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http://smzsnzz.wz.cz/praha/praha1.html This book is a labour of love by two Czech historians, Jan Kalendovský and Zdeněk Závodný. Thanks to their efforts, a classic tournament has been resurrected in all its glory, a century after the event. 1908 was a great year for chess in Europe. The great Lasker-Tarrasch World Championship Match was preceded by two international tournaments, Vienna 1908 and Prague 1908. Both were held in honour of the sixtieth anniversary of Franz Joseph’s elevation as monarch to the Empire of Austria-Hungary. Lasker and Tarrasch, with their minds occupied with their world championship match, did not participate in these events. But other players did. Only Bernstein and Nimzovitsch were absent. The Vienna tournament featured the young stars, Rubinstein, Marshall, Spielmann and Tartakower. But they were overtaken by Schlechter, Maroczy and Duras who shared the first prize. The Prague Jubilee Congress was a mirror image of the Vienna event, with almost the same prize winners participating. Besides honoring the Emperor, the tournament was held along with an international trade & commerce exhibition. This was a massive affair with 19 rounds and it took more than a month to complete the event. The result was once again a success for Schlechter and Duras, who shared the first prize with 13˝ out of 19 points. Schlechter’s score was well-deserved and he played a number of classic games. The same could not be said of Duras. He won two games without having to move a piece. The first opponent Dus-Chotimirsky forfeited his game as he was stopped at the Russian border for lack of proper credentials. The second opponent Kvícala withdrew upon learning the death of his parents. Maroczy who had shared honours with Schlechter and Duras in Vienna could now come only 6th. The third place was taken by Vidmar, and thereby hangs a tale. Reaching a simplified position against him in the second round, the German master Leonhardt offered a draw. Unfortunately, this was not allowed according to tournament rules which forbade draws under 30 moves. Apparently surprised, poor Vidmar made quite a few hasty moves and lost from a level position –thus dropping a precious half point and ultimately, a share of the first prize with Schlechter and Duras. But subsequently this 30- move rule was violated with impunity by payers like Maroczy and Marshall who drew their games as they pleased. Only the hapless Vidmar paid the price for the folly of this rule. Rubinstein was fourth, succumbing to attack in the games with Maroczy and Janowsky. He had his share of luck when his opponent Kvícala overlooked a spectacular win. Curiously enough, the missed opportunity was not noticed for years. It is to the credit of the authors of this book that they discovered it first. Rubinstein did play a number of masterpieces including wins against Alapin, Salwe and Vidmar. While competitive success eluded him, these games must have brought him some satisfaction. The tournament saw a clash of styles, with tacticians like Marshall, Spielmann, Janowsky and Mieses grappling with strategists like Schlechter, Rubinstein, Maroczy and Vidmar. This brings me to the contents of the book. There is a wealth of historical material here, culled from a number of books, newspapers and magazines. Not only does one learn about the preparation and organization of the tournament, but also gets to know about the selfless work and dedication of the men who made this tournament possible. The detailed bibliography, appendices and indices bear testimony to the vast research undertaken for this work. The book is rich in incident and anecdote, and there are detailed stories and reports for every round. There are 223 games, 10 problems and 2 studies in commemoration of the event. For annotations to the games, the authors have tapped every possible source from the contemporary period to the present. The distinguished commentators from the past include Tarrasch, Tartakower and Kmoch. The commentators from the present include Donaldson & Minev, Razuvaev and Dvorestsky. The authors have consulted a number of recent opening monographs like Keilhack’s work on Tarrasch Defence and Bronznik’s Colle-Koltanowski System, not to mention the ECO. The book has an elegant and sturdy design and it is illustrated by a number of images. It comes as a pleasant surprise to see a very young Rubinstein and the ever dashing Janowsky among the players. Now for the games: The following position arose in the game Schlechter- Bardeleben in the fourth round. As Warren Goldman, Schlechter’s biographer put it, the Berlin master with the van Dyke beard and aristocratic tastes could be dangerous to any player. In fact it was Bardeleben who ruined Duras’s chance for a solo victory by beating him in the seventh round. But here he is on the receiving end:
Alas, Schlechter himself became a victim of Marshall inspired by none other than the ghost of Steinitz after the game was adjourned in the sixteenth round. Here is the incredible story in Marshall’s own words:
In the eighth round Rubinstein, playing the black pieces, was beaten by Janowsky in hussar style. The swashbuckling cavalier won with a combination that earned him the second brilliancy prize. (The first prize was given to Duras-Süchting, a rather one-sided game.)
The game Rubinstein-Kvicala in the tenth round was a comedy of errors.
Rubinstein played better in other games. The following miniature is a game of theoretical importance. Mieses - Rubinstein [C21]
Let not the language of the book intimidate you. Of course it would be wonderful if you know Czech and savor the stories and the round by round reports in the book. Even if you don’t, you can just sit back and enjoy the games. Language is not a barrier to enjoy the poetry of 64 squares. Highly Recommended.
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