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TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Saltsjobaden Interzonal Tournament

David Bronstein13.5/19(+8 -0 =11)[games]
Laszlo Szabo12.5/19(+8 -2 =9)[games]
Isaac Boleslavsky12/19(+6 -1 =12)[games]
Alexander Kotov11.5/19(+5 -1 =13)[games]
Andre Lilienthal11/19(+5 -2 =12)[games]
Igor Bondarevsky10.5/19(+5 -3 =11)[games]
Miguel Najdorf10.5/19(+6 -4 =9)[games]
Gideon Stahlberg10.5/19(+4 -2 =13)[games]
Salomon Flohr10.5/19(+3 -1 =15)[games]
Petar Trifunovic10/19(+5 -4 =10)[games]
Vasja Pirc9.5/19(+4 -4 =11)[games]
Svetozar Gligoric9.5/19(+5 -5 =9)[games]
Eero Einar Book9.5/19(+4 -4 =11)[games]
Viacheslav Ragozin8.5/19(+4 -6 =9)[games]
Daniel Abraham Yanofsky8.5/19(+2 -4 =13)[games]
Savielly Tartakower8/19(+3 -6 =10)[games]
Ludek Pachman7.5/19(+3 -7 =9)[games]
Gosta Stoltz6.5/19(+1 -7 =11)[games]
Lajos Steiner5.5/19(+1 -9 =9)[games]
Erik Lundin4.5/19(+1 -11 =7)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Saltsjobaden Interzonal (1948)

The system of zonal and interzonal tournaments was not yet firmly established, and the participants of this first interzonal were selected by FIDE based on 'zonal performances'. From Budapest (1948) came Szabó and Gligorić. From Hilversum (1947) arrived Pachman and Trifunovic (but not the winner Alberic O'Kelly de Galway). From Helsinki (1947) came the co-winners Böök and Stoltz. From Quebec (1947) came the winner Yanofsky, and from Mar del Plata (1948) arrived Najdorf and Ståhlberg (but not Erich Eliskases). From New York (1946) came none (all declined or could not come). The Soviet players were also selected by FIDE, partly based on Moscow (1947). Steiner was chosen to represent Australia, and O'Kelly and Eliskases were replaced by Pirc and Lundin. The plan was that the top five from Saltsjöbaden and the five (or as it turned out, four) losers of the FIDE World Championship Tournament (1948) would compete in the Budapest Candidates (1950). But on 12 August, before the penultimate round, FIDE decided that nine players could go to the Candidates. But Bondarevsky got sick, and when Reuben Fine, Max Euwe and Samuel Reshevsky also withdrew, eight players from Saltsjöbaden ended up against Paul Keres and Vasily Smyslov in the Budapest Candidates (1950).

Sweden was relatively well off after the War. They also had a well organized chess life (much thanks to the efforts of Ludvig Collijn), three world class players, and the FIDE Vice President, Folke Rogard. In addition to the interzonal tournament, the program consisted of a competition between the Nordic countries Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway (10-14 August), and the FIDE Congress (11-14 August). The opening ceremony took place in Stockholm City Hall, on 15 July, after which the players went to luxurious Grand Hotel* in Saltsjöbaden, 12 km east of Stockholm where play started the next day at 6 pm. Thinking time was 40 moves in 2½ hours then 16 moves every hour. Any time during play, the participants could have fresh air (or a cigarette) on a nearby balcony with a view to the Baltic Sea.

The Hungarian Szabó held the lead during rounds 7-17, but in the last round he unexpectedly lost to Lundin whereas Bronstein defeated Tartakower. Thus the only Soviet who did not have the Russian GM title won the tournament. He was also the only player who went undefeated.

Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm, Sweden, 16 July - 14 August 1948

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Pts SEK# 1 Bronstein * 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 13½ 2000 2 Szabo 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 12½ 1000 3 Boleslavsky ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 12 700 4 Kotov 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 11½ 500 5 Lilienthal ½ 0 ½ ½ * 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 11 300 =6 Bondarevsky ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 10½ 210 =6 Najdorf ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 10½ 210 =6 Stahlberg ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 10½ 210 =6 Flohr ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 10½ 210 10 Trifunovic ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 10 200 =11 Pirc 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 9½ 190 =11 Gligoric ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 9½ 190 =11 Book ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 9½ 190 =14 Ragozin 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 8½ 170 =14 Yanofsky ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 8½ 170 16 Tartakower 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 * 0 ½ ½ ½ 8 160 17 Pachman ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 * 1 ½ 1 7½ 150 18 Stoltz 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 * ½ ½ 6½ 130 19 Steiner 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 5½ 110 20 Lundin 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 4½ 90

Tournament controller: Fritz Andersson, assisted by Herman Söderborg and John Collett (among others). Appeals committee: Fritz Andersson plus four of the players.

