)
Argentina Lithuania 11 Latvia 37¥2(72)
3
12 (England 34 (72)
Poland 2¥2 Estonia 1% (Finland 34 (72)
Czechoslovakia 2¥2 England 1¥2 14 Italy 26¥2(72)
Finland 2% Iceland 1% 15 Denmark 25¥2(72)
16 Iceland 23 (72)
Italy 2 Belgium 2
17 Belgium 22¥2(72)
Hungary 2 Sweden 2 18 Norway 19¥2(72)
Holland had the bye. 19 Scotland 14 (72)
The Olympiad -
Team by Team
Having watched the whole tournament roman type a loss), the order in which
unfold day by day, and shared the they were played, the win-draw-loss
tension as it built up towards the figures for each player and the number
closing rounds, we now take a second of rest days which he took.
and more leisurely survey, considering
the prowess of the competing nations WARNING! Some Confusibles:
one by one, noting some individual Friedemann was Estonia's No. 5;
achievements and looking at a further Frydman was Poland's No. 3.
selection of the best games. Petersen was Denmark's No. 5; . . .
For each team we give a table show Petursson was Iceland's No. 5.
ing the full course of the Olympiad Raud was Estonia's No. 3; . . .
from that team's point of view - their Reid was Scotland's No. 4.
match total, game total and game per Larsen of Denmark was Oivind Larsen.
centage of each player. It is possible Steiner of Hungary was Endre Steiner.
to read off the result of every game Schmidt of Estonia was Paul Schmidt.
played (bold opponent's name repre Bolbochan of Argentina was Jacobo
sents a win; italic represents a draw; Bolbochan.
<(
TABLE of -
�
FULL MATCH RESULTS <( c:ll
> <(
<(
g <(
-
>
�
z
f@
....
>- � 0
z �
j �
�
>-
p::: f@ p:::
-
<(
ffi
1:1-o
V)
<(
0 0
z <( <( f@ f@ ;:J <(
j
�Ill
z ::t ,_;j
j �
V)
�
0
� G
-
<(
0
z j 0
u
Ill ...:I
0
E-<
� 0 @ >
E-< 0
j
Ill p:::
E-<
0 �
V)
;:J
;:J
::t
0
j:l..,
p:::
<(
N
u
0
::t Ill
V)
E-<
-
...:I
;:J
>-
�
V) j -
�
z
Ill
<(
E-<
- 0 �
m
j:Q
0
z
u
V)
0
!-o
1 USA 2 3¥2 2¥2 3 2 2Vz 3Vz 3 2Vz 2 3Vz 3Vz 3 4 4 3Vz 3 3Vz 541!2
2 HUNGARY 2 2 2 2 2¥2 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 2 2Vz 3 31/z 4 4 481!2
� 3 POLAND 0¥2 2 2Vz 2 2¥2 2¥2 2¥2 2¥2 3¥2 1 ¥2 2¥2 2¥2 3 3Vz 4 2Vz 3 4 47
s:
ARGENTINA 1 Vz 2 1 Vz 2 1 2 3 2Vz 3 2 3 2Vz 4 3 4 2Vz 3Vz 4 47
� 5 CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1 2 2 2 2 21/z 31/z 1¥2 3 2 3 2¥2 3 2Vz 3Vz 3Vz 3 2Vz 45
44
0
E-< 6 HOLLAND 2 1 Vz 1 Vz 3 2 2Vz 3 2Vz 2 3 2 2Vz 3 2 2Vz 3 · 2Vz 3¥2
g 41 1!2
"'
7 ESTONIA 1¥2 1 1 Vz 2 1 Vz 1 Vz 1 Vz 3 2 2¥2 OVz 3 3 3 31/z 3 3Vz 4
�
:z::
LITHUANIA OVz 2 1 1/z 1 OVz 1 2Vz 2Vz 2 3Vz 2 2 4 3 1 Vz 4 4 4 411!2
E-<
9 YUGOSLAVIA 1 1 1 Vz 1 Vz 2Vz 1 Vz 1 1 Vz 2 3 2 21/z 3 3Vz 2 3 3Vz 4 40
10 SWEDEN 1 Vz 2 OVz 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 2 21/z 3 3 2Vz 3Vz 3 2 381!2
1 1 LATVIA 2 1 21/z 2 2 1 1 Vz OVz 1 1 3 3 2 3 2Vz 2Vz 3 4 371h
12 FINLAND 0¥2 1 1 Vz 1 1 2 3Vz 2 2 2 1 1 3 2Vz 2Vz 2 3 2Vz 34
ENGLAND OVz 1 1 Vz 1 Vz 1 Vz 1 Vz 1 2 1¥2 1 ¥2 1 3 3 2 3Vz 3 3 2 34
14 ITALY 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 Vz 3 2 3 4 261h
15 DENMARK 0 1 Vz OVz 1 1 Vz 2 1 1 01/z 1 1 1 Vz 2 2Vz 2 2Vz 1 Vz 2Vz 251!2
16 ICELAND 0 1 0 0 OVz 1 Vz OVz 2¥2 2 1 ¥2 1 Vz 1 Vz OVz 1 2 3Vz 1 Vz 2 23
17 BELGIUM OVz OVz 1 Vz 1 Vz OVz 1 1 0 1 OVz 1 ¥2 2 1 2 1 Vz OVz 2Vz 3 Vz 221!2
18 NORWAY 1 0 1 OVz 1 1 Vz OVz 0 0¥2 1 1 1 1 1 2Vz 2Vz 1 1/z 2 191h
"<t
Ll) 19 SCOTLAND Oh 0 0 0 1 Vz OVz 0 0 0 2 0 11/z 2 0 l Vz 2 OVz 2 14
STOCKHOLM 1937 55
� 12 (BYE)
:I:
1-< 13 LI Mikenas Vaitonis Vistaneckis Luckis - - -
0-4
14 sw Stahlberg - - -
Lundin Stoltz Danielsson 2-2
15 NO Storm-Herseth Gulbrandsen Salbu Christoffersen - - -
2-2
16 YU Pirc Trifu novic - - -
Vukovic Kostic 0-4
17 HU Lilienthal Szabo - - -
Steiner Havasi 0-4
18 AR Piazzini Grau - - -
Guimard Pleci 0-4
19 us Reshevsky Fine - - -
Marshall Horowitz 01h -3Vz
Ind. Results 4 3 10 1 1 14 1 2 9 3 3 11 0 1 9
Rests 1 2 6 1 8
\J:)
of) Percentage 32.4 9.4 16.7 26.5 5.0 19.44
STOCKHOLM 1937 57
the knight and is fast running out of Black, at move 28, at last finds time to
moves. develop his Q-side.
15 �e5 � Xe5 16 dXe5 �d5 17 a3 29 �g2 .§. c8 30 .§.g3 .§. X c1 31
White exploits the bishop's helpless l;l,Xc1
ness to gain space on the Q-side and Threatening mate in two.
establish his own bishop on the long 31 . . . .§. h8 32 l;l,b2 'iJJd1 33 �h2
black diagonal. �f7 34 �e4 g5?
17 . . . .Q.a5 18 b4 l;l,b6 19 .Q.b2 g6? Probably running short of time,
Black cuts the white diagonal and Black seizes what he sees as the oppor
possibly hopes that he may yet engin tunity to exchange the queens, which
eer the win of one of the white minor is exactly what he wants; but this really
pieces. The knight has been safely en is tempting providence. Aitken finishes
prise since move 1 1 ! However, the long in style.
black diagonal now has lethal possi
bilities.
20 .§, dl
Already Black has to reckon with
the opening of the diagonal by means
of an exchange sacrifice on dS. His
scheme of threatening an exchange of
queens in order to make time to trans
fer the knight via e7 to fS is not without
ingenuity. 35 �Xg5+ !
20 . . . 'iJJc7 21 'if1e4 �e7 The knight immolates itself upon
. ..�.. . the same sacrificial square which it
� �
- .t �- �-
chose as long ago as move nine.
- 35 . . . hXgS 36 'iJJ Xg5 l;l,d5
- • • .t
.
• �
• • • u i?-1 Black, with his two bishops and a
•
w w. �
� .M.W#JI
W � threat of mate on the move, would be
d t!l .
- d
�· . ·�·"� -
·
happy now but for two unfortunate
� .
�· �
.
�• it is not his move, and (ii) he
.
" ·
� . � ..!.!. .
�
-
facts: (i)
• · .§. ·�· .§. has a king of his own.
37 'iJJf6+ �e8 38 'iJJ Xh8+ �d7
22 'ifJf4 One does not resign while threaten
Threatening mate on the move by ing mate in one.
23 'iJJf6. One fascinating variation now 39 .§.g7+ �c6 40 'iJJe8 mate.
would be 22 . . . f5 (or f6) 23 e X f6.! If 39 . . . �e6, the same move mates.
'if1Xf4 24 fXe7+ eS 25 l;t x es+ The England v Scotland top board
'iJJ X eS 26 eXf8= 'iJJ mate. game was a hard Ruy Lopez. By move
22 . . . �f5 23 g4 f6 24 �e4 26 it was down to major pieces only,
The knight retreats after being en and this phase was played with enter
prise for 13 moves on gS. prise by both sides. By move 43 it was
24 . . . �Xh7 25 gXf5 eXf5 26 .§. c1 queens and pawns. Eventually the two
'iJJd8 27 �Xf6+ �g7 28 .§, h3 l;l,e6 sides queened on consecutive moves,
As the white rook enters the game but it was Aitken who forced mate.
58 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Another typical Dunkelblum game The 25-year-old O'Kelly was one day
occurred in the Scotland match, where to become Champion of the World in
Aitken deliberately gave himself an Correspondence Play. Against Scot
isolated d-pawn in the opening and land he went in for the full Reti style,
obtained a strong initiative. Dunkel with double fianchetto, even ma
blum dug in and made good use of the noeuvring his queen to al to strengthen
square in front of the isolated pawn. the long black diagonal. It was fitting
About move 30 he won a pawn and, that once the centre melted away the
soon after, another. The bishops were end should come with startling sudden
on opposite colours and Aitken man ness on that diagonal.
aged to exchange all the other pieces, 0 O'KeUy (BE) • Montgomerie (SC)
but against Dunkelblum's pawn advan 1 l£jf3 l£jf6 2 c4 c6 3 g3 d5 4 b3 Jlf5
tage on both wings he could not save 5 .Q.g2 e6 6 Jlb2 l£jbd7 7 0-0 Jld6
the game. 8 d3 h6 9 l£]bd2 0-0 10 �c2 ,§. c8
0 Aitken (SC) • Dunkelblum (BE) 11 .§. act .§. c7 12 �bl �b8 13 �at
1 e4 c6 2 c4 d5 3 eXd5 cXd5 4 cXd5 (The full Reti treatment) 13 . . . Jlb4
�Xd5 5 l£jc3 �d8 6 d4 l£jf6 7 l;td3 14 a3 J1Xd2 15 l£j Xd2 .§. cc8 16 l£jf3
e6 8 l£jf3 �e7 9 0-0 0-0 10 l;tf4 l£jc6 l£je8 17 b4 f6 18 l£jd4 l£jd6 19 c5
11 .§. ct l£jb4! 12 �bl l£jbd5 13 l;te5 l£jf7 20 l£jXf5 eXf5 21 Jlh3 g6 22 f4
l;td7 14 a3 l£j Xc3 15 .§. Xc3 ,§. c8 .§. ce8 23 .§. eel �d8 24 �dl
16 .§. Xc8 �XeS 17 �d2 l£jd5 18 The deployment and redeployment
.§. ct �d8 t9 �d3 g6 20 Jlg3 .Q.g5 of the queens and QRs match one
21 .§. c5 Jle7 22 .§. c2 Jla4 23 .§.ct another, but neither black knight now
�b6 24 �d2 .§. d8 25 h4 Jlc6 26 h5 has any move - except backwards -
l£jf6 27 hXg6 hXg6 28 �e5 and they cut a sorry figure compared
with the two sweeping bishops. Now
• rs ••• open the centre and see what happens:
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33 �Xd2 .§. Xd2 34 .§. c7 j;tXa3 24 . . . l£jb8 25 e3 .§.e6 26 g4 fXg4
35 .§. Xb7 JlcS 36 �g3 J1Xf2+ 37 27 �Xg4 f5 28 �g3 '£jh8 29 e4 dXe4
�f4 Jlb6 38 Jle4 �g7 39 Jlc6 30 dXe4 .§. Xe4 31 .§. Xe4 fXe4
,§.d4+ 40 �g3 .§.c4 41 Jle8 .§. c7 32 �c3! 1-0.
42 .§. Xc7 J1Xc7 43 f4 g5! 44 fXg4 Against the twin threats on h8 and
J1Xe5+ 45 �f3 �f8 46 j;tb5 aS g7 there is nothing to be done (32 . . .
47 �e4 Jlb2 48 �B Act 49 �g4 �f7 33 �g7+ �e8 34 � eS+ �f7
�e7 50 Jla4 f5+ 51 �h5 f4 52 �g4 �e6 mate).
f3 0-1. In his game against Norway, O'Kelly
STOCKHOLM 1937 65
again managed to leave his opponent Hence Black's next subtle move) 26 . . .
with two helpless knights against two a6! 27 �d1 (In view of the threat and
sweeping bishops. This time all the the crushing effect of the bishop on
pressure was directed against White's h7, Gulbrandsen sees his only hope in
cramped Q-side. With one knight ma the exchange of queens. Alas, his move
rooned on the h-file White was unable loses instantly) 27 . . . .§. Xc3! (Instead
to defend against the combined on of being prevented, the sacrifice has
slaught of the five black pieces, and been rendered lethal. If now 28 bXc3
his game promptly collapsed. �Xa2, or 28 .§. X c3 �Xd1 +. So he
D Gulbrandson (NO) • O'KeUy (BE) can only exchange queens) 28 �Xb3
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 cXdS cXdS 4 {Jf3 .§. Xc1 +! 0-1 (White finds himself two
{Jf6 5 {JcJ {Jc6 6 .Q.f4 e6 7 e3 �e7 pieces down).
8 .Q_d3 0-0 9 a3 �d7 10 .§.ct �b6
11 �c2 .§. fc8 12 {Jg5 h6 13 {Jf3
{JhS (There goes one bishop!) 14 .Q.g3
{JXg3 15 hXg3 {JaS (O'Kelly plays
boldly against the Q-side, confident
that he can hold the coming attack
against his K-side) 16 {Je5 l;te8 17 g4
f6! (The e8 bishop guards g6 and White
seems to have nothing decisive, e.g.
18 .Q.h7+ '3i>f8 19 {Jg6+ l;l, Xg6 20
�Xg6 �Xb2!) 18 {Jf3 {Jc4 19
.Q. Xc4 .§. X c4 (And there goes the
second bishop) 20 �d2 .§. ac8 21 0-0
�b3! 22 .§. a1 l;l,g6! 23 .§.fc1
Iceland
§::
Aitken - - -
breaks down as they all focus on one 34 fXg7 and the pawn promotes. The
point. only reasonable try seems to be 33 . . .
62 .§ g4 �fS 63 .§ g1 � Xf3 64 ,§ d1 �f8 but, after 34 �Xf8+ � Xf8
�e6! 35 .Q.h7!, he is still mated.
Cool play. White could win a piece Another game which, like the battle
now by .§ X d5, but then all the pieces with Steiner, illustrates Asgiersson's
come off and Black wins with the last powers of resistance and counter-at
pawn. tack was the one in which he had black
6S �d3 �gS+ 66 �e2 .Q.e4+ 67 against van Scheltinga. The Dutchman
�e1 .§ h1 + 68 �d2 �e4+ 69 �e3 went in for a Q-side minority attack,
� Xf2 0-1. saddled Black with a backward c-pawn,
A spirited game which does credit invaded with his rooks and doubled on
to both players, and a well-earned win the seventh rank. Then, just as he had
by the Icelander. achieved all his strategic aims, he got
Vaitonis of Lithuania allowed his a backhander on the far side of the
K-side to be broken up early on and board. Convinced that his Q-side ad
then made matters worse by wasting vantage must win the game in the long
time with his QN. Asgiersson's mating run, he refused to repeat moves and
attack was powerful and elegant: finished by being over-run, the final
D Asgiersson (IC) • Vaitonis (LI) blow coming, ironically, down the
1 d4 4)f6 2 e4 e6 3 4je3 .Q.b4 4 �b3 a-file, which he had regarded as his
eS S dXeS 4)e6 6 4)f3 0-0 7 .Q.gS! own territory.
�aS 8 .Q.Xf6 gXf6 9 e3 4jb8 10 DvanScheltinga(ND).Asgiersson (IC)
.§ct 4)a6 11 a3 .Q.Xe3+ 12 .§ Xe3 1 d4 4)f6 2 e4 e6 3 4)e3 l;tb4 4 e3 0-0
�XeS 13 �e2 d6 14 b4 �hS 1S g4! S 4)ge2 dS 6 a3 l;te7 7 eXdS eXdS
�g6 16 .Q.d3 �g7 17 .§g1 .§d8 8 4)g3 .§ e8 9 .Q.d3 c6 10 0-0 4)bd7
18 .§ g3 .§ b8 19 .§h3 h6 20 .§g3 11 4)fS 4)f8 12 4)Xe7+ �Xe7 13 f3
�f8 21 h4 �e7 22 4)d4 4)e7 23 .Q.e6 14 .§ e1 .§ ad8 1S 4)a4 .Q.e8
.Q.e4 .Q.d7 24 c5 dXeS 2S .§ XeS 4je8 16 .Q.d2 4jhS 17 4)eS 4)e6 18 .§ e1
26 �c3 4)d6 27 .Q.d3 b6 �h4 19 .§e2 4)XeS 20 .§ XeS fS
21 �e2 g6 22 b4 a6 23 .Q.e1 �e7
• •"" "·a• .
.. 24 a4 .§ d6 2S bS aXbS 26 aXbS .Q_d7
- t �-
· . 27 .Q.f2 .§ e6 28 g3 f4! 29 e4 fXg3
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38 .§ b7 .§ f7 39 .§ aa7
a n' •
•
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28 .§ e7 .§ be8 29 gS! .§ Xe7 30 at
�Xe7 .§ e8 31 �e6+! �e8 32 ata
�Xd6 .§ Xc6 33 gXf6!! 1-0. a�
�
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..
White threatens the queen two ways, �
.�
u
"11
and mate in one. If 33 . . . �Xf6, then
34 .§ g8 is mate. If 33 . . . .§ Xd6, then • a
•
• •
• •
• iVl
s
STOCKHOLM 1937 69
u ••••
• •
•
position to an ending which he can � :B'-':B
u .'LI.
hardly hope to save. He has a block r� • 41- ¥:! .•• 41- ¥:! .'t
• B £ ll. �. .J1. �. �
aded central majorityagainst a mobile �
1'� • 1'3'i
-
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70 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
14 g4!?
The beginning of a dogfight in which Denmark
the white king appears to be in no less
danger than the black. We are in fact
halfway through the game, which
builds up to a climax at move 25.
13 . . . .l£jg5 14 Yfyc3 .I£J Xf3+ 15 eXf3! Denmark defeated Italy, Belgium and
'{fye7 16 gXf5! eXf5+ 17 <;t>d2 ,§f6 Scotland and finished in fifteenth place.
18 .§. g1 .§. d6+ 19 -'l,d3 .l£jd4 20 c5! They played as a three-man team with
.l£j Xf3+ 21 <;t>c2 .l£jXg1 22 eXd6 two reserves, for while Nos. l , 2 and 3
Yfyg5 23 .§. e1 �b7 took just one rest apiece the other two
----,=-----,"""'""" ""' took eight and seven respectively.
l! • ••• As it happened the best percentage
-
-. t•- !iii� � t was returned by Oivind Larsen at No.4,
• n • • who scored two wins and five draws in
• • •t• his ten games. Only marginally lower
n • • was Enevoldsen's result against much
d .
�
.
• •.
tougher opposition at top board. He
-�- u u
nre-,g z.-m·"' . Z41111
played his first eight rounds without
• .
. • �� ,i!::::S1 g
- loss and was, in fact, defeated only by
24 .§. e7 ,§ c8 25 J}.c4+! 1.0. grandmasters. The weak link was
Black is mated every way. 25 . . . Sorensen at No. 2. He had no wins and
<;t>f8 (or h8) 26 YfyXg7+ Yfy Xg7 27 he lost ten games - five of them in
-'l, Xg7 mate. Or 25 . . . .§. Xc4 26 successive rounds.
