chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

🏆
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Mar del Plata Tournament

Boris Spassky13.5/15(+12 -0 =3)[games]
Bobby Fischer13.5/15(+13 -1 =1)[games]
David Bronstein11.5/15(+8 -0 =7)[games]
Fridrik Olafsson10.5/15(+9 -3 =3)[games]
Osvaldo Bazan9/15(+7 -4 =4)[games]
Bernardo Wexler8.5/15(+6 -4 =5)[games]
Rene Letelier Martner8/15(+6 -5 =4)[games]
Carlos Incutto6.5/15(+2 -4 =9)[games]
Rodolfo Argentino Redolfi6.5/15(+4 -6 =5)[games]
Alberto Foguelman6.5/15(+5 -7 =3)[games]
Carlos Bielicki6/15(+3 -6 =6)[games]
Erich Eliskases6/15(+3 -6 =6)[games]
Luis Marini4/15(+1 -8 =6)[games]
Jose Luis Alvarez del Monte4/15(+2 -9 =4)[games]
Olicio Gadia4/15(+3 -10 =2)[games]
Julio Saadi2/15(+1 -12 =2)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Mar del Plata (1960)

The 23rd Mar del Plata International Chess Tournament was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina (1) from March 29th to April 15th. Among the longtime participants of the event and the field of Argentinian masters, four grandmasters were invited to compete. Bobby Fischer was participating on behalf of the United States for the second time, while the Soviet Union sent David Bronstein and Boris Spassky to represent them, and Fridrik Olafsson journeyed from Iceland. While neither player was new to international chess, the 17-year-old Fischer and the 23-year-old Spassky drew a great deal of attention to themselves by dominating the event, tying for first with 13½/15. Spassky beat Fischer in their game and went undefeated, but Fischer's results were not lost on the Soviets who saw him as a threat to their long domination of international chess.

The final standings and crosstable:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pts =1 Spassky * 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 13½ =1 Fischer 0 * ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13½ 3 Bronstein ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 11½ 4 Olafsson 0 0 ½ * 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 10½ 5 Bazan 0 0 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 9 6 Wexler ½ 0 0 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 8½ 7 Letelier 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 * ½ 1 0 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 8 =8 Incutto 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 6½ =8 Redolfi 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * 0 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 6½ =8 Foguelman 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 * 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 6½ =11 Bielicki 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 6 =11 Eliskases 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 6 =13 Marini ½ 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 4 =13 Alvarez 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 4 =13 Gadia 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 1 1 * 0 4 16 Saadi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 * 2

(1) Wikipedia article: Mar del Plata chess tournament

Original collection: Game Collection: Mar del Plata 1960 by User: suenteus po 147.

 page 4 of 5; games 76-100 of 120  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
76. Spassky vs A Foguelman 1-0321960Mar del PlataB18 Caro-Kann, Classical
77. C Incutto vs B Wexler  ½-½501960Mar del PlataB90 Sicilian, Najdorf
78. J L Alvarez del Monte vs Letelier  1-0531960Mar del PlataA87 Dutch, Leningrad, Main Variation
79. O Bazan vs J Saadi  1-0331960Mar del PlataB42 Sicilian, Kan
80. C Bielicki vs O Gadia  1-0511960Mar del PlataD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
81. B Wexler vs Bronstein 0-1321960Mar del PlataA70 Benoni, Classical with 7.Nf3
82. Eliskases vs O Bazan  ½-½301960Mar del PlataB28 Sicilian, O'Kelly Variation
83. Fischer vs C Incutto 1-0521960Mar del PlataC99 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd
84. Letelier vs Spassky 0-1491960Mar del PlataB50 Sicilian
85. L Marini vs J L Alvarez del Monte  ½-½201960Mar del PlataA16 English
86. A Foguelman vs F Olafsson  0-1461960Mar del PlataB48 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation
87. O Gadia vs R A Redolfi  1-0431960Mar del PlataB32 Sicilian
88. J Saadi vs C Bielicki  0-1511960Mar del PlataE67 King's Indian, Fianchetto
89. Bronstein vs Fischer ½-½651960Mar del PlataA45 Queen's Pawn Game
90. C Bielicki vs Eliskases  ½-½601960Mar del PlataE61 King's Indian
91. Spassky vs F Olafsson 1-0601960Mar del PlataB80 Sicilian, Scheveningen
92. R A Redolfi vs J Saadi  1-0291960Mar del PlataA07 King's Indian Attack
93. Letelier vs L Marini  1-0701960Mar del PlataA61 Benoni
94. C Incutto vs O Gadia  ½-½611960Mar del PlataA41 Queen's Pawn Game (with ...d6)
95. J L Alvarez del Monte vs B Wexler  ½-½421960Mar del PlataD70 Neo-Grunfeld Defense
96. O Bazan vs A Foguelman ½-½451960Mar del PlataB12 Caro-Kann Defense
97. O Gadia vs Bronstein 0-1301960Mar del PlataA07 King's Indian Attack
98. Eliskases vs R A Redolfi  ½-½231960Mar del PlataC67 Ruy Lopez
99. Fischer vs J L Alvarez del Monte 1-0371960Mar del PlataC85 Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation Doubly Deferred (DERLD)
100. J Saadi vs C Incutto  ½-½541960Mar del PlataB39 Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto, Breyer Variation
 page 4 of 5; games 76-100 of 120  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-24-12  Benzol: At the time this tournament was played Spassky and Fischer were the two youngest grandmasters in the world. Spassky later wrote an interesting article on Fischer based on his observations of him in this tournament.
Nov-25-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: Spassky vs Fischer, 1960 was, of course, that famous King's Gambit game that cost Fischer the clear first place thereby inspiring him to write his famous tract "A Bust to the King's Gambit".
Mar-08-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Spassky, Fischer, Bronstein and Olafsson were all top-class players.

As they say in the great big state of Texas: "Of the rest of the competitors it is hardly necessary to speak."

Mar-18-14  Caissanist: Argentina was one of the strongest chess countries in the world at the time, but for some reason only one of their top players (Eliskases) participated in this event. Seems strange, since they had so few opportunities to play against top foreigners.
Jul-22-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Diademas: Argentina vs The Rest of The World: 5-43

Any other examples of a major round-robin tournament were 13.5/15 was not enough for clear first?

Sep-25-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <Diademas: ...Any other examples of a major round-robin tournament were 13.5/15 was not enough for clear first?>

There was a similar result at St Petersburg (1909) where Rubinstein & Lasker ran away from the field which was strong and included Duras, Vidmar & Schlechter. Both finished on 14.5/18.

Seperately,I think it's odd that Eliskases didn't do a bit better. Probably just a run of bad form.

Sep-25-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  moronovich: <Seperately,I think it's odd that Eliskases didn't do a bit better. Probably just a run of bad form.>

Wasn´t he getting old and had peaked several years ago ?

Feb-19-16  A.T PhoneHome: The infamous first encounter between two child prodigies, Fischer the American and Spassky the Soviet Russian, took place in this edition of Mar del Plata. Considering the aforementioned fact, this tournament had something symbolic to offer. Fischer's first game against Spassky, a loss here, lost him the tournament, but Fischer's last 'official' game against Spassky, a win, clinched him the World Championship of chess. I find this fact to have undeniable beauty and mysterious appeal to it.

Spassky's win prompted Fischer to use his blade of journalism.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific tournament only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC