AJanuary 03 1939
Liverpool Daily Post, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, Tuesday, January 03, 1939
CHESS CONGRESS
LANDAU AND SZABO LEADING
EUWE HARD ON THEIR HEELS
From A Special Correspondent
Hastings, Monday.—As the result of to-day's play in the premier tournament Landau and Szabo maintain their equal position at the head of the score list, closely followed by Dr. Euwe, who, though he won his game with Tylor by fine play, still remains half a point below the leaders.
The pairing and openings in the fifth round were:—Tylor v. Euwe, queen's pawn; Landau v. Klein, queen's pawn; Sir George Thomas v. Milner-Barry, bishop's opening; Pirc v. Golombek, Zukertort's opening; Sergeant v. Szabo, Sicilian defence.
Klein adopted against Landau a well-known defence in the queen's pawn opening, which white's queen's side development is sorely hampered, but at the cost of a scattered pawn position which may afford holes in his own game for the intrusion of hostile pieces. After a few moves, however, Landau got his bishops well posted for a raking king's side attack, and by a temporary sacrifice was able to pick up a valuable pawn, seriously weakening Klein's defence. Some very critical play followed, with the heavy pieces on both sides in free action, Klein having now a dangerous looking passed pawn on the queen's side, but Landau was able to force exchanges and come out with queen and three pawns to queen and one pawn, winning on the 43rd move.
Unhappy Time For Golombek
Golombek had an unhappy time against Pirc after the loss of the exchange by an oversight as early as the 11th move. Left with a lifeless game, he could do little more than watch his opponent's preparations for a king's side attack, and on the 21st move he gave up a hopeless task.
The game between Sir Thomas and Milner-Barry was of an unusual character. Sir George adopted a form of king's pawn opening once rather popular but rarely seen nowadays, and on the 4th move he sacrificed a bishop for black king's bishop's pawn. With a check under the pression it is understood that the piece could be recovered immediately. With advantage to white, the piece was, in fact, regained after a few moves, and Milner-Barry's king had been prevented from castling, but in effect Sir George Thomas had forced on his opponent so rapid a development as to make his own position untenable, Milner-Barry winning by strong play on the 31st move.
Tylor's opening with Euwe was one of steady development on both sides with nothing risked and small scope for original play. At length the ex-champion managed to get to work strongly along the queen's bishops' file with doubled rooks, aided by a useful knight, and the breaking-up of the queen's side positions led to an ending with rooks and pawns favourable to Euwe, who won on the forty-fifth move.
In the Sicilian defence between Sergeant and Szabo, an indifferent twenty-second move allowed the young player to snatch a rook's pawn. Worse followed a few moves later when Sergeant overlooked a pawn move, the result of which was the gain of a clear piece by Szabo. Sergeant resigned on the thirty-second move.
After five completed rounds the scores stand: Landau and Szabo 4, Euwe 3½, Pirc 3, Milner-Barry 2½, Sir George Thomas, Klein, and Golombek 2, Tylor and Sergeant 1.
In the premier reserves (section A) Konig and Luckis are 3½, Mieses 3, Scheltinga and List 2½. In section B Ritson-Morry, Perlmutter, Fuster, and A. R. B. Thomas have each scored 3½, but Ritson-Morry and Perlmutter have each an adjourned game in hand. The leaders in section C are Richardson 4, Kirk, Hammond, and Illingworth 3½.
Liverpool Daily Post, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, Tuesday, January 03, 1939
CHESS MASTERS RELAX AT CHESS
A number of the masters taking part in the Hastings Chess Congress yesterday took the afternoon off, but for their relaxation they played—chess. Only two players were left in the tournament room, and one of the organisers told a reporter, “the others are up to schedule with their games and probably need a little relaxation.”
But at the hotels where the masters are staying they were refreshing their tired minds at chessboards. It is chess and nothing but chess in the champion's day. “A skittle-game freshens one's mind,” commented one of the players. He was referring to the type of game in which the tournament degree of concentration is not necessary.
April 18 1939
The Birmingham Post, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, Tuesday, April 18, 1939
CHESS CONGRESS AT MARGATE
WOMAN CHAMPION DEFEATED BY CAPABLANCA
WHEATCROFT'S CLEVER ATTACK FAILS
(From Our Chess Correspondent)
In the fifth round of the Premier tournament at the International Chess Congress at Margate yesterday, a lucky win to Keres kept him in the first place, along with three others.
The pairing, openings and results were: Sergeant v. Sir George Thomas (French defence), drawn; Flohr v. Najdorf (Queen's Pawn, Slav defence), Flohr won; Capablanca v. Miss Menchik (Queen's Pawn), Capablanca won; Wheatcroft v. Keres (Falkbeer counter Gambit), Keres won; Golombek v, Milner- Barry (Queen's Pawn, Catalan), Milner-Barry won.
