After Max Euwe became World Champion, the steelworkers at Hoogovens (1) started a small chess club which held their first New Year's tournament with Hoogovens (1938). After a break in the hunger winter of 1945, activity was resumed and it was decided to invite masters from abroad, to compete with the home players. (2) The first attempt was somewhat unsuccesful because the invited Philip Stuart Milner-Barry was detained by professional obligations at home, William Winter could not get a visum, and Henri Grob had to give up for lack of a travel opportunity. (3) Thus the organizers were left with Stoltz from Sweden, who was considered by many as the favorite after Munich (1941), and whose aircraft arrived only hours before play began, and the Belgian champion O'Kelly. (3) After Stoltz had arrived, drawing of lots took place in the Kennemertheater and play started there immediately afterwards. (3) Playing time was 1-6 pm. (4) The tournament started four days before the one in Hastings (1945/46) ended.
Beverwijk, Netherlands, 5-13 January 1946
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
1 O'Kelly * ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 1 7
2 Stoltz ½ * ½ 1 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 6½
3 Kramer 0 ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 5
4 Cortlever ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 4½
=5 Steenis 0 0 0 0 * 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 4
=5 Groot 1 0 0 ½ 0 * 1 0 1 ½ 4
=5 Scheltinga 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 1 ½ 4
=8 Koomen 0 1 1 ½ 0 1 0 * 0 0 3½
=8 Vlagsma 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 1 * ½ 3½
10 Tol 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * 3
The tournament was part of a chess festival with more than 300 players. (5) Franciscus W J Henneberke won the national Group B. (6)Tournament book: Het Schaakcongres Beverwijk 1946 annotated by Hans Kmoch (Velsen 1946. 80 p.) (not seen). Several Dutch newspapers (available at http://kranten.delpher.nl/) had round reports.
(1) Wikipedia article: Koninklijke Hoogovens.
(2) http://www.endgame.nl/wijk.htm.
(3) De Waarheid, 7 January 1946, p. 3.
(4) De Tijd, 7 January 1946, p. 2.
(5) Leeuwarder Koerier, 15 January 1946, p. 2.
(6) Leeuwarder Koerier, 14 January 1946, p. 2.
Original collection: Game Collection: Hoogovens 1946 by User: Tabanus.
Kibitzing