'{fyXc4+ <;t>h8 27 .§. e8 mate (or 26 . . . Playing a sort of pseudo- Cambridge
<;t>f8 27 '{fJf7 mate). Springs against Enevoldsen, Aitken fell
into a familiar type of trap by leaving
his queen undefended on aS.
D Enevoldsen (OK) • Aitken (SC)
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 .l£jc3 .l£jf6 4 -'l,g5
.i£Jbd7 5 e3 c6 6 a3 -'l,e7 7 Yfrc2 0.0
8 .§. d1 dXc4 9 i;t Xc4 Yfya5 10 .l£jf3
e5 11 0.0 h6 12 -'l,h4 eXd4 13 eXd4
.l£jb6 14 -'l,a2 i;tf5 15 Yfyd2 -'l,d8
16 .§. fe1
.......,.
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16 . . . .l£jfd5? 17 i;l,Xd8! ,§fXd8
DENMARK 25Y2 points 15th
Rd. Opp. ENEVOLDSEN SORENSEN PAULSEN LARSEN PETERSEN Result
1 ES Keres Schmidt Raud - - - Turn 1 .:.._ 3
2 EN Thomas Alexander Milner-Barry - - - Wheatcroft 2-2
3 IT Castaldi Riello Napolitano Staldi - - - 2Vz - 1Vz
4 IC Gilfer Gudmundsson Asgiersson MoDer - - - 2-2
5 sc Aitken Montgomerie Page Reid - - - 2Vz- 1Vz
6 LI Mikenas Vaitonis - - - Luckis Abramavicius 1-3
7 sw Stahlberg Lundin Stoltz Danielsson - - - 1-3
8 NO Storm-Herseth Kavli-Jorgensen Gulbrandsen Salbu - - - 1 Vz - 2Vz "'
o-j
9 YU Pirc Trifunovic Kostic - - - Broder 0Vz -3Vz 0
(")
staring him in the face. most queen endings, however, the ex
2 e5 �d5 3 d4 d6 4 eXd6 eXd6 5 �f3 posure of his king is his final undoing.
fi!e7 6 ite2 0-0 7 0-0 Ji!f6 8 c4 �e7 44 '/bd7 + �f6 45 '/be8 �g7 46
9 J,tg5 itXg5 10 �Xg5 �g6 11 �f3 '/be7+ �h8 47 '/bf6+ �h7 48 h4!
�f4 12 .§et itg4 13 �bd2 �c6 gXh4 49 '/bXh4+ �g6 50 'fbg4+
14 '/bc2 '/bf6 15 '/bc3 d5 16 c5 a6 �f7 51 '/bf4+ �e8 52 g4 '/bc2 53
17 An .§ fe8 18 .§ e3 itXf3 19 '/bf6 'fb X a4 54 'fb X e6 + �f8 55
�Xf3 .§ e4 20 .§ ael .§ ae8 21 g3 '/bf6+ �g8 56 g5 '/be8 57 'fbXb6 a4
�g6 22 ithJ �f8 23 �d2 .§ Xe3 58 '/bd6 '/baS 59 .f:)g41 a3 60 '/be7 1-0.
24 .§ Xe3 �e6 25 �f3 ,§18 26 The entry of the knight forces mate.
fi!Xe6 fXe6 27 '/bd2 b6 28 cXb6 Napolitano, who was later to distin
cXb6 29 .§ c3 �a7 30 �e5 '/bf5 guish himself in the field of correspon
31 a4 �c8 32 .§ c6 h5 33 '/be2 .§ e8 dence play, coming within an ace of
34 �d3 aS the World Championship, played a
Now the grandmaster finds himself classical Queen's Gambit attack against
lumbered with backward pawns on b6 Gulbrandsen: .f:)eS, then f4, fS, g4, gS
and e6 with a white rook straddling and an eventual break-in at f7:
them from c6. He has been outplayed. D NapoHtano (IT) • Gulbrandsen (NO)
35 �f4 h4 36 �g2 g5 37 '/bh5 h3 + 1 d4 �f6 2 c4 e6 3 �f3 d5 4 itgS
38 � Xh3 '/be4+ 39 f3 '/be2+ 40 �f2 ite7 5 �c3 �bd7 6 e3 0-0 7 .§ct c6
8 Ad3 a6 9 a3 b5 10 cXd5 cXd5
8 4\ B B B«<'B 11 �e5 Ab7 12 0-0 .§ c8 13 f4 .§e8
• • • • 14 '/bf3 �18 15 15 eXf5 16 AXIS
. • .§ B t B B
.§ c7 17 g4 b4 18 aXb4 itXb4 19
-
�. '% •• t .. . f� .f11 .M,
g itf4 fi!Xc3 20 bXc3 �e4 21 AXe4
ft B 6 B B dXe4
-
. - . . - £':'
�4?
The remaining bishops are unoppos
� •.
� • . .
(% ""'·
able and the following play is typical:
• • • • the attacking bishop is strong but the
Black is in a quandary: his rook is defending one is feeble.
attacked and it is tied to the knight. If 22 '/bg3 '/bc8 23 g5 .§ Xc3 24 .§ Xc3
it goes to d8 it is lost by 41 'fb XgS + ; if '/bXc3
it goes to f8 then 41 '/bXgS+ �h8
42 '/bh6+ �g8 43 '/bXe6 + forces an .a � ··
't=r m:v•
easily won ending. Reshevsky chooses .
8 -
iiJI11 . t �
. ·:<l t
the only other possibility, only to find tB B B B
that he is losing his knight to a neat � •
• !li � �. fuQ �
little combination - an exchange sac . �
• �
. ·� t r�
� . ••
rifice setting up a skewer.
-
• -
;g;
�
� � \9!
40 . . . �f8 41 .§ XeS! .§ XeS 42 • • • n
'/bh8+ �f7 43 '/bXc8 '/bXb2 B B B .§ W
Reshevsky is in no mood for resign In true Pillsbury style Napolitano
ing. He has equalised the pawns and has allowed his Q-side to be wiped out
set up a Q-side majority. Moreover, he while concentrating on his K-side at
holds the white knight pinned. As in tack. Now comes the pay-off.
STOCKHOLM 1937 77
29 .§. Xb4 .Q.Xb4 30 .§. d7 b6 0-1. 32 .§. Xf2 J.l.d5 33 a3 fS 34 .§. ee2
In the Iceland match, Moller seemed lle4 35 'l;;h2 �d6+ 36 'l;}gt �d4
to be getting the better of the middle· 37 'l;;h2 �c4 38 .§. d2 �c7 + 39 'l;}gt
game but, having forced his d-pawn to gS 40 .§. n �gl 41 ,§. e2 'l;}g6 42
the seventh rank and induced Black to ,§. fel g4 43 hXg4 � Xg4 44 ,§.f2
sacrifice the exchange to be rid of it, �g3 45 .§. ct h5 46 .§. c8 'l;;h7 47
he played one ill-considered move .§. c3 �d6 48 .§. h3 'l;}g6 49 .§. c3
which allowed Staldi a killing rejoinder. �dl + 50 ,§.fl �d4+ 51 ,§.12 �dl +
D MaUer (IC) • Staldi (IT) 52 .§. f1 �g4 53 .§. f2 h4 54 'l;;h2 f4
1 d4 .:£jf6 2 c4 e6 3 .:£jc3 dS 4 .Q.g5 55 .§. d2 fl 0-1 •
White has only the choice between ought to have smelt a rat. Black's
40 �e2 �Xg2+ winning the rook determination not to have his queen
and 40 �c2 � cl mate. diverted from the diagonal is sus
Rosselli, the Italian No. 5, won only picious) 37 bXcS � XgS!! (The clear
two games, but one of them was a ance of the diagonal is achieved sacri
major brilliancy which must have given ficially. If now 37 fXgS then 37 . . .
him great satisfaction. Moreover, his � Xe3+ wins the queen, the rook
opponent was not the out-of-form being pinned along that diagonal which
Hungarian No. 5 but the more formid looks so securely blocked in the dia
able Havasi at No.4. gram. White sheds a pawn in order to
Havasi played an imaginative game, block the line) 38 c6 .§. Xc6 39 �f2
alternating the pressure between left
if. • •••
and right and trying to envelop both �
-.· .
�
- •
..
, �t
-
flanks. All his shrewd strategy was
negated, however, by Rosselli's re .ft il li• t • t •
markable combination. �
•
. �t-
· �
D Havasi (HU) • Rosselli (IT) u
. ""
� · •
. ,
Keeping the h-file closed; but White Euwe at least manages to scotch that
finds another way of breaking in. one by seizing the opportunity to
21 h6! .§.c6 remove the bishop.
Black's situation is very difficult and 30 . . . j;tb6 31 �f5 j;tXd4
he seems to be trying to combine One enemy destroyed, but there are
defence with attack. He feints to too many left.
double rooks and at the same time 32 .§. Xd4
sees that if White should presently play Now White has threats of � X h6
f4 and f5 the rook will be handily and � X b7, as well as a rook ready to
placed for intervening on the K-side enter at d7 or d8.
along the sixth rank. There was some 32 . . . g4 33 � Xb7
thing also to be said for 21 . . . .§. c7, Gauffin grabs the bishop and in
holding the seventh rank and defend credulously finds himself a piece up
ing the two loose bishops. against the World Champion. If he
22 f3 �c3 23 ,§.d2 �a3 24 �h5 .§.g8 had played 33 ,§. d8! instead, Euwe
The white attack is mounting and would probably have resigned. How
Black is at a loss for defensive moves. ever, by now anything wins.
Could he at this point have risked 33 . . . ,§.h5 34 �Xe4 g3 35 e6 �cS
everything on 24 . . . b4 ? Euwe de 36 ,§. d5 �c7 37 �d4+ 1.0 (37 . . .
cided not. .§. g7 38 ,§. d8+ � Xd8 39 � Xg7
25 �g7 j;td8 mate). The united passed pawns, so
menacing in the diagram at move 17,
• • •••
r-=----;o.=-----,:;�::-;:;:;;:;;,
�d8! t- . �r:..w. t •. . - -
The queen captured on f6 to prevent i� . .
!IIJ!. � � � .
disruption of the K-side pawns but, .a •
. ·." -
41> • 41> E'u
a .a 4fl\l u
E'4W
•
• E'u .4A�.· �. A �
�.• u E'4fl\l
not having much future on f6 with the "'
"Z.J •
� iM �!. • �
e6/d6 central formation, now retires
to take up station \)n the c-file. • · .§. ·A·
It f4 �c7 12 h41 22 {) Xb4!!
Highly original. Book is going to Coolly ignoring the threat. If Black
deploy his KR along the third rank - now takes the exchange, Book's analy
a manoeuvre which has been seen in sis runs thus: 22 . . . J;l.Xe4 23 i;tg2!
Bent Larsen's games subsequently. j;tXd3 + 24 .§. Xd3 (now threatening
12 . . . i;td7 13 .§, h3 0..()..() 14 �f2 the fork {Jc6+) 24 . . . .§. c8 25 �f3
�b8 15 .§, hd3 i;te7 16 �bt i;tc8 (threatening �b7 mate) 25 . . . d5
d6 is a sensitive spot, and Black over 26 {) Xd5! eXd5 27 .§. Xd5 �Xa4
protects it. At this moment the black 28 .§. c5 threatening mate again - not
king looks to be solidly defended, but only at b7 but also at aS. Najdorf by
there will be radical developments. passes that one.
STOCKHOLM 1937 85
- -
. . . - � -,
�Xb2 etc. But now comes a drastic .Q_Xh3! 32 gXh3 .§ Xe4!! 33 fXe4
finish involving the sacrifice of both f3 34 � Xf3 �g3+ 35 .§ g2 � Xf3+
rooks. 36 �1 �Xh3 37 �e2 .Q.e7! 38 .§ dt
• • ••• .§ 18 39 �d3 (The queen has no
square of escape from the discovered
. �.
• - - �t- •t check - 39 �e3 �g8+!) 39 . . .
• • �e5+ 0-1.
. ';' •
�
- .. t •.•
.U,!WI Finland looked like being white
- �• "
, 0�: �
u, washed by Czechoslovakia - Gauffin,
. • • •
Book and Solin went down to Flohr,
a �
� 41- *•
. ''11 .u.
� .
B Foltys and Zinner - but Ojanen rose
• .§ � •
to the occasion.
23 . . . .§ Xb2+1! 24 �Xb2 �a3+ D Ojanen (SF) • Zlta (CZ)
25 �bl .§b8+ 26 �b3 .§ Xb3+! 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e5!? 3 dXe5 d4! 4 �f3
27 cXb3 .Q_f5+ 0-t. �c6 5 g3
28 �c2 �Xb3+. The trouble with the Albin is that
Equally vigorous - if less spectacu White has more good moves than bad
lar - was Salo's win from Larsen. He ones. Provided only that he avoids
conducted the black side of a Double 5 e3? (5 . .Q.b4+ 6 .Q.d2 dXe3!), life
. .
B •
• Bgfcl
lows which eventually settles the game.
STOCKHOLM 1937 91
A
40- it'U��
� "" it'� D •
�
!2:::51 �•- t:::1"1H�
9l • •
13 �c5!! - �· • D
A striking conception. Black cannot ••• •• u � it'�
u
.
� -- .
� t=> .
1"1 � -��
avoid disadvantage. If he tries 13 . . .
�fS the exchange of queens is still 30 e6 d4 31 e7+ �e8 32 .§e1 .Q.d5
forced by 14 �h4 and then, after 33 .§ d7! 1-0.
14 . . . �Xa4 1S �XfS �XfS 16 After that sharp game, won virtually
�Xa4, the remaining black bishop in the opening, we follow with an
cannot be extricated from the Noah's example which shows Ojanen's versa
Ark (16 . . . aS 17 cS!). tility. Against a Dutch he plays a game
13 . . . .Q.Xa4 14 �Xd7 l;tb3 of manoeuvre in which all sixteen
Black is bound to lose something. If pawns are retained to move 3S - a
he plays to save the exchange by 14 . . . type of game which is not common,
.§ e8 there could follow 1S �cS l;tc2 and which seems to be even rarer than
16 �Xb7 .§ ab8 17 �Xa5 � X a5 it is since it so seldom finds its way
18 �Xd4, and Black is three pawns into the monthlies. Black attacks first,
short. with queen and knights against the
15 � Xf8 �Xf8 16 i;td2! .Q.Xc4 white king. Threats are made; threats
17 .§fell are parried. After repulsing this push,
However Black plays now, Ojanen White proceeds to gain a lot of ground
is going to come out on top, e.g. 17 . . . on the Q-side. About move 40 the
.Q_Xe2 18 .Q_Xa5 .Q.Xf3 19 .Q_Xf3 pieces begin to tumble and then, seven
�X aS 20 .§ X c7, retaining rook moves before the time control, either
against knight. through oversight or some miscalcula
17 . . . b5 18 .Q.Xa5 � Xa5 19 �Xd4 tion, Christofferson allows his rooks
.§d8 20 .§ d1 to be forked by a knight, and his whole
92 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
- .. .".•
. . ", """,. . •""
. .
.
.§. B B •
•
- M �
a �
� � £'41!!1 U
41- U m
U �: A
� •
f� • • l9l • Rl"i
26 .§.h4?
26 .Q.fl t£jg4 would be horrible, but
this is probably worse, giving Black an
immediate powerful grip in the centre.
Within a dozen moves White is a piece
down.
26 . . . 'UJXe2 27 .Q.f4 t£jd3 28 .§. fl c4
29 .Q.fS .Q.c5 30 �Xh7+ �f7 31
.Q_Xd3 'UJ Xd3 32 .Q_c7 'UJXc3 33
bXc3 .§. c8! 34 .Q.f4 g5 35 .§. h5 �g6
36 g4 .Q_e6 37 �Xg5 �Xg4 38 .§. h4
�Xg5 39 .§. h7 .§. e7 40 .§. Xe7
.Q.Xe7
The end of the tactics. A clear
bishop down, with no noticeable com
pensation, this was the moment for
Turn to resign.
94 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Page Reid
'""
9 sc Aitken Montgomerie - - - 2-2 0
10 LI
()
on White's apparently thriving game. And now Black really has to give up
It would be very risky to accept the the exchange with no compensating
exchange here. After 25 .Q.Xd4? eXd4 advantage, for f7 is not defensible in
26 cl£jd5 .Q_XdS 27 eXdS cl£j Xg5, any other way - the usual trouble
White could be in real trouble. In any when the bishops are running on dif
case, Black is going to get strong pres ferent colours and one of them is
sure by doubling on the d-file. attacking. Asgiersson's ingenuity has
25 �h4 .§. Xd1?! been patiently and decisively refuted.
At first sight, inexplicable; but 34 . . . .§. Xd5 35 eXd5 l;te5 36 �g4
Asgiersson has a plan. l;td4+ 37 ®h1 �e5 38 �f3!
26 .§. Xdl .§,d8 27 .§.fl �e7 28 l;te2 Putting an end to it, for Black cannot
both defend f7 and hold back the
• ••• passed pawn.
� �·
�- t .� ...
38 . . . ®h8 39 �f6+! 1"-0.
t• • •t• After 39 . . . �Xf6 40 .§. Xf6!
•. �
- � ., - d �
.Q.Xf6 41 gXf6 ®g8 the black king is
a
41- •
• M •a . �
41- M \161!
indeed "within the square" of the
.
. � � " � . .
d-pawn, but still has no route to d8:
B ft ·A· B 42 d6 ®f8 43 d7 . . .
• • · .§. � When you find Cone! Hugh O'Donel
28 . . . .§. d4!? Alexander playing the Count Alberic
The same combination again! Here O'Kelly de Galway, you might be ex
Alexander looked at a beautiful con cused for thinking you were at the
tinuation which he didn't like at all: Irish Championship. In fact, it was
29 .Q.Xd4? eXd4 30 .Q.c4 eXc3 31 England v Belgium. Alexander vir
.§. Xf7 �Xf7 ! 32 .Q.Xf7 + ®Xf7 tually won this game in the opening,
33 �Xh7 cXb2 . . . Black's trouble for he was always at least one pawn
now, however, is that with only one ahead from move 13 to the end. In the
rook he has no good way of augment complications of the McCutcheon,
ing the pressure. Once White has se O'Kelly probably missed Alexander's
cured himself, this single rook will 13 hXg6!. The endgame was by no
eventually have to choose between means easy to win, especially after
retreat or loss in unfavourable circum O'Kelly's 18 . . . g3! reduced White's
stances. Alexander's next move pre advantage to a pair of doubled isolated
pares l;tc4, after which it will hardly pawns.
be possible to defend f7. 0 Alexander (EN) • O'KeUy (BE)
29 b3! cl£jf8 30 l;tc4 cl£je6 31 cl£jd5 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 cl£jc3 cl£jf6 4 J;tg5
Cutting off the rook's retreat route .Q.h4 5 e5 h6 6 .Q.d2 .Q.Xc3 7 bXc3
and sealing its fate. cl£je4 8 �g4 g6 9 h4 c5 10 h5 cl£j Xd2
31 . . . .Q_Xd5 32 .Q_Xd5 11 ® Xd2 �g5+ 12 �Xg5 hXg5
Still the rook cannot escape, for if 13 hXg6!!
32 . . . .§. b4 White can isolate all the If Black now takes the rook, 14 g7!
black pawns by 33 A X e6, the black and the pawn queens. So Alexander
queen being tied to the defence of cS. has won a pawn, and it wins the game,
32 . . . cl£jf4 33 .Q_Xf4 eXf4 34 �Xf4 36 moves later.
STOCKHOLM 1937 99
progress.
16 �bt �aS 17 .§.hgl �b6 18 g4 • • •••
-
&� �t•
J!ij
• �•·- �t
This, clearly, had been Turn's inten
tion when he castled long; but he is •••t • •
behind in the race and had probably :• •
- �
�• t- � ..!..!.
�
· 4-
it
<®!
u -
not considered Golombek's excellent
-. rf%
• t:=�,
reply. -
4- ·
£ M- " �: it <®! itu
u <®!
Rf'\
i.Q ��1 •
.2:::1 !! •
• •iiii
However, Petersen goes another way: move twelve Salo was a pawn up -
39 ./£)hS .§. 61S 40 .§. b3? and completely undeveloped; in parti
But now Black has a pretty forced cular he had bishop trouble, one of
win. White should have returned, 40 them not moving until move twenty
./£)g3, leaving Black to find his win. and the other never moving at all.
D Milner-Barry (EN) • Salo (SF)
• 1 e4 ./£)16 2 ./£)c3 dS 3 eS d4 4 ./£)ce2
�Cl·
- t-• ./£)g4 S 14 cS 6 ./£)13 ./£)c6 7 b3 ./£)h6
• • 8 g4 16 9 J;tg2 ./£)17 10 d3 IXeS 11
H · .ft � ./£)XeS ./£)I XeS 12 IXeS ./£)XeS 13 0-0
�-
� .!l..
