Baltic Sea International Chess Tournament :: Riga 1959

[ Crosstable || 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th || Information | Tournament Review ]


Crosstable

pos. name flag 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 pts + = -
1. GM Spassky, Boris URS ● 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 11½ 10 3 0
2. IM Mikenas, Vladas URS 0 ● ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 11 10 2 1
3. GM Tolush, Alexander URS ½ ½ ● 0 1 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 9½ 8 3 2
4. GM Tal, Mikhail URS 0 0 1 ● ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 7 4 2
5.-7. IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL ½ 0 0 ½ ● ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 7 4 6 3
5.-7. Gipslis, Aivars URS 0 0 0 ½ ½ ● ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 7 4 6 3
5.-7. IM Teschner, Rudolf GER 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ● ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 7 5 4 4
8.-9. Nei, Iivo URS 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ● ½ 1 0 1 ½ ½ 6 3 6 4
8.-9. Pietzsch, Wolfgang GDR ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ● 1 1 0 ½ 1 6 4 4 5
10. Klavins, Janis URS 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ● 1 1 1 0 5 3 4 6
11. Johannessen, Svein NOR 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 0 ● 1 1 ½ 4 3 2 8
12. Niemelä, Ilmari FIN 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 0 ● ½ 1 3½ 2 3 8
13. Witkowski, Stefan POL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ● 1 2½ 1 3 9
14. Franz, Joachim GDR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 0 ● 2 1 2 10




Round by round results

1st round — 5th December 1959
Klavins, Janis URS ½ - ½ URS Gipslis, Aivars
GM Spassky, Boris URS 1 - 0 URS Nei, Iivo
GM Tolush, Alexander URS 0 - 1 URS GM Tal, Mikhail
IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL 0 - 1 GDR Pietzsch, Wolfgang
IM Mikenas, Vladas URS 1 - 0 NOR Johannessen, Svein
Niemelä, Ilmari FIN ½ - ½ POL Witkowski, Stefan
IM Teschner, Rudolf GER 1 - 0 GDR Franz, Joachim
1.-5. Spassky, Mikenas, Tal, Teschner, Pietzsch — 1; 6.-9. Gipslis, Klavins, Niemelä, Witkowski — ½; 10.-14. Tolush, Śliwa, Nei, Johannessen, Franz — 0;



2nd round — 6th December 1959
GM Tal, Mikhail URS ½ - ½ URS Gipslis, Aivars
Nei, Iivo URS 0 - 1 POL IM Śliwa, Bogdan
GM Tolush, Alexander URS ½ - ½ URS GM Spassky, Boris
Franz, Joachim GDR 1 - 0 URS Klavins, Janis
Johannessen, Svein NOR 0 - 1 GER IM Teschner, Rudolf
Pietzsch, Wolfgang GDR 0 - 1 FIN Niemelä, Ilmari
Witkowski, Stefan POL 0 - 1 URS IM Mikenas, Vladas
1.-2. Mikenas, Teschner — 2; 3.-5. Spassky, Tal, Niemelä — 1½; 6.-9. Śliwa, Gipslis, Pietzsch, Franz — 1; 10.-12. Tolush, Klavins, Witkowski — ½; 13.-14. Nei, Johannessen — 0;



3rd round — 7th December 1959
Gipslis, Aivars URS 1 - 0 GDR Franz, Joachim
GM Spassky, Boris URS 1 - 0 URS GM Tal, Mikhail
IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL 0 - 1 URS GM Tolush, Alexander
Niemelä, Ilmari FIN 0 - 1 URS Nei, Iivo
Klavins, Janis URS 1 - 0 NOR Johannessen, Svein
IM Mikenas, Vladas URS 1 - 0 GDR Pietzsch, Wolfgang
IM Teschner, Rudolf GER 1 - 0 POL Witkowski, Stefan
1.-2. Mikenas, Teschner — 3; 3. Spassky — 2½; 4. Gipslis — 2; 5.-8. Tolush, Tal, Klavins, Niemelä — 1½; 9.-12. Śliwa, Nei, Pietzsch, Franz — 1; 13. Witkowski — ½; 14. Johannessen — 0;



