Tal came, was seen and conquered!

Success for the Stockholm Chess Federation and Stockholms-Tidningen

By Bengt Hörberg

We chess players and chess friends have noticed a tendency to put our pieces back in the box — for a while we were almost afraid — and to hide away in a secluded existence with our boards and pieces. Lately, however, we have started to show ourselves again. We have poked ourselves more and more into newspapers and into the fact that we exist. Every newspaper with self-respect now has a chess column, and on the television side we have also seen chess. So things are moving, and what really set things in motion was the highly successful major tournament that the Stockholm Chess Federation and Stockholms-Tidningen arranged: a major tournament that became a brilliant success for the entire chess-playing world.

The reason for this event was the 50th anniversary of the Stockholm Chess Federation. The tournament had invited an impressive field headed by world champion Mikhail Tal as the clear shining fixed star. Further participants included the game world’s sovereign Alexander Kotov from the Soviet Union, East Germany’s first board Wolfgang Uhlmann, the West German grandmaster Wolfgang Unzicker, the international master Eero Böök from Finland, the Nordic champion Svein Johannessen from Norway, the Danish national champion Axel Nielsen, and our own leading players Gideon Ståhlberg, Swedish champion Erik Lundin, and the national-team players Zandor Nilsson, Martin Johansson and Arne Burehäll. As can be seen, it was an impressive gathering of chess strength.

Expectations were also great. People were especially curious about Tal — the man who, with the name of black magic, had advanced like a whirlwind over crushed opponents in recent years, and whose strange opening treatment and many times hypnotic power at the chessboard had greatly impressed the world champions. Despite his great achievements, the world champion appeared to be a charming and easily approachable person who took the Stockholm audience by storm. At the chessboard he was perhaps not as aggressively inclined as usual. It seemed as if he was trying to keep the game solid and positionally sound, and this should perhaps be seen against the background of the approaching World Championship match. In any case, he flashed up now and then, as in the third round against Unzicker and in the eighth against Martin Johansson — both of whom were outplayed at an early stage.

Expected — and unexpected (?)

That Tal would win was probably something no one directly questioned. And so he did. But he was in fact threatened right until the final major upset of the tournament, when Wolfgang Uhlmann, who played the best tournament of his young life and constantly kept close to the world champion, lost to the Dutchman Lhmann in the final round, when he refused to take part in a “son-turnering” in Holland. With his solid, deeply chess-skilled style of play, Uhlmann seems to have a great deal to give. That he belongs among the most dangerous pretenders to the world-champion throne in the coming years is clear.

In the shadow of the top pair, last year’s winner Kotov ended up in third place. At the beginning he played as if a victory by 3 points after the first 3 rounds — then came a loss to the always dangerous Lundin. Kotov continued his winning streak, interrupted only by a quick salon draw against Tal, before Uhlmann in the ninth round definitively stopped Kotov’s dreams of victory. Kotov was probably not in his very best mood here, as we remember him from last year and many times before. Even though he failed to win this time, he can be satisfied with his performance.

Eero Böök was the positive surprise number two of the tournament. Already in the 1940s he won many successes in Sweden, but in recent years he had appeared only sparingly in tournaments. Now he showed that he had preserved his old playing strength extremely well. Fourth place, with only 2 losses against 4 wins, was a well-deserved success for Böök and for Finnish chess.

Too much of a good thing

After a hard final fight against Johannessen, Unzicker managed to secure fifth and final prize. One had actually expected more from the sympathetic lawyer from Munich, but he seemed tired and was not himself. The final period had him travelling all over the world with tournaments in South America, the Chess Olympiad in Leipzig, an Easter tournament in Leningrad on the tough programme. And now Stockholm!

“It has been too much,” Unzicker said, and he then offered himself and co-organiser Johannessen to participate in the New Year tournament in Beverwijk.

Clearly, being a grandmaster is demanding! In any case, Unzicker showed great security; he only lost one game, against Tal, but this time the draw percentage was too high.

