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TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
1st Correspondence World Championship Tournament
Cecil Purdy10.5/13(+9 -1 =3)[games]
Harald Malmgren10/13(+7 -0 =6)[games]
Mario Napolitano10/13(+10 -3 =0)[games]
Olaf Barda9.5/13(+9 -3 =1)[games]
Graham Russell Mitchell8/13(+6 -3 =4)[games]
Leopold Watzl6.5/13(+5 -5 =3)[games]
Gabriel Jacquin Wood6/13(+5 -6 =2)[games]
Edmund Adam6/13(+5 -6 =2)[games]
Theo van Scheltinga5.5/13(+2 -4 =7)[games]
Janos Balogh5/13(+3 -6 =4)[games]
Sverre Madsen4.5/13(+2 -6 =5)[games]
John W Collins4.5/13(+3 -7 =3)[games]
Antonio Cuadrado3/13(+0 -7 =6)[games]
P van't Veer2/13(+1 -10 =2)[games]
Adolphe Viaud0/6(+0 -6 =0)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
1st Correspondence World Championship (1950)
Following the foundation of the International Correspondence Chess Union (IFSB)* in Berlin on the 2nd of December 1928 the idea of a Correspondence Chess Championship was discussed for the first time. Alexander Alyekhin who had played numerous games of correspondence chess in his youth held it in high regard and became a driving force to see the realization of a Correspondence Championship. In August 1936 an IFSB conference resolved to set up a committee to work out a draft of Alyekhin's ideas and bring them to fruition. A year later in August 1937 at another IFSB conference in Stockholm a resolution to create and regularly hold a Correspondence Championship was reached. Amongst those present at this conference were FIDE President Dr Alexander Rueb and Dr Max Euwe. The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 delayed plans but eventually in 1947 the preliminaries for the World Correspondence Championship started. There were 78 participants from 22 countries in 11 preliminary groups. This lead to a Final Tournament of 15 players. Play for this final commenced on May 1st 1950 with the tournament finishing on March 31st 1953.

*The IFSB was the predecessor of the International Correspondence Chess Federation (I.C.C.F).

Crosstable: 

                            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
 1 Cecil John Seddon Purdy  * ½ 1 1 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1  10.5
 2 Harald Malmgren          ½ * 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1  10.0
 3 Mario Napolitano         0 0 * 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1  10.0
 4 Olaf Barda               0 ½ 0 * 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1   9.5
 5 Graham Russell Mitchell  1 ½ 0 1 * ½ 0 1 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1   8.0
 6 Leopold Watzl            0 0 0 0 ½ * 1 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 1   6.5
 7 Gabriel Wood             0 0 0 0 1 0 * 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 0   6.0
 8 Edmund Adam              0 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 * ½ 0 1 1 1 1   6.0
 9 Theo van Scheltinga      ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ ½ 1   5.5
10 Janos Balogh             ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 * 0 ½ ½ 1   5.0
11 Sverre Madsen            0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 1 * ½ ½ ½   4.5
12 John W Collins           0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * 1 1   4.5
13 Antonio Cuadrado         0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½   3.0
14 P van't Veer             0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ *   2.0
   Adolphe Viaud            - - 0 - 0 - - 0 - 0 0 0 - -   *games cancelled*
The 2nd World Correspondence Chess Championship (1956) was the next correspondence championship tournament.

Adolphe Viaud withdrew part way through the tournament and all his games were cancelled. However, those which had reached a fairly advanced stage were preserved by his opponents and are included in this collection.

Erik Jakob Larsson was the tournament director.

Gamescores of the following games were unavailable:

Edmund Adam - Gabriel Wood 0-1

Edmund Adam - T D van Scheltinga 1/2-1/2

Edmund Adam - P van't Veer 1-0

Gabriel Wood - T D van Scheltinga 1/2-1/2

Gabriel Wood - P van't Veer 0-1

T D van Scheltinga - P van't Veer 1-0

A special thanks to <crawfb5> for finding the scores to S Madsen vs Edmund Adam, 1950 0-1 and G Wood vs S Madsen, 1950 1-0.

