Author: Stahlberg, Anders Gideon Tom (1908-1967)
Year: 1949
Publisher: Sveriges Schackforbunds Forlag
Place: Örebro
Description:
359 pages with photographs, tables, diagrams and index. Octavo (8 3/4" x 5 3/4") bound in original quarter grey cloth with blue label in gilt lettering to spine over blue boards with pictorial knight in gilt to cover. (Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana:5755) First edition.
The Saltsjobaden Interzonal 1948 was the first of its kind. Sweden was relatively well off after the War. They also had a well organized chess life (much thanks to the efforts of Ludvig Collijn), three world class players, and the FIDE Vice President, Folke Rogard. In addition to the interzonal tournament, the program consisted of a competition between the Nordic countries Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway (10-14 August), and the FIDE Congress (11-14 August). The opening ceremony took place on 15 July in the Stockholm City Hall, after which the players went to luxurious Grand Hotel in Saltsjbaden, 12 km east of Stockholm where play started the next day at 6 pm. Thinking time was 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours then 16 moves every hour. Any time during play, the participants could have fresh air (or a cigarette) on a nearby balcony with a view to the Baltic Sea.After the quintuple round tournament that had given Botvinnik the title in 1948, after Alekhine's death, FIDE selected players for the first Interzonal without going through the preliminary Zonal stage which was later developed. The system of zonal and interzonal tournaments was not yet firmly established, and the participants of this first interzonal were selected by FIDE based on 'zonal performances'. From Budapest (1948) came Szabó and Gligoric. From Hilversum (1947) arrived Pachman and Trifunovic (but not the winner Alberic O'Kelly de Galway). From Helsinki (1947) came the co-winners Book and Stoltz. From Quebec (1947) came the winner Yanofsky, and from Mar del Plata (1948) arrived Najdorf and Stahlberg (but not Erich Eliskases). From New York (1946) came none (all declined or could not come). The Soviet players were also picked by FIDE, partly based on Moscow (1947). Steiner was chosen to represent Australia, and O'Kelly and Eliskases were replaced by Pirc and Lundin. The plan was that the top five from Saltsjobaden and the five (or, as it turned out, four) losers of the FIDE World Championship Tournament (1948) would compete in the Budapest Candidates (1950). But on 12 August, before the penultimate round, FIDE decided that nine players could go to the Candidates. But Bondarevsky got sick, and when Reuben Fine, Max Euwe and Samuel Reshevsky also withdrew, eight players from Saltsjobaden ended up against Paul Keres and Vasily Smyslov in the Budapest Candidates (1950). David Bronstein won, and went on to challenge Bottvinnik for the World Championship. One point behind were Laszlo Szabo and Isaak Boleslavsky with 12 1/2. Alexander Kotov captured fourth with 11 1/2 followed by Andor Lilienthal with 11. Next a tie for sixth through ninth were Igor Bondarevsky, Salo Flohr, Miguel Najdorf and Gideon Stahlbeg with 10 1/2 each. Petar Trifunovic held the lone tenth spot with a score of 10. Vasja Pirc, Eero Book and Svetozar Gligoric tied for eleventh through thirteenth with 9 1/2. A point behind was Viacheslav Ragosin and Daniel Abraham Yanofsky. The aging Saviely Tartakover held the lone sixteenth spot with 8 followed a half point behind by Ludek Pachman. Pulling up the end was Goesta Stoltz with 6 1/2; Lajos Steiner 5 1/2 and Erik Lundin with 4 1/2. The Hungarian Szabo held the lead during rounds 7-17, but in the last round he unexpectedly lost to Lundin whereas Bronstein defeated Tartakower. Thus the only Soviet that did not have the Russian GM title won the tournament. He was also the only player without losses. The tournament controller: Fritz Andersson, assisted by Herman Soderborg and John Collett (among others). Appeals committee: Fritz Andersson plus four of the players. The banquet was attended by 125 people. Speeches were made by heavyweights such as Gustaf Collijn, Erik Olson, Carl Oscar Hovind, and David Bronstein! Prizes were awarded by FIDE President Alexander Rueb. First Brilliancy Prize went to Lilienthal for Lilienthal vs Najdorf, 1948. The event was a success and the next of its kind was the Stockholm Interzonal (1952).
Condition:
Front head edge sunned, corners bumped and rubbed, slight gutter separation at front end paper and half title, shelf wear else about very good.
SOLD 2022