Bucharest 1954

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Bucharest 1954
Compiled by suenteus po 147

In the spring of 1954, after the USSR Championships in January but before the FIDE congress in July, an international chess tournament was held in the Romanian capital of Bucharest. The players in attendance included four Soviet masters, Viktor Korchnoi, Ratmir Kholmov, Semyon Furman, and Rashid Nezmetdinov; Swedish international grandmaster Gideon Stahlberg; two Czechoslovakian international masters, Miroslav Filip and Ludek Pachman; Belgian international master, Alberic O'Kelly de Galway; Polish international master, Bogdan Sliwa; Italian international master, Enrico Paoli; three Hungarian masters, Bela Sandor, Stefan Szabo, and Gyula Kluger; New Zealand international master, Robert Wade; and four players representing Romania, Victor Ciocaltea, Ion Balanel, Octav Troianescu, and Paul Voiculescu. The four Soviet masters were practically unknown outside their own country at this time, but were being allowed to compete internationally for the first time as a result of loosening travel restrictions due to Kruschev's "DeStalinization," and because the All-Union section of the Russian Chess Federation wanted to answer criticism that they only sent their top Grandmasters to international tournaments because they were afraid their Masters wouldn't show very good results against tough western players. However, before the tournament, the Russian Chess Federation paid for the four Soviet Masters to go to Moscow for a special preparation and training course for the upcoming tournament, under the direction of Isaac Boleslavsky and David Bronstein. Due to their impressive results here at Bucharest, the four Soviet masters (as well as Kluger and Balanel) would be awarded international master titles at the July '54 FIDE Congress.

Korchnoi won the tournament in impressive form, making his entrance (and inevitable stay) into international chess entirely memorable. Nezhmetdinov won the tournament first brilliancy prize with his astounding win against Paoli in the fifth round. Just before the fifth round, Nezhmetdinov was informed that his son, Iskander, had just been born. He was later quoted as saying "At the end of the round, I sent a telegram to my wife: 'I congratulate you on the birth of our son, and I dedicate my game with Paoli to him.'" And a fine dedication it was!

The final standings and crosstable:

1st Korchnoi 13/17 * ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2nd Nezhmetdinov 12½/17 ½ * 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

=3rd Filip 11/17 0 0 * 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1

=3rd Kholmov 11/17 ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 0 0 1 1 1

5th Kluger 10½/17 1 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 1

=6th Furman 10/17 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 1

=6th Pachman 10/17 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1

8th O'Kelly de Galway 9½/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½

9th Stahlberg 9/17 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1

10th Troianescu 8½/17 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½

11th Sandor 8/17 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 * ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1

=12th Balanel 7/17 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½

=12th Sliwa 7/17 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 0 0 0 * 1 1 1 0 1

=12th Szabo 7/17 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 1

15th Wade 6½/17 0 0 0 1 0 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 ½

16th Ciocaltea 6/17 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ ½

17th Paoli 3½/17 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ * ½

18th Voiculescu 3/17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ *

*This collection would not have been possible without the support and hard work of <jessicafischerqueen>

