There are names of towns and cities, which have special resonance for chess players. Towns like Hastings, Wijk aan Zee, Karlsbad, Tilburg or Bugojno may well be small, but they just happen to be the names of great chess tournaments. Of course these major tournaments also took place in the great cities of the world.

It all started with London 1851, where Adolf Anderssen enjoyed his greatest triumph. In the prize lists the names of the top players of their day turn up with great regularity as winners: Morphy (New York 1857), Steinitz (Vienna 1873), Lasker (amongst others London 1899 and New York 1924), Capablanca (amongst others San Sebastian 1911), Alekhine (amongst others Bled 1931) etc.

The sometimes extensive tournament reports – mostly written by Manual Fruth – contain many interesting details, which at the same time give an insight into the history of chess. In this way, you find out that today’s much discussed rules about thinking time have been undergoing a process of development: from long to shorter and shorter.

And in those days there was also a struggle against short draws. Thus, for example, tournament regulations frequently mention that draws may not be agreed before move 30. The 50 tournament reports form a true treasure trove of further information.

The 50 tournaments:
London 1851, New York 1857, Vienna 1873, Leipzig 1877, London 1883, Hastings 1895, St Petersburg 1895, Nuremberg 1896, Vienna 1898, London 1899, Paris 1900, Cambridge Springs 1904, St Petersburg 1909, Karlsbad 1911, San Sebastian 1911, San Sebastian 1912, St Petersburg 1914, Mährisch Ostrau 1923, New York 1924, Baden-Baden 1925, Moscow 1925, Bad Kissingen 1928, Karlsbad 1929, San Remo 1930, Bled 1931, Moscow 1935+36, Nottingham 1936, Kemeri 1937, AVRO 1938, Salzburg 1942, Sverdlovsk 1943, Groningen 1946, Moscow 1956, Dallas 1957, Bled 1961, Capablanca-Memorial 1963, Los Angeles 1963, Santa Monica 1966, Moscow 1967, Moscow 1971, San Antonio 1972, Milan 1975, Moscow 1975, Leningrad 1977, Bugojno 1978, Tilburg 1978, Montreal 1979, Moscow 1981, Bugojno 1986, Tilburg 1986.

ALL THE FEATURES AT A GLANCE

· 50 tournaments from London 1851 till Bugojno 1986
· for each tournament an illustrated database text, mostly written by Manual Fruth
· tables and references to the most important games
· all the games of the above tournaments (more than 1400 annotated)
· includes ChessBase-Reader