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London (1922) During the 19th century, London had been the setting for some great tournaments: the first international tournament in 1851, the first double round robin tourney in 1862, the contest of 1883 and Lasker's triumph of 1899. In December 1921 the British Chess Federation decided to hold an international tournament of sixteen players as the main event of its 1922 congress. Invitations were sent to Capablanca, Alekhine, Rubinstein, Bogoljubov, Reti, Tartakover, Vidmar, Euwe, Borislav Kostic and Frank Marshall, but the last two had problems with their travelling expenses and were unable to accept. The current British Champion and the Champions of Australia and Canada were also invited. Held in the Central Hall Westminster, London (1), the tournament ran from July 31 to August 19, 1922. Many games played in this tourney would later grace the best games collections of a number of players. London, England, 31 July - 19 August 1922 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pts 1 Capablanca * ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 2 Alekhine ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 11½ 3 Vidmar 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 4 Rubinstein ½ 0 1 * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 10½ 5 Bogoljubov 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 1 0 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 9 6 Reti 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 0 1 8½ 7 Tartakover ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 8½ 8 Maroczy ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 8 9 Yates 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 * 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 8 10 Atkins 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 1 ½ 0 * 0 1 ½ ½ 0 1 6 11 Euwe 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * 0 1 0 1 1 5½ 12 Znosko-Borovsky 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 * 1 ½ 1 0 5 13 Wahltuch 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 * 1 1 ½ 5 14 Morrison 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 * 0 1 4½ 15 Watson 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 1 * 1 4½ 16 Marotti 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 0 * 1½ Allocation of prizes: 1st Capablanca 250 Pounds Sterling 2nd Alekhine 150 Pounds Sterling 3rd Vidmar 100 Pounds Sterling 4th Rubinstein 70 Pounds Sterling 5th Bogoljubov 40 Pounds Sterling 6th= Reti & Tartakover 30 Pounds Sterling 7th= Reti & Tartakover 25 Pounds Sterling 8th= Maroczy & Yates 20 Pounds Sterling The main source for this collection was The Book of the London International Chess Congress 1922 edited by William Henry Watts. ISBN 0-486-21961-5. Reference: (1) Wikipedia article: Central Hall Westminster. Original Collection: Game Collection: London 1922, by User: Benzol.  page 1 of 5; games 1-25 of 120  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Alekhine vs D Marotti 1-0 27 1922 London D06 Queen's Gambit Declined 2. Bogoljubov vs H E Atkins 1-0 43 1922 London E67 King's Indian, Fianchetto 3. Euwe vs Capablanca 0-1 38 1922 London C66 Ruy Lopez 4. Maroczy vs Vidmar ½-½ 25 1922 London C01 French, Exchange 5. Rubinstein vs Reti ½-½ 39 1922 London E67 King's Indian, Fianchetto 6. Tartakower vs J S Morrison ½-½ 50 1922 London C50 Giuoco Piano 7. Yates vs C G M Watson ½-½ 83 1922 London B27 Sicilian 8. Znosko-Borovsky vs V Wahltuch 1-0 53 1922 London C83 Ruy Lopez, Open 9. C G M Watson vs Alekhine 0-1 27 1922 London A46 Queen's Pawn Game 10. D Marotti vs Bogoljubov 0-1 29 1922 London C68 Ruy Lopez, Exchange 11. Euwe vs Tartakower 0-1 36 1922 London B28 Sicilian, O'Kelly Variation 12. H E Atkins vs Maroczy ½-½ 59 1922 London D32 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch 13. J S Morrison vs Rubinstein 0-1 54 1922 London D32 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch 14. Reti vs Yates 1-0 30 1922 London D63 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense 15. Vidmar vs Znosko-Borovsky 1-0 46 1922 London D34 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch 16. V Wahltuch vs Capablanca 0-1 40 1922 London A46 Queen's Pawn Game 17. Znosko-Borovsky vs Alekhine 0-1 32 1922 London C46 Three Knights 18. Maroczy vs Bogoljubov 0-1 31 1922 London C49 Four Knights 19. C G M Watson vs Euwe 0-1 29 1922 London A48 King's Indian 20. H E Atkins vs J S Morrison ½-½ 48 1922 London D32 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch 21. Capablanca vs Yates 1-0 67 1922 London D61 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox, Rubinstein Attack 22. D Marotti vs Reti 0-1 50 1922 London C29 Vienna Gambit 23. Vidmar vs Tartakower 1-0 36 1922 London A84 Dutch 24. V Wahltuch vs Rubinstein 0-1 23 1922 London A46 Queen's Pawn Game 25. Alekhine vs Euwe 1-0 50 1922 London D02 Queen's Pawn Game  page 1 of 5; games 1-25 of 120    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)   < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing> Aug-28-13    optimal play: <<<<<CHESS.