4th round — 8th December 1959
Johannessen, Svein NOR 0 - 1 URS Gipslis, Aivars
Nei, Iivo URS 0 - 1 URS IM Mikenas, Vladas
GM Spassky, Boris URS ½ - ½ POL IM Śliwa, Bogdan
GM Tal, Mikhail URS 1 - 0 GDR Franz, Joachim
Pietzsch, Wolfgang GDR 0 - 1 GER IM Teschner, Rudolf
GM Tolush, Alexander URS 1 - 0 FIN Niemelä, Ilmari
Witkowski, Stefan POL 0 - 1 URS Klavins, Janis
1.-2. Mikenas, Teschner — 4; 3.-4. Spassky, Gipslis — 3; 5.-7. Tolush, Tal, Klavins — 2½; 8.-9. Śliwa, Niemelä — 1½; 10.-12. Nei, Pietzsch, Franz — 1; 13. Witkowski — ½; 14. Johannessen — 0;



5th round — 11th December 1959
Gipslis, Aivars URS 1 - 0 POL Witkowski, Stefan
IM Mikenas, Vladas URS ½ - ½ URS GM Tolush, Alexander
Niemelä, Ilmari FIN 0 - 1 URS GM Spassky, Boris
IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL ½ - ½ URS GM Tal, Mikhail
IM Teschner, Rudolf GER ½ - ½ URS Nei, Iivo
Franz, Joachim GDR ½ - ½ NOR Johannessen, Svein
Klavins, Janis URS 0 - 1 GDR Pietzsch, Wolfgang
1.-2. Mikenas, Teschner — 4½; 3.-4. Spassky, Gipslis — 4; 5.-6. Tolush, Tal — 3; 7. Klavins — 2½; 8.-9. Śliwa, Pietzsch — 2; 10.-12. Nei, Niemelä, Franz — 1½; 13.-14. Johannessen, Witkowski — ½;



6th round — 12th December 1959
Pietzsch, Wolfgang GDR ½ - ½ URS Gipslis, Aivars
GM Spassky, Boris URS 1 - 0 URS IM Mikenas, Vladas
GM Tal, Mikhail URS 1 - 0 NOR Johannessen, Svein
IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL ½ - ½ FIN Niemelä, Ilmari
Nei, Iivo URS 1 - 0 URS Klavins, Janis
GM Tolush, Alexander URS 1 - 0 GER IM Teschner, Rudolf
Witkowski, Stefan POL 1 - 0 GDR Franz, Joachim
1. Spassky — 5; 2.-4. Mikenas, Gipslis, Teschner — 4½; 5.-6. Tolush, Tal — 4; 7.-10. Śliwa, Nei, Pietzsch, Klavins — 2½; 11. Niemelä — 2; 12.-13. Witkowski, Franz — 1½; 14. Johannessen — ½;



7th round — 13th December 1959
Gipslis, Aivars URS ½ - ½ URS Nei, Iivo
IM Mikenas, Vladas URS 1 - 0 POL IM Śliwa, Bogdan
IM Teschner, Rudolf GER 0 - 1 URS GM Spassky, Boris
Niemelä, Ilmari FIN 0 - 1 URS GM Tal, Mikhail
Franz, Joachim GDR 0 - 1 GDR Pietzsch, Wolfgang
Johannessen, Svein NOR 1 - 0 POL Witkowski, Stefan
Klavins, Janis URS ½ - ½ URS GM Tolush, Alexander
1. Spassky — 6; 2. Mikenas — 5½; 3.-4. Tal, Gipslis — 5; 5.-6. Tolush, Teschner — 4½; 7. Pietzsch — 3½; 8.-9. Nei, Klavins — 3; 10. Śliwa — 2½; 11. Niemelä — 2; 12.-14. Johannessen, Witkowski, Franz — 1½;