The banquet was attended by 125 people. Speeches were made by heavyweights such as Gustaf Collijn, Erik Olson, Carl Oscar Hovind, and David Bronstein! Prizes were awarded by FIDE President Alexander Rueb. First Brilliancy Prize went to Lilienthal, for Lilienthal vs Najdorf, 1948.

Tournament books: Interzonala Schackturneringen Saltsjöbaden 1948 by Gideon Ståhlberg (Sveriges Schackförbunds Forlag, Örebro 1949. 359 pp.) and Meduzonski Turnir Saltsjöbaden, 1948 by Vasja Pirc (Tipografija Graficko-Nakladini Zavod, Zagreb 1949. 301 pp). The tournament program and a report afterwards in Tidskrift för Schack are available online at https://tfsarkiv.schack.se/pdf/1948... and https://tfsarkiv.schack.se/pdf/1948... (both in Swedish). Harry Golombek wrote a report for the September 1948 issue of the British Chess Magazine. Round dates (rounds 9-12 and 18-19 did not follow the program) are from reports in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

The event was a success and the next of its kind was the Stockholm Interzonal (1952).

Original collections: Game Collection: 1948 Saltsjöbaden interzonal by User: jww and Game Collection: Saltsjöbaden Interzonal 1948 by User: Tabanus. *http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped... #Players behind the top 5 received 10 Swedish Kroner (SEK) for each half point.

 page 1 of 8; games 1-25 of 190  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Najdorf vs Bronstein ½-½321948Saltsjobaden InterzonalA90 Dutch
2. Lilienthal vs Flohr  ½-½291948Saltsjobaden InterzonalC90 Ruy Lopez, Closed
3. Kotov vs P Trifunovic  ½-½251948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
4. Pachman vs Szabo  ½-½401948Saltsjobaden InterzonalC15 French, Winawer
5. Bondarevsky vs Ragozin 0-1541948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD99 Grunfeld Defense, Smyslov
6. Yanofsky vs Pirc  0-1671948Saltsjobaden InterzonalB58 Sicilian
7. Boleslavsky vs E E Book 1-0251948Saltsjobaden InterzonalB85 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Classical
8. E Lundin vs Stahlberg 0-1651948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD44 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
9. G Stoltz vs Gligoric  ½-½461948Saltsjobaden InterzonalE09 Catalan, Closed
10. Tartakower vs L Steiner  ½-½291948Saltsjobaden InterzonalB40 Sicilian
11. Bronstein vs Kotov 1-0591948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD87 Grunfeld, Exchange
12. Flohr vs Boleslavsky  ½-½761948Saltsjobaden InterzonalB07 Pirc
13. P Trifunovic vs Lilienthal ½-½1081948Saltsjobaden InterzonalE67 King's Indian, Fianchetto
14. Tartakower vs Najdorf 0-1571948Saltsjobaden InterzonalB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
15. Stahlberg vs Pachman  ½-½541948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD97 Grunfeld, Russian
16. Ragozin vs Yanofsky 0-1431948Saltsjobaden InterzonalC13 French
17. L Steiner vs Szabo 0-1391948Saltsjobaden InterzonalC97 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin
18. E E Book vs Bondarevsky ½-½411948Saltsjobaden InterzonalC09 French, Tarrasch, Open Variation, Main line
19. Gligoric vs E Lundin 1-0631948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD47 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
20. Pirc vs G Stoltz  1-0471948Saltsjobaden InterzonalA06 Reti Opening
21. Lilienthal vs Bronstein ½-½251948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD98 Grunfeld, Russian
22. Bondarevsky vs Flohr 1-0381948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD99 Grunfeld Defense, Smyslov
23. Kotov vs Tartakower 1-0811948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD07 Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense
24. Najdorf vs L Steiner  1-0371948Saltsjobaden InterzonalD16 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
25. Pachman vs Gligoric 0-1831948Saltsjobaden InterzonalC84 Ruy Lopez, Closed
 page 1 of 8; games 1-25 of 190  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-16-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: A really well-written and comprehensive introduction. They get better and better. My thanks to the writer!
Mar-17-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <The banquet was attended by 125 people. Talks were held by heavyweights such as Gustaf Collijn, Erik Olson, Carl Oscar Hovind, and Bronstein!>

Were talks held or speeches made?

