Author: Gillam, Anthony J (editor), W G Povarov and Jan Kalendovsky
Year: 1995
Publisher: The Chess Player
Place: Nottingham
Description:
32 pages with diagrams and tables. Octavo (8 1/4" x 5 3/4") bound in original publisher's yellow stapled wrappers. Additional research by W G Povarov and J Kalendovsky. First edition limited to 100 copies of which this is number 46.
The All-Russian Masters tournament held in Vilnius (also Vilna or Vilno) from August 19-September 17, 1912 was the last of Akiba Rubinstein's string of consecutive tournament victories that year. The entrants in this double round-robin event were: Semion Alapin, Alexander Alekhine, Ossip Bernstein, Alexander Flamberg, Grigory Levenfish, Stefan Levitsky, Aron Nimzowitsch, Abram Isaakovich Rabinovich, Akiba Rubinstein, Georg Salwe, and Sergey Nikolaevich von Freymann. Rabinovich dropped out before the end of the first cycle, and the nine games he played did not count in the final results. As a result, each player received in effect four byes, which makes the course of the event difficult to track. In addition, about half of the 99 games played were not available. No tournament book was ever published. The first modern collection of the games appear in two articles in Schakmaty Bulletin from the 1960's. The game Rubinstein - Lewitzky given there was actually played in Breslau 1912. The real game has since been found. Additional games have also been found in Vorwarts, Ziata Praha, Ceske Slovo, Reich and the daily reports of Nimzovitch in the Rigasche Rundschau. Nimzowitsch took the early lead with 6.5/9 after the first cycle, followed by Bernstein, Flamberg, and Rubinstein on 5.5. However, Nimzowitsch started the second half with a famous loss to Alekhine in round 12, and never recovered his edge. Rubinstein, who had lost two of his first three games, suffered another reversal at the hands of Freymann in round 13 and trailed Bernstein by a point. However, he promptly won his next four games to take a 1.5 point lead and coast home from there. Stefan Levitsky was clear third with 11 followed by Aron Nimzowitsch a half point behind. Alexander Flamberg had fifth at 9. Alexander Alekhine could only tie for sixth with Grigory Levenfish with 8.5.
Condition:
Light edge wear else a better than very good copy.
SOLD 2023