Q ./£)17 14 'ltfe1 eS 1S 'ltfl2 \_'IY'yd7 16 ./£)g3
• • 'ltfe6 17 .!£) bS .§. b8
• •
.
• . • . • � Rf'\
days, there are 5 cXdS, 5 �5, 5 �b3 23 .ll,c7! .§. c8 24 .ll,d6! .§.17 25 h3
- all playable. Petrov goes for yet fXe4 26 1Xe4 �hS
another, a sort of Catalan formation. The black queen makes use of her
5 g3 .l£)bd7 6 Jlg2 dXc4 horizontal mobility to worry the weak
Calculated to cause White some in looking white K-side, but she can do
convenience now that he no longer little alone. Indeed, the black pieces
has the automatic recapture on c4 with are a pathetic sight. In particular, the
the bishop. Most of the exciting Slav hapless bishop can do nothing but ob
games arise when Black makes this struct its colleagues.
capture and follows with a real or 27 .§. fl
feigned attempt to hold the pawn. The pendulum rook swings back to
1 o.o Ab4 8 �c2 o.o 9 .§. d1 �aS the K-side and conquers the f-file as
10 Al4 JlXc3 11 bXc3 well.
The pawn on c4 has been ignored, 27 . . . cS!
White making no effort to attack it It was high time Black made this
and Black having no need to defend. move, giving his bishop a chance to do
The game has proceeded methodically some work and at the same time chal
until White is now ready to occupy the lenging White's occupation of the
full centre with e4. Black makes a centre.
counter to prevent it. 28 eS .l£jd5 29 dXcS .ll,c6 30 .§. X17
11 . . . �15 12 �b2 .l£)b6 13 .§.e1 �Xf7 31 cXb6 aXb6 32 .§. fl �g6
�b5 14 �d2 33 <3;h2 h6
Gauffin has been looking for the Q Not liking 33 . . . J1 Xa4 34 .ll, X dS
exchange, but White seems to want eXdS 35 � XdS+ <3;h8 36 e6.
the queens on. The struggle for control 34 .§. f2 �d3!?
of the centre goes on. The horizontal Once again Gauffin offers the Q
manoeuvring is interesting - black exchange, reckoning that the white a
queen on the 5th rank, white queen on and c-pawns will fall to his minor
the 2nd rank, and white rooks on the pieces in the endgame. This time,
1st rank. Petrov falls in with the idea.
14 . . . .l£)e4 15 �c2 15 16 .l£jd2 .!£) Xd2 35 �Xd3 cXd3 36 Ae4! .I£) Xc3
17 �Xd2 .l£)d5 18 Aes Jld7 37 A Xd3 l£) Xa4
Late in the day, the black Q-side
wakes up. This bad bishop has no way . �. . . ..
•
out except via g6. Meanwhile, White -• •
� .t ..
WJ®l
.8 �
•
. �- .
•
has freedom to operate on either flank,
the b-file in particular being a valuable • • 6 .
asset. �· . . .
19 e4 .1£)16 20 a4! �aS 21 .§. eb1 b6 • .ll. O ft
22 13 .§. ad8 . �
-
• �d � e
knight and the fact that his king, facing via g8 - f6 - e4 - gS - f7 - h8 and g6.
rook and two bishops, is as good as 30 �f2 �f7 31 �e1 � h8 32 � h2
dead already. � h6 33 �d1 �eh8 34 �ff2 hXg4
38 .Q.g6! l;td5 39 h4! b5 40 g4 �b6 35 hXg4 .Q_Xg4! 36 �cl .Q_d7 37 c5
41 g5 hXg5 42 hXg5 �c4 43 l;tf7+ g4 38 cXd6 cXd6 39 fXg4 � Xg4
�h7 44 g6+ �h6 45 l;tb41 �g5 40 � Xf4+ eXf4 41 e5 .Q.f5 42 e6+
Out of the net? The knight keeps �e7 43 �fl � c8 44 .Q. Xf5 � Xc3 +
the white bishop from d2. 45 �b2 � Xf5 46 � Xh6 � c2+!!
46 �g3! � a8 47 l;te7+ �h5 48 0-1. After 47 � Xc2 �fe3+, White
� h2 mate. would speedily lose both queen and
Petrov's win against Storm-Herseth king.
is strongly reminiscent of Ojanen v Apscheneek achieved eight wins and
Christofferson (page 90). Again Black five draws out of his 17 games at Board
sets up a Dutch formation and ex 2. One of his victims was Grandmaster
changes his KB for the white QN; and Reuben Fine, already being spoken of
again all pawns are retained until move as a possible World Champion:
35. Black builds on the K-side, White D Apscheneek (LA) • Fine (US)
on the Q-side. White's king runs away 1 e4 e5 2 �f3 �c6 3 �c3 �f6
across the board but Black continues 4 l;tb5 l;tb4 5 0-0 0-0
to attack the same ramparts, cracks The Double Ruy Lopez is alleged to
them open and eventually forces White be the most drawish of openings; there
to lose a decisive amount of material. are, however, many ways of breaking
D Storm-Herseth (NO) • Petrov (LA) the symmetry and reaching dynamic
1 d4 e6 2 e3 b6 3 c4 .Q,b7 4 �c3 l;tb4 positions. The masters of the early 20th
5 l;td2 f5 6 a3 .Q.Xc3 7 .Q.Xc3 �f6 century played the Four Knights with
8 b4 0-0 9 �f3 d6 10 �b3 �e4 11 aggressive intent and extracted some
l;tb2 �d7 12 � d1 �df6 13 .Q.d3 fine wins from it.
�e8 14 d5 e5 15 0-0 l;tc8 16 �d2 6 d3 �e7
l;td7 17 .Q.c2 �h5 18 f3 �g5 19 Fine chooses this moment to vary,
� del �h4 20 �d3 � ae8 21 �e2 going into Metger's System, which pro
�h6 22 �f2 �f7 23 i;tc3 g5 24 �e2 tects the e-pawn and proposes to re
�h8 25 e4 f4 26 g4 �g6 27 �g2 develop the QN via d8 to e6, where it
�h4 28 �h1 �g6 29 h3 h5 will pose an awkward question to the
white QB.
I B E �SfiB 7 .Q.g5 .Q.Xc3 8 bXc3 �d8 9 d4!
1 ..
� •
ti
fj
.. .
. •
Black has delayed moving his d-pawn
.
• • Si6-'B
I •
- - .!!.
• "' .·�'%� �
4). fj ..
.. li t
.
and Apscheneek takes a second bite
at the centre.
I
I g >M
..
•i�i�
�. t=:. .. •
I"'' D1 g
9 . . . d6 10 d5!
Spiking the Metger plan: the black
QN now has no move.
I •
.. •
.. ..
D1 t=:.
�"�' l.Ql
t!' 'GJ
� 10 . . . h6 11 .Q.h4 c6 12 .Q.a4 .Q.g4
Breakthrough is now imminent; the 13 �d3 cXd5 14 eXd5 �c8?
white king makes off in some haste. A fateful move. Black is hurrying to
Note that the knight on h4 has come get his pieces into action, but his lines
STOCKHOLM 1937 107
-
- - .!!. - Mi
Ui 4 !\'4i&
.
What a transformation! For all his
extra material, White will now be hard
• • • g pressed to survive. One beautiful con
.Afm ·�· clusion to the game here would be
4 8· £
£ 4. ·· � UA 4 �. U
� 25 � e3 (the likliest-looking defence)
� - %I B - c=.!";> !'@"\
i.Gl 25 . . . {:)h3 + ! 26 ®hl(?) �Xdl ! !
17 . . . g5? 27 �Xdl {:) X f2+.
Not only rather wild on principle 25 � d3!
but tactically quite unsound; in short, The one and only saving move, re
a clanger. Fine has forgotten the un turning the exchange.
defended rook. 25 . . . �h4
18 JiXg5! hXg5 19 �h3+ ®g7 Is this the best? It looks as though
20 �Xc8 Fine could force the game by 25 . . .
Apscheneek has won the exchange {:) Xd3 26 cXd3 � Xh2! !'! 27 ®Xh2
and a pawn. He has hooked his fish �h4+ 28 ®gl {:)g4 with mate to
and just needs to reel it in. What he follow. The mate is not forced, how
has at the end of his line, however, is ever, for instead of accepting the rook
a man-eating shark. Fine now has the on h2 White could play 27 �e3! �h4
h-file at his disposal and it is the white 28 �h3 but then, after 28 . . . � Xh3
pieces that are out of play. In less than 29 g X h3, White could hardly hope for
-�- f.E . more than a draw. It was probably
Black's best line, for now Apscheneek
1*'
-f t •• i� iift
.'"t• liii'! holds on to the win .
. • •. •. .
,
possibly look after them all. It is going While Black is playing two bishops
to be a carnival day for the knights. short, the knights continue the work
25 . . . .§e6 26 �a4! �e8 27 �b6 of encirclement.
.§ d8 28 �d6 �e7 35 . . . .§ c7 36 .§ Xf7!
The contrast between the helpless Now it works! The siege of f7 ends
bishops and the powerful knights is in triumph, for the second knight is
remarkable. Black's only hope of some now near enough to intervene.
freedom now would be 29 . . . e4, but 36 . . . .§cX17 37 � XI7
Mezgailis is well aware of that. Black is in a quandary; he dare not
29 e4! �g5 30 �b3! take either knight. If (i) 37 . . . .§ Xf7
Bearing on f7 and so inhibiting the he runs out of defenders after 38 .§ d7
movements of the black rooks as well. g5 39 �d6 (and where's that white
30 . . . .§ e7 31 .§ e3! square bishop?) Or (ii) 37 . . . .§ Xc8
Threatening 32 � X f7! .§ X f7 33 38 � h6+ �h8 39 �g8+ .§ Xg8
,§ f3 ,§ df8 34 ,§ d7. 40 �f7 mate. So at least he destroys
31 . . . ,§18 32 b5! cXb5? Philidor's Legacy by over-protecting f7.
Why Solin should seek to preserve 37 . . . g5 38 �e7 mate!
the wretched bishop on a6 is a mystery. Too many knights!
J2 . . . -'l. XbS m�:�st be better. One by To Ozols goes the distinction of
one, the black pieces are being forced winning the shortest game of the Olym
out of play. piad - 8 moves (after missing a win at
33 h4! �h5 34 .§ 13! move 7!)
Bringing another piece to bear on f7 D Ozols (LA) • Reid (SC)
und at the same time economically 1 c4 e5 2 �c3 �c6 3 g3 .llc5 4 -'lg2
shielding the other rook from the black d6 5 e3 �16 6 �ge2 -'le6?
queen. Mezgailis plays all this phase of This loses a piece. After 7 d4! eXd4
the game with tactical subtlety. 8 eXd4 the bishop must move from
34 . . . -'lg7 cS, leaving White the fork by dS. Ozols
Which of the bishops is more useless misses it.
it would be difficult to say. Neverthe 7 �d5? �b4??
less, White must still be careful not to But Reid insists.
over-reach himseH, e.g. 35 � Xf7 is 8 � Xb4 1-0.
still premature, for after 35 . . . .§ eXf7 8 . . . -'l. Xb4 9 � a4+.
36 .§ Xf7 .§ Xf7 37 ,§ d7 comes 37 . . .
·
In the Belgium match Ozols had the
g5! and the defence holds. following neat win:
D Ozols (LA) • Delosse (BE)
1 c4 e5 2 �c3 �16 3 e4
3 � f3 and 3 g3 were both more
usual at the time, but the text had
been played by Nimzowitsch, usually
with all four knights out first. It leaves
a gaping hole in the centre for the
moment. Black can now play 3 . . .
�c6, 3 . . . g6 or 3 . . . c6, but Defosse
35 �bc8! prefers:
1 10 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
3 . . . AeS 4 d3 .� . . �-··
Completing the Dresden Triangle,
n . ... t � ij t
which gives a stable centre with possi W�'Z.J-
jM!:'-. ·
� ;\W
}!!IJJ
•
••
bilities of opening up later with f4; but
• •t• •
in the present game it works out
n n t •� •�
nothing like that. Within the next ten r�4'_h.��•• 'w� � •
�
� ww
moves, the whole centre melts away. •
•
a•. • • rd
- -®� .a 4> rU
_�·".1
4 . . . �c6 s Ae3 Ab6? ·-
ili!i � -
Di �d Di t=. s · I";> R1'\
Allowing White to throw the game
into immediate turmoil. 5 . . . d6 might 1 9 . . . .J;frd6
have been a better idea. Then, after The only try - and it doesn't work.
6 A XeS dXcS, Black would have had 20 .J;frXdS!! fyXdS 21 �e7+ <i!fh8
a firm grip on the black hole at d4. 22 � XdS
White's reply cuts the bishop right out Defosse finds himself facing not only
of the game and endangers its life. a passed d-pawn but also a Q-side
6 eS! AaS 7 a3 majority. There is only one fully-open
Threatening to 'Noah's Ark' the file and on that the rooks will have to
bishop at once. If Black takes the be exchanged, lest the opponent
simple way out and captures on c3, double. His game is resignable.
the resulting pawn there will enable 22 . . . E: aeS 23 a4 aS 24 � Xb6
Ozols to play d4 with a rolling centre. � Xb6 2S bXaS � Xa4 26 E: XeS
Defosse tries: E: XeS 27 E: e1
7 . . . dS With two passed pawn it is just too
. . . so that he can answer 8 b4 with easy for Ozols.
the fork 8 . . . d4. 27 . . . E: aS 2S dS h6
8 eXd6 eXd6 9 b4 Ab6 10 �f3 Ae6 Mate if he takes the a-pawn.
11 d4 dS 29 d6! E: XaS 30 d7! 1-0.
. . ;putting an end to all thoughts of a E:.c8+ will force promotion .
stable centre. Suddenly, we are in the Endzelins, the Latvian No. 5, actually
thiCk of the middlegame. returned the best percentage of the
12�l,tbS 0-0 13 A Xc6 bXc6 14 �XeS whole team, with six wins and only
dXe4 1S O-O two losses in his twelve games. His win
Not 15 �Xc6 .J;frc7 against Wheatcroft is given on page 14.
1S . . . Ads 16 E: e1 �d7? Here is his game from the Iceland
Worried by the strong white knight, match.
Black unwisely decentralises his own. 0 Endzelins (LA) • Petursson (I C)
17 � XdS eXdS 1 c4 eS 2 �e3 g6 3 g3 Ag7 4 Ag2
Black has to saddle himself with this �e7 S e3 eS 6 �ge2 �bc6 7 0-0 0..0
weak d-pawn, for 17 . . . �XeS loses a s �dS d6 9 d3 Ae6 10 f4 fS 11 e4
piece after 18 �Xb6 aXb6 19 dXeS. AXd5 12 eXdS �d4 13 fXeS AXeS
1S �c6! .J;frf6 19 .J;frb3 14 Ae3 � Xe2+ 1S f¥Xe2 fXe4
Now how is Black to save the vital 16 E: XIS+ .J;frXf8 17 dXe4 .J;frg7
d-pawn? His whole game depends on it. 1s Ah3 E: fS 19 Ae6+ <i!fhs 20 <i!fg2
Ad4 21 AXd4 fyxd4 22 E:d1 .J;fres
(see diagram) 23 E: e1 b6 24 .J;frd2 <i!fg7 2S .J;fre3
STOCKHOLM 1937 111
Apscheneek Ozols
>-l
9 LA - - - Petrov Endzelins 3- 1 0
()
Giller Gudmundsson
-.J
,. ·
�� 1!11
00· )JW
•
• lf.'"HII �
�• �. ..a.. U U
� � • W. �-
• �t!
.• • �
· t:::!. �d • \Q
l"l' , - Rl"\
: • • t • .,
2S . . . �XdS !• ft • • • t •
_I .4:) • • -��
Now the boot is on the other foot. It 1�4>% ·· � -
i?iil
1U • - U .
is White who has a piece pinned (and _
i?iil
• . .
i?iil !(M
• 4$ 4l- �
£U 4$
thrice attacked) on cS. But he has his - R 'H - Rl"\
knight in hand and now produces a :- fd � d s
beautiful winning coup: 25 . . . .§fd8 26 .§ et .§ d3 27 g3
26 .§ b81! .§ b3 28 .§ bl .§ 8d3 29 a4 .§ b4 30
If Black takes this rook, White re .§ Xb4 cXb4 31 .§ bl b3 32 aS .§ c3
plies 27 � Xc7 and keeps the extra 33 4:)d2 b2! 34 �fl .§ cS 35 b6
knight. Meanwhile the back rook is .§ XaS 36 bXa7 .§ Xa7 37 �e2 .§c7
pinned, so that to 26 . . . .§ XeS 27 0-1 •
.§ XeS � XeS White continues 28 Erik Lundin held the fort at No.2
� XeS with impunity. And of course with four wins and five losses in his 16
White is threatening simply 27 � Xc7. games. In his autobiography, published
On this perfect climax Szabo should in 1979, he gives 126 games - none of
have resigned. It would have been a which was from Stockholm 1937. Yet
fitting end to the Olympiad. However, one, at least, was a superb game - his
he plays on a few moves, just to con win in the match against neighbouring
vince himself that Stahlberg can really Denmark.
consolidate his piece lead. In a QGD Exchange Variation he
26 . . . � 27 .§ Xc8 .§ Xc8 28 �b4 first conducts a classical minority
jtd3 29 4:)fl aS 30 �c3 e3 attack which saddles Black with a back
Is Black dreaming of lining up ward c-pawn; then, playing without
bishop behind queen on that lovely any overt brilliance, he systematically
diagonal after all? encroaches on both wings, working up
31 4:) Xe3 �e4 32 4:)c4! 1.0. to a rook-and-knight ending in which,
There are too many horrible threats using his central majority, he reduces
- not only 33 4:)d6+ but also 33 his opponent to complete helplessness.
� Xd3! followed by 4:) eS +. If Lundin could have played all his
Here he outplays Jacobo Bolbochan chess consistently like this, he would
in Round 1 with a Stonewall. have been a grandmaster.
D Bolbochan (AR) • Stahlberg (SW) D Lundin (SW) • Sorensen (DK)
1 d4 dS 2 4:)f3 4:)f6 3 c4 c6 4 e3 e6 1 d4 4:)f6 2 c4 e6 3 4:)c3 dS 4 4:)f3
S 4:)bd2 4:)e4 6 jtd3 fS 7 0.0 4:)d7 4:)bd7 S cXdS eXdS 6 .Q.f4 c6 7 e3
8 b3 �d6 9 .Q.b2 0.0 10 �e2 �aS �e7 8 .Q.d3 0-0 9 �c2 .§ e8 10 0.0
11 a3 4:) Xd2 12 �Xd2 �Xd2 13 4:)f8 11 h3 4:)g6 12 �h2 jid6 13
STOCKHOLM 1937 1 15
J
_Q.Xd6 �Xd6 14 .§. abl! _Q.e6 15 b4 �e3 26 �Xe3 .§. Xc3 27 bXaS bXaS
.§ ae8 16 .§. let .§. e7 17 .!£)g5 .1£)18 28 a4 .§. eS 29 .§. d8 .§ XeS 30
18 .!£)a4 .§. ee7 19 4je5 Jlc8 20 �a4 .§. Xe8+ �17
h6 21 .1£)13 b6 22 .!£)a6 jiXa6 23
�Xa6 .!£)6d7 24 .§. e3 .!£)b8 25 �a4 •
... !W . -
P. ?'�
.!£)1d7 26 .§. bel bS 27 �e2 a6 28 a4 . .
.§b7 29 aXbS aXbS 30 �bl .§.e8 • • �t• � -
· ��
31 e4 .!£)b6 32 eS �e7 33 .!£)el ./£)e4 m • B t B
34 J�JS .!£)d7 35 .8, g3 .1£)18 36 4jd3 .ft . • •
.§.a7 37 .!£)e5 �h8 38 .§. et 4je6 • • 6 .ft
Ji.Xe6 1Xe6 40 �g6 �17 41 B • H .ft •
39 . . . �
�Xf7 .§ XI7
r--!W .
=M,----;;;
- ii&i
=; fi =�=r:-;.
ii
. ;;;;
;; "-;;;
ifiP ;; & ;-;;;; "·
= 31 .§.a8 .§. eS 32 �h2 e5 33 .§. a6!