May-25-17  cunctatorg: GM Szabo's last round Benko Gambit tragedy...
Nov-25-22  Baxer: There is an interesting and dubious story that I read on Bill Wall's website. Alleging that the great David Bronstein had an assassination attempt made on him during this tournament?!

I have yet to find any evidence or reference to this anywhere else, and I presume it is simply made up as a result - however, that also begs the question of where that information came from for Bill to post it. If this were to be true, I would imagine this would have been big news!

I have copied the relevant line here.

"In 1948, grandmaster David Bronstein (1924-2006) survived an assassination attack during the first chess Interzonal in Saltsjobaden, Sweden. On the last day, Bronstein was playing Tartakower when, suddenly, a Lithuanian made a lunge at Bronstein to kill him. Several spectators grabbed the would-be assassin. The attempted killer wanted to murder a Russian because he claimed the Russians were responsible for sending his sister to Siberia and murdering her."

http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/a...

Any information regarding this would be great.

Nov-25-22  Olavi: <Baxer> It wasn't quite so dramatic according to Bronstein in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. He says that he was walking around the playing hall watching the games of Szabo and Boleslawsky, when a drunken spectator came to his and Tartakower's board and wiped the pieces and clock on the floor. It turned out to be a Lithuanian protesting against "the Russians" for his sisters fate.

Bronstein says the incident was widely discussed in the press. Boleslavsky wondered why the man made his protest at the board of Bronstein and not Kotov...

Nov-26-22  Baxer: Olavi. Thanks for the response and info. Good to hear there's info in 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' as I'll be getting that book soon.

Might I ask why 'should' it have been done to/at Kotov's board over Bronstein's? Is it because Bronstein was Ukrainian by birth?

It seems this drunkard couldn't choose between which Russian to inconvenience and decided on a Ukrainian!

Nov-26-22  Olavi: I suppose that's it. Although it's widely rumoured that Kotov was with the NKVD/KGB. (But the Lithuanian wouldn't have known that.)
Nov-27-22  Baxer: Ah yes, I have heard these rumors. I have also heard that Tigran Petrosian and Anatoly Karpov were Agents as well. Are there any grounds for these claims by any chance (I somehow doubt it.)
Nov-28-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: When did it become clear that the first eight players would play in Budapest for the right to challenge Botvinnik, rather than the five prize winners?
Nov-28-22  Olavi: <Baxer> Hard to believe. In their position it was surely unnecessary, while they had their great privileges by position. Of course every GM had to write a report to 'the authorities' after a tournament abroad etc. no matter what they belonged to or not.
Nov-28-22  Baxer: <Olavi> I concur. But did they have to write a report? Is there evidence for that? I'm starting to sound like MissScarlett now.

Also, this is another random and open question I just pondered and thought I would throw out into the Chessgames world. Were there any/how many homosexual players were there in the 19th century/early 20th century?

Have there been cases of homophobia in the chess world? Especially against particular players?

I'm not sure if this question is relevant here or what but I thought I should write it down before it goes.

Nov-28-22  Olavi: <Baxer> Yes, it's routinely referred to... one place I can point to from memory is Sosonko's portrait of Baturinsky in New in Chess on the occasion of the great man's 80th. Not to hand right now...
Nov-28-22  Olavi: And well Korchnoi mentions these reports a few times in his autobiography Chess is my Life, the 70's version at least.
Nov-28-22  Baxer: Of Course, Korchnoi mentions it. I'm sure they are real. However, I do wonder what they would contain.

Is there any first-hand evidence, however? Have any of these such reports been made public rather than a defector mentioning it in the 70s?

Nov-30-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  wwall: another source on the attack:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/20...

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