The International Tournament in Kecskemet

From 9 to 28 July, Kecskemet hosted the fifth international memorial tournament dedicated to Dr Lajos Asztalos. We remembered with emotion our relative, the former military physician, wise teacher and devoted lover of chess. We thought of his services to Hungarian chess, his affection for literature, and the friendship that bound us to him.

Dr Lajos Asztalos spent the most valuable period of his chess career in Kecskemet. The enthusiastic local chess workers remembered this as well. By preparing and organising the tournament with such care, they offered one of the finest examples of voluntary public work.

The players were given suitable accommodation and excellent meals in the Berkes student hostel. Warm hospitality and attentive care surrounded them everywhere. The tournament hall was the spacious and well-ventilated upper floor of the trade-union headquarters in the Cifrapalota.

After four rounds the participants travelled to Lake Szelid. At the recently renovated Varju Pal hotel they were welcomed warmly by Pal Varju, chairman of the Kalocsa district council. Each guest received two attractive gifts, and a ten-year-old girl wearing local embroidered costume presented them with souvenirs. After a refreshing swim the party had lunch in the island restaurant, watched colourful folk dancers from Sarmari and Dragszel, and spent the night there.

To make the day a lasting memory, Geza Reile, chairman of the executive committee of the Kecskemet City Council, ensured thorough information, a cordial welcome and generous hospitality. The favourable experience at Lake Szelid may well encourage the Hungarian team to hold a training camp there before the Varna Olympiad.

Rounds five to seven were played in Baja. Janos Petike welcomed the visitors on behalf of the district council, while Laszlo Farkas represented the town council. The directors of local enterprises invited the guests to visit the fire-extinguisher factory. Young people from Baja demonstrated lampion motorcycles, presented the work of their chess club and expressed their respect for the competitors.

After the afternoon round on 17 July, the grandmasters and masters visited the state farm at Gazdasag. They learned about large-scale production methods and results, had lunch at Nagybaracska, tasted excellent wines from the sandy region and, in the evening, attended a performance by the trade-union ensemble from Solt.

On 25 July the chess delegation visited the Helvecia State Farm. During refreshments Sandor Petofi described the work of the rapidly developing enterprise, after which the company went down into the wine cellar. Within minutes all fatigue had disappeared and spirits rose. A lively argument developed over the relative merits of the wines being tasted; it was almost another chess battle.

Public interest in the tournament was very strong. Spectators queued for tickets, and many travelled from Budapest and other towns. On 22 July the chess team of the Finance Institute played a simultaneous exhibition against members of the tournament and won by 8.5-3.5. At the same time the local Voros Meteor club played another match.

The chief arbiter was Laszlo Toth, who carried out his duties with great experience. The tournament director, Dr Janos Haag, worked efficiently and conscientiously.

At the closing ceremony on 28 July, the importance of the memorial and of its prizes was emphasised. It was announced that Kecskemet intended to organise international tournaments regularly, especially because the planned Aranyhomok hall would offer considerably better playing conditions.

The prizes were presented by Dr Laszlo Cseh, secretary of the executive committee of the county council. Each participant was allowed to choose a valuable souvenir, worth between 200 and 2,000 forints, from the gifts offered by various institutions and enterprises. The organising committee also prepared commemorative medals for the players and organisers. The medal was designed by Imre Gabor and executed by Gyorgy Hoffmann and Lajos Szabo.

On behalf of the Hungarian Chess Federation, Zoltan Gabor thanked the organisers for their selfless work. Two notable successes by Kecskemet players were also mentioned: Kalman Katona won the secondary-school championship, while the local Voros Meteor second team won its division.

All those who contributed to the organisation were remembered. Particular assistance was given by Dr Jeno Varga, chairman of the county council executive committee; Geza Reile, chairman of the city council; Sandor Feher, director of the printing works; Lajos Kiss, responsible for the tournament's financial affairs; and many other county and municipal officials and chess workers.

After the prize-giving, the county council gave a dinner for the players and organisers. Lajos Kiss welcomed the guests. Tibor Florian then spoke, stressing the exemplary conduct of the foreign masters. Honfi and Lengyel achieved international-master norms. Ferenc Rasko, the oldest chess player in Kecskemet, recalled earlier days when the local public had seen such masters as Kholmov and Pirc. On behalf of the competitors, Kholmov, Pirc, Dr Fazekas, Dr Paoli and Pietzsch thanked the organisers for the exemplary organisation and hospitality.