• . A Nli'i
gS 34 h4 �g7 35 hS e4 36 �g3 .§. eS
•m• •
W 2
�•• •
•�• �=r
a ., r�
37 .§. g6+ �h7 38 .§. b6 �g7 39
•t•t• • .§.b7+ �g8 40 .§.bS! .§.e6 41 .§. XIS
• t �.
•
ii!il "tu r:4l\l - �·
.
iMI .... u • •
� . 41!
?' .
'
1!i ijff .
@;i .§.a6 42 .§. e5 1-0.
•-•• •
- •
;JiWl �9 ..!.!.4-
,t:::Si
Against Scotland and against Norway
Lundin had it all too easy .
• •
• ?&'
� ?'
�41! ..U. 4 ,,}'t;; /)1
0 Page (SC) • Lundin (SW)
• • �§ � 1 e4 eS 2 .1£)13 4je6 3 .!£)e3 .1£)16
42 .§.at! �h7 43 .§. a6 .§.e7 44 h4! 4 JlbS .!£)d4 5 Jle4 jieS 6 d3 d6 7 h3
®g8 45 hS �17 46 .§. g6 .!£)d2 47 13! Ae6 8 4jd5 e6 9 .!£)e3 0-0 10 e3
.!£)e4 48 �12 4jb2 49 14 .!£)dl + 50 .!£) Xf3+ 11 � X13 dS 12 _Q.b3 dXe4
�13 .!£)b2 51 g4 .!£)a4 52 .!£)d3! .!£)e3 13 dXe4 _Q.Xb3 14 aXb3 �d3 15 b4
53 IS .!£)e4 54 .1£)14 .!£)gS+ 55 �e3 Jlb6 16 .1£)15 �Xe4+ 17 �Xe4
eXI5 56 gXIS .§.ee8 57 .!£)e6 .!£) Xe6 .!£) Xe4 18 0-0 .§.ad8 19 e4 a6 20 eS
58 .§. Xe6 �g8 59 .§.g6 �f7 60 �14 ii,e7 21 Jle3 .§.d3 22 .§.fe1 .§,fd8
®18 61 e6 �e8 62 �e5 �18 63 f6 . �- ...
gXI6 64 �XI6 .§. e8 65 .§,a3! 1-0.
The rook swings back to the K-side: -
��t� ?.�
. 1- •t
�
� ':"'�� lli • • • •
• -�a.§ a� 35 �d3 4:Jg7 36 �e4 16 37 14 a6
21 . . . 4:Jd5 22 4:Jg2 4:Je3 23 4:J Xe3 38 g4 �d7 39 gS+ 15+ 40 �e5 �e7
.Q.Xb3! 24 4:Jc2 .Q.Xc2 0-1. 41 .Q.n 4:Je6 42 .Q.c4 4:JI8 43 h4
25 .Q. Xc2 �c6+ wins the piece. 4:Jd7 + 44 �d4 4:Jf8 45 .Q.g8! �e8
Sadly, one cause of Sweden's declin 46 �e3 �e7 47 �13 �e8 48 �g2
ing fortunes was the collapse of Gustav �d8 49 �h3 �e8 50 h5! gXhS 51
Stoltz as a chess force. He lost his first �h4 4:Jg6+ 52 �Xh5 4:J XI4+ 53
five games off the reel, some of them �h6 4:Jg6 54 �Xh7 4:Je7 55 .Q.c4 14
from winning positions. Eventually, 56 g6 13 57 g7 12 58 g8=� 4:JXg8
having lost seven out of twelve, he 59 �Xg8 �e7 60 �g7 fl=� 61
gave up the attempt, defaulting his .Q.xn �e6 62 �18 �d5 63 �e7 aS
game against Scotland too late for a 64 bXaS �XeS 65 �d7 �d4 66
reserve to be played. �c7 1-0.
He showed some of his real mastery, Against Holland Stoltz won another
however, in a tough endgame against long hard game without queens in
Latvia. With single bishop against which he was able to make use of his
knight he imprisoned the enemy force extra space behind the lines to create
within its own fortress and then an advantageous breakthrough. Curi
marched his king, which had already ously enough it began, just as in the
advanced to eS, right back to g2 in previous game, with the temporary
order to engineer a breakthrough on sacrifice hS!
the h-file. D Stoltz (SW) • van Scheltinga (ND)
D Stoltz (SW) • Apscheneek (LA) 1 d4 4:JI6 2 c4 e6 3 4:J c3 .Q.M 4 �c2
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 4:Jc3 4:Jf6 4 4:JI3 c6 0-0 5 a3 .Q.Xc3+ 6 �Xc3 b6 7 13 d5
5 e3 4:Jbd7 6 �c2 .Q.e7 7 e4 dXe4 8 e3 .Q.a6 9 b4 .Q.Xc4 10 .Q.Xc4 dXc4
8 4:JXe4 4:JXe4 9 � Xe4 .Q.b4+ 10 11 �Xc4 �d5 12 �Xd5 eXdS 13
.Q_d2 .Q_Xd2+ 11 4:JXd2 �aS 12 a3 .Q.b2 c6 14 4:Je2 4:Jbd7 15 �f2 b5
0-0 13 .Q.d3 4:Jf6 14 �h4 e5 15 0-0-0 van Scheltinga evidently thought
STOCKHOLM 1937 1 17
The right counter-plan. The black White has evidently come to the
pieces will come to life once he can conclusion that the exchange of his
play f5. bishop for the black knight would be
17 b4 f5 18 eXf5 -'tXf5 19 .l£je4 .l£jf6 a favourable transaction; but Black has
20 .l£jfd2 .l£jb8 no intention of obliging. Instead, he
Another remarkable retro-develop proceeds methodically to make full use
ment. The knight has made four moves of the f-file.
to reach its starting-point, but on a6 it 31 � b4 � cf7 32 <it>g2 � f6
had no prospects. Black has all the options. He is now
21 c5 bXc5 22 bXc5 .l£ja6! prepared to treble the heavy pieces or
Still more remarkable: the knight to switch operations to the h-file.
goes back the way it came - but this Meanwhile, White turns his attention
time with threat. At c5 it will find its to the a-pawn.
real home. 33 -'tc2 'if}ff7 34 -'tXa4
23 cXd6 cXd6 24 'if}fc6 In order to win this pawn, and so
The white Q-side attack has reached give himself a potential endgame win
its peak and from Black's point of view ner in his passed a-pawn, de Groot has
no harm has been done. Indeed, Black deliberately forsaken his d-pawn.
is now in a position to swing his own 34 , - ' � f3!
attack to the Q-side if he so chooses. But Danielsson gets his priorities
right. The distant pawn is more impor
.. . �..,.
.
E
. �
E ..' " -
\� Z«
. '<i. i tant than the central one.
35 -'tb5 � Xa3 36 Ac4 � f3! 37 � b6
.... . -
g J&%' ";3' •
A&. 8-M-- lf�.. •
'if}ff6 38 � b2 e4! 39 � d2
40 � �.
.. -
!r
• • . . �--·
it<®�
� . ·
--
· u
.. ...oo
. ·q
z • • • .1
• " � u .
� · il .
M
-
K
40
��
�
.
8
• t=>
. �"� •
. .. t=l1"1 i ") • . ft . •
• •
24 . . , -'tXe4!
Danielsson formulates his plan: to •
• �.M,
f� g
eliminate both white knights and estab
lish his remaining one at c5 with a . ·�·
promising position. The white queen 39 . . . h5!
is achieving nothing much inside the Now Black smells the win. With one
black lines, as d6 can be sufficiently rook established inside enemy territory,
defended. he proceeds to prise open the white
25 .l£j X e4 .l£j Xe4 26 -'tXe4 .l£jc5 king's shelter.
27 -'tg2 � ac8 28 'if}fb5 a4 40 'if}fe1 h4 41 Ae2 'if}ff5! 42 h3
With a further outpost at b3. Of course, the rook cannot be taken:
29 'if}fe2 'if}fa7! 42 -'t Xf3 'if}f Xf3+ 43 <it>gl h3 and
A shrewd move, taking options on mates. So de Groot blocks the black
the a- and b-files and at the same time h-pawn and gives his king a little more
quietly beginning to train his guns on f2. room; but he has taken one vital de
30 -'te4 �c7 fence off g3.
STOCKHOLM 1937 1 19
Yugoslavia
The old Greco Gambit which has Having achieved the move which he
been re-named the Latvian Gambit on thought would spell equality, Black is
account of some analyses by Carl now made to pay the ultimate penalty
Behting and some other Latvians. No for his lack of development.
doubt Apscheneek thought that with 12 4)Xd5!!
all the analysis at his disposal he knew A three-way sacrifice, but the open
·
enough about the opening to play it on e-file leaves Black little choice. His
this occasion. king never looks like surviving.
3 4)Xe5 �f6 12 . . . �Xc4 13 .§. e1 + �f7
The move on which the opening Apscheneek may yet have hoped to
depends, though Greco's move was defend with .§ e8 and ,i;te6, but he
3 . . . �e7. never gets a chance to take a breath.
4 4)c4 14 4) Xf6 �Xf6
Leonhardt's Variation. The alter Or 14 . . . gXf6 1 5 �h5 +
native is 4 d4. 1 5 �d6+ ,i;te6 16 .Q.g5+!!
4 . . . fXe4 5 4)c3 �g6 No respite: Black's only developed
An opening which requires Black's piece (except the wretched queen) is
first two piece-moves to be made with destroyed.
the queen hardly looks like master 16 . . . �Xg5 17 .§. Xe6 4jd7
chess. 5 . . . c6 has been tried here, This looks ridiculous until you try
and also 5 . . . �f7. to suggest an alternative. The attempt
6 d3! jib4 7 dXe4 17 . . . �h5 18 �e5+ g5 19 �Xh8
Smyslov chose 7 .(id2 in a Moscow �Xe6 looks plausible at first glance,
game during the war. but then follows 20 � Xh7+, which
7 . . . �Xe4+ 8 4)e3 .Q.Xc3+ 9 wins the queen, either by 20 . . . �h6
bXc3 4jf6 21 g4+ or by 20 . . . <tftg4 21 �h3+ .
There is also something to be said 18 �Xd7 �Xc3
for . . . 4)e7 here. Level material and Black actually
10 ,i;tc4 threatening mate!
Now let Black beware, for he cannot 19 f4+ �h5
castle and White can. 19 . . . <tft Xf4 20 .§. fl + .
10 . . . c6 20 .§. e5+ ®h6
To enforce d5 - a desirable plan
on principle, but it turns out to be i. • • �
�
•.�- g. �� .t
-
too slow. .
. • &
IW .
� -
11 0-0 d5 � .
1[
•. -
. . '1�
.
• .t
• • • •
·-
•
:n: • :n: • •
%'_4151 •
u ·
!Jill
-
• � . .
21 .§. h5+!!
Finishing in style.
21 . . . �XhS 22 �f5+ and mate next
move.
STOCKHOLM 1937 123
. . �-··
•
_ :"
- ,.
tal%
. �- t �
• Wi -
• • .... t •
• •
• • • • •
�
- �.
·
• !!."'{( u
4> - H ·�
..u. ra N d
r�
��
•• rd
iiil • � IV\
a
24 �f4 §, d8.
Nor is Castaldi's move any better.
But now the bishop has no apparent 24 ,fJe4 f5 25 l;tc3 fXe4 26 i;tXb2
escape from exchange - an important J;tXb2
success for White, who would appear The two bishops against a rook win
to have neutralised his positional dis· convincingly, being fierce in attack
advantage. His danger will be consider and adequate in defence.
ably reduced. 27 §, ab1 �f6 28 �Xe4 �Xf2+
But wait! Is it really impossible to 29 �h1 i;th3!!
preserve the bishop? Mikenas is not Closing the terrible white-square
convinced. trap, even at the cost of ceding one of
17 . . . b5!! 18 cXb5 the K-shelter pawns with check.
If the queen moves, . . . ji Xc4. 30 � Xg6+ J;tg7 31 �e4 �Xa2
18 . . . cXb5 19 �Xb5 32 g4 �f2
And lo, at the cost of a pawn, the Tightening the noose again. If either
bishop lives! white rook leaves the back rank it will
19 . . . §. b8 20 �a4 h6 21 ,fJe4 �e7 be mate in two by . . . �fl + .
At first sight a risky move, but in 3 3 §, g1 �f3+! 34 � Xf3 §. Xf3
fact it introduces two dangerous 35 g5 h5 36 g6 §, f8 37 §, b7 l;td4
threats: 22 . . . fS! and 22 . . . §, b4!, 38 g7 §, e8 0-1.
winning the knight in either case. To the very end the long diagonal is
22 jid2 §. Xb2 23 .fjc3 the highway to victory: 39 §, dl jig4!
Trying again to exchange the bishop. Or 39 §. cl i;tfS!
The other attempt to destroy the In the Scotland match, Mikenas had
bishop-pair, 23 l;tc3, fails tactically: an exciting game with Aitken , who
23 . . . i;t Xc3 24 .fj X cJ �f6 (attack played a bold combination to win the
ing the knight and f2) 25 .fjdl �f3! exchange at the cost of several pawns.
- the ultimate white-square catas Mikenas found himself with AA .ft .ft
trophe. against §. .fj. In the subsequent play
23 . . . l;te6 the bishops proved very powerful and
The white bishop is now attacked he was able to trade his extra pawns
and there seems to be no way of avoid for a knight and eventually to engineer
ing some loss of material, e.g: a mate with his queen and two bishops.
24 §, adl (or §, edl) 24 . . . §, Xd2! 0 Aitken (SC) • Mikenas (LI)
25 §. Xd2 i;t Xc3 or 1 e4 c5 2 .fjf3 ,fJc6 3 d4 cXd4
24 .fj dS �d8! or 4 .fjXd4 .fjf6 5 .fjc3 �c7 6 Ae2 e6
STOCKHOLM 1937 127
'•r '�
'
'...,.,;
,-
, , ,
B ..!..!. B �
. �t • •
• t • - �· • • •
•� . ft . •
.. $ • • r-_«t, - 35 . . . �cXdS+! 36 cXdS � XdS+
� . .... . . 37 �e4 IS+ 38 �3 �b6 39 �n
• �e6 40 �fe3 �eS 41 .Q.c4 14 42
.Q.g8 fXe3 43 � Xe3 .Q.b7+ 44 �e2
.Q.e4 45 jiXb7 dS 46 �g4+ �d4
In marked contrast was the game 47 hS gXhS 48 jiXe4 hXg4 49 g6
with Bolbochan of Argentina. A pair �d7 50 g7 �16 51 .Q.fS g3 52 �3
of rooks came off at move 7 and the �c3 53 .Q.g6 c4 54 bXc4 dXc4 55
queens three moves later. At move 13 �Xg3 b3 56 �14 b2 57 �eS �g8
Bolbochan made a positional sacrifice 58 �dS �e7+ 59 �cS �b3 60 �d4
of a pawn and Keres spent the next c3 6t .Q.f7+ �c2 62 .Q.g6+ �d2 0-1.
fifty moves proving it unsound. The Paul Schmidt returned a solid 50%
other rooks came off at move 23 and at No. 2, with four wins and four losses
all the rest of the way it was a gruelling out of 16 games. Raud at No. 3 was
battle of knights and bishops, in the more incisive, winning seven and
course of which Keres sacrificed a losing only to the powerful Kashdan
knight in return for a pawn majority, and Steiner. From the Latvia match
and Bolbochan counter-sacrificed to comes this typical example of his
restore the balance. When Bolbochan powers:
resigned at move 63 both players had 0 Raud (ES) • Apscheneek (LA)
a pawn on the seventh, but Keres had 1 d4 e6 2 e4 dS 3 �c3 dXe4 4 � Xe4
also just that one extra pawn. .£Jd7
132 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
•' .
•
•
•
�M .
� 4('!1
4 if
�d B. t·J .u. U
• • • •
HOLLAND 44 points 6th
Rd. Opp. EUWE LANDAU PRINS VAN SCHELTINGA DE GROOT Result
1 LA Petrov Apscheneek Mezgailis Ozols - - - 3- 1
2 ES Keres Schmidt Raud Friedemann - - - i
2 f2- 1 Vz
3 EN - - - Thomas Alexander Golombek Wheatcroft 2Vz - 1 Vz
4 IT Castaldi RieUo Napolitano - - - RosseHi 3- 1
5 IC Gilfer Gudmundsson - - - Asgiersson Petursson 2Vz - 1 Vz
6 sc - - - Aitken Page Reid Pirie 3Vz -0Vz
7 L1 Mikenas - - - Vaitonis Vistaneckis Abramavicius 3- 1
8 sw Stahlberg Lundin - - - Stoltz Danielsson 2-2 "'
-1
9 NO - - - Storm-Herseth Kavli-Jorgensen Gulbrandsen Christoffersen 2Vz - 1 Vz 0
(")
g), �
-
� • � • 8•
� If White had been tempted to in
��d
I"U •
�. � ?A • ·
-
W&il
:lt D • ft • .t..• crease the pressure by 32 .§. d6, he
would have run into 32 . . . � Xd6! !
· u • a4Ja · 33 4j Xd6 .§. cl + ! 34 .Q. Xct .§. Xcl +
4J . ·� D ft U
(the second rook!) and mates.
�9 •
'� -•
�• �• i.Q
- � 32 . . . g6 33 �gst Ad4 34 Ag7+
18 . . . 4jc4! 19 �Xc4 �g8 3S lif6 .§. 2c7
Castaldi resigns himself to the loss With uncanny skill, Euwe rebuilds
of the exchange. Euwe pointed out his fences, avoiding all sorts of pitfalls,
that he could have saved it by playing e.g. the tempting idea of running away
STOCKHOLM 1937 137
. .. .
.
./£)Xe5 15 AxeS
• ft • • n Here Euwe remarked "White has all
. � " the advantages one can think of', yet
ft ltl '· in the sequel he has to summon up all
.� ,§�. �
138 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
• • •
'
a , , ,
On principle a surprising move -
offering to exchange queens when
faced with majorities on both wings - ft �·�
but in fact it is very strong and comes ata ·
within an ace of saving the game.
25 'ifyXb8?
No doubt considering the endgame But White happens to be the World
an automatic win, Euwe relaxes, failing Champion, and he now produces a
to fathom the brilliant continuation brilliant endgame combination which
Mikenas has in mind. One suspects is probably the only way to secure the
that Capablanca would have kept the full point.
queens on by 25 'ifye7. 32 �e1! ;§ f6 33 ;§ d2!
25 . . . ;§ fXb8 26 Ac4 _l1Xc4 27 Euwe's scheme is to offer all three
STOCKHOLM 1937 139
of his K-side pawns in order to force Euwe, playing his favourite defence,
the a-pawn home, Black having de slightly misjudged the early middle
serted his back rank. His analysis runs: game and was brought to the brink of
33 . . . .§. Xd2 34 <it>Xd2 .§. Xf2+ the precipice by Stahlberg's vigorous
35 <it>c3 .§. Xg2 36 .§. a1 .§. Xh2 37 aS play. Stahlberg, however, after missing
.§hS 38 a6 .§. cS+ 39 <it>Xb3 .§. c8 the clincher, which he discovered only
40 a? .§. a8 4 1 <it>c4, and the white after the game was over, found himself
king advances to b7. So Mikenas has facing first a precise defence and then
to quit the seventh rank after all. But a very prickly major-piece ending from
Euwe still has to demonstrate the win. which Euwe extracted the full point.
33 . . . .§. c4 34 .§. at .§. a6 35 aS .§. cS D Stahlberg (SW) • Euwe (ND)
Thus Black can win the passed pawn; 1 d4 dS 2 c4 c6 3 4Jf3 4Jf6 4 4Jc3
but then White would inexorably cre Stahlberg steps boldly into Euwe's
ate another, still avoiding the 4-3-on own territory. A simpler life is to be
one-side draw. had by 4 e3, immediately protecting
36 .§d3 the c-pawn.
Now Mikenas takes a long look at 4 . . . dXc4 5 e3
the a-pawn, but all he can see is 36 . . . The alternative - to forestall . . . bS
.§. X aS 37 .§. X aS .§. X aS 38 .§. X b3 by 5 a4 - never worried Euwe. Even
with a certain loss. His only hope, as in Alekhine came to grief against him
most rook endings, is aggression. with it.
36 . . .§. c2!
