All-Swedish in Eksjö

The final round of Eksjö Chess Club's international tournament ended happily with victories for all the Swedish players involved in the fight at the top. When the smoke had cleared, first prize was shared by Lars-Åke Schneider and Axel Ornstein, half a point ahead of Lars Karlsson, who in turn finished one point ahead of Tom Wedberg.

It was especially pleasing to note that Ornstein now seems to have returned to his proper playing strength and that Schneider's bottom placing in Gausdal was evidently only a temporary setback. Wedberg would probably have scored more points had he not been ill during the tournament. Åkvist's meagre score can be explained by the fact that he had been so busy with the organization of the tournament that he scarcely had time to play chess.

This was the seventh international tournament organized by Eksjö Chess Club, an admirable achievement. Every year one looks in vain for an organizer willing and able to follow Eksjö Chess Club's example (the people of Eksjö would surely be happy to teach one or two things about how to go about it), but it seems completely impossible, and Eksjö is still alone in staging an international tournament of this kind.

Results: Lars-Åke Schneider, Axel Ornstein 7½; Lars Karlsson 7; Tom Wedberg 6; Nun, Czechoslovakia 4½; Göran Andersson 3½; Jasznikowski, Poland 3; Trincardi, Italy, Danner, Austria 2½; Håkan Åkvist 1.

Eksjö 1979

Eksjö Chess Club's 7th international tournament offered a long series of hard-fought games. The proportion of draws was low (the Czech Nun was involved in more than half of them), and surprisingly many Black wins were recorded.

Lars-Åke Schneider's meeting with clubmate Göran Andersson became a highly topical theoretical encounter (compare the game Rantanen–Schneider, Swedish Championship in Borås 1979).

Axel Ornstein, who shared first place with Schneider, had considerable difficulty getting things going correctly. Lars Karlsson was invited to the Eksjö tournament as a strong IM candidate. When the tournament began, he had just achieved his title. His examination in round 1 was, both conceptually and technically, at a very high level. Tom Wedberg did not allow a troublesome cold to stop him from putting in a strong performance in the tournament. This time the result was six wins and three losses. With that combative style he can go a long way. In fifth place we again find a foreign participant. It is the likeable Czech Josef Nun, who won only one game.