Das Internationale Gambitturnier in Baden bei Wien 1914

Wien: Verlag der Wiener Schachzeitung, 1916 iv+184 pages with diagrams, plates and tables. Royal octavo (9 1/4" x 6 1/4") bound in original wrappers with black lettering to spine and cover. (Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana:5318) 1st edition. The luxuriously appointed "Kasino Club", a newly launched enterprise in the fashionable Austrian resort, celebrated its gala opening by sponsoring an international gambit tournament. Unfortunately the Baden event over-lapped the great St Petersburg tournament, which attracted many of the world's best foreign masters. Nevertheless a good gield entered the double-round tournament which permitted any gambit except the universally popular Queen's Gambit! The ten-player field was headed by the strong Danube contigent of Schlechter, Spielmann, Tartakower and Reti - complemented by Breyer (Budapest), Johner (Berlin), Fahrni (Munich), Opocensky and Hromadka (Prauge), and Nyhlm (Stockholm). The gambit warrior Spielmann repeated his Abbazia triumph by posting (+ -2 =7). Considered as being "ideally suited for gambit play," Spielmann yielded games only to Breyer and Hromadka. His closest rival, Tartakower, (+8 -3 =7) secured second place with a last-round draw against Hromadka, which enable him to edge the undefeated Schlechter by a half point. Schlechter displayed remarkable balance in his play, scoring 5 1/2 - 5 1/2 in each half of the tournament. In a final round match against Reti, the great precisionist drew a critical two-Rook ending to take the 600 kronen third prize. A win and a draw against the upset-minded Breyer enabled Schlechter to finish a half point in front of his Hungarian rival in the standings. Breyer (+9 -6 =3) played superbly well against his more-experienced rivals; he captured 1 1/2 points from Spielmann and extracted a full two points from the more experienced Tatakower. Johner and Reti divided the 5th and 6th prizes - the first-named player spoiling Breyer's brash bid for a top place by sweeping their two games. For the statistically minded; the final table showed White winning 23 tames, Black taking 29 and 38 ending in draws. Marco's superb tournament work Das Internationale Gambitturnier in Baden bei Wien 1914, with 286 diagrams and reams of his peerless analysis, is a prize to behold. (Goldman: Carl Schlechter! Caissa Editions) Condition: Age darkening to some edges, edges chipped and tape reinforced, spine taped with original spine strip laid on, back page head edge torn and taped, previous owner's name on title else a good copy. . First Edition. Original Wrappers. Good. Royal octavo.