. 5 . . . bS
Back to the seventh rank! Although the extra pawn cannot be
37 .§. Xb3 ,§. f6! 38 f4 .§. Xg2 39 <it>fl held, Black's Q-side plan is by no means
.§. Xh2 a waste of time, for White will have to
So he has wiped out the white K spend time regaining it and will have
side and even created a passed pawn his development distorted as well.
of his own. But it was only a defiant 6 a4 b4 7 4Jbl!?
gesture. The knight usually goes to a2, but
40 <it>gt! Stahlberg considered this better. From
Now after 40 . . . .§. c2 41 a6 Black b1 it is certainly easier for the knight
will have only the choice between to get back into the game.
defence: 41 . . . .§. c8 42 a? .§. a8 42 7 . . . Aa6
,§. b8, and attack: 41 . . . ,§. d6 42 a? If Euwe had been interested in a
.§. dd2, which would give him a per quiet life - e.g. with Black in a cham
petual check but for the fact that pionship match - no doubt he would
43 a8='/j}j guards g2. 1-0. have played 7 . . . e6 8 AXc4 4Jbd7
Precision play by Euwe except for and 9 . . . cS. But this is an Olympiad
the misjudged exchange of queens; and for the honour of Holland he feels
and for Mikenas a splendid fight-back it incumbent on him to try for a win,
which very nearly salvaged a half-point. and so continues to hamper White's
The last opponent in this terrific development.
run of six wins was Stahlberg, and the 8 '/j}Jc2 e6
contest featured yet another critical 8 . . . b3 is interesting. After 9 '/j}jcJ
rescue act - a famous game in which 4Je4 10 '/j}jb4 e6, the white queen is
140 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
mated! However, White can simply good at move 16, is dubious at move
retreat, 9 i*d1 ! , and then develop 17. And, ironically, it would have been
strongly with 4Jc3. strong again at move 18, if prepared
9 �Xc4 �Xc4 10 i*Xc4 i*dS by 17 . . . .§ fc8!
tt 4jbd2 18 i*bS!
To exchange queens and bring the A powerful reply, for the combina
c6 pawn to d5 would concede im tion given in the note to move 16 is
mediate equality. Stahlberg also is now an hallucination. Stahlberg's 17
playing to win. Ae1 , vacating d2, means that the line
11 . . . 4jbd7 12 i*e2 would now run 18 . . . ,§fb8? 19
With the evident intention of play i*Xd7 .§ b7 20 4jd2! winning out
ing e4, which Black immediately pre right, for White keeps the extra piece.
vents. Now Black is in trouble.
12 . . . 4je4! 13 4jXe4 i*Xe4 14 0-0 18 . . . �dS 19 e4 i*d6 20 �d2!
�e7 15 �d2 0-0 16 .§fct ,§fb8 21 �f4!!
Black has prevented White's e4; now Stahlberg is in great form. Euwe
White fights against Black's . . . c5. admits that he had not seen this bril
liant continuation which forces a white
.. . �--·
-
�'- �·� t !!lE �11" t
pawn right through to the seventh.
�
White's game looks a certain win, but
t•t• • this is where Euwe really begins to play.
• • • 21 . . . i*Xf4 22 i*Xd7 .§ e8! 23
4> -
.!1. . ·�
� -
• dXcS i*Xe4 24 c6 �f6!
• • • This bishop now dominates the
a
� ,.u� ,. u�
. -. .-� white knight.
�� �� 25 c7
16 . . . aS
This is where Euwe's timing goes
awry. We may be sure that the first
move he looked at was . . . c5; and we
may guess that the reason he rejected
it was the possible reply 17 i*b5, not
seeing the tactical refutation 17 . . .
,§fb8!! 18 i*Xd7 .§ b7!, after which
White's only move to save the queen
would be to return the knight by A position to compare with that of
19 4Jg5. Then 19 . . . �Xg5 20 i*d6 Alexander v Kashdan (page 41). Black
cXd4. appears to be sunk, e.g. 25 . . . .§ ac8
17 �ell 26 i*Xe8+! .§ Xe8 27 c8=i*, or
A deep move, showing that Stahlberg 25 . . . i*b7 26 c8=i*, winning out
had fathomed the combination which right in both cases.
Euwe had missed. 25 . . . .§ fc8! 26 .§ cS h6!
17 . . . cS? One may fairly call this a powerful
Still getting his timing wrong; for move, for it releases a rook which
this move, which would have been would otherwise have been tied to the
STOCKHOLM 1937
141
while Stahlberg says that "the obvious 40 .§. Xd1 �Xd1 + 41 �h2 �d4!
27 .§. Xa5 is insufficient" and gives Forking f2 and h4.
27 . . . �Xb2 28 .§.el �b7 29 .§. Xa8 42 �g3 b3 43 �b5 b2 44 �b3
�Xa8 30 .§, dl �h7!! Stahlberg is still dangerous. With this
27 . . . �b7 28 ./£)e5? attack on f7 he is perhaps visualising
Stahlberg is unwise to allow his 44 . . . �e5 + 45 f4 �el + 46 �f3
knight to be exchanged - presumably bl=� 47 �Xf7+, and the black king
to save the b-pawn. Too late - after cannot escape the checks.
the clocks were stopped - he realised 44 . . . �g7! 45 14 �d2! 0-1
that he could have brought the knight . . . for . . . �cl cannot be pre
into powerful play, beginning with a vented.
backward move. In Skakbladet he rue So Euwe still wore his aura of invin
fully pointed out what he ought to cibility. Nevertheless, these prodigies
have done: 28 ./£)d2! ! and then, e.g. of defence and counter-attack must
28 . . . .§. a7 29 §. eel �f8 30 ./£)e4 have taken a lot out of him. In the rest
�e7 31 ./£)d6 �Xd6 32 �d8 + ! of the event he scored a "mere" 50% .
.§. Xd8 33 cXd8=� mate. Euwe ad It is interesting to speculate also what
mitted that after 28 ./£)d2 the black effect the gruelling Olympiad had on
game would have been untenable. Now the return World Title Match - es
he breathes again. pecially with his opponent able to
28 . . . j;tXe5 29 .§, 1 Xe5 .§. a7 30 study all his games at leisure. At the
�d8+ �b7 31 �d3+ g6! final dance on Sunday night, August
Seeing that the advanced pawn is 1 5th, the thought uppermost in Euwe's
now doomed, Euwe states clearly his mind must have been the fact that in
intention to win. To have retreated just seven weeks time he would be
the king would have invited repetition. facing Alexander Alekhine in a 30-
32 .§. Xe6! game match involving a schedule of
Now it is Stahlberg fighting for the travelling round The Hague, Amster
half-point and brilliantly picking off dam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Leyden,
a pawn. After 32 . . . fXe6 33 �d7+ Delft, Eindhoven, Groningen and
the black king would have no escape Haarlem.
from the checks. A final game, showing Euwe as tech
32 . . . .§. Xc7 33 .§. Xc7 �Xc7 34 nician superb; his opponent, Piazzini
142 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
_
u Bi
-
undefended rook on dl. Riello takes H "BCLiB w
the bait and four moves later finds Uii.B .
himself with rooks doubled on his • • •
144 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
41'1
U .n. U
as well. '�
tt:::!!1 B .�
81 �
a
2S . . . g6 26 {)eS! ·
This excellent knight has lived its 1S 2£) XdS! �e6 16 2£)c7! �f6
whole life between f3 and eS. A hasty 17 .Q.XeS! �Xf2+ 18 �h1 -'th3
26 {)Xd4? would have spoilt every 19 lif3 f! Xd1 20 f!aXd1 f!f8 21
thing: 26 . . . f! d6! liXe4 lig4 22 lig3 �Xb2 23 f! d3
26 . . . f! a8 hS 24 j;td6 �f2 2S f! de3 f! b8 26
And now again it would be a blunder -'td3 g6 27 f!e7 h4 28 f!fl �b2
to win the pawn: 27 AXc4? 2£)e4+. 29 f! fXf7 h3 30 §g7+ �h8 . 31
27 f3! liXd3 28 '3;; Xd3 f! d8 29 f!c6! f!h7+ 1-0.
Landau is patience and precision Mate follows (31 . . . '3;;g8 32 l;tc4+
personified in this game. The black �f8 33 f! e8).
Q-side must fall apart. Schmidt con The Scottish players were undoubt
tinues with a final spirited gesture of edly the least experienced of all the
attack. players at Stockholm and their oppo
29 . . . 2£)d7 30 f! Xb6 2£) XeS+?! 31 nents reckoned on taking the full
�e21 d3+ 32 �f2! point. Here Page played a pseudo
Not 32 '3;;d2 because of 32 . . . Cambridge Springs and gave a good
2£)c4+. But the pawn is easily stopped. account of himself in the middle-game
32 . . . E! dS 33 E!b8+ '3;;g7 34 b3 until Prins found a chance of a pos
E! cS 3S �e3 2£)c6 36 f! c8 f! c3 itional exchange sacrifice which led to
STOCKHOLM 1937 147
D van Scheltinga (Nd) • VJStaneclm (lil bXcS 17 Y/if5 Y/ib7 18 �abl aXb3
1 d4 4)f6 2 c4 e6 3 4)c3 d5 4 �g5 19 aXb3 Y/id7 20 Y/ic2 �a2 21 � at
4)bd7 5 e3 �e7 6 4)f3 0-0 7 Y/ic2 �fa8 22 � Xa2 � Xa2 23 Y/ibl � aS
.§e8 8 � dt c6 9 a3 4)18 10 �d3 24 4)13 Y/ia7 25 4)h4 4)e4 26 �Xe4
dXc4 11 �Xc4 4)d5 12 �Xe7 dXe4 27 4)f5 �f8 28 �dl Y/Jb6 29
Y/JXe7 13 4)e4 4)g6 14 0-0 4)b6 Y/ic2 � d8 30 �g2 .§d3! 31 �gl
15 �a2 �d7 16 4)c5 � ab8 17 4)e5 �b5 32 � Xd3 �Xd3 33 Y/ic3 Y/Jg6
.§ ed8 18 14 �e8 19 e4 4)d7 20 34 Y/ie5 Y/ie6 35 Y/JXe6 fXe6 36 4)h4
4)cXd7 �Xd7 Ac2 37 Ac3 AXb3 38 �fl �e7
39 �el Af6 40 �d2 � 41 4)g2
• • ••• �Xc3+ 42 �Xc3
•
�t• � .. !•
-..E.. Ut. t • -t
• t • t ·�· • • •
B
•
. � •
� B • • �t
. ·.� 4> M
ad - �
"'
!f
U.�
iB. . . �.
-
-
·� • • • •
• .tt n • •t• •
�-.
•
� � t:=.
- 1"'1 .� t:=.
. 1"'1 Sl
1"3"\ • ., 1"3"\
_ r� n
" " , U. u
-.s.a · .
-�
.liiiilt. •
-ilt. ·
- .liii �
. • �
- - -
•� •
. m
. • m
.t� -
�
�- • ·m·t•
. lfl ••
. .... lfl
.
�'
. -
t� t
· · ·
. ft . · � · ft
4o It�
� � if
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�� �
.!.!. �!61i. u
� . �fi:::
·R
·
�!! �f::S! '�!! .
�
R c=, a
27 .§ Xc8 1-0. 40 .§, d7 � Xh3+ 4 1 \t>g2 �f4+
After 27 . . . � Xc8 28 �Xf8+ 42 \t>f3 gS 43 \t>g3 .§a3+ 44 f3 .§a2!
jiX f8 29 jiX f8, Black is a knight 0-1.
short. An elegant little game, played Against Abramavicius, de 'Groot
with remorseless logic. needed both patience and technical
Several teams were unfortunate in skill to nurse his extra pawn through
having a weak reserve; not so Holland. in a long knight ending - the sort of
de Groot took his full share, played 15 game which chess editors usually don't
games and won six of them, against want to know about, yet the very bread
only three losses. His first game was and butter of chess.
a lively set-to with Wheatcroft. It was 0 Abramavlcius (LI) • de Groot (ND)
not perfect chess, but it was fun. de 1 d4 �f6 2 c4 g6 3 �c3 Jig7 4 e4 d6
Groot unnecessarily lost a pawn on 5 f3 0-0 6 Ae3 eS 7 �ge2 c6 8 �d2
the K-side, then won it back on the Q �bd7 9 g4 �b6 10 �g3 eXd4 ll
side. In the ending each player con AXd4 dS 12 cXdS cXdS 13 gS �e8
centrated exclusively on trying to con 14 JtXg7 �Xg7 15 eXdS .§e8+
coct a mate with his remaining rook 16 \t>f2 jifS 17 JtbS .§e7 18 .§bel
and knight, and it was de Groot who a6 19 .§. Xe7 �Xe7 20 An .§d8
succeeded. 21 .§ dt �cS+ 22 �e3 �b4 23 .§d2
0 Wheatcroft (EN) • de Groot (ND) �d6 24 \t>gl \t>f8 25 �ge4 JtXe4
1 e4 �f6 2 eS �dS 3 d4 d6 4 �f3 26 .:£) Xe4 �c7 27 .:£)f6 .:£)fS 28
jig4 5 Ae2 e6 6 c4 �b6 7 eXd6 �a3+ \t>g7 29 .§e2 �f4! 30 .:£je8+
cXd6 8 b3 jie7 9 0-0 0-0 10 jib2 \t>g8 31 .:£)f6+ \t>g7 32 .:£)e8+ \t>g8
�c6 ll .§fel dS 12 cS �d7 13 �bd2 33 .:£)f6+ \t>h8 34 .§ e8+ .§ Xe8
b6! 14 cXb6 �Xb6 15 �eS �dXeS 35 .:£) Xe8 �XgS + 36 \t>ht \t>g8
16 dXeS itfS 17 �f3 jicS 18 .§fl 37 �cS �e3! 38 �Xe3 .:£)Xe3 39
aS 19 .§ ct .§fc8 20 itd3 Jtg4? 21 \t>gl .:£)Xfl 40 \t>Xfl .:£) Xd5 41 \t>e2
jiXh7+! \t>h8 22 jibt �e7 23 h3
JthS 24 g4? jig6 25 jiXg6 �Xg6 • · .:£) ···
26 �d2 (see diagram) •t• •t•t
26 . . . a4! 27 .§c2 aXb3 28 aXb3 t• • •t•
�Xb3 29 �gS Ab4 30 .§fct .§ Xc2 . ·�· .
31 �Xc2 �Xc2 32 .§ Xc2 \t>g8 • • • •
33 .§ c7 Ae7 34 �f3 \t>f8 35 �d4 • • •
4o if
.®! .
��4 36 �c6 AM 37 Aa3+ \t>e8! £0 �.
u
38 Ae7 JtXe7 39 .§ Xe7+ \t>f8 • • • •
STOCKHOLM 1937 151
But they did take fifteen rest days 30 "i!Jf4! "i!J Xf4 31 eXf4 c6 32 bXc6
between them. Pelikan won three and bXc6 33 d6! 4:)g8 34 .§. Xc6 .§. Xc6
lost four while Zita broke even with 35 .Q.Xc6 .§ d8 36 d7 g6 37 .§. el l.().
four wins and four losses. 37 . . . 4:)f6 38 .§e8+ and Black
Salo Flohr was in tremendous form. will lose both pieces while White re
He had recently been named by FIDE tains the bishop.
as the next World Championship can Out of this innocent style of play,
didate (after the Euwe-Alekhine return however, a sudden lightning-flash of
match) and here in Stockholm his play a mating attack could sometimes ap
justified their opinion of him. He played pear, as some of his opponents -
in 16 of the 18 matches - undefeated Gudmundsson, for one - found to
- scoring nine wins and seven draws their cost.
- a 78% result, which was unequalled D Gudmundsson (IC) • Flohr (CZ)
even by Euwe. 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 cXd5
Flohr's style in 1937 was marked by The simplest solution to the prob
simplicity allied to relentless subtlety. lems of the Slav Defence, but psycho
Mating attacks were comparatively logically a bad choice against Flohr,
rare; he had the ability to reduce most who liked nothing better than an un
opponents to helplessness or hopeless eventful development, out of which he
ness before that stage was necessary. had an uncanny knack of emerging
The Q-side was his preferred zone of into a marginally favourable middle
operation; his game with Dunkelblum game.
154 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
3 . . . cXd5 4 �f3 �c6 5 �c3 �f6 the black king - an optimistic plan in
6 ,1lf4 e6 the present situation. 17 � a4 and on
The end of the symmetry: Gud to cS is a tempting plan, but, alas,
mundsson develops his bishop outside 1 7 �a4 would be met by 17 . . .
the pawn chain but Flohr deliberately � Xd4!
encloses his. For all his superficially 17 . . . �aS 18 �eS f6 19 �d3 �c4
pacific style, Flohr, in this event, was 20 f4
always playing to win, and it was there The temperature of the game rises,
fore time to diverge. From the purely but in fact this gesture against the well
strategic point of view, it may be in defended black king is less serious than
ferred that Black is planning to play Black's quiet encroachment on the
the game on the Q-side. opposite flank. With his next move,
7 e3 .IJ..e7 8 ,1ld3 0.0 9 §.c1 fJ..d7 Black pins the f-pawn.
10 h3 20 . . . !J..d6 21 �g2 'l*d8!
A retreat for his bishop, lest Black
should exchange it off by . . . �hS. a a :· '
�·
. .t
. �
-t
10 . . . 'l*b6 g •� . �• t - g
Pressure against b2. Black's bishop . f..Cffi .
• • t • •
may be shut in, but White's is shut out. g &. lii "• M 4l- g
11 'l*e2 §. fc8 12 0.0 �b4 13 J,lb1 • · ?l ·�
��
u ..u.. a
• H .ft
.IJ..e8 � g -M
Some behind-the-scenes manoevring
4). U
..u. .g
typical of Flohr begins, and we see ·A� . §. .
why his king was so seldom troubled. The black position would not be out
This bishop reinforces f7, which has of place in a $teinitz game. Flohr re
just been weakened by the removal of deploys his queen while clearing the
the KR for service on the other wing. b-file.
At the same time it vacates d7, enabl 22 �e1 'l*e7 23 �f3
ing the knight to come across to f8, After moving seven times, the knight
where it will virtually rule out any hope again reaches the square on which it
of a K-side attack by White. It is the was first developed. Meanwhile, the
Petrosyan style - but young Tigran Q-side situation has become alarming.
was eight years old at the time. The lone b-pawn is going to take on
14 �e5 �d7 15 �f3? the whole of the massive white phalanx.
Less worried about tempo loss than 23 . . . b5! 24 e4 b4! 25 e5 bXc3 26
the prospect of having to face Flohr in eXd6 �Xd6 27 §. Xc3 J,lb5 28 fJ..d3
an endgame! J}.Xd3 29 'l*Xd3 �e4!
15 . . . �f8 16 g4? Thus, after all his unambitious-look
An un-called-for weakening, which ing play, Flohr has emerged with a
contributes to his downfall. More to mighty knight which not only supports
the point would have been to relieve the Q-side but also looks ominously
the Q-side with a3 and perhaps b4. towards the white king - a fact which
16 . . . �c6 17 J,lg3 seems to have escaped the notice of
It is evident that Gudmundsson has Gudmundsson.
set his mind on a pawnstorm against 30 §. c2 §. Xc2 31 '{ff Xc2 'l*b7!
CZECHOSLOVAKIA 45 points 5th
Rd. Opp. FLOHR FOLTYS ZINNER PELIKAN ZITA Result
l IT Castaldi RieUo NapoUtano Staldi - - - 3-l
2 IC Gudmundsson Asgiersson MoDer - - - Petursson 3¥2-0¥2
3 sc Aitken Montgomerie Page Reid - - - 2¥2- 1 ¥2
4 LI Mikenas Vaitonis Vistaneckis - - - Luckis 3¥2 -0¥2
5 sw Stahlberg I"undin Stoltz - - - Danielsson 3- 1
6 NO Storm-Herseth Gulbrandsen Salbu Christoffersen - - - 3- 1
7 YU - - - Pirc Trifunovic Kostic Broder 1 ¥2 -2¥2
8 HU Lilienthal Szabo Steiner - - - Havasi 2-2 "'
...,
9 AR Bolbochan Grau - - - Guimard Pleci 2-2 0
(l
13 (BYE)
14 PO Tartakower Najdorf Appel Regedzynski - - - 2-2
15 DK Enevoldsen Sorensen Paulsen - - - Petersen 2¥2 - 1 ¥2
16 ND - - - Landau Prins van Scheltfnga de Groot 2-2
17 LA Petrov Apscheneek Mezgailis Endzelins - - - 2-2
18 ES Keres Raud Turn - - - Friedemann 2¥2 - 1 ¥2
19 EN Thomas Alexander Milner-Barry Golombek - - - 2'12- Ph
Ind. Results 9 7 0 7 9 2 9 4 4 3 3 4 4 3 4
Rests 2 0 1 8 7 ,_
A feature of Flohr's style is excep then, after the breakthrough, the ex
tionally subtle queen-play (see, for change of knights to leave a neat Zug
instance, the Castaldi game). Every zwang in the pawn ending.
move hereabouts is played with dia D Flohr (CZ) • Bolbochan (AR)
bolical foresight. He is obviously threat 1 c4 ./£)16 2 ./£)13 e6 3 g3 dS 4 .Q.g2
ening to take over the b-file, but he ./£)bd7 S 0-0 c6 6 b3 .Q.e7 7 .Q_b2 0-0
has a darker and far less obvious design, 8 'U;jc2 a6 9 d3 § e8 10 ./£)bd2 .Q.I8
which is shortly to appear. 11 d4 b6 12 e4 .Q,b7 13 eS ./£)hS 14
32 § cl 'U;ja6! 33 a3 cXdS cXdS IS .i£)el g6 16 14 aS 17 g4
./£)g7 18 ./£)ef3 .Q.a6 19 §, 12 §c8
..