The main sources for this collection were the books:

How Purdy Won by Cecil John Seddon Purdy and Frank P Hutchings, and Kevin Harrison, published by Thinkers' Press, Inc in 1998. ISBN 0-938650-80-7.

and The Games of the World Correspondence Championships I - X edited by Timothy David Harding and published by B. T. Batsford Limited, London in 1979. ISBN 0 7134 5384 2.

Original collection: Game Collection: 1st World Correspondence Chess Championship, by User: Benzol.

 page 2 of 4; games 26-50 of 93  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
26. L Watzl vs A Viaud 1919501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB70 Sicilian, Dragon Variation
27. S Madsen vs E Adam  0-13719501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB50 Sicilian
28. G J Wood vs S Madsen 1-02919501st Correspondence World ChampionshipD37 Queen's Gambit Declined
29. H Malmgren vs E Adam  ½-½2619501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky Variation
30. H Malmgren vs G J Wood 1-03119501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC76 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, Fianchetto Variation
31. H Malmgren vs T van Scheltinga  ½-½3219501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
32. J Balogh vs H Malmgren  0-15019501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC81 Ruy Lopez, Open, Howell Attack
33. S Madsen vs H Malmgren  ½-½2819501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC81 Ruy Lopez, Open, Howell Attack
34. J W Collins vs H Malmgren 0-17019501st Correspondence World ChampionshipD63 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense
35. H Malmgren vs P van't Veer  1-02619501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB17 Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation
36. H Malmgren vs A Cuadrado 1-01919501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC81 Ruy Lopez, Open, Howell Attack
37. S Madsen vs J Balogh  1-03319501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC99 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd
38. M Napolitano vs G R Mitchell 1-03119501st Correspondence World ChampionshipD13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation
39. L Watzl vs M Napolitano 0-13119501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening
40. M Napolitano vs E Adam 0-12519501st Correspondence World ChampionshipA30 English, Symmetrical
41. M Napolitano vs G J Wood  1-06319501st Correspondence World ChampionshipA04 Reti Opening
42. M Napolitano vs T van Scheltinga  1-03919501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB18 Caro-Kann, Classical
43. J Balogh vs M Napolitano  0-13519501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
44. J W Collins vs M Napolitano  0-16819501st Correspondence World ChampionshipE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
45. M Napolitano vs P van't Veer 1-08519501st Correspondence World ChampionshipD02 Queen's Pawn Game
46. M Napolitano vs A Cuadrado 1-01719501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC19 French, Winawer, Advance
47. G R Mitchell vs O Barda 1-03319501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC89 Ruy Lopez, Marshall
48. G R Mitchell vs C Purdy 1-04519501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC91 Ruy Lopez, Closed
49. O Barda vs H Malmgren  ½-½4319501st Correspondence World ChampionshipC81 Ruy Lopez, Open, Howell Attack
50. H Malmgren vs M Napolitano  1-04419501st Correspondence World ChampionshipB59 Sicilian, Boleslavsky Variation, 7.Nb3
 page 2 of 4; games 26-50 of 93  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-01-14  optimal play: <<<<6 years to win this title>

Stockholm, Wednesday>

After six years of strenuous correspondence, Cecil Purdy, of Sydney, has become "individual world champion in correspondence chess."

The tournament began in 1947, but the final started in May, 1950, and took nearly three years to complete.

Mr. Erik Larsson, director of the championship, announced in Stockholm last night that Mr. Purdy had scored 10½ points from Mr. Harold Malmgren Kierp, 10, second, and Dr. Mario Napolitano, of Biella, Italy, also 10 points, third.

Mr. Purdy had 99 competitors in 23 countries.

He wrote to Polish and Italian players in French, a language his childhood governess taught him, though most players could write and understand English.

Most competitors enclosed covering letters with the cards showing their latest moves.

Mr. Purdy became one of the 14 finalists three years ago, and world champion today.

Mrs. Purdy, a keen chess player, began correspondence chess in 1947, but gave it up because of "the tremendous amount of bookkeeping involved." Their 18-year-old son John is playing at present in a correspondence chess tournament.>

- The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) issue Thursday 9 July 1953>

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