Author: Edgar George Rowley "E G R" Cordingley (c1905-1962) signed from the library of Lothar Schmid
Year: 1934
Publisher: E G RCordingley and Fred Reinfeld
Place: London and New York
Description:
4 unnumbered leaves (incl. title page)+21 leaves with table+1 leaf (subscribers' list) Quarto (10 1/2" x 8 1/4") bound in original publisher's ight brown cloth with spine label. Bearing the autograph signature of E. G. R. Cordingley. Cordingley Limited Edition of Tournament Books, Number 4. From the library of Lothar Schmid. (Linde – No. 5471; Betts 25 – 103) First edition Number 2 of 60 copies.
The 14th Hastings International Chess Congress Masters' Tournament (Premier Section) took place in Hastings, England, from December 27, 1933, to January 5, 1934. It is most famous for breaking the legendary first-place tournament streak of reigning World Champion Alexander Alekhine, who finished clear second behind Czechoslovakian master Salomon Flohr. : This victory marked Salo Flohr's third consecutive clear win at the Hastings Chess Congress (having won in 1931/32 and 1932/33). He remained completely undefeated throughout the event.
Since 1927, World Champion Alexander Alekhine had won every single tournament or match he entered. Though he went undefeated here (+4 =5), he could not match Flohr's efficiency against the lower-half of the field. Young Hungarian master Andor Lilienthal put on a brilliant performance to secure third place, only losing a single game—to Alekhine. : Women's World Champion Vera Menchik competed valiantly in the elite invitation-only Premier field, securing draws against top players like Alekhine and Milner-Barry.
Lothar Maximilian Lorenz Schmid (10 May 1928 - 18 May 2013) was a German chess grandmaster. He was born in Radebeul near Dresden into a family who were the co-owners of the Karl May Press, which published the German Karl May adventure novels. He was best known as the chief arbiter at several World Chess Championship matches, in particular the 1972 encounter between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky at Reykjavic. He was also an avid collector of chess books and paraphernalia. It was reputed that he owned the largest known private chess library in the world, as well as a renowned collection of chess art, chess boards and chess pieces from around the globe.
Condition:
Signed by the author. Lothar Schmid's book plate front pastedown. Spine label chipped, corners bumped else very good.