- - .
ra �·-
:.wra
20 'U;jdl §c7 21 ./£)fl .Q.e7 22 ./£)g3
�
-
. . •
•
,'-
. - .
. .� t
§, 18 23 'U;jd2 IS 24 eXI6 § X16 25
""E
-- E
- t - E
� -
.Q.n .Q_b4 26 'U;je3 .Q_xn 27 § axn
• •t • 'U;jl8 28 .i£)eS .!£) XeS 29 dXeS! .Q.cS
E u
• r� E
•
� - 4
.!.!.
30 .Q.d4 §ff7 31 ./£)e2 'U;jc8 32 <;t>g2
u • §, 18 33 'U;jd3 'U;jd7 34 ./£)c3 .Q.Xd4
�.M,
U9. 35 'U;jXd4 'U;jc6 36 ./£)e2 'U;jcS 37
. � . 'U;jd3! 'U;jc2 38 'f1Xc2 § Xc2 39 ./£)d4
33 . . . § c8!! § X12+ 40 § XI2 § c8 41 § c2
A mating combination - no less. § Xc2+ 42 ./£)Xc2 <;t>l7
The white queen cannot continue to
guard the square e2. • • •
24 'U;jXc8 •
- •
• . • "4 t
Now, while the knight stands solitary • t • t •
t O •-
guard at f8, the black queen will wipe 4-
• W'"' �� .!.!.
out the whole white K-side, ending •
with a technical knockout. •
34 . . . 'U;je2+ 35 <;t>gt 'U;jXf3 36 .Q.et ft • .!£) .
'U;j Xh3 37 §c2 'ttfe 3+ 38 <;t>n • • • •
'U;jXf4+ 39 <;t>gt 'U;jXg4+ 40 <;t>h2 Black has the protected passed pawn,
./£)gS! but White has the mobile majority,
Threatening to win the bishop by which can sometimes prove more valu
. . . 'ttfe4+. able. There is one perfect square for
41 'U;jcJ ./£)13+ 0-1. the white knight; where it can plant
It is 42 . . . 'U;jgl mate unless White itself and let the king and pawns do
gives up his queen. the work.
Every grandmaster, by definition, 43 ./£)d4 <;t>e7 44 <;t>g3 h6 45 <;t>IJ
possesses great endgame skill. Here is �d7 46 a3 <;t>e7 47 b4 aXb4 48 aXb4
an example of Flohr's. Having given �d7 49 <;t>e3 �e7 SO <;t>d3 <;t>d7
his opponent a backward e-pawn, he Sl ./£)13 <;t>e7 52 ./£)d4 <;t>d7 53 ./£)bS
nevertheless blocks his own pressure ./£)e8 54 ®e3! <;t>e7 SS <;t>d4 <;t>d7
file (at move 29) in order to transfer 56 IS! gXIS 57 gXIS eXfS S8 <;t>XdS
his attention elsewhere. The pure ./£)c7+
knight ending from move 42 is fascinat Thinking he sees the draw.
ing, particularly the play of the king; 59 ./£) Xc7 <;t>Xc7 60 <;t>d4 bS 61 ®e3!
STOCKHOLM 1937 157
\t>d7 62 \t>l4 \t>e6 63 h3! 1.0. 23 .:£)e2 \t>f8 24 �b2! \t>e7 25 .:£)14
Among Flohr's greatest assets were 16 26 �a3+ �d6 27 �cl �c6 28
limitless patience and an inflexible will �d2 b6 29 h4 a5 30 .:£)e2 �c5 31
to win. They are well exemplified in .:£jd4 \t>f7 32 a4 .Q.d7 33 �dl h5
his gigantic ten-hour battle with Stahl 34 �e2 �cl + 35 \t>h2 �c7 + 36
berg, which chess editors at the time \t>gl �cl + 37 \t>h2 �c7 + 38 g3
probably did not even play through. �cl 39 �13 �c5 40 �14 \t>e7 41
At the end of the middlegame, Flohr �b8 �d6 42 �b7 \t>d8 43 \t>gl g5
has a knight and pawns in two compact 44 �a8+ \t>c7 45 hXgS 1Xg5 46 �g8
groups, while Stahlberg has a bishop �e5 47 �h7 g4 48 .:£jb5+ \t>c6
and the liability of an isolated central 49 �g6+ \t>b7 50 �h7 \t>c6 51 \t>h2
pawn. With this material (plus heavy lle8 52 .:£jd4+ \t>d6 53 �b7 \t>c5
pieces) they fought until White finally 54 b4+! \t>c4 55 bXa5 bXa5 56
established a pawn lead at move 65, �a6+ \t>b4 57 �b6+ \t>c4 58
having continually avoided the ex �Xa5 h4! 59 �a6+ \t>b4 60 �b6+
change of queens. The minor pieces \t>Xa4 61 �b3+ \t>a5 62 �a2+
were at last exchanged and at move 83 \t>b6 63 �b2+ \t>a6 64 �e2+ \t>b7
the final endgame began with queen 65 �Xg4 hXg3+ 66 �Xg3 �h5+
and two pawns against queen and one. 67 �h3 �e5+ 68 �g3 �h5+ 69
It took Flohr another 24 moves, involv �h3 �e5+ 70 \t>gl! �g7+ 71 �g2
ing a K-march from gl to f8, to extract �e5 72 �g4! \t>c7 73 .:£)13 �16
the full point. With this sort of leader, 74 �g3+ \t>d7 75 .:£)e5+ \t>e6 76 14
it is no wonder that the morale of the \t>e7 77 \t>f2 \t>d6 78 �g4 �h8
Czechs was high. 79 \t>g2 �h7 80 �g5 lid7 81 .:£) Xd7
D Flohr (CZ) • Stahlberg (SW) �e4+ 82 \t>f2 \t>Xd7
1 c4 e6 2 .:£jc3 dS 3 d4 .:£)16 4 JlgS •
•
��-==
•
• • Zita, the Czech No. 5, was in general
.§ more patient than imaginative, but in
STOCKHOLM 1937 163
the following game he certainly showed .§. adS 21 €)fS Y/Jd7 22 .§.e3 Jll8
how to make use of the strong squares 23 .§.c3 g6 24 €)e3 cS 25 JlXb7
available to the major pieces (Moves '*Xb7 26 dXcS bXcS 27 .§, b3 '*c6
29, 32, 33). 28 .§. bd3 .§. Xd3 29 .§. Xd3 Jlg7
D Zita (CZ) • f,uckis (LI)
1 c4 e6 2 €)f3 €)f6 3 g3 b6 4 Jtg2 • • • •••
�b7 5 ().() cS 6 b3 �e7 7 �b2 0..0 - Ji .
lr*
_ •. .
-t•. .·�..
�
A• • t � •
17 g3!
Screening g2 at the cost of perma • • • •
• D • •
nently weakening his king's position. �
. H
- -A�
A W:�
Piazzini reckons his own attack will • M n
- d d
keep Reshevsky too busy to make � R :!. .
- l:::
. D RPi
�
capital out of the white squares thus
opened: Black also has a king. Each side has rook and two bishops,
17 . . . Ab4 t8 a3 Aa5 19 Ac4! \flb8 with four K-side pawns; but White also
20 AXa6 has the passed a-pawn, which makes
all the difference. White to play and
• ••• win.
· :�• t • t 25 .§ ct Ab6 26 An .§ dB 21 Ag2!
B � D
ra t • ra A late fianchetto and it offers a
• • • pawn. But 27 . . . A Xg2 28 \fl Xg2
" D D
._'fLJ'f�-w:�• A Xd4 is met by 29 .§ d1 ! and White
- - u
M
u:• U..M.M
-gU · ".• .M
U
will win easily enough after either 29 . . .
.
U Ab6 30 .§ b1 ! or 29 . . . eS 30 \flf3
..
.. ��S1t:R::!. .
2:::: - �
Rfj
followed by 31 A Xd4 and a K-march.
20 . . . 4Je5! 27 . . . Ae2 28 .§ bl \fla7 29 .§ b4
Reshevsky sees nothing but a lost \fla6? 30 Ant
game in prospect if he tries to play Instantly cutting out one pair of
steady defence. He therefore deter bishops to reduce the tactical diffi
mines at any cost to force his way into culties to a minimum. The white
the enemy's white squares. Piazzini, squares will now be safe K-territory.
however - in great form - is not to 30 . . . Axn 31 \flxn .§ c8 32 \fle2
be cheated out of the victory which he ,§ c3 33 a4 Ac7 34 \fld2 ,§ a3 35
considers he has earned. He will soon .§ c4 Ab6 36 \fle2 \flb7 37 \flf3 h5
have at least one file open against the A critical move. Black could hardly
black king; while if Reshevsky goes afford to let the white king advance to
STOCKHOLM 1937 167
g4, but now he has another weakness, defeated all the four living world cham
accessible to the white king via g2 and pions - Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine
h3. The black forces do not have and Euwe.
enough mobility to cope with dangers Whereas in the Czech team the
on both extreme flanks. points were scored mostly by Nos. 1 , 2
38 �g2 .§. d3 39 �f3 and 3, the Argentine points came
Feeling his way. largely from Nos.3, 4 and 5. Jacob
39 . . . .§. a3 40 �g2 .§. d3 41 �h3! eS Bolbochan at Board 2 was not in good
With Piazzini threatening simply to form at Stockholm, taking 6 rests and
walk up and take the h-pawn, things registering only two wins against five
are getting desperate for Reshevsky. losses. It is to be noted, however, that
He decides to break in the centre, four of his five losses occurred when
take off the bishops, and then see if his he was playing at top board, .and the
notorious skill with rooks and pawns calibre of the opposition may be gauged
can yet save the day. from the names of those who beat
42 dXeS i;l,Xe3 43 fXe3 fXeS 44 e4 him: Stahlberg, Lilienthal, Flohr,
�h6 45 �h4 .§. d4! Apscheneek and Keres. He made short
Alert as ever, Reshevsky regains his work of O'Kelly:
pawn, for the exchange of rooks would D O'KeUy (BE) • Bolbochan (AR)
now actually lose for White, whose 1 {JfJ {Jf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 h6 4 ..Q.g2
king is denied the use of both g4 and J;l,b7 5 d4 l;te7 6 {JcJ
g3 to get back to stop the passed pawn. In this Q-Indian position White
46 ,§.ell .§. Xe4+ 47 �XhS .§. Xa4 usually plays 6 0.(). O'Kelly instead
So the white a-pawn falls; but now, prepares to meet 6 . . . cS with 7 dS,
behold, the other R-pawn is set to win but Black does not oblige.
the game. 6 . . . 0-0 7 �c2 dS
48 .§. el .§. a2 49 h4 f6 50 �g6 .§. g2 Solidly blocking White's e4 or dS
51 .§. eJ �cS 52 �Xf6 �d4 53 but giving his free use - at least
.§. XeS .§. Xg3 temporarily - of eS, which White
All pawns gone, except the one that promptly occupies.
matters. Now it is, as they say, a book 8 {JeS c6
win, the black king being cut off from Black's QB, now looking rather silly
the advancing pawn. at b7, will nevertheless play an impor
54 hS .§. f3 + 55 .§. fS .§. h3 56 �g6 tant part in the question of the centre.
�e4 57 .§. gS .§. a3 58 h6 .§. a6 + 9 0-0 {Jbd7 10 e4!?
59 �hS .§. a7 60 .§.g8 �eS 61 �g6 This precipitate central challenge
,§. a6+ 62 �gS .§. a7 63 ,§.e8+ �dS helps Black to free his game. White
64 �g6 ,§.h6+ 65 �g7 .§.a7+ 66 could have maintained some space
�g8 .§. at 67 h7 .§. gl + 68 �f7 advantage by 10 f4, advancing the
.§.fl + 69 �e7 1-0. e-pawn later.
Reshevsky, as usual, made his oppo 10 . . . dXc4 11 {J Xc4 bS!
nent work for that one, but it was a Exposing the fragility of White's
highly creditable win for Piazzini build-up. Bolbochan plans to achieve
against one of the most feared players complete freedom by pushing the back
of his time, who in the years 1935-38 ward c-pawn - but in his own good
168 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
• ),§
24 . . . 2£jc3!! 0-1.
A startling finish: White must lose
at least the second exchange. A little
positional masterpiece by Bolbochan.
Roberto Grau was in fine form -
eight wins against two losses. One fine
example of his play was the superb
last-round game against Vaitonis (page
51). Here is another:
D Paulsen (DK) • Grau (AR)
1 d4 dS 2 c4 e6 3 2£jc3 2£jf6 4 2£jf3
2£jbd7 s AgS AM
A line which Grau kept as a perma
nent part of his repertoire, ready to be
sprung on unsuspecting opponents. He
19 . . . cS! called it the American Defence, and it
At last the time is ripe. Bolbochan aims to get the advantage of the Cam
has exercised great restraint in order bridge Springs with gain of tempo by
to make this move when its impact advancing the c-pawn to cS in one
will be greatest. The b7 bishop, seem step. Similar positions can arise from
ingly interred by Black's 7th and 8th the Nimroindian.
moves, becomes a powerful piece. If 6 �b3
White cares to exchange it, his king's Grau, who studied the opening in
living quarters will be very draughty. depth, held that White's best possible
20 dXcS Axes 21 2£je4 AdS! line runs 6 e3 c5 7 �c2! QaS 8 2£j d2
And with this devastating move the O.Q 9 A X f6 2£j Xf6 10 Ae2! etc.
half-forgotten bishop, taking advantage 6 . . . cS 7 cXdS eXdS 8 dXcS �aS
of the fact that his black-square col 9 a3? AXc3+ 10 �Xc3 �Xc3+
league is pinning the e3 knight, vir 11 bXc3 2£je4
tually wins the game, for the white Regaining the pawn and coming out
queen is tied to the defence of e3. of the opening well.
22 �c3 2£j a4! would only make things 12 Ae3 2£jdXcS 13 g3 Ae6 14 Ag2
worse. O'Kelly sees nothing for it but .§. c8 1S Ad4 0-0 16 .§. b1 b6 17 2£jd2
to give up the exchange: i�JS
STOCKHOLM 1937 169
Black threatens to win the exchange 2S . . . .§. d4+ 26 <;t>c2 .§. e2+ 27 <;t>b1
by . . . 4JXd2. d3 28 .§.c1
18 .§b4 .§, fe8 19 <;t>d1 Paulsen takes a melancholy pleasure
This is obviously a major concession, in actually threatening mate as he com
for the king will find no sanctuary on mits suicide.
this side of the board. By no means 28 . . . .§. b2+ 29 <;t>a1 .§. Xa3 mate.
obvious, though it is the combination Montgomerie had the temerity to
which destroys White completely. challenge Grau to a straight battle of
!B .i !B the rival pawn-storms against kings
� � castled on opposite wings and an excit
- .
ing game resulted:
•' •" D Montgomerie (SC) • Grau (AR)
•
� :.•t 1 d4 dS 2 c4 e6 3 4Jc3 4Jf6 4 ,ilgS
a
�a041!11 •
_ ··· 4Jbd7 S cXdS eXdS 6 e3 ,ile7 7 -'l,d3
� d
. ' n 4l 0.0 8 '{f;fc2 c6 9 4Jge2 .§. e8 10 0.0.0
•
� � .!J.
.
4Jf8 11 h4 bS 12 .§,dg1 aS 13 l;l.Xf6
• !B<;t>!B !B.§. l;l.Xf6 14 g4 a4 1S gS -'l,e7 16 4Jg3 a3
19 . . . aS!! 17 b3 b4 18 4Jce2
The prelude.
20 .§. Xb6 4J Xc3+!! 21 ,ilXc3 4Ja4 .i �..liLi
- � �s �·•
JIJJ ---�
This is what Grau had visualised. • • fi t t
The rook is attacked; the bishop is !B t !B •
-
• -
•t• �
- u
twice attacked. il*\i M M if
- u - �
.-��
22 _ilXaS 4J X b6 m .tt !BAU �
No doubt Paulsen had been hoping
to keep some material advantage now ft u •
by 23 ,ilXb6, but now he sees the • • � .§.
sequel 23 . . . ,ilc2+ 24 <;t>el -'l,d3 ! ! 18 . . . cS! 19 dXcS .§. aS! 20 <;t>b1
(threatening . . . .§. cl mate) 25 4Jb3 .§. XeS 21 '{f;fd2 '{J;jb6 22 4Jd4 -'l_d6
.§. Xe2+ 26 <;t>dl .§. b2 27 -'l_Xd5 23 f4 -'l_a6! 24 4JgfS l;l.Xd3+ 2S
J;lc2+ 28 <;t>el .§. b l + 29 <;t>e2 '{f;fXd3 .§, c3 26 4Jc6+! gXh6 27
.§. Xhl 30 ,ilXhl -'l,Xb3 with a win gXh6+ 4Jg6 28 '{f;ffS �a6! 29 '{J;jd7
ning endgame: a magnificent combi .§. cXe3 30 fS '{J;jd3+ 31 4Jc2 '{f;fc3
nation. He tries: 0-1.
23 e4 One of Grau's methods of avoiding
Attacking two pieces. all the analysis of the Queen's Gambit
23 . . . 4Ja4!! Declined was to play the QB out early.
Beautifully saving not only the knight Attempts to refute this line are usually
but the bishop too. The possibility 24 based on an early '{f;fb3 by White, but
eXfS 4Jb2 mate adds lustre to this Salo preferred quiet play. In the middle
brilliant game. game he got his. rooks tangled up and
24 4Jc4 .§. Xc4 2S eXfS lost the exchange.
White emerges with two bishops and 0 Salo (SF) • Grau (AR)
a pawn against rook and knight .- a 1 d4 dS 2 4Jf3 i;tfS 3 c4 e6 4 4Jc3 c6
fair bargain; but not for long! S e3 4Jf6 6 l;te2 .Q,d6 7 0.0 4Jbd7
170 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
• ..�.. • t • t
�
-
w.gj t •
d �
w.gj t �
d w.gj l�
·
d !!lfl · ��
.';._" .
-
�
.
�
- �
-. •t• •
• •
. . -� · •
4). .
.!.!.. •• • •• . y � 4).
� �
.!.!.. U
� 4). t"
G ..u.. U 41.
'1"'1 R'-" '1"'/ RH
iii$ iii$
•· -
�
- ��
!R t:=. t.I:::S! � � Sl .
. t:=> Sl
STOCKHOLM 1937 171
It is clear that the white queen has 24 . . . .:£)16 25 .§. ld1 h5 26 .:£)c3 l;lb6
got herseH into a tangle with all the 27 .§, d6 l;lc7 28 .:£)Xe4 .:£)Xe4
black knights and bishops; it is not so Not 28 . . . j;lXd6, which loses two
clear what Black can make of it. bishops for the rook.
Guimard has the answer - a beauty: 29 .§,6d5
16 . . . d4!! Now follows a fitting finish to a fine
A classical example of the unblock game.
aded isolated d-pawn coming to life. It .... .
is now three times attacked and only
p
• �-f-·
once defended, yet it cannot be taken: �-
.. �"- .. �- t •
Qti �
(i) 17 eXd4 is met by .:£)f4! leaving the • • • •
queen unable to guard both c3 and e2. • . .§. . • t
(ii) 17 .:£)Xd4 is answered by .:£) Xd4 . -�· .
and then either 18 eXd4 Jtxc3 19 •
4!-
•
4!- �
...!.!.. ..!.!. �
j;lXc3 .§. Xc3! 20 '{bXc3 '{bXe2 or
else 18 '{bXd4 .§. fd8, leaving the .