Round One
V Ciocaltea vs Stahlberg, 1954
(C12) French, McCutcheon, 41 moves, 0-1
G Kluger vs Kholmov, 1954
(A74) Benoni, Classical, 9...a6, 10.a4, 21 moves, 1/2-1/2
R Nezhmetdinov vs Korchnoi, 1954
(B69) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 11.Bxf6, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2
O'Kelly vs I Balanel, 1954
(E60) King's Indian Defense, 72 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pachman vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(C02) French, Advance, 35 moves, 1-0
E Paoli vs R G Wade, 1954
(C11) French, 58 moves, 0-1
B Sandor vs Filip, 1954
(A04) Reti Opening, 41 moves, 0-1
S Szabo vs Furman, 1954
(B54) Sicilian, 63 moves, 1/2-1/2
O Troianescu vs Sliwa, 1954
(C59) Two Knights, 30 moves, 1-0
Round Two
I Balanel vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(A53) Old Indian, 49 moves, 0-1
Filip vs O'Kelly, 1954
(A30) English, Symmetrical, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
Furman vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(E81) King's Indian, Samisch, 64 moves, 0-1
Kholmov vs O Troianescu, 1954
(A16) English, 45 moves, 1-0
Korchnoi vs S Szabo, 1954
(A22) English, 30 moves, 1-0
E Paoli vs Pachman, 1954
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 54 moves, 1/2-1/2
Stahlberg vs G Kluger, 1954
(A64) Benoni, Fianchetto, 11...Re8, 33 moves, 0-1
P Voiculescu vs B Sandor, 1954
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 40 moves, 0-1
R G Wade vs Sliwa, 1954
(D22) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 57 moves, 0-1
Round Three
V Ciocaltea vs Korchnoi, 1954
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 66 moves, 0-1
G Kluger vs Furman, 1954
(E53) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 58 moves, 0-1
R Nezhmetdinov vs Filip, 1954
(C64) Ruy Lopez, Classical, 58 moves, 1-0
O'Kelly vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pachman vs R G Wade, 1954
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
B Sandor vs E Paoli, 1954
(E67) King's Indian, Fianchetto, 38 moves, 1/2-1/2
Sliwa vs Kholmov, 1954
(A46) Queen's Pawn Game, 70 moves, 0-1
S Szabo vs I Balanel, 1954
(C77) Ruy Lopez, 53 moves, 1-0
O Troianescu vs Stahlberg, 1954
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Four
I Balanel vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(E81) King's Indian, Samisch, 66 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs S Szabo, 1954
(A53) Old Indian, 72 moves, 1-0
Furman vs O Troianescu, 1954
(E54) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System, 40 moves, 1-0
Korchnoi vs G Kluger, 1954
(A15) English, 42 moves, 0-1
Pachman vs B Sandor, 1954
(D83) Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit, 31 moves, 1-0
E Paoli vs O'Kelly, 1954
(C12) French, McCutcheon, 73 moves, 0-1
Stahlberg vs Sliwa, 1954
(E16) Queen's Indian, 51 moves, 0-1
P Voiculescu vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(A48) King's Indian, 42 moves, 0-1
R G Wade vs Kholmov, 1954
(D33) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 32 moves, 1-0
Round Five
V Ciocaltea vs Filip, 1954
(B95) Sicilian, Najdorf, 6...e6, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kholmov vs Stahlberg, 1954
(E19) Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
G Kluger vs I Balanel, 1954
(D83) Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit, 41 moves, 1-0
R Nezhmetdinov vs E Paoli, 1954
(B95) Sicilian, Najdorf, 6...e6, 27 moves, 1-0
O'Kelly vs Pachman, 1954
(A92) Dutch, 27 moves, 1/2-1/2
B Sandor vs R G Wade, 1954
(D75) Neo-Grunfeld, 6.cd Nxd5, 7.O-O c5, 8.dxc5, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2
Sliwa vs Furman, 1954
(E15) Queen's Indian, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
S Szabo vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(C00) French Defense, 54 moves, 1-0
O Troianescu vs Korchnoi, 1954
(B24) Sicilian, Closed, 21 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Six
I Balanel vs O Troianescu, 1954
(E38) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 4...c5, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs G Kluger, 1954
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 30 moves, 1/2-1/2
Furman vs Kholmov, 1954
(A57) Benko Gambit, 88 moves, 1/2-1/2
Korchnoi vs Sliwa, 1954
(C58) Two Knights, 41 moves, 1-0
Pachman vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(C44) King's Pawn Game, 31 moves, 1-0
E Paoli vs S Szabo, 1954
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 56 moves, 0-1
B Sandor vs O'Kelly, 1954
