The Most Fighting Varna Tournament So Far

One of the Bulgarian players jokingly suggested that everyone should draw with everyone else and divide the prize fund equally. The joke reflected the holiday mood encouraged by the beautiful Black Sea scenery and the comfort of the Sport Palace hotel.

In reality, however, the tournament proved to be the most combative of all the international events held in Varna up to that time. Five of the seven games in the very first round were decisive. The Soviet masters Sakharov and Nikolaevsky, together with the international masters Flesch, Bednarski and Vukic, immediately made clear their ambition to play leading roles. The Bulgarian players also had serious aspirations, and the changing fortunes of the struggle brought everyone both joy and disappointment.

Sakharov won convincingly, finishing a point and a half ahead of his pursuers. The oldest player in the field, who celebrated his 46th birthday during the tournament, played with youthful freshness and energy. "I am a soldier," he liked to say, summing up his philosophy as a sportsman and fighter. An honoured Ukrainian coach, he also had the advantage of experience and broad theoretical knowledge. His love of chess kept the creative fire alive in every game.

Janos Flesch, famous for his extraordinary blindfold exhibitions, played every game for a win. His uncompromising approach was clearly visible in the crosstable, where he recorded as many victories as the tournament winner.

The young Soviet master Nikolaevsky was considered one of the main contenders for first place and played at a very high level. A fourth-round defeat did not stop him, but two consecutive losses in rounds twelve and thirteen finally ended his challenge, and he had to be satisfied with achieving an international-master norm.

Bednarski was one of the most colourful figures. In every game he sought steep and dangerous attacking paths. This produced several beautiful games, but he was also so absorbed in his ideas that he repeatedly fell into extreme time trouble. In a dramatic game against Sakharov he missed a simple mate and then, only a few moves later, allowed himself to be mated. He was among the early leaders, then lost four games in succession, before recovering well enough to finish among the prize-winners.

Among the Bulgarians, Ivan Radulov drew the loudest applause. He was the only home player directly involved in the fight for first place. He defeated two of the most dangerous rivals, Nikolaevsky and Flesch, and was preparing for a decisive clash with Sakharov, but a penultimate-round loss to Bednarski ended his chance to reach the summit. Sakharov's verdict was generous: "Radulov has great talent and should prepare himself for the grandmaster title."

Andrey Malchev