With that we have gone through the prize list and can state that none of the Swedes managed to reach the prize places, although the youngest participant, 23-year-old Svein Johannessen, surprisingly had to be content with a loss in the last round against Zandor Nilsson. Johannessen could still be satisfied. In the first round he had Tal properly damaged. The world champion managed only after an exciting time-trouble drama to save the game to a draw. In a solid positional victory, Johannessen then beat Ståhlberg and received a beauty prize for the performance. Svein Johannessen is well on his way to becoming a grandmaster in chess.

Axel Nielsen was a substitute for Bent Larsen and did what could be expected of him. He had the pleasure of seeing several famous Swedes behind him in the table.

The Swedish performance

There were reasonable complaints that more had been expected from Gideon Ståhlberg and last year’s tournament master Martin Johansson. Now both were unfortunately weakened by colds and could not do themselves justice. The Swedish successes were limited instead to master Lundin’s admirable 93-move draw against Kotov — after 11 hours of hard struggle the Russian bear finally had to yield — and to Burehäll’s and Zäta’s wins against Johannessen, although these were perhaps more accidents on the Norwegian’s path. Had Zäta Nilsson played best this time too and had he not lost a clearly won position against Axel Nielsen in the fifth round, he might have reached the prize list.

The best Swedish performance was unquestionably delivered by the organisers, who carried out the tournament in perfect style. It is not easy, and it is never cheap, to arrange chess tournaments. This time they wanted to achieve something extra, and they succeeded beyond expectation. The organising apparatus worked at its best from beginning to end. John Byström, Hugo Björk, Henry Andersson, Erik Persson, Gösta Åhrberg and all the others also received many well-deserved flowers at the closing banquet.

Round overview

First round

After the drawing of lots, carried out by FIDE president Folke Rogard, the tournament began on Thursday, 29 December, at 18:00. The round, before the start, naturally attracted the greatest interest for Tal’s game. He played against Svein Johannessen. The Dutch Defence. Tal had White and chose the Staunton Gambit. Svein rather quickly went astray, and in the tense seconds of time trouble Tal seemed to have convinced him, but the world champion managed to save the game. Draw.

The winners from last year, Kotov and Martin Johansson, drew. The Russian put on heavy pressure after 39 moves. The games Nilsson–Unzicker, Ståhlberg–Lundin, Uhlmann–Böök and Nielsen–Burehäll also ended in draws.

Second round

Tal, as Black, obtained a positional advantage against Zäta and won. Kotov defeated Burehäll after 35 moves, while Unzicker surprisingly lost to Martin Johansson. Martin put a pawn in a trap, but despite this obtained a draw. Uhlmann beat Lundin after a decisive kingside attack. Johannessen won in a brilliant game against the well-conducted Ståhlberg. Böök defeated Nielsen.

Third round

A lightning-fast victory for Tal over Unzicker, who was overwhelmed by a kingside sacrifice. Kotov won his third victory. His opponent Böök offered a positional queen sacrifice which was correct, but time ran short and Böök lost on time. Zäta beat Ståhlberg, who clearly made a mistake.

Standings: Kotov 3; Tal 2½; Uhlmann and Johannessen 2; Nilsson and Böök 1½; Nielsen, Johansson, Burehäll, Lundin and Unzicker 1; Ståhlberg ½.

Fourth round

The first sensation. After 93 moves, 11 hours and 2 adjournments, Swedish champion Erik Lundin won over the leading Kotov. Ståhlberg had Black against Tal and defended tenaciously in a French Defence. Tal finally won. Uhlmann won an even final position against Zäta. Unzicker achieved a quick victory over Burehäll. Martin Johansson showed that he was out of form against Nielsen. Böök had a difficult task and reached a winning position after 34 moves.

Fifth round

Tal again had to accept a draw. His opponent Uhlmann played solidly and was on guard against all surprise attempts, and rather better when he accepted the draw offer. Kotov recovered quickly after his loss against Lundin and beat Johannessen after 40 moves. Zäta outplayed Axel Nielsen in great style and seemed to have the win clear, when he suddenly blundered on the mating line and lost. Careless! Martin Johansson approached a win against Lundin. The combination was beautiful, but at the move of decision Lundin managed to hold the draw. Ståhlberg played strongly and drew against the attacking Unzicker. Burehäll surprised by drawing against Böök.