(A14) English, 39 moves, 0-1
P Voiculescu vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 87 moves, 1/2-1/2
R G Wade vs Stahlberg, 1954
(D18) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch, 32 moves, 0-1
Round Seven
V Ciocaltea vs E Paoli, 1954
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kholmov vs Korchnoi, 1954
(E38) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 4...c5, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2
G Kluger vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(D07) Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense, 28 moves, 1-0
R Nezhmetdinov vs B Sandor, 1954
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2
O'Kelly vs R G Wade, 1954
(A21) English, 19 moves, 0-1
Sliwa vs I Balanel, 1954
(E48) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5, 44 moves, 0-1
Stahlberg vs Furman, 1954
(A57) Benko Gambit, 17 moves, 1/2-1/2
S Szabo vs Pachman, 1954
(B23) Sicilian, Closed, 50 moves, 0-1
O Troianescu vs Filip, 1954
(B43) Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3, 51 moves, 0-1
Round Eight
I Balanel vs Kholmov, 1954
(A57) Benko Gambit, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Sliwa, 1954
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 25 moves, 1-0
Korchnoi vs Stahlberg, 1954
(C11) French, 55 moves, 1-0
O'Kelly vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(E68) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Variation, 8.e4, 61 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pachman vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 40 moves, 1-0
E Paoli vs G Kluger, 1954
(C58) Two Knights, 32 moves, 0-1
B Sandor vs S Szabo, 1954
(A15) English, 41 moves, 1-0
P Voiculescu vs O Troianescu, 1954
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2
R G Wade vs Furman, 1954
(E77) King's Indian, 41 moves, 1-0
Round Nine
V Ciocaltea vs B Sandor, 1954
(C52) Evans Gambit, 37 moves, 0-1
Furman vs Korchnoi, 1954
(E53) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kholmov vs Filip, 1954
(D94) Grunfeld, 43 moves, 1-0
G Kluger vs Pachman, 1954
(D82) Grunfeld, 4.Bf4, 40 moves, 1/2-1/2
R Nezhmetdinov vs R G Wade, 1954
(C11) French, 41 moves, 1-0
Sliwa vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 36 moves, 1-0
Stahlberg vs I Balanel, 1954
(E15) Queen's Indian, 70 moves, 1-0
S Szabo vs O'Kelly, 1954
(C00) French Defense, 40 moves, 0-1
O Troianescu vs E Paoli, 1954
(A25) English, 49 moves, 1-0
Round Ten
I Balanel vs Furman, 1954
(E80) King's Indian, Samisch Variation, 83 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Stahlberg, 1954
(A32) English, Symmetrical Variation, 11 moves, 1/2-1/2
R Nezhmetdinov vs S Szabo, 1954
(C75) Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, 44 moves, 1-0
O'Kelly vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(E68) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Variation, 8.e4, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pachman vs O Troianescu, 1954
(E29) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2
E Paoli vs Sliwa, 1954
(C58) Two Knights, 43 moves, 1-0
B Sandor vs G Kluger, 1954
(D75) Neo-Grunfeld, 6.cd Nxd5, 7.O-O c5, 8.dxc5, 19 moves, 1/2-1/2
P Voiculescu vs Kholmov, 1954
(E29) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 31 moves, 0-1
R G Wade vs Korchnoi, 1954
(D83) Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit, 39 moves, 0-1
Round Eleven
V Ciocaltea vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(C59) Two Knights, 27 moves, 0-1
Furman vs Filip, 1954
(A21) English, 51 moves, 0-1
Kholmov vs E Paoli, 1954
(E80) King's Indian, Samisch Variation, 47 moves, 1-0
G Kluger vs O'Kelly, 1954
(E59) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Korchnoi vs I Balanel, 1954
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 54 moves, 1-0
Sliwa vs Pachman, 1954
(D85) Grunfeld, 40 moves, 0-1
Stahlberg vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(E62) King's Indian, Fianchetto, 40 moves, 1-0
S Szabo vs R G Wade, 1954
(B07) Pirc, 47 moves, 1/2-1/2
O Troianescu vs B Sandor, 1954
(C45) Scotch Game, 26 moves, 1-0
Round Twelve
Filip vs Korchnoi, 1954
(D86) Grunfeld, Exchange, 56 moves, 0-1
R Nezhmetdinov vs G Kluger, 1954
(C85) Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation Doubly Deferred (DERLD), 86 moves, 1/2-1/2
O'Kelly vs O Troianescu, 1954
(D11) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 28 moves, 1-0
Pachman vs Kholmov, 1954
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 44 moves, 1/2-1/2
E Paoli vs Stahlberg, 1954