8th round — 15th December 1959
GM Tolush, Alexander URS 1 - 0 URS Gipslis, Aivars
Niemelä, Ilmari FIN ½ - ½ URS IM Mikenas, Vladas
GM Spassky, Boris URS 1 - 0 URS Klavins, Janis
GM Tal, Mikhail URS 1 - 0 POL Witkowski, Stefan
IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL 1 - 0 GER IM Teschner, Rudolf
Nei, Iivo URS ½ - ½ GDR Franz, Joachim
Pietzsch, Wolfgang GDR 1 - 0 NOR Johannessen, Svein
1. Spassky — 7; 2.-3. Mikenas, Tal — 6; 4. Tolush — 5½; 5. Gipslis — 5; 6.-7. Teschner, Pietzsch — 4½; 8.-9. Śliwa, Nei — 3½; 10. Klavins — 3; 11. Niemelä — 2½; 12. Franz — 2; 13.-14. Johannessen, Witkowski — 1½;



9th round — 16th December 1959
Gipslis, Aivars URS 0 - 1 URS GM Spassky, Boris
IM Mikenas, Vladas URS 1 - 0 URS GM Tal, Mikhail
Klavins, Janis URS ½ - ½ POL IM Śliwa, Bogdan
Johannessen, Svein NOR 1 - 0 URS Nei, Iivo
Franz, Joachim GDR 0 - 1 URS GM Tolush, Alexander
IM Teschner, Rudolf GER 1 - 0 FIN Niemelä, Ilmari
Witkowski, Stefan POL ½ - ½ GDR Pietzsch, Wolfgang
1. Spassky — 8; 2. Mikenas — 7; 3. Tolush — 6½; 4. Tal — 6; 5. Teschner — 5½; 6.-7. Gipslis, Pietzsch — 5; 8. Śliwa — 4; 9.-10. Nei, Klavins — 3½; 11.-12. Johannessen, Niemelä — 2½; 13.-14. Witkowski, Franz — 2;



10th round — 17th December 1959
IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL ½ - ½ URS Gipslis, Aivars
IM Mikenas, Vladas URS 1 - 0 GER IM Teschner, Rudolf
GM Spassky, Boris URS 1 - 0 GDR Franz, Joachim
GM Tal, Mikhail URS 1 - 0 GDR Pietzsch, Wolfgang
Nei, Iivo URS ½ - ½ POL Witkowski, Stefan
Niemelä, Ilmari FIN 0 - 1 URS Klavins, Janis
GM Tolush, Alexander URS 1 - 0 NOR Johannessen, Svein
1. Spassky — 9; 2. Mikenas — 8; 3. Tolush — 7½; 4. Tal — 7; 5.-6. Gipslis, Teschner — 5½; 7. Pietzsch — 5; 8.-9. Śliwa, Klavins — 4½; 10. Nei — 4; 11.-13. Johannessen, Niemelä, Witkowski — 2½; 14. Franz — 2;



11th round — 18th December 1959
Gipslis, Aivars URS 1 - 0 FIN Niemelä, Ilmari
Klavins, Janis URS 0 - 1 URS IM Mikenas, Vladas
Johannessen, Svein NOR 0 - 1 URS GM Spassky, Boris
IM Teschner, Rudolf GER ½ - ½ URS GM Tal, Mikhail
Franz, Joachim GDR 0 - 1 POL IM Śliwa, Bogdan
Pietzsch, Wolfgang GDR ½ - ½ URS Nei, Iivo
Witkowski, Stefan POL 0 - 1 URS GM Tolush, Alexander
1. Spassky — 10; 2. Mikenas — 9; 3. Tolush — 8½; 4. Tal — 7½; 5. Gipslis — 6½; 6. Teschner — 6; 7.-8. Śliwa, Pietzsch — 5½; 9.-10. Nei, Klavins — 4½; 11.-13. Johannessen, Niemelä, Witkowski — 2½; 14. Franz — 2;



12th round — 19th December 1959
IM Mikenas, Vladas URS 1 - 0 URS Gipslis, Aivars
GM Spassky, Boris URS 1 - 0 POL Witkowski, Stefan
GM Tal, Mikhail URS ½ - ½ URS Nei, Iivo
IM Śliwa, Bogdan POL ½ - ½ NOR Johannessen, Svein
Niemelä, Ilmari FIN 1 - 0 GDR Franz, Joachim
IM Teschner, Rudolf GER ½ - ½ URS Klavins, Janis
GM Tolush, Alexander URS 1 - 0 GDR Pietzsch, Wolfgang
1. Spassky — 11; 2. Mikenas — 10; 3. Tolush — 9½; 4. Tal — 8; 5.-6. Gipslis, Teschner — 6½; 7. Śliwa — 6; 8. Pietzsch — 5½; 9.-10. Nei, Klavins — 5; 11. Niemelä — 3½; 12. Johannessen — 3; 13. Witkowski — 2½; 14. Franz — 2;