Sir George Thomas's game ran on orthodox lines, and a draw was reached in twenty-seven moves. Flohr had winning chances in a close ending, but a sudden blunder by Najdorf lost a piece. Tarrasch's Defence was adopted by the woman champion, and the usual isolated queen's pawn was eventually taken by Capablanca, who won the ending in forty-seven moves. Wheatcroft worked up a clever attack and should have won an excellent and notable victory, but choosing the wrong line he let Keres wriggle out of his dangerous position, and the Estonian was left with an easily-won bishop and pawns ending. Golombek pushed too far an endeavor to win a pawn in a four rooks ending, and got his king caught in a mating trap.
Scores: Capablanca, Flohr, Keres and Thomas, 3½ each; Sergeant, 3; Milner-Barry, 2½; Golombek and Najdorf, 2 each; Miss Menchik, 1½; and Wheatcroft, 1; out of six.
The Birmingham Post, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, Tuesday, April 18, 1939
THE MARGATE CONGRESS
In another column will be found a report of the fifth round of the Premier tournament played yesterday, and the scores to date of this and the three sections of the Premier Reserves. The pairing for to-day's sixth round is:—Miss V. Menchik v. Sir G. Thomas, Sergeant v. Flohr, Najdorf v. Wheatcroft, Milner-Barry v. Capablanca, and Golombek v. Keres.
The change from the Grand Hotel to the Norfolk Hotel means that one large hall for the whole has given way to a suite of rooms, but all the appointments are excellent and the games proceed with facility and comfort. At the reception and social on Saturday afternoon the speakers were Mr. J. Spedan Lewis, Sir E. Graham Little and Professor H. J. R. Murray, who was H.M. Inspector of Schools in Birmingham for a period of years and is the foremost authority on the history of chess. Once again he had to deal with the wild statements that appear periodically in the general Press as to chess being “thousands of years old.” A more or less definite origin is to be found about the year A.D. 470, but not earlier.
August 23 1939
Baruch H. Wood, Philip Stuart Milner-Barry, Harry Golombek, Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander, Sir George Thomas, Vera Menchik, who won the women's world championship contested concurrently with the Olympiad with 17 wins and 2 draws. Despite qualifying for the top final, England withdrew after their preliminary group owing to the start of the war.
The Guardian, London, Greater London, England, Wednesday, August 23, 1939
CHESS OLYMPIAD
To-day's Opening at Buenos Ayres
From a Chess Correspondent
Buenos Ayres, August.
The tenth Chess Olympiad starts here on August 23. The Chess Olympiads have a short history. At the first, held in Paris in 1924, eighteen countries were represented by 54 players. There were elimination tournaments in sections followed by a final section, which the late Latvian master Armando Mattison won, his countryman F. Apshenieks being second. Mattison won the so-called Amateur World's Championship. There was no actual team tournament, but on a count of the points of the players of each country Czechoslovakia finished first, Hungary second, Switzerland third, and Argentina fourth.
The second Chess Olympiad was played at London in 1927; it was the first real team tournament and the first tourney played for the challenge cup presented by Mr. F. G. Hamilton Russell. Sixteen countries competed; Hungary came first, Denmark second, and the British Chess Federation third. The third olympiad was held at the Hague in 1928; Hungary again came first and the United States and Poland came second and third among the 17 competing countries. In the individual tournament Dr. Euwe won the World Amateur Championship. The results of the remaining olympiads may be tabulated—
Tournament Countries Winners (first 3rd place). 4. Hamburg, 1930 18 Poland, Hungary, Germany 5. Prague, 1931 19 U.S., Poland, Czecho-Slovakia 6. Folkestone, 1933 16 U.S., Czecho-Slovakia, Hungary & Poland 7. Warsaw, 1935 20 U.S., Sweden, Poland 8. Munich, 1936 21 Hungary, Poland, Germany (An “unofficial” olympiad.) 9. Stockholm, 1939 19 U.S., Hungary, Poland
This year's olympiad has the record number of 27 competing nations and no less than £25,000 estimated expenses. The teams on their way to Argentina represent Bolivia, Brazil, Great Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Guatemala. Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Bohemia-Moravia, Sweden, and Uruguay. Including Argentina, this makes a total of 27.
On paper Argentina, Estonia, Germany, Poland, and Sweden should nave the best chances. Unfortunately the United States is not defending the title.
The teams will play in three groups of seven and one group of six. The four best teams of each section will play in the final for the Hamilton Russell Cup and the remaining 11 teams for the “Copa Argentina,” presented by Dr. Ortiz. President of the Argentine Republic.
The British team consists of C. H. O.'D. Alexander (champion), Sir George Thomas (captain), P. S. Milner-Barry, H. Golombek, and B. H. Wood. Sir George Thomas has already arrived, and also Mr. T. H. Acton, of London, the delegate of the British Chess Federation for the meeting of the International Federation on September 13 and 14.
Simultaneously with the team tournament there is an international ladies' tournament. Miss Vera Menchik (Mrs. Stevenson) is defending her world's title, playing for the first time as British subject, and should keep it. Apart from Miss Menchik, probably Miss Milda Lauberte (Latvia), Miss N. May Karff (U.S.), and Miss Sonja Graf (London) have the best chances.