> International Tourney.> London, July 31> Mr. Bonar Law, M.P., opened the International Chess Congress in the Central Hall, Westminster, this being the first tourney of its kind held in England for 23 years. Capablanca, Alechin, Rubinstein, Tartakover, Maroczy, Atkins and Yates are playing. C. G. Watson (Australia) and J. S. Morrison (Canada) represent the Dominions. Play was opened to-day, when Capablanca (the world's champion) defeated M. Euwe (Holland) in 38 moves. C. Watson (champion of Australia) was pitted against F. D. Yates (the British champion), and replied to the Ruy Lopez with the Steinitz defence. At the call of time the game was unfinished. [The players in this tourney are F. D. Yates, H. Atkins, and V. Wahltuch (Britain), K. Khadilkar (India), C. G. Watson (Australia), J. S. Morrison (Canada), J. R. Capablanca (Cuba), A. Alechin, A. Rubenstein, and E. D Bogoljuboff (Russia), M. Euwe (Holland), G. Maroczy and R. Reti (Hungary), Professor Marotti (Italy), Dr. S. Tartakover (Austria), and Dr. M. Vidmar (Jugo-Slavia).]> - The West Australian (Perth, WA) issue Wednesday 2 August 1922> Dec-16-13    keypusher: I have the tournament book (which is none too good). Capablanca just seems to be in a different class than everyone else. Sep-13-14    Benzol: Link to Capablanca's famous London Rules regarding the World championship. http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/... Dec-30-14    offramp: Twenty seven miserable quid and ten measly bob for 6th place. I turn my back on them in disgust. Dec-30-14    WannaBe: <offramp> Yeah, but if you account for inflation, that's like 200 Million in today's money! =)) Dec-31-14    offramp: Réti & Tartakower said they threw away the prize money and kept the wheelbarrow it was delivered in. Dec-31-14    perfidious: A year or two later, that would have happened in Germany. Dec-28-17    MissScarlett: Falkirk Herald, November 1st 1922, p.3: <British Chess Federation: The annual meeting of the Council was held at the City of London Chess Club by the kind invitation of the Club Committee on Saturday, October 21st, when Canon A. G. Gordon Ross presided over a representative gathering. [...] The London International was fully dealt with, and in this connection it was announced that Captain Erskine Bolst’s, M.P., brilliancy prize of £2O had been awarded to Herr Reti for his game against Mr Snosko-Borowski [ Reti vs Znosko-Borovsky, 1922 ], and Mr Christopher Ogle's second prize of £15 to Dr Vidmar for his game against Mr F. D. Yates. [ Vidmar vs Yates, 1922 ]> Clifford Erskine-Bolst: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff... Christopher Ogle is the reputed source for one of the game's most enduring anecdotes: C.N. 6956 Sep-27-18    zanzibar: <Chess Pie (1922)> - a most handsome volume, is available at Hathitrust: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt... Mar-03-20    John Saunders: There is a small piece of evidence that Clifford Erskine Bolst was himself a good player. He beat Francis EA Kitto in a match between the House of Commons and Cambridge University in March 1934 (source: The Times, 2 March 1934). Mar-03-20    MissScarlett: Howsabout putting some of the BCM archives online? Much work, little reward....do it anyway! Mar-04-20    John Saunders: I ceased to be BCM editor ten years ago! However, I'm doing the best I can at BritBase... Mar-04-20    MissScarlett: <I ceased to be BCM editor ten years ago!> Thanks for the breaking news. I see you're now an associate editor of CHESS - howsabout putting some of the CHESS archives online instead? Mar-04-20    Sally Simpson: *** Either or both CHESS and BCM archives online would be tremendous. There is so much in both magazines. The Letters section in CHESS alone could/would make a good read. Here people debate (argue back and forth ) for an hour or so, get bored and go offline. The debates (Ink Wars) in CHESS swung back and forth for months/years. And some of the one off letters were incredible. B.H.Wood seemed to great delight in letting us see some of the rather odd suggestions for improving the game. He once gave a break down of the post received in the CHESS mailroom in one week. Letters like the one below were very frequent. This one is from a Mr Thompson and appeared in the February 1959 edition. (yes even back then they 'solving' the dreaded draw in Chess.) GRANDMASTER DRAWS "Here is a scheme which would kill drab draws. Award the usual half point to each player only when there are seven or fewer men left on the board. Eight to fifteen men left, then a quarter point each. Nothing for either player if there are 23 down to 16 men left. Minus ½ point if there are more than this." --- FIDE are always looking for new ideas, I wonder if they would be interested in that one. *** Mar-05-20    John Saunders: <I see you're now an associate editor of CHESS - howsabout putting some of the CHESS archives online instead?