The First Adolph Anderssen Memorial Tournament in Büsum

By Børge Andersen, Skakbladet 1968/07

The first memorial tournament dedicated to the German chess master Adolph Anderssen, who was born in Breslau on 16 June 1818, was held from 8 to 24 May 1968 in the spa and seaside resort of Büsum, north of Hamburg.

A Category IA tournament featuring eight grandmasters had been planned, but, as so often before, last-minute withdrawals caused the fine plans to fall through. Despite appeals for help in both East and West, it proved impossible to obtain two replacement grandmasters. Organizing Category IA tournaments is now a major problem, since it is difficult to secure the necessary financing early enough for grandmasters to fit the event into their schedules. There is also the risk of withdrawals, which means that at least ten grandmasters should really be invited. Soviet grandmasters must be invited at least a year and a half in advance, and even then their participation is not guaranteed. In this tournament, the grandmasters Gheorghiu and Padevsky were not granted permission to play by their respective federations. They were replaced by Medina of Spain and the German master Pollak, with the result that the event became a Category IIB tournament.

Hotel Nordseehalle provided an excellent setting for the tournament, which was organized in exemplary fashion by Herbert Egget, chairman of the Dithmarschen Chess Association. Fortunately, there are organizers prepared to make a selfless effort, but it was rather sad to see how impossible it was for him to obtain assistance. Fortunately, things are not like that in Denmark! In any case, a seaside resort is a particularly suitable venue just outside the main holiday season. All the facilities at reduced prices—does that not sound like sweet music to our energetic organizers? For the players, the conditions were simply ideal.

The tournament was an enormous triumph for the 19-year-old German master Robert Hübner. His tactical and combinational abilities are excellent, although his positional understanding and theoretical knowledge are not yet fully developed. Should he develop these qualities, Germany will have a formidable player in him. Of the grandmasters, Tringov performed best, while Pomar and Donner displayed the greatest fighting spirit.

The 72-year-old Fritz Sämisch still plays like a grandmaster, but the clock remains his enemy. He won his first game, drew the second and lost the final thirteen games on time—if not during the initial session, then after the adjournment. Against O’Kelly he had a clearly winning position, while against Tringov he had an adjourned game that was won. Yet after the resumption he spent fifty minutes on a single move, and that settled the matter.

As for my own performance, I believe I am justified in being dissatisfied. Against Mohrlok, Damjanović, Donner and O’Kelly I missed fairly clear wins, while against Medina I left pieces en prise in a position in which I was certainly no worse. No corresponding good fortune came my way. Only against Pollak should I have been grateful for the draw offer that was made. The obvious watchword is: more tournaments! Fortunately, there was no shortage of fighting spirit.