(B95) Sicilian, Najdorf, 6...e6, 68 moves, 0-1
B Sandor vs Sliwa, 1954
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 65 moves, 1-0
S Szabo vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(B32) Sicilian, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2
P Voiculescu vs Furman, 1954
(A32) English, Symmetrical Variation, 41 moves, 0-1
R G Wade vs I Balanel, 1954
(C45) Scotch Game, 59 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Thirteen
I Balanel vs Filip, 1954
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 38 moves, 0-1
V Ciocaltea vs R G Wade, 1954
(C02) French, Advance, 18 moves, 1-0
Furman vs E Paoli, 1954
(E98) King's Indian, Orthodox, Taimanov, 9.Ne1, 40 moves, 1-0
Kholmov vs B Sandor, 1954
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 65 moves, 1-0
G Kluger vs S Szabo, 1954
(E67) King's Indian, Fianchetto, 62 moves, 1/2-1/2
Korchnoi vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(A15) English, 40 moves, 1-0
Sliwa vs O'Kelly, 1954
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 60 moves, 1-0
Stahlberg vs Pachman, 1954
(E64) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav System, 16 moves, 1/2-1/2
O Troianescu vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(C46) Three Knights, 41 moves, 0-1
Round Fourteen
V Ciocaltea vs G Kluger, 1954
(C22) Center Game, 54 moves, 1-0
R Nezhmetdinov vs Sliwa, 1954
(C75) Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, 77 moves, 1-0
O'Kelly vs Kholmov, 1954
(D38) Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pachman vs Furman, 1954
(C55) Two Knights Defense, 71 moves, 0-1
E Paoli vs Korchnoi, 1954
(B60) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, 112 moves, 0-1
B Sandor vs Stahlberg, 1954
(A04) Reti Opening, 17 moves, 1/2-1/2
S Szabo vs O Troianescu, 1954
(B23) Sicilian, Closed, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
P Voiculescu vs I Balanel, 1954
(C01) French, Exchange, 16 moves, 1/2-1/2
R G Wade vs Filip, 1954
(D86) Grunfeld, Exchange, 65 moves, 0-1
Round Fifteen
I Balanel vs E Paoli, 1954
(E81) King's Indian, Samisch, 46 moves, 1-0
Filip vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 37 moves, 1-0
Furman vs B Sandor, 1954
(D25) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 25 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kholmov vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(E92) King's Indian, 16 moves, 1/2-1/2
G Kluger vs R G Wade, 1954
(D43) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 71 moves, 1-0
Korchnoi vs Pachman, 1954
(E20) Nimzo-Indian, 41 moves, 1-0
Sliwa vs S Szabo, 1954
(E60) King's Indian Defense, 50 moves, 1-0
Stahlberg vs O'Kelly, 1954
(D06) Queen's Gambit Declined, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2
O Troianescu vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(E60) King's Indian Defense, 62 moves, 1-0
Round Sixteen
V Ciocaltea vs Sliwa, 1954
(D01) Richter-Veresov Attack, 44 moves, 0-1
G Kluger vs O Troianescu, 1954
(E56) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 7...Nc6, 72 moves, 1/2-1/2
R Nezhmetdinov vs Stahlberg, 1954
(C12) French, McCutcheon, 52 moves, 1-0
O'Kelly vs Furman, 1954
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 39 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pachman vs I Balanel, 1954
(A17) English, 39 moves, 0-1
E Paoli vs Filip, 1954
(B30) Sicilian, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2
B Sandor vs Korchnoi, 1954
(A48) King's Indian, 17 moves, 1/2-1/2
S Szabo vs Kholmov, 1954
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 27 moves, 1-0
R G Wade vs P Voiculescu, 1954
(C18) French, Winawer, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Seventeen
I Balanel vs B Sandor, 1954
(D85) Grunfeld, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Pachman, 1954
(D82) Grunfeld, 4.Bf4, 14 moves, 1/2-1/2
Furman vs R Nezhmetdinov, 1954
(A57) Benko Gambit, 77 moves, 1-0
Kholmov vs V Ciocaltea, 1954
(B31) Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation, 31 moves, 1-0
Korchnoi vs O'Kelly, 1954
(E25) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 30 moves, 1/2-1/2
Sliwa vs G Kluger, 1954
(E60) King's Indian Defense, 51 moves, 1/2-1/2
Stahlberg vs S Szabo, 1954
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 47 moves, 1/2-1/2
O Troianescu vs R G Wade, 1954
(C11) French, 22 moves, 1-0
P Voiculescu vs E Paoli, 1954
(D11) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 57 moves, 1/2-1/2
153 games

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