> Associate editor is a largely honorific title. Digitising long runs of magazines is a massive and expensive task, and I can't imagine either title has the resource to do it anytime soon. It would never repay the investment. That said, several volumes of the early BCMs are available online, e.g. via here: http://www.chessarch.com/library/li... Mar-05-20    Tabanus: The https://www.britishnewspaperarchive... people are very able - and incredibly productive. They must be running out of titles soon. What about defining BCM as a "newspaper" ;) Jul-20-20    iron john: withut lasker this is not great tournament . Jul-20-20    MissScarlett: It's a great tournament. Sep-09-20    GrahamClayton: A clock used in the tournament and signed by all 16 players was sold at auction for AU$ 11,144 (£ 6,250) by Bonhams back in 2012: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19... Sep-10-20    offramp: <<Sally Simpson: <<GRANDMASTER DRAWS "Here is a scheme which would kill drab draws. Award the usual half point to each player only when there are seven or fewer men left on the board. Eight to fifteen men left, then a quarter point each. Nothing for either player if there are 23 down to 16 men left. Minus ½ point if there are more than this.">>>> As Carl Theodor Goering said, <""Wenn ich alternatives Schachbewertungssystem höre, entsichere ich meinen Browning!"> Sep-10-20    Sally Simpson: *** Hi offramp, Remember, I am just the messenger for that cuckoo idea. However I can see the day when all drawn games in every round in every tournament will be settled by one game of Armageddon, no rapid or blitz inbetween, straight to Armageddon. *** Mar-09-21    Nosnibor: Marotti must have come in has a substitute for the non-arrival of K Khadlilkar (India). Who was Khadlikar ? There are no games of his in the data base. Was there any connection with Sultan Khan ? Mar-09-21    MissScarlett: Before checking your privilege, check your spelling: Vinayak K Khadilkar I'm not sure who he was, but I doubt he would've been welcome in the Royal Family. Mar-09-21    MissScarlett: The Scotsman of July 29th 1922, p.8: <There are 148 competitors, including the 16 masters. In the masters' tournament there is one alteration. Mr R. V. Khadilkar has been unable to make the journey from India owing to unforeseen circumstances, and his place will be taken by Mr E . Qnosko-Borowsky, Russia.> It's possible his elephant broke down. Aug-18-21    Bartleby: The "London System" setup in the various queen-pawn field of openings that don't involve an immediate 2. c4 (or 2. Nf3 and 3. c4) derived its name from this tournament. The various Hypermodern Indian Defenses were starting to gain a lot of traction (this would continue at New York (1924)) and the London Setup was first used as an anti-Indian system to meet that nonplussing fianchetto. A few high-profile games: Alekhine vs Euwe, 1922 Maroczy vs Tartakower, 1922 Rubinstein vs Tartakower, 1922 C G M Watson vs Capablanca, 1922 Seems that last one Capablanca dismantled Watson's London quite easily, after 6. Qc1?! instead of 6. Qb3. Actually various Colle Systems were played more often than the London in this tourney, with a few Torre Attacks thrown in. Still this was the System's debutante's ball, especially when you have giants like Alekhine and Maroczy willing to playing it. These days the opening is a bit of a scourge at amateur and club levels, widely employed by too many players and popularized by a great many teachers all with their own "Winning with the London" book, video course, or chessbase product. Even my beloved Simon Williams contributed to the trend. One would have never imagined it becoming so wildly popular back in the 90s when it was the "Boring Old Man" opening and had all of one Chess Digest book dedicated to it (by Soltis, natch). I find myself groaning a bit every time 2. Bf4 is banged out on the board these days. search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing> 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: No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members. Nothing in violation of United States law. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members. No trolling. 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