A Much-Awaited Event in the Chess World

Very well-known Italian and foreign masters will take part in the New Year tournament.

Note: this translation is based on an imperfect scan; one element of the tournament’s formal name is partly unclear in the original.

This year too, the Third International New Year Masters Tournament in Novellara will take place, with the participation of noted foreign and Italian masters. The opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday the 27th at 11 a.m., in the presence of the local authorities.

This year’s competition will be of particular interest because of the struggle for first place between the Spanish champion Francisco José Pérez and the Austrian Andreas Dückstein, two young and highly capable masters of the royal game. The young Yugoslav Cudermann and the equally young and promising Hungarian Dély will make the contest between these leading players even tougher, they being undoubtedly the highest-rated participants.

But in chess surprises are frequent. For the first time the United States will be represented in our tournament by the well-known theoretician Olaf Ulvestad, who divides his time between the “noble game” and the art of singing, in which he has already shown remarkable ability on several occasions.

The young Swiss player Cattaneo, originally from the Canton of Ticino, will represent friendly Switzerland, coming from Biel (Bienne in French), where the most renowned watch factories are located. In fact, of the city’s fifty thousand inhabitants, more than two thirds are employed in the watchmaking industry. He is described as a brilliant and dangerous player.

Italian chess will be represented by the great international master of correspondence chess, Napolitano, currently living in Ancona, and by the three local players Paoli, Romani and Siveri.

The tournament promises to be much stronger and more hard-fought than it was in the two previous editions, 1958–59 and 1959–60.

The inauguration will take place in the morning in the hall of the Provincial Tourist Board, with the participation of the city authorities. Play will begin in the afternoon, from 3 p.m. onward. Admission will be free to all enthusiasts.

It will continue through Friday the 3rd inclusive, with the final session to be held in the morning. In the afternoon, the prize-giving will take place.

Other bodies also contributed to the considerable expenses of the tournament. Here is the list of the donors.

Motori Stanzi – Novellara: 100,000 lire; Banca Agricola Commerciale: 15,000 lire; Cassa di Risparmio: 10,000 lire; Circolo Ricreativo [name unclear]: 10,000 lire; Associazione Industriali: 5,000 lire; Società S. Camillo e San Prospero: 10,000 lire; Lions Club: a cup.