M �- .
a
queen again unable to defend c3. 29 . . . .Q.Xh2+! 30 <;t>n
With this splendid coup the wide If 30 <;t>h1, '{bh4 wins outright. Or
awake Guimard has virtually won the 30 <;t>Xh2 '(bh4+ 31 <;t>g1 '{bXf2+
game. The white queen is now driven and '{bXe2 with two pawns profit.
from pillar to post. 30 . . . '{bh4
17 .:£)a4 J;le4 18 '{bb5 a6! 19 '{bXa6 Threatening mate at f2.
If the queen takes the other pawn 31 .§,15 i;ll4!! and mate on f2 or hl.
she is mated by 19 . . . .§. c6. An entertaining game - for everyone
19 . . . .§. a8 20 '{bb5 except Vistaneckis.
20 '{bXb6 again leaves the queen Guimaud would appear to have been
mated after 20 . . . .§. fb8. too modestly placed at No.4 in the
20 . . . .§, aS 21 '{bXb6 Argentine team. After all, he was the
Or 21 '{bc4 bS!. It seems that the b6 reigning national champion. However,
capture is possible now that the black it is fair to point out that as the top
rook cannot come to b8; but still the two players took twelve rests between
queen is lost. them, most of Guimard's games (in
21 . . . .:£)d7! fact 15 out of 16) were played at Board
And so, with 14 moves at her dis 3. Even so, his attractive games indi
posal, the white queen is checkmated cate clearly how he enjoyed the Olym
- a feat more difficult than the mating piad. Here is another example with an
of a mere king. exceptionally neat mating finish:
22 '{bXa5 j;lXa5 23 .:£)Xd4 0 Guimard (AR) 0 Napolitano (IT)
Vistaneckis gets the isolated pawn, 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 .:£)f3 .:£)16 4 e3 e6
but it's poor consolation now. 5 j;ld3 .:£)bd7 6 .:£)c3 dXc4 7 .Q.Xc4
23 . . . .:£)X d4 24 .§. X d4 b5 8 jid3 b4 9 .:£)b1 c5 10 .:£)bd2
With rook and three pawns for the cXd4 11 eXd4 .Q.e7 12 0-0 0-0 13 .:£)c4
queen, and with control of the d-file, l;lb7 14 '{be2 .:£)d5 15 .:£)e3 .:£)716
White is still alive; but Guimard finishes 16 .§.e1 '{bb6 17 .:£)c4 '{bc7 18 .:£)1e5
in style. .§, ld8
172 THE WST OLYMPIAD
hold the position by . . . .:£) ef6. Inducing Black to make the ex
17 bXc3 g5 change, opening the file without ridding
For better or worse he hits out, himself of the backward pawn.
exposing his own king, to his subse 23 . . . dXc4 24 j;tXc4 j;tXc4 25
quent regret. Black's chances of achiev § Xc4
ing anything concrete cannot be con One of the hapless pawns hanging
sidered realistic. White has plenty of on b6 and c6 must now fall. Note
pieces - in fact, all his pieces - avail worthy is the quiet power of White's
able for defence if necessary, while bishop, still dominating the diagonal
Black - for the moment - is two on which he placed it at move 5.
pieces short. As we shall see, however, 25 . . . �d5 26 �c2!
Wheatcroft has ideas about remedying The c-pawn cannot now be defended
that trouble. directly, for if Black brings a rook to
18 J;l.h2 .:£) X e5 19 j;tXe5 b6!? its defence White can simply bring
At a stroke Black opens a file for another rook into the attack; but
the rook and a diagonal for the bishop, Wheatcroft fights back gamely enough,
but by now his positional inferiority is even if it is a lost cause.
too serious to be cured by this eco 26 . . . b51 27 aXb5 cXb5 28 § c7 .§. a2
nomical method. The weakness of the 29 �bl!
backward c-pawn will surely be his Now b-pawn and bishop are both
undoing. On the other hand if he had attacked.
tried to disentangle his Q-side by . . . 29 . . . l;tf6 30 § c5 �aS
l;td7 and . . . l;te8 White would have After which Pleci makes no mistake
laid siege to the b-pawn instead. with the mopping-up.
20 cXb6 aXb6 21 a4! l;ta6 31 j;tXf6 .§. Xf6 32 § Xb5
Thus Wheatcroft rids himself of one Threatening § b8+.
headache: the useless white-square 32 . . . §f8 33 �b3 §e8 34 § e5
bishop exchanges itself for its counter �a6 35 § f2 § a3 36 �b2 § c8?
part on d3. With a theoretically lost game, and
under pressure at every move, Wheat
. . ..... ...
r=-=---;=-c;;-;-;;;o=oo=""'
Tartakower
176 THE WST OLYMPIAD
82 �b3 .§, h3+ 83 �b4 l;tb6 84 .§. c1 to which Botvinnik gave his approval
Ae3 85 .§.c2 .§,h1 86 �b3 l;td4 by playing it in the AVRO tournament
87 .§. g2 .§. h3 + 88 �a2 �c4 89 a year later. Keres tried 9 . . . l;te4 in
.§. c2 + l;tc3 90 .§,c1 some important games. In our own
• • • • day Karpov goes quietly with 9 . . . d6
• • • • and 10 . . . {J d7, but also plays
Najdorfs choice.
• • • 10 jtf4
• • Reserving d5, which Black is chal
• lenging him to play. Paul Schmidt has
• • a trap in mind, based on quick mobil
�- .
. � . . isation of his QR .
10 . . . d6
90 . . . .§. h2 + 91 �a3 .§. f2 92 h5 .§. f8
93 �a2 .§. a8+ 94 �b1 �b3 0-1.
White cannot avoid mate next move
except by giving up his rook.
Najdorfs full stature was not much
known outside his own country before
the war, apart from the Olympiads. At
Warsaw 1935 he scored 70% at Board3
and at Munich 1936 made a big impres
sion with 80% at Board 2. Stockholm 11 .§. adl!
was something of a setback, for after This was Schmidt's idea - quite a
scoring 5 lfz from his first seven games brilliant conception. He deliberately
he won no more until the last round, offers Black the opportunity to fork
finishing with just under 60%. by 1 1 . . . cXd4 12 {) X d4 jt Xg2
Najdorf has never been a keeper of 13 � Xg2 e5. He correctly judged that
game scores, and he has none at all Najdorf was tactician enough to see
from Stockholm. However, the follow this. Unfortunately he was also tac
ing is a good example of his fighting tician enough to see the sequel 14
style at the time. It was played in the {Jf5! (eXf4 15 '{fyg7 mate) jtf6 15
iast round, when Poland needed every .§. Xd6! eXf4 16 .§. Xd8 .,(;t Xc3 17
point to keep ahead of Argentina. It {Je7 + and mate next move.
was the top board game, since both 11 . . . '{fyc7! 12 d5?
Tartakower and Keres were resting - Upset by Black's refusal to take the
no doubt by mutual consent. bait, he now plays his d5 at the wrong
D Schmidt • Najdorf (PO) moment. By exchanging pawns on c5
1 d4 {)f6 2 {Jf3 b6 3 c4 e6 4 g3 l;tb7 he would have kept quite a good game
5 Ag2 e7 6 0-0 0-0 7 {Jc3 {Je4 but by playing d5 after Black has played
Forty-five years later, this is still one . . . d6 he allows Najdorf to establish a
standard way of playing the Q-Indian. solid Benoni formation in the centre.
8 '{fyc2 {) Xc3 9 '{fyXc3 c5!? 12 . . . e5!
The commonest method at the time This "obvious" move is perhaps less
was 9 . . . f5, the Indo-Dutch formation, obvious than it seems, for it presents
STOCKHOLM 1937 179
. ft •
• •
41- U.
.!.!. � � � ' '
iEl •
• • § .
Again Schmidt puts tactics before
positional requirements. He reckons
that Black's last move overloaded the
180 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
queen, which is now required to defend all the traps based on the black queen's
both e7 and f5, and therefore he pro latent attack on the g5 bishop.
poses to simplify, after 32 . . . eXf3, by 7 . . . eXd5?
33 .§. X f5 'lf!Xf5 34 .§. Xe7 fXg2 35 An experiment which cannot be
'lf!Xg2. Najdorf, however, sees the good. It is contrary to the spirit of the
simplification a different way: Cambridge Springs, which demands
32 . . . e3! 33 .§. Xe3 .§. Xe3 34 'lf!Xe3 instant pressure against c3; after all,
'lf!Xb2 35 'ltfe7 'ltff6 36 'lf!Xa7 one of the main points of the queen
White has actually won a pawn - move is the unpinning of the f6 knight.
but now he gets a shock: Black's idea apparently is to release
36 . . . itd7!! the QB while he has the chance and
If White takes this bishop it will cost then play the knight to e4 instead of
him rook and f-pawn. Suddenly the d5. But the usual 7 . . . � Xd5 must be
black queen is in play. The white queen better.
has been caught in the act of petty 8 Ad3 �e4 9 0..0! � Xg5
pilfering. If 9 . . . �Xc3 White could main
37 <i!fg1 'ltfd4+ 38 <i!fh1 'lf!Xf4 39 tain equality by 10 'ltfe1 ! i;l,b4 1 1 a3!,
.§.g6 .§.e8 but perhaps he was intending to let the
Now after 40 'lf!Xd7, even though it pawn go by 10 bXc3 'lf! X c3 and then
threatens mate, White will himself be lash out at once with 1 1 e4!
mated by 40 . . . .§. e1 + 41 Afl 10 �Xg5 'ltfd8
.§. X fl + 42 .§.g1 'lf!Xf3+ 43 <i!fh2 The end result of Black's experi
.§. f2 +. Schmidt makes one last des ment is a serious lag in development
pairing attempt to get his queen back which is going to cost him the game.
to the defence:
40 .§. Xg7+ <i!fXg7 41 'lf!Xd7+ <i!tf8 �" � . .
0-1. ··t �
.... -t
Whatever White does, short of giv • • •
ing up his queen, . . . .§.e1 + will kill t ..• � !iZ.J.
decides that he cannot afford to be 26 .§. e6+ �g7 27 .§. g6+ ®h7
driven back and goes in for a combi 28 .f)e4!
nation based on getting his queen into Threatening 29 .f)f6 mate.
play by . . . �Xd4+. 28 . . . _(;tg7 29 .f) Xh61 1-0.
Black cannot take either piece:
.1• �·- •
18 ••18 � 29 . . . .,(;tXh6 30 .f)f6 mate; or 29 . . .
• • gXf4 30 .f)gS mate, which is threat
t• ened anyway. And if he vacates h8 by,
say, .§. hf8, there follows 30 .f) X gS +
®h8 31 .§. h4, threatening 32 .f)f7+
®g8 33 .§. h8 pinmate!
Frydman's game from the Yugoslavia
match is another example of his power
18 . . . .f) Xf4!? 19 .f) Xf7! chess. Again it decided the match, for
A riposte which Black had probably the other games were all drawn.
not seen. D Vukovlc (YU) • Frydman (PO)
19 . . . �Xd4 + 20 ®ht �Xd3 1 d4 .f)f6 2 c4 e6 3 .f)c3 d5 4 .,(;tg5
As planned. He would have been .f)bd7 5 e3 c6 6 a3
better off after 20 . . . ()..(), but in any Anti - Cambridge Springs. White
case White has all the chances now. forces Black into the Orthodox De
21 .f)ed6+ ®e7 22 gXf5 �Xf3+ fence, in which the move a3 is no loss
23 .§. Xf3 g5 24 .§. el + of tempo since it is often useful to
It is remarkable that even now Black support b4 later on and also provides a
remains a clear two moves behind in useful square for the KB on a2.
development: White has two rooks in 6 . . . i;te7 7 .f)f3 0-0 8 �c2 dXc4
play; Black has two rooks out of play. 9 .,(;tXc4 .f)d5 10 l1_Xe7 �Xe7
24 . . . ®f6? 11 0-0 .f) Xc3 12 �Xc3 b6 13 .§, fdl
Into the jaws of death. i;tb7 14 e4 c5 15 �e3 a6 16 .§. act b5
17 l;ta2 c4
.1 m
• m
•
• • • .I 18
. ra•m
�··
t� �
• �ll t E t
• • t• •t• •
• • • •
•
4l-
• •
W
JJ. U
• •
25 .§. Xf4!!
Frydman plays the finish with great White has the freedom of the centre
elegance: 25 . . . gXf4 26 .§.e6 mate! and K-side; Black has a Q-side majority.
Black is too stunned to resign, so From such positions, as Pillsbury
makes a flight for his king . . . showed, White can often work up a
25 . . . .,(;tf8 successful K-side attack. Not this time.
. . . putting all his pieces back on their 18 .,(;tbt .§. ac8 19 �c3 .f)b6 20 .§. el
starting squares - except the king! .f)a4
182 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
This knight has a great future. easy win? But suppose White plays b4
21 �c2 f5!? and then plants the rook firmly on the
A vigorous counter to White's threat third rank, how precisely is Black to
of e5, opening the line to h7. Frydman win? His king will not be able to
adroitly combines attack with defence, advance far enough to engineer a mate,
intending to answer 22 eXd5 with and all the pawns will be guarded.
22 . . . .,il Xf3 23 .§. Xe6 �g5. After Exchange of queen for rook will not
White's reply the whole game is afire. leave a winning pawn-ending - more
22 dS �cS! 23 eXfS .,ilXdS 24 fXe6 likely a loss. One might save a lot of
'£)d3! 25 .§.e3 .,ilXf3! 26 gXf3 .§.cS! trouble by conceding the draw forth
A position calling for strong nerves with. Not Frydman! 32 moves later he
as well as tactical skill. Frydman has takes the full point and Poland win the
an enemy pawn right down his throat match. The whole process, requiring
at e6, and he cannot take the rook at endless patience and ingenuity, is a
cl on pain of instant mate. Yet he has joy to watch.
real chances on both wings. 34 .. .�f3 35 .§. d4 �e2 36 b4 �Xe6
27 f4! .§. Xf4! 37 .§. d3 gS 38 h3 \t'g6 39 .§. e3
The white fortress is now in being.
• • •••
r-=----=- -; ----;=-o
;; ...-= =
�
- - -
for 33 . . . r!;}g7 would cost the h-pawn It sounds easy. To Lilienthal, it was.
after 34 �g3. 16 �XdS! cXd5 17 r!;}bl! Ae6 18
33 . . . AXe4 34 .§. Xe4 �f4 .§. ec8 19 itfe2 .§. c4 20 h4 .§. ac8
After which, in view of Black's weak 21 g5 itfd7 22 ,§, hg1 hXg5 23 hXg5
pawns, it should not be difficult. g6
34 . . . r!;}g7 35 .§. e8 c5 36 .§. b8 b4 End of Phase (a). Five of Black's six
37 ,§,b5 pawns are on white squares. Now for
37 .§. c2 would have been even Phase (b).
stronger, preventing the counterplay 24 itfd2! itfc6 25 .§. cl! r!;}f8 26
which follows. ,§, Xc4 itfXc4 27 itfh1 r!;}e7 28 b3!
37 . . . .§. .. + 38 r!;}h2 .§. cl 39 .§. d5 itfc3 29 itf Xc3 .§. Xc3 30 ,§,h8 .§. c7
,§, c2 40 ,§, dXc5 ,§, Xb2 41 ,§, XbS 31 r!;}b2 r!;}d6 32 �e2 .§. c8
,§, Xf2 42 ,§, Xb4 f5 43 r!;}g1 1-0. n
Storrn-Herseth of Norway turned out �
to be the weakest of all the top-board
players. His introduction to Olympiad
chess was to be paired with Lilienthal
in the first round.
D Liliethal (H) • Storm-Herseth (N)
1 d4 �f6 2 c4 e6 3 �cJ d5 4 Ag5
�bd7 5 cXd5 eXd5 6 e3 Ae7 7 Ad3
0-0 8 itfc2 h6 9 Ah4 c6 10 �gel
A more elastic development than The rooks are to be kept on for
the stereotyped �f3. Instead of bear combinative purposes. Double attacks
ing directly on eS, the knight takes by rook and knight will test to the
options on g3 and f4, or even, in some uttermost the defen,sive capabilities of
circumstances, c3. rook and bad bishop, and eventually
10 . . . ,§,es 11 0-0-0 �e4 12 A Xe7 break them down.
itfXe7 13 AXe4 dXe4 14 g4! �f6 33 . . . Ad7 34 �c3 Ac6 35 .§. h4
15 h3 �d5 .§. f8 36 .§. f4 f5
White's little expansion on the K Another objective accomplished.
side has put the e4 pawn into a state of Black no longer has even the possibility
pseudo-isolation, and Black would be of clearing his K-side by an eventual
happy to have it bolstered up by a . . . f6. Now the bishop looks like a
pawn on dS. At this point, however, pawn, but it does retain one function
Lilienthal probably had the whole win - to defend dS and g6 - both, if
ning strategy clearly in mind; and possible!
probably the mere idea of it had not 37 ,§, h4 b6 38 �e2 ,§,f7 39 �f4
entered the head of the inexperienced .§. g7 40 .§. h6 AeS
Norwegian: (a) fossilise the black Every white move a threat, every
centre-pawns on white squares, (b) use black reply a defence, and so it will
the open c-file to exchange off most or continue to be in this unequal battle.
all of the major pieces, (c) win the However, at this moment White seems
endgame by the superior mobility of to have exhausted his resources, and
the knight against a cramped bishop. Black has matched him, move for
190 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
18 � Xd41 �Xdl 19 .§ Xdl 'lf1h5 8 j;t Xc3 e4 9 �gS e3!, which is not
�Xe3 21 'lf1Xc3 fXe6 22 �Xe6+ pleasant for White. Simplest would be
�h8 23 .§ Xd7 .§ Xd7 24 j;tXd7 7 dXeS.
'lf1g6+ 25 'lf1g3 'lf1Xe4 26 �c3 'lf1e7 7 . . . .Q.Xc3 8 �Xc3 �e7 9 e4
27 �fS .§ d8 28 'lf1g4 �g8 29 l;tc2 Preventing Black's �fS but hamper
h6 30 'lf1g6 �f8 31 'l!1f5+ �e8 32 ing his own K-bishop too.
'lf1b5 + .§ d7 33 'lf1h5 + �f8 34 �b3 9 . . . �hS 10 g3 0-0 11 .(;te2!
1-0. White's g3 was not played primarily
Aitken only made two mistakes, but as a fianchetto but to guard the squaie
they were more than enough for f4, weakened by 9 e4. Now the loose
Lilienthal. First he left his d-pawn un knight on hS suggests complications.
defended for an instant - and lost it. White threatens � XeS, and even if
Then he used a rook rather ambitiously 1 1 . . . g6 he could still play 12 � XeS
along the fourth rank, cut off its de dXeS 13 j;t XhS gXhS 14 � XeS with
fence - and lost it. a fierce attack.
D Aitken ( SC) • Lillenthal ( HU) 11 . . . �f6 12 0-0 �g4
1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 �c3 �f6 4 eXdS Trying another approach, but even
eXdS 5 �d3 �c6 6 �ge2 �b4 7 0-0 on this square the knight is not going
�e7 8 �g3 � Xd3 9 'lf1Xd3 ().() to be left unmolested.
10 �f4 c6 11 .§ ael .§e8 12 ,§ e2 13 �h4! fS 14 eXfS � XfS 15 �g2
�g4 13 f4 �hS 14 � XhS � XhS (1S � Xg4 � Xh4) 15 . . . 'lf1g5 16 f4
15 i;td2 i;td6 16 ,§ fel .§ Xe2 17 eXf4 17 .Q_Xg4 'lf1Xg4 18 .§ Xf4
'lf1Xe2? 'lf1h4 18 g3 'lf1Xd4+ 19 �g2 'lf1g5 19 ,§ aft �d7 20 'lf1f2
�f6 20 j;tgS h6 21 .§ dl 'lf1e5 22
j;tXf6 'lf1Xf6 23 ,§ d3 �f8 24 a3 ••�!
•
ill
raw
pulsory: • .t • :ft. •
32 . . . �f8 33 4) Xd7+ "/t;J Xd7 - u
�
• �
34 "/t;J XgS!, the knight being pinned, or Q.:E!I..
� Ill • .
tv&� •• �
•• :a
-
•
32 . . . �h8 33 4) d7 "/t;J Xd7 34 § • • -�
� XgS! .:ij XgS 35 .§, f8 mate. A rare type of ending with highly
33 J;).X16 .§. Xg4+ 34 bXg4 �e2 asymmetric material. White's material
STOCKHOLM 1937 193
7 j;tXf6 gXf6 8 � Xe4 b6 9 �f4 the win. If the process was not elegant,
l;tb7 IO j;td3 �c6 11 c3 fS I2 �h3 he didn't mind - though quite often
�d6 13 �fhS 0-0.0 I4 �e2 ®b8 the elegance came as a by-product.