These were the principal events in the history of the tournament.

The sporting balance

Before examining the struggle in detail, the main facts should be recorded. Istvan Bilek achieved a grandmaster norm, while Karoly Honfi and Levente Lengyel achieved international-master norms. The required scores were respectively 10 and 7.5 points. Among the Hungarian results, Bilek's and Lengyel's performances were especially satisfactory. Honfi fulfilled only the master norm.

Bilek began poorly. Among the grandmasters he defeated only Robatsch and drew with Kholmov and Szabo, but against the rest of the field he scored heavily. His sparkling style, attacking instinct and tactical energy were especially effective against the less experienced players. In several games he displayed his true strength, and in the second half of the tournament he scored eight points from nine rounds.

Honfi started surprisingly well, with freshness and courage, and led the tournament until Portisch caught him in the tenth round. Kholmov and Szabo were then half a point behind. Robatsch also stayed close to the leaders for a long time. Honfi has played chess for about fifteen years, but early difficulties and illness prevented greater success. His appearance in Kecskemet was the reward for steady development. Many relatives followed his play, and he won the sympathy and respect of the chess public both at and away from the board.

Lengyel, Hungarian champion in 1952, began with the ambition expected of a player of his class and won three games. He had learned much in tournament play and had performed very successfully on MTK's first board, although he failed to repeat that result in the national championship. In Kecskemet he returned to form. The international-master norm and his successful resistance against experienced masters were important achievements.

Kholmov, winner of the 1959 Asztalos Memorial, was warmly received by the Kecskemet public. He expected at least third place, but Portisch, Lengyel and Honfi had improved considerably in the intervening years. Even so, Kholmov again won the tournament. He built his games soundly, judged middlegames and endings objectively, and often converted small positional advantages into demanding endgames. In tense and complicated positions he played fearlessly. Against Lengyel, Kolarov, Pietzsch and Szabo he scored 3.5 points from four games.

Portisch made a powerful bid for first place and would have been a worthy winner. With his customary calm he watched for the slightest weakening in the opponent's position. Many players failed to understand either his patience or the consequences of that patient waiting. He did not rely on spectacular combinations; his style was modern, harmonious and of the highest class.

Szabo attacked without hesitation. He played clearly and practically, seized the initiative and continually introduced fresh ideas. His victory over Pogats showed his good form. Against Szily he sacrificed a piece and obtained a winning position, but later let the victory escape. The oversight on move 51 cost him a full point and may have decided the tournament.

In the last round Szabo defeated Pietzsch after sacrificing the exchange and launching a dangerous attack. In the decisive continuation against Kholmov he accepted a draw after playing at an unusually rapid pace. His courage almost paralysed his opponents, but it also exposed him to unnecessary danger.

Pirc tried to break into the leading group, but his form was not sufficient for a serious challenge. He relied mainly on experience. His handling of the opening and his precision in the ending remained highly significant.

Pietzsch played patiently and calmly. In many games he displayed international class, but in others he lacked stability. Haag appeared tired. Kolarov understood the complexities of the middlegame well, but his initiative was not sharp enough. Radovici needed only one additional victory to achieve an international-master norm. The leading players could not defeat him, yet he failed to score a single win against the bottom group.

Szily defeated only the last two finishers. In many games, including his encounter with Kholmov, he obtained promising positions, but it was difficult for him to move directly from his professional work to the tournament hall and meet the event's intellectual and physical demands.

Robatsch played very unevenly. His defeat against Honfi affected him badly, although he proved his class in the game with Kholmov. Paoli played enthusiastically and cheerfully, caused many complications and made numerous friends by both his play and his conduct.

Pogats prevented one master from achieving a better result. It is hoped that he will soon recover his former strength. Fazekas controlled the course of play only in the first half of the tournament; later his physical condition, rather than the position on the board, decided matters. Even so, he remained especially dangerous against the grandmasters.

The final balance was 58 decisive games and 62 draws. The tournament book, which was to appear shortly, would allow a more detailed study. The lessons of the Kecskemet tournament should be examined carefully and conscientiously. In this way we serve the development of chess, friendship among peoples and peace in the world.

Laszlo Toth

Final standings