13th round — 20th December 1959
Gipslis, Aivars URS ½ - ½ GER IM Teschner, Rudolf
Pietzsch, Wolfgang GDR ½ - ½ URS GM Spassky, Boris
Klavins, Janis URS 0 - 1 URS GM Tal, Mikhail
Witkowski, Stefan POL 0 - 1 POL IM Śliwa, Bogdan
Nei, Iivo URS 1 - 0 URS GM Tolush, Alexander
Franz, Joachim GDR 0 - 1 URS IM Mikenas, Vladas
Johannessen, Svein NOR 1 - 0 FIN Niemelä, Ilmari
1. Spassky — 11½; 2. Mikenas — 11; 3. Tolush — 9½; 4. Tal — 9; 5.-7. Śliwa, Gipslis, Teschner — 7; 8.-9. Nei, Pietzsch — 6; 10. Klavins — 5; 11. Johannessen — 4; 12. Niemelä — 3½; 13. Witkowski — 2½; 14. Franz — 2;







Information

Baltic Sea International Chess Tournament
Dates: 5th - 20th December 1959
City: Riga (Soviet Union)
Venue: Latvian Academy of Sciences
Organizers:
Chief Arbiter: Pēteris Upmiņš (URS)
Players participating: 14 (incl. 3 GMs, 3 IMs)
Games played: 91
Competition format: Round Robin
Tie-breaks: none
Time control:
Other websites: chessgames.com
PGN game file: it-riga1959.pgn





Tournament Review

Spassky ahead of Tal in Riga

By Svein Johannessen

The international tournament played in Riga in December was, as expected, dominated by the Soviet participants. Boris Spassky—the 1959 champion of Leningrad—took first prize, ahead of Mikėnas, Tolush and the favourite, Tal, who finished only in fourth place.

Spassky was the only player to go through the tournament undefeated, and he was in danger of losing in only two games. These were against Kļaviņš and Niemelä, both of whom spoiled their chances in time trouble. In a conversation with Spassky, he explained that he had been preparing for some time for the 27th Soviet Championship, which begins in Leningrad on 26 January, and I believe he has a good chance of winning his first Soviet championship there.

Second place was taken by the veteran Mikėnas, who, like Spassky, played well and, among other things, defeated Tal in a fine game. He was followed by Spassky’s teacher Tolush and by Tal. The Candidates Tournament in Yugoslavia had probably contributed to Tal’s inability to produce his best play in this event, and Spassky also believed that, in view of the forthcoming World Championship match, Tal should not have taken part in the tournament.

Fifth place was shared by Śliwa, Teschner and Gipslis. Teschner was well placed for a long time, but then suffered three consecutive defeats—against Tolush, Spassky and Śliwa. Śliwa played steadily and well, while Gipslis is a young player from Riga who will probably make further progress. Pietzsch performed respectably, while Nei had the doubtful pleasure of replacing Keres in the tournament. Keres had contracted a throat infection and was forced to withdraw.

There is not much to say about my own performance. At the very least, the tournament provided good preparation for the international tournament in Stockholm.

It was surprising how few spectators followed the tournament, which was played in the “Academy of Sciences.”

Although Tal did not win the tournament, he celebrated another triumph at the same time. Shortly before the event, he had entered into marriage. His wife is a young and charming singer from Riga. (TfS takes this opportunity to offer its congratulations!)

Final standings: Spassky 11½, Mikėnas 11, Tolush 9½, Tal 9, Śliwa, Gipslis and Teschner 7, Pietzsch and Nei 6, Kļaviņš 5, Johannessen 4, Niemelä 3½, Witkowski 2½, and Franz 2 points.