From 16 to 26 August last, the 7th International Tournament of that Córdoba city which, for seven years now at those same dates, has brought together the greatest figures of world chess, was held in the halls of the Hotel Don Gonzalo. Once again, representatives of six countries gathered to contest the victory, which was won, in very fine style, by our technical contributor, the Yugoslav Svetozar Gligoric, after drawing four games and winning the remaining five.

Gligoric took command from the beginning, although in the first rounds he was constantly accompanied by the Englishman Stean, and he did not lose the lead despite the regrettable tennis accident that might have forced him to withdraw from the competition. In great form, with his usual technique, and playing to win in those games that interested him, he won without dispute, adding his name to the roll of honour of this select event.

Kavalek played without great ambitions and conceded too many draws. It is therefore not surprising that his performance was not more brilliant, though his second place in the table was still meritorious.

The Englishman Stean, Korchnoi’s “sparring partner” in his recent match with Polugaevsky, showed that he was in great form and very eager to achieve the coveted grandmaster title, which on this showing he should not take long to obtain. His draw with García Padrón deprived him of second place.

Robert Byrne was sunk by his defeat against Ricardo Calvo, although in any case more should be expected of him than those six draws in nine games. His passage through Montilla on this occasion was insignificant.

The Soviet Mark Taimanov — how beautifully the man plays the piano! — was too tired from his recent performance in the very tough Leningrad tournament, and we assume that he replaced our contributor Smyslov at the last moment. His performance was frankly disappointing and unworthy of such an extraordinary player.

Andersson, defeated in his second game by García Padrón, in an unfortunate performance, never really got his footing in the whole tournament and was nowhere near the player we all know, who by reason of his youth and class is destined for greater achievements.

As unfortunately is becoming usual in this type of tournament, the Spaniards occupied the bottom places in the table. Among them Ricardo Calvo was the most outstanding, although his excellent performance against Byrne, Taimanov and Andersson makes it incomprehensible that he should then disappoint completely in his games against Visier and Martín.

García Padrón has not yet quite broken through, and practically all his points were obtained in the first rounds, only to fade afterwards. His draws with Stean and Byrne should be noted.

Fernando Visier simply did what was required, while our national champion Ángel Martín was frankly poor in that last place. Between the Martín of the Haifa Olympiad less than a year ago and the Montilla Martín of today, there is an abyss.

This tournament has always stood out for the promotion it gives every year to Spanish players, who make up fifty per cent of the field. This time there was an exception owing to the absence of Juan Manuel Bellón, who, although he was in Montilla, could not take part because of illness.

O’Kelly’s performance as tournament director was impeccable, as was Medina’s as arbiter. There was also abundant beauty in the half-dozen hostesses who attended to the demonstration boards.

The organization deserves a separate chapter, and we gladly dedicate one to it, because it is genuinely difficult to keep a tournament of this category going for seven consecutive years — this year Category 10 on the FIDE scale — in a town such as Montilla, which is not exactly Madrid, Barcelona or Las Palmas. It is based solely on the enthusiasm of a group of great Córdoba chess lovers, headed by Rafael Molina, Rafael Mesa and Manuel López.

Their dedication to the tournament begins every year when the previous one is ending. Their good work and continuous effort to ensure that locals and visitors alike find themselves in a warm and attentive atmosphere have made Montilla-Moriles better known today throughout the world for its great chess tournament than for its wines; and this is work that will bear fruit in the long run.

The Wine Tournament has become the successor to those famous tournaments of Palma de Mallorca, and we, as chess lovers, pay a tribute of admiration to all Córdoba chess enthusiasts in general, and to those of Montilla in particular, for their strenuous and continuous work.

/ José María Fernández, Revista JAQUE, No.70, Oct 1977 /