Standings: Tal and Kotov 4; Uhlmann 3½; Böök and Johannessen 3; Unzicker 2½; Nielsen, Johansson and Lundin 2; Nilsson and Burehäll 1½; Ståhlberg 1.

Sixth round

An easy victory for Tal over Axel Nielsen, who made a pawn move and lost his way after 27 moves and scarcely two hours of play. Kotov sacrificed pawns as Black against Zäta in the opening. The sacrifice was probably correct, but the Swede wavered in defence and Kotov went through the kingside to win and received a beauty prize for the game. Uhlmann obtained an easy task against Ståhlberg, who made a couple of incorrect moves and resigned after 38 moves.

The games Johansson–Johansson and Unzicker–Böök ended in draws, while Lundin again proved himself by beating Burehäll after 73 moves.

Seventh round

A salon draw between Tal and Kotov. Since Uhlmann also had to be satisfied with a draw against Unzicker, the Soviet duo still retained the lead. Burehäll beat Johannessen after a small combination that won material.

Gideon Ståhlberg chats about the banquet, etc.

The banquet which the organisers, together with the prize-giving ceremony, had arranged for participants, officials, other prominent persons and a few of the lucky general public, was a pleasant occasion. Tal held a spiritually inspired speech in Russian, which Kotov translated brilliantly into English, amid original comments, and the German grandmasters Unzicker and Uhlmann spoke too — elegantly and elegantly pronounced. The beauty prize, however, was taken by Aftonbladet’s editor-in-chief Allan Fagerström, in his best Oxonian English.

After Folke Rogard had finished the relatively brief speech characteristic of his talent, filled with puns and sharp observations, the prizes were presented. Then several minutes of standing ovations and applause followed, whereupon the festive gathering withdrew after a few hours.

The following day, the Soviet ambassador gave a cocktail party for participants, organisers and journalists. The atmosphere was as high as at the banquet, and people sang the praises of the noble game of chess in Russian, English, German, French and Swedish.

That same evening, some of the masters gave simultaneous exhibitions at Blå Hallen. Tal faced a very strong team but played brilliantly and effectively. Against Sture Lindquist — a national-team player in the early 1950s and now a Södermalm strong player under a far more modest title — he nevertheless fell victim to a chess blindness and “sacrificed away” his queen. Kotov suffered surprisingly many defeats, but this was probably because his playing strength was reduced by the completely unideal lighting; I myself became a victim of the case of a piece from a1 to d1, convinced that it was a rook. Unfortunately it was a bishop, but luckily I was able to move it to b2!

Uhlmann played quickly and safely, and the other simultaneous players also solved their tasks with distinction.

Tal’s visit to Sweden ended with an exhibition in the fine chess town of Västerås. The world champion first rested in the company of FIDE secretary-general Hugo Björk, Stockholm Chess Federation chairman John Byström and the rest of a Swedish grandmaster. The roads were slippery, but Byström was a careful and skilful driver, and we arrived safely in Västerås, where we were warmly received by the city’s honorary chairman and leading chess player. ASEA, through an excellent and now reduced Tal supporter and my travelling companion, provided the chess event.

That evening, Tal performed in Folkets Hus before a large audience, which gave the world champion a heartfelt tribute. He played a clock simultaneous against a strong ten-man team, which defended the honour of the northern chess players and noted three victories. Tal won seven games, but the one that became the most important was won by Ingvar Wård, because he won the best performance prize by defeating, as Black, a fresh game — the same variation that I lost in the rapid-chess tournament.

I myself achieved 22–8 against 30 opponents. Unfortunately, I missed my old friend and champion Gustaf Dahl. He had disappeared to Sälen to ski between the board sessions, but not without leaving a trace behind him.

The journey home began in the snowstorm at two in the morning. Tal, who had been constantly surrounded by swarms of admiring chess friends and followers, later turned out not to be impossible to find — he had, after a few minutes by car, fallen asleep and did not wake up until shortly before three in the morning, at the high guard post of Hotel Apollonia.

Gideon Ståhlberg