Håkan Åkvist

Eksjö 1977

Eksjö Chess Club's fifth international tournament, played from 26 August to 3 September, was as much a chess and organizational success as its predecessors. Just as last year, the final victory went to a Pole. This time it was the 20-year-old prospect Franciszek Borkowski. Second was our new International Master Lars-Åke Schneider, who in connection with the invitation received FIDE's diploma from the chairman of the Swedish Chess Federation, Christer Wänéus. I myself finished third and, like Borkowski, achieved an IM norm.

The tournament began surprisingly and, for me, very successfully with no fewer than five straight wins. The games were of very uneven quality, and four of them I won only after adjournment, which led to tiring nightly analyses. Borkowski began sluggishly with two draws but then won six games in a row. In round 4 he fortunately defeated Schneider, and in round 6 he also beat me. The remaining players beat one another pleasantly in turn, with the exception of Beggi and the debutant local player Robért, who quickly fell behind.

After 6 rounds the standings were: Borkowski and Åkvist 5, Schneider 4½, Szilágyi (Hungary) 3½, Paoli (Italy) and Kluger (Hungary) 3, Ljungquist and Göran Andersson 2, Beggi (Italy) 1½, Robért ½.

While Borkowski and Schneider continued winning, I instead began to drop points. In round 7 I got a lucky 68-move draw against my clubmate Robért, and in round 8 I was thoroughly outplayed by Schneider. In the final round I was forced to defeat the Hungarian Kluger in order to reach the IM norm of 6½ points. After 78 moves and eight hours of play I won the knight ending, and the IM norm was secured!

Final Standings

1. F. Borkowski, Poland — 7½
2. L.-Å. Schneider, Jönköping, IM — 7
3. H. Åkvist, Eksjö — 6½
4. G. Szilágyi, Hungary, IM — 5½
5. E. Paoli, Italy, IM — 5
6. G. Kluger, Hungary, IM — 3½
7. G. Andersson, Nässjö — 3½
8. L. Ljungquist, Jönköping — 2½
9. G. Robért, Eksjö — 2
10. P. L. Beggi, Italy — 2

The tournament winner Borkowski did not achieve this without difficulty, but had use in several games for his solid theoretical knowledge. He now has two IM norms and will soon be able to claim the coveted title.

Lars-Åke Schneider is becoming increasingly secure in his play and continued from the rapid start against Borkowski, answering with a very solid performance. The Larsen System (1. b3) he handles masterfully, and Göran Andersson also had to suffer from it. Schneider's best game of the tournament was, however, probably the following.

With five opening wins I should without great difficulty have reached the IM norm of 6½ points. Tournament statistics show, however, that I made the most moves in the tournament (46 moves per game), used the greatest total thinking time (almost three hours per game) and had no fewer than six (!) adjourned games. This was of course a contributing reason for my rather mediocre play in rounds 6–8. Round 4, however, was not especially strenuous for me.

The tournament's oldest participant was the 69-year-old Italian Paoli. In several games he showed youthful joy in attacking play.

The Hungarian Szilágyi played safely and most often chose risk-free variations. His compatriot Kluger seemed tired after diligent tournament activity during the year. Göran Andersson lived up to his fighting reputation with a number of interesting games, but lost most of them. Ljungquist played sharply and inventively, but spoiled several good positions in time trouble. Robért entered the right spirit, but in every case was evenly matched by his opponents in the endgame. The Italian Beggi began badly and then produced uneven performances.

Eksjö Chess Club's international tournaments have in every respect produced an exceptionally perfect outcome. On every occasion at least one Swedish player has achieved an IM norm, and in addition several foreign players have succeeded with the same feat.

The list is as follows:
1973, Hans Ek, Jönköping, and Håkan Åkvist, Eksjö.
1974, Ove Kinnmark, Gothenburg; Yrjö Rantanen, Finland; and Hans Böhm, Holland.
1975, Axel Ornstein, Stockholm, and Lars-Åke Schneider, Jönköping.
1976, Jaan Eslon, Falköping, and Lars-Åke Schneider, Jönköping.
1977, Håkan Åkvist, Eksjö, and Franciszek Borkowski, Poland.

Tournament director was Jarosław Hołowiecki, Wrocław, Poland, and responsible for mass-media information was the Eksjö club secretary Leif Lagerqvist.