IS 0.0.0 �aS I6 f3 J;th4 I7 ®bi He showed his intentions in Round 1,
,§ hg8 I8 i;tbS j;tdS 19 c4 j;ta8 20 dS going straight down the middle, with a
eXdS 2I � XfS �g6 (The white pawn on e6 by move 18.
minor pieces dominate the centre, and D Steiner (HU) • Gulbrandsen (NO)
the black forces, fatally scattered I e4 eS 2 �f3 �c6 3 j;tbS a6 4 i;ta4
round the edge, cannot all emerge �f6 S 0.0 � Xe4 6 d4 bS 7 ,l;tb3 dS
unscathed) 22 g4 � Xc4 23 �f4 �f6 8 dXeS .l;te6 9 c3 .l;te7 IO �e2 �cS
24 �g2 .Q.gS 2S h4 i;th6 26 �e7! 11 ,l;tc2 J;l.g4 I2 ,§ di J;l.Xf3 I3 gXf3
(With the fatal double threat of 27 �d7
� Xg8 and 27 gS) 26 . . . J;tg7 27
�Xg8 ,§ Xg8 28 j;tXc4 dXc4 29 •• • • •
,§ hfi c3 30 �ei l;tc6 3I �c2 cXb2 . ¥I.
• � .t
� .t -
.t • • • •
32 �c4 ,§e8 33 gS �e6 34 � Xe6 • .t •
.. a ..
;a .t u
•
fXe6 3S hS i;tf8 36 �d4 j;tdS 37
,§ fei j;tXd4 38 ,§ Xd4 j;tXf3 39 • • • •
,..
• Q
�. 41- .
,.. ..!.!. ,..
,§ h4 j;tdS 40 ®Xb2 ®c8 4I ,§ gi 41- a a
. "· "
®d8 42 g6 hXg6 43 ,§ Xg6 eS 44 . ..u... d)'] u
.§ g7 aS 4S h6 cS 46 h7 .§ h8 47 .§ hg4 � �
I.O. I4 b4 �e6 IS f4 gS I6 fS �f4 I7
Most prolific contributor of all to J;l.Xf4 gXf4 IS e6 �d6 I9 eXf7+
the Hungarian total was Endre Steiner ®Xf7 20 ,l;tb3 ®f8 2I J;l.XdS ,§ d8
at Board 3; indeed, his total of 14V2 22 �a3t �f6 23 �c2 �Xc3 24
points was the highest of all the 94 �e4! .§ XdS 2S ,§ XdS ,§g8+ 26
players in the event. He was one of the ®hi �Xb4 27 ,§ d7 �c6 28 _§ Xe7
elite group of five who topped 80%, �Xe4+ 29 ,§ Xe4 �Xc2 30 ,§ ci
but not quite one of the group of four I.O.
who went through undefeated, for his Baert of Belgium probably thought
colours were lowered by Asgiersson of he was doing rather well when he won
Iceland in Round 16. On the other two pieces for rook and pawn at an
hand, he was the only person to defeat early stage. Steiner, however, man
Kashdan (page 16). oeuvred so forcefully that he in turn
Endre Steiner never won an import was able to win two pieces for a rook,
ant international tournament (though coming out of the complications with
he did defeat Alekhine once - at a pawn up.
Portsmouth in 1923) but he revelled in 0 Baert (BE) • Steiner (HU)
the Olympiads, representing Hun_gary I d4 �f6 2 �f3 e6 3 c4 .l;tb4+
five times in his short life. He died at 43. 4 .Q_d2 J;l.Xd2+ S �Xd2 b6 6 g3
At Stockhohn he played throughout ,l;ta6 7 �c2 cS 8 J;l.g2 �c6 9 dXcS
(like Szabo) without any rest, and of bXcS IO 0.0 0.0 11 �bd2 ,§ b8 I2 a3
his 18 games he won twelve and drew ,§b6 I3 ,§ fbi �e7 I4 b4! cXb4
five. It goes without saying that his IS aXb4 � Xb4 I6 �c3 �cS I7
style was forthright; his one aim was ,§ Xb4 § Xb4 I8 ,§ Xa6 dS I9 ,§ c6t
196 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
holding his own with more and more 8 .4JI3 e5 9 0.0 .4Jge7 tO d3 0.0 11
difficulty, apparently running out of �e3 b6 t2 �d2 �a6 13 15 gXf5
time and finally blundering fatally just t4 eX15 d5 t5 .4Jg5 �16 t6 .4Jh3
before the 50-move time control. �h8 t7 �g5 .4Jg8 t8 c4 .4Jce7 t9
0 Raud (ES) • Steiner (HU) .4Jc3 dXc4 20 �Xa8 �Xa8 2t .4Je4
t d4 4Jf6 2 .4JI3 e6 3 c4 �b4+ �Xg5 22 .4JhXg5 f6 23 .4Je6 cXd3
4 �d2 4Xd2+ 5 �Xd2 b6 6 g3 24 .4J xf8 �xe4
�a6 7 .4Ja3 d6 8 �g2 .4Jbd7 9 ().() 0.0
tO .§.fct �e7 11 �c2 c5 t2 e4 e5 t3 B
. B . �·-
"�
d5 .4Je8 t4 .4Jh4 g6 t5 �h3 .4Jc7 � �
- B � - � Bt
..E.r.
A !'lll'i
_ \1 • B -f.t@ •B
t6 �d2 .§,lb8 t7 �Xd7 �Xd7 t8 • �
�g5 �d8 t9 � Xd8+ .§. Xd8 20 b3 � - B
�
• •
•• a ••• g gtg H
4!- f::i* "i� M M
•
-. -� � - .iB
B . A �
-
- d
.l • ' �. • B B �
• l=H�
a
B
�
_ ..!!.
4l> . j8
_ ..!!.
4l>. j8
_ �-
Black is the double exchange down.
B "
" ..!!. 4!-. �
B � B �
In return he has a Q-side majority of
� M
� ii!Jl,
.,
_ •
five to two, including a menacing pair
u u
4!- - -
..!!. .� �
A A - HH
• a
of central passed pawns, and some
r� r�
deadly diagonal lines leading towards
20 . . . b5 21 .§. abt .§. ab8 22 .4Jg2 the white king.
.§. b7 23 .4Je3 .§. db8 24 �g2 16 25 h4 25 .§. act �d4+ 26 �g2 �b7+
bXc4 26 .4JeXc4 .4Je8 27 .4Ja5 .§. 17 27 �h3 �d5 28 .§.cJ �17! (Threaten
28 .4Jc6 .§.aS 29 f4 .4Jc7 30 fXe5 ing . . . �hS mate) 29 g4 �Xf8 30
1Xe5 3t 4Jc4 �Xc4 32 bXc4 .4Je8 .§. Xd3 �a6 3t .§, ff3 �Xd3 32
33 a4 4Jf6 34 a5 .4Jg4 35 .§. c2 .§. af8 .§. Xd3 .4Jc6 33 .§. d7 .4Jd4 34 .§. Xa7
36 a6 .§. 13 37 .4J Xa7 .§. a3 38 .4J b5 �b8 35 .§,17? .4JI3 0-t (White has
.§. Xa6 39 .§. n .§. xn 40 �xn .4Jf7 nothing better than to cede the second
41 �g2 �e7 42 �13 h5 43 .§. b2 exchange by 36 �d7 .4JgS +. The
�d7 44 �e2 .§. a4 45 �d3 .§. at game might be entitled "A Tale of
46 .4Jc3 .§. gt 47 .§. b7 + �c8 48 Four Exchanges".
.4Je2? .§. dt + 0-t (For if 49 �c2 the Vistaneckis lost a pawn at move 16
reply . . . .4Je3+ saves the black rook and was destroyed utterly by a thunder
and so wins the white one). bolt at move 30.
Against Reid Steiner allowed him 0 Steiner (HU) • Vistaneckis (LI)
self something of a spree. At one stage t e4 c5 2 .4Jc3 .4Jc6 3 .4Jge2 g6 4 d4
the Scotsman was two exchanges up; cXd4 5 .4J X d4 �g7 6 .4Jb3 .4Jf6
a little later he lost the third piece, 7 �g5 0.0 8 �d2 .§.e8 9 �e2 d6
then one exchange, and when he re tO .§, dt �e6 11 0.0 .§.c8 t2 .§, let
signed the loss of the second exchange .4Je5 13 4Jd4 �a5 t4 �XI6 eXI6
was imminent. t5 .4Jb3 �b4 t6 �Xd6 �f8 t7 �d2
0 Reid (SC) • Steiner (HU) 15 t8 a3 �e7 t9 .4Jd4 1Xe4 20 .4J Xe6
t e4 c5 2 .4Jc3 d6 3 g3 .4Jc6 4 �2 �Xe6 2t .4Jxe4 f5 22 .4Jg5 �f6
.4Jd4 5 .4Jce2 g6 6 c3 .4Jc6 7 14 �g7 23 f4 �b6+ 24 �ht .§. ed8 25 �ct
198 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
about the worst possible client. killed and White is a piece down. The
11 '£jg5 .§ e8 12 f4 strength of 13 . . . �c8 is apparent.
12 f3 would have been a more 17 . . . 2£)e2+ 18 <;!tb1 �Xd2 19
prudent procedure. The e-pawn is .§, Xd2
really weak now and Reshevsky pre After 19 �Xd2 Black would grab
pares to win it by driving the knight the g5 knight and again bring the queen
back. up on the white diagonal - this time
12 . . . h6 to g4.
19 . . . 2£j Xf4
.� . ll .i ···
• t •� • . In the teeth of the attack Reshevsky
:...: �t• has got rid of two pairs of minor pieces
··- -
· � and won a pawn; but the ebullient
• • • Tarta is not finished yet.
-
-
20 2£)h7 + <;!tg8
·
!1!�· �
-e.·n And not 20 . . . <;!te7 21 �e4+ and
.u.. U .ua. lf&
-�
�Xf4.
�
-
• !S'i t:::!.
'1"'1 21 2£)f6+! gXf6 2l �g3+ 2£jg6 23 h5
13 h4! �f5! 24 hXg6 fXg6
This was Tartakower's real idea. He So Tartakower emerges with equal
has no intention of tamely retreating pieces but a deficit of two pawns (he
and losing the e-pawn. But neither has · cannot play 25 .§ Xh6 because of mate
Reshevsky any intention of winning a on the back rank). It sounds like an
piece and being checkmated for his easy win for Black; but Tartakower
pains. By means of a cool head and was also a wily exponent of the end
patient analysis he demonstrates the game and Reshevsky has to call on all
unsoundness of his opponent's play - his skill, first in this queen and rooks
no doubt running short of time in the ending, then in a hard rook ending
process - he usually did. and finally, thirty moves hence, in
13 . . . �c8! a new queen and rooks ending. It must
The sort of thing Tartakower (and have been a thrill to be present and
Reshevsky) had in mind was 13 . . . watch this superb struggle between the
hXg5 14 hXg5 2£jd7 15 �h3 <;!tf8 16 two Polish-born grandmasters - three
2£)d5! Kaput! Reshevsky covers h3 and or four games for the price of one.
quietly plans to take the knight in his 25 .§, f2 �g5 26 �c3 �e5!
own good time, once he is satisfied Reshevsky's priority is to remove the
that the attack has been disarmed. queens, and he does it even at the cost
14 �f3 <;!tf8! of a pawn.
Probably he now intends to continue 27 .§, Xf6! �Xc3 28 bXc3
with 15 . . . hXg5 16 hXg5 '£jg8, hold Now begins the rook ending. White's
ing the piece and sitting out the attack problems are so many and so obvious
Steinitz-fashion. - 2-1 deficit on the K -side, isolated a
15 2£jd5 2£)Xd5! 16 eXd5 2£jd4 17 and g-pawns, backward c-pawns -
�d3 that at a glance one might conclude
17 �h5 achieves nothing. After 17 . . . that it will soon be over. But with four
hXg5! 18 hXg5 �f5! the attack is rooks on the board anything can hap-
USA 54lh 'points 1st
Rd. Opp. RESHEVSKY FINE KASHDAN MARSHALL HOROWITZ Result
1 LI Mikenas Vaitonis Vistaneckis Luckis - - - 3¥2-0¥2
2 sw Stahlberg Lundin Stoltz - - - Danielsson 2¥2- 1¥2
3 NO Storm-Herseth KavU-lorgensen - - - Gulbrandsen Salbu 3-1
4 YU - - - Pirc Vukovic Kostic Broder 3- 1
5 HU Lilienthal Szabo Steiner - - - Havasi 2-2
6 AR Piazzini Grau Guimard Pleci - - - 2¥2- 1¥2
7 (BYEl
8 SF Gauffin - - - Biiiik Solin Salo 3V2-01i2 "'
' o-j
9 BE Dunkelblum O'KeUy Baert - - - Defosse 3V2-0V2 0
(")
ft
' --
;a
. �- - � ;a . •
;a
• t_ � .!!.
4.. _" .!!.
4.. _ " • m4:J• ft •
.- .
ra .: - .ra . � � . � �
u
a
• . ·"" �'2_}· .!!..
n tt.... a 4-
�
Kashdan has succeeded to the extent
"lt . of winning a pawn - a passed pawn,
� but isolated. Somehow or other that
24 g3! {) Xh3+ 25 �g2 g4 26 {)h2 pawn has to win the game; but how?
h5 27 f3! {)g5 28 fXg4 {)f7 29 gXh5 35 .§. c5 �f6 36 {)c3 Af5 37 .§. e5
212 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
4l> �
to the defence of his backward e-pawn. .§ �
24 .§ ae1 .§ e5? • ��
Putting the rook right out of play 28 �g4 -'l,Xd4 29 �h3 ,§f6 30 g4
and leaving himself with virtually noth -'l,Xe3+ 31 �Xe3 �d3 32 �Xe4
ing to move at all, for the bishop might �Xe4 33 .§ Xe4 ,§f7 34 .§ ct c5
as well be in the box. 35 ,§ d1 ,§ d8 36 .§e6 d5 37 f6 i;td7
38 .§ Xd5! .§g8 39 .§ Xa6 .§ Xg4+
40 �f2 h6 41 .!£jf3 ,§f4 42 �e3 (With
� eS now impending, all three of
Black's pieces are threatened) 42 . . .
-'l,h3 43 �Xf4 1-0.
In the last round, with the USA
already certain of top place and Scot
land of bottom place, fate drew the
two sides together. One imagines that
25 �e2! it was not a very serious occasion, and
Precisely the move which Larsen Reid entered into the spirit of it by
thought he had prevented. But after playing the King's Gambit against
25 . . . .§ Xe4 26 �f4 Black would Marshall, and a very one-sided coffee
have to play 26 . . . .§ Xf4 to prevent house display was the result. (If the
the knight going on to hS, and that Americans expected a 4-0 win, how
would let in the rook instead. Black ever, they were to be disappointed, for
could resign but plays on and lets Aitken ba'd other ideas, and Reshevsky
Marshall show us his final blockbuster. was quite lucky to get away with a draw
25 . . . �g8 26 �f4 h6 27 �h5 .§ h7 from him.)
28 �XeS!! 1-0. D Reid (SC) • MarshaU (US)
28 . . . dXeS 29 �f6+ and 30 � Xd7. 1 e4 e5 2 f4 d5 3 .!£Jc3? (If White does
STOCKHOLM 1937 215
�e8 20 gXf5 �f4 ment for White would still win at least
For the moment, White has won a pawn by 36 �eS!, after which 36 . . .
a pawn, but now Black forks the two ,ilc6 allows 37 2£)e6+, while 36 . . .
undefended knights- and provokes a 2£)b6 or 36 . . . 2£)e7 would allow
further acrobatic display. 37 �b8+.
21 2£)g4 gXI5 22 2£)XI6+ '3;17 36 �Xg8+ .§ Xg8 37 2£) Xd5 �g7
Again both knights are attacked. 38 �g3 ,ilc6 39 2£)b4 ,ild7 40 .Q.c4
23 2£)g2 �g5 24 2£)h5 .§ d8 41 ,ile6
Miraculously, both knights have sur Off with another pair of pieces and
vived, and White is left with a winning then Black must resign.
4-3 majority on the Q-side. Black also 41 . . . 2£)d6 42 ,ilXd7 .§ Xd7 43 2£)d3
has two knights, but so far they have 2£)e4+ 44 �g2 1-0.
been spectators. Defosse indulged in an ingenious but
24 � . . ,ild7 misguided pseudo-sacrifice as early as
Better late move 1 1 against Horowitz, the result
25 �f3 ,8: g8 26 �hl4 �e7 27 .§ e1 of which was to lose his a-pawn -
2£)g6 28 '3;h2 �f6 29 �h5 �f8 30 after which we are treated to an exhi
�h6+ �g7 31 2£)Xg6+ hXg6 32 bition of pure technique by; Horowitz,
�g5 technique which any player might envy.
Horowitz knows that he can win and D Horowitz (US) • Delosse (BE)
he is going about it in a relentless no 1 e4 c5 2 2£)13 2£)c6 3 d4 cXd4
nonsense fashion. Since the black king, 4 2£) Xd4 2£)f6 5 2£)c3 d6 6 ,ile2 g6
however, is more exposed than the 7 0-0 .Q.g7 8 2£)b3 0-0 9 f4 .Q.e6 10
white one, there is no hurry to ex .Q.f3 .§ c8 11 2£)d5
change the queens. Instead, he threat
ens mate in two by �d8+.
32 . . . �f7 33 2£)14
This knight still has a word to say in
the outcome. Its pressure against dS,
e6 and g6 1imits Black's
. choice of moves.
33 . . . 2£)c8?
Deserting the d-pawn. Now White can
exchange queens and win another pawn,
after which the win is automatic. 11 . . . 2£)b4!? 12 2£) Xb4 ,ilXb3
13 aXb3 �b6+ 14 �h1 � Xb4 15
.§ Xa7 �b5 (Threatening .§ Xc2) 16
c3 ,§fd8 17 c4 �b6 18 ,B: a3 2£)d7
19 �c2 �c7 20 ,ild2 b5 21 ,ila5
2£)b6 22 �f2 .§ b8 23 cXb5 �c5
24 � XeS dXc5 25 e5 ,§ d4 26 ,ilc6
g5 27 .Q.. Xb6 ,§ Xb6 28 ,§ a8+ .Q..f8
29 fXg5 1-0.
The USA did not lose a match. They
were held to 2-2 by Hungary, Holland
and Latvia and won the remaining
STOCKHOLM 1937 217
Reshevsky Fine
Marshall
218 THE LOST OLYMPIAD
Ruy Lopez I Spanish 10, 38, 42, 58, 66, 94, 176, 192, 199, 21 1
Four Knights 106, 1 15 Two Knights 131 Philidor 72
Latvian 120 King's Gambit 148, 199, 214 Centre Game 201
Sicilian 59, 72, 76, 77, 97, 123, 127, 193, 197, 198, 216
French 8, 55, 87, 88, 98, 131, 160, 191, 194
AJekhine 74, 89, 101, 150
Caro-Kann 64, 186, 215
Nimzowitsch 94, 133, 205
QGD Orthodox 22, 29, 36, 51, 58, 62, 72, 73, 76, 77, 1 14, 1 15, 1 16, 120, 143, 144,
147, 148, 149, 157, 161, 162, 163, 169, 172, 174, 180, 181, 189, 212
Slav I Semi Slav 8, 32, 34, 65, 78, 80, 103, 106, 1 16, 136, 139, 142, 1 53, 170, 171,
174, 175, 184, 185, 190, 199
Accepted 85, 86, 1-64, 207 Catalan 128, 130, 156, 207
2 .Q..fS 169, 207 Semi Tarrasch 18, 29, 207
• • .
Nimzoindian 26, 45, 58, 68, 1 1 1 , 1 16, 134, 146, 148, 183, 191, 196, 200, 21 1
Queen's Indian 90, 100, 1 17, 133, 151, 163, 167, 170, 178, 194, 213
Griinfeld 32, 48, 137, 147, 149, 193, 208
King's Indian 69, 80, 88, 92, 108, 124, 214
Bogolndian 15, 174, 195 Dutch 92, 1 14, 130, 153, 210
Salbu 199
Salo 87, 90, 102, 147, 169
Sc�dt 145, 178
Solln 88, 108, 214
Sorensen 1 14, 158, 193
Stahlberg 36, 1 1 1 , 1 14, 139, 157
Staldi 77, 175
Steiner 15, 66, 195, 196, 197, 198
Stoltz 76, 88, 1 16, 210
Storm-Herseth 55, 106, 127, 189
Szabo 1 1 1, 191, 192, 193, 194