Friday, July 25

Mannheim tournament, Round 5: Alekhine, with victory, claims share of lead as Spielmann, Vidmar play to draw

Alexander Alekhine defeated Carl Carls to claim a share of the lead after five rounds of the Mannheim international Masters' tournament. Alekhine, with 4 1/2 points from 5 games, shares top position with Rudolf Spielmann, who saw his string of four consecutive victories come to an end with a draw vs. Dr. Milan Vidmar, the day's only peaceful result. Vidmar stands alone in third place with 4 points, one half-point ahead of Richard Reti, who bested Walter John. In other contests some of the veteran Masters began to assert themselves, as Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch defeated Paul Krüger, David Janowski topped Dr. Saviely Tartakower, and U.S. Champion Frank J. Marshall took the full point from Hans Fahrni. Oldrich Duras and Efim Bogoljubow moved into the top half of the score table with wins over Jacques Mieses and Gyula Breyer, respectively, while Ehrhardt Post scored his first victory of the tourney, sacrificing his Queen to force checkmate vs. Alexander Flamberg.

For the first time the Black pieces carried the day, scoring 5 wins to White's 3.

Results:

Carls-Alekhine 0-1
Spielmann-Vidmar ½-½
John-Reti 0-1
Breyer-Bogoljubow 0-1
Duras-Mieses 1-0
Krüger-Tarrasch 0-1
Tartakower-Janowski 0-1
Marshall-Fahrni 1-0
Post-Flamberg 1-0

Scores after 5 rounds: Alekhine, Spielmann 4 1/2; Dr. Vidmar 4; Reti 3 1/2; Bogoljubow, Duras, Marshall 3; Dr. Tarrasch, Janowski 2 1/2; Dr. Tartakower, Breyer, Carls, John, Krüger 2; Mieses, Post 1 1/2; Flamberg 1; Fahrni 1/2.

The game scores are appended.

Alekhine, as Black against Cartls' 1.c4, gradually built up an attack against the White King-side and concluded matters with a clever Bishop maneuver on the other wing.


Spielmann and Vidmar contested a Four Knights' Game in which, with the center closed, White probed unsuccessfully to establish an advantage. Black later carried out an advance on the Queen-side and gained a pair of connected passed pawns in the center, but Spielmann's attacking threats served to keep the game in balance and Vidmar was forced to content himself with a draw by perpetual check.


Reti, as Black in a Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation vs. John, gave a vivid demonstration of the power of the pair of Bishops on an open board.


Bogoljubow gained an easy victory at the expense of Breyer, once again - as in the previous round vs. Post - benefiting from an oversight on the part of his opponent to score the full point.


Duras gained a pawn vs. Mieses at the 26th move and converted his advantage to victory in a Queen endgame. The pawn endgame at the close is worthy of notice.


Dr. Tarrasch, on the Black side of a Giuoco Piano, defeated Krüger when the latter first weakened his King-side and then allowed his e-pawn to fall.


Janowski won a fine game from Tartakower, rebuffing his opponent's efforts to mount an attack, slowly taking command of the center of the board, and gaining two pawns before concluding matters by winning the Queen.


Fahrni weakened his Queen-side, residence of his castled King, and allowed Marshall to mount a massive assault. The Swiss Master was fortunate to reach the endgame, at which point he immediately resigned, as Marshall had gathered four extra pawns along the way.


Post scored his first win, the victim being Flamberg, who missed a fighting chance in 17...Qe6 and went down to defeat in 26 moves, the game concluding with a Queen sacrifice to force checkmate.

 



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