Denmark-East Germany International Match

On Saturday May 11 and Sunday May 12, the international match between Denmark and East Germany (German Democratic Republic) was played at Det Ny Teater in Fredericia. Just as in the first international match between the two nations, played in Berlin in November 1955, the result was a German victory, although this time it was nowhere near as large as on the previous occasion, when we were beaten 13.5-6.5.

There had, however, been certain expectations of revenge this time, since the Danish team was considerably stronger than last time. Admittedly, Denmark was missing two such strong players as Danish champion Palle Ravn and Jens Enevoldsen, but the Germans were also without one of their best players, Fuchs, who was engaged in the zonal tournament in Sofia. The German team consisted entirely of young players. Their average age was as low as 22, while the Danish team's was around 40. That age is not always a handicap for a chess player was clearly demonstrated in this match, since the oldest member of the Danish team, H. Norman-Hansen, scored Denmark's only double victory.

Denmark naturally fielded grandmaster Bent Larsen on first board. He had not played in the previous match in Berlin, and there had therefore been some hope that his presence this time would tip the scales in Denmark's favor. Unfortunately, that hope was thoroughly disappointed, since he lost both games.

In the first round Bent Larsen played reasonably well, although at some point he seemed to have left his usual fresh and energetic play at home. In the second round there was hardly any real resistance. Presumably Bent Larsen had taken the rather ordinary lesson from this match that good physical form is essential if one is to cope with evenly matched opponents, and when he met Uhlmann, who had been rested in round two because he had effectively decided the match beforehand, we believe that both for the team and not least for his own sake he would have done better to report sick and let Hartvig Nielsen, who was the reserve, step in instead. This was Bent Larsen's weakest performance to date.

Eigil Pedersen, on second board, produced a good performance and took 1.5 points from Dittmann. Pedersen played well in both games, and his mishap in the first round was in overtime. With that, he finally got some revenge for the double defeat against Dittmann in the international match two years earlier.

Ingerslev played the first game brilliantly in his familiar aggressive style; the second he played weakly in the endgame.

With Borge Andersen it was the reverse. On the first day he was rather too optimistic and had to give up a pawn, and when Golz at the same time created dangerous threats against mate or queen gain on the first rank, Andersen had to strike his colors. The next day he took revenge in a fine game, where the German, after a Danish pawn sacrifice, was on the defensive for the rest of the game. Andersen conducted the endgame securely.

Chr. Poulsen's play did not really work against Liebert, although he is certainly a solid player. In the first game Poulsen had his castled position shattered with a miserable position as a result. In both games, however, Poulsen's progress was helped by his pawns, and his play looked much more enterprising than it usually does. An attractive performance.

Axel Nielsen was for a while under some pressure, especially in the first game. When Franz, however, did not make use of the chance but rather got himself out of the difficulties and obtained enough counterplay, the first game eventually even gave Nielsen winning chances. But when they were about to adjourn and the time control was near, the chance was lost and the game petered out into a draw. In the second game Franz also got a small advantage, but around the time control the Dane suddenly created dangerous counterchances, after which the German offered a draw. He had perpetual check available.

Norman-Hansen was the man of the day, bringing home the team's only double victory. In the first game play was rather locked for a long time, but when things finally opened on the queenside, Norman-Hansen was better prepared. He won a pawn, which later became two, after which the issue was clear.

In the second encounter Norman-Hansen sacrificed an exchange, but in return obtained a tremendously strong passed pawn on the seventh rank. This completely paralyzed Breustedt's play and eventually decided the game. A strong performance by Norman-Hansen, who has now won two games in an international match twice in a row.

Poul Hage produced an excellent attacking game in the first round in the Exchange Variation of the French Defense, where his opponent Juttler never really got into the game. It was one of the best performances of the match.

In the second round the play was more evenly balanced.

Kaj Blom, with Black in the first game, obtained fully satisfactory play against Malich, but in the endgame he failed to take account of an unfortunate pin on the d-file, which caused him serious difficulties so severe that he exceeded the time limit on move 36, although the position was untenable.

The second game proceeded without any particular excitement, although it seemed that Blom ought to have obtained somewhat more from his bishop pair and better king position in the endgame.

Hartvig Nielsen and Th. Haahr took turns testing their strength against Muehlberg, with equally poor success. Hartvig Nielsen, who had White, allowed his opponent to break into the position along the b-file, and the first game quickly turned into a catastrophe. And when Haahr, in the second game, rather quickly lost a piece, the third German double victory was a fact.

The organization was not quite up to the standard one might expect for an event such as an international match. Among other things, such a match could serve as good publicity for chess and attract new supporters, but how are casual spectators supposed to think of going to an international chess match when there is not even so much as a sign outside saying that it is taking place?

The few spectators who eventually found their way in had to make do with following five of the games, since the rest had been positioned so cleverly that one would practically have needed binoculars to see what was going on.

For the sake of completeness, mention should also be made of the small, cramped and almost incomprehensible results board, and of the fact that the Danish team was only being put together after the match should actually have started.

Nor did it look good that four Danish players arrived no less than 20 minutes late for the second round.

And then one thinks back to the Germans' splendid and precise arrangements a year and a half ago! Ah, well.

The closing gathering took place at the home of the chairman of the Danish Chess Union, H. V. Tuxen, who had hospitably opened his home to the players. It was a pity that several of the Danish players were unable to attend. It was the bright spot of the day.