Author: Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934)
Year: 1925
Publisher: Schachverlag Berhard Kagan
Place: Berlin
Description:
xv+127 pages with table and 4 plates. Octavo (8 3/4" x 6 1/4") original publisher's wrappers bound into half red leather over marbled boards. (Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana: 5373) First edition.
If there is one event which fully characterizes the color and excitement of the palmy days of Hypermodern Chess - then this must be the Baden Baden tournament of 1925. Despite the absence of the past, present and future world champions, Lasker, Capablanca and Euwe, most of the world's chess elite accepted Dr Tarrasch's invitation to take part in the competition which would surpass even those tournaments of Germany's golden pre-War period. So many different countries were represented that the Baden Baden contest was dubbed "The Championship of Europe", while, in addition, America also sent its best players. No wonder the ambitious Alekhine, as a consequence, was inspired to write what proved to be the longest openings survey of his life! Indeed, Baden Baden was of great historical significance in that it was Alekhine's first outright win in a really great tournament. His dazzling play prompted Tartakover to make his famous declaration: "Capalbanca is world champion, Dr Lasker was world champion, but Alekhine plays the way a world champion should play!" Two years later, Alexander Alekhine became world champion. Only one month after the completion of the tournament, the well-known chess publisher of those days, Bernhard Kagan, brought out a book with all the games.
Condition:
Light extremity wear, some damp rippling to heal edges else a good to very good copy.