chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

🏆 Groningen (1946)

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
The tournament held at Groningen, Netherlands 13 Aug-7 Sept 1946, was a watershed in chess history. Not only was it the first major international tournament after World War II, it marked the first time the Soviet Union sent a team of players to a foreign event. Their results confirmed the growing recognition of the great strength of Soviet players: Smyslov finished third, Boleslavsky and Flohr tied for sixth; though Kotov finished out of the running, he defeated both of the top finishers. ... [more]

Player: Isaac Boleslavsky

 page 1 of 1; 19 games  PGN Download 
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Boleslavsky vs C Guimard  ½-½411946GroningenC14 French, Classical
2. Najdorf vs Boleslavsky 1-0371946GroningenA54 Old Indian, Ukrainian Variation, 4.Nf3
3. Boleslavsky vs Szabo  0-1311946GroningenC82 Ruy Lopez, Open
4. E Lundin vs Boleslavsky 0-1221946GroningenE95 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, 8.Re1
5. Boleslavsky vs Smyslov 0-1341946GroningenC97 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin
6. H Steiner vs Boleslavsky 0-1401946GroningenE69 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Main line
7. Boleslavsky vs Botvinnik 0-1331946GroningenC92 Ruy Lopez, Closed
8. Denker vs Boleslavsky 0-1561946GroningenE67 King's Indian, Fianchetto
9. Boleslavsky vs Vidmar  ½-½581946GroningenC92 Ruy Lopez, Closed
10. Boleslavsky vs O'Kelly 1-0301946GroningenC77 Ruy Lopez
11. O Bernstein vs Boleslavsky  ½-½221946GroningenA49 King's Indian, Fianchetto without c4
12. Boleslavsky vs Euwe 0-1411946GroningenC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
13. G Stoltz vs Boleslavsky 0-1461946GroningenB58 Sicilian
14. Boleslavsky vs Flohr ½-½271946GroningenC92 Ruy Lopez, Closed
15. Tartakower vs Boleslavsky 0-1691946GroningenB31 Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation
16. Boleslavsky vs Kotov 1-0571946GroningenB10 Caro-Kann
17. Yanofsky vs Boleslavsky  ½-½441946GroningenB59 Sicilian, Boleslavsky Variation, 7.Nb3
18. Boleslavsky vs C Kottnauer  ½-½381946GroningenB76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack
19. M Christoffel vs Boleslavsky 0-1421946GroningenE95 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, 8.Re1
 page 1 of 1; 19 games  PGN Download 
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Boleslavsky wins | Boleslavsky loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-20-12  Benzol: Blessed be the <cg librarian> indeed. The two missing games are now part of the collection.

:)

Aug-30-13  nescio: I think it should be mentoned that the organizers of this tournament had a luxury problem before it started. After everyone had arrived (which was by no means a certainty a year after the second world war) it turned out there were 21 participants instead of 20.

They could have extended the schedule with 2 extra rounds, even make it a 22-player tournament, for the head of the Soviet delegation was Gavriil Veresov, champion of Belarus. Unfortunately that was impossible, if I remember correctly because the Americans and the Soviets had to leave on schedule to arrive in time for a USSR-USA match.

To ask a foreigner to withdraw was out of the question, and Lodewijk Prins didn't want to let go this chance to play against the world's best. When Euwe declared that he was ready to withdraw, the Soviets, in particular Botvinnik and Veresov, convinced Prins to withdraw by promising him an invitation to a tournament in Moscow in the near future.

Needless to say, that invitation has still to come.

Feb-03-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: Despite finishing only 11th, Kotov was the only player to defeat both the 1st and 2nd place finishers (Botvinnik and Euwe).
Apr-20-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <GrahamClayton> Shades of St Petersburg (1909), where Dus-Chotimirsky finished 13th with a -2 result, but beat the joint winners Lasker and Rubinstein. Those two wins were 40% of his five wins in the tournament! Lasker and Rubinstein mauled the field, each scoring 14.5/18. The only other game either lost was Lasker's loss to Rubinstein.
Apr-20-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: Kotov was a lot stronger player than Dus-Chotimirsky
Apr-20-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <plang> It's true, he did win the Stockholm Interzonal (1952) by 3.5 points, then a record.
Apr-21-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: Er, make that three points. Counting is FUN-damental.
Apr-21-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Pity that fine result availed him naught, come to Zurich Candidates (1953), where Kotov inflicted the only defeat upon Smyslov, the winner, though himself an also-ran.
Apr-02-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: Going in to the game against Kotov, Botvinnik had ten wins and three draws. He went 3-3 the rest of the way, and was lucky to win M Christoffel vs Botvinnik, 1946.
Apr-02-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: Should note that Botvinnik played some great games but had some good luck earlier in the tournament too, viz.

Botvinnik vs Szabo, 1946

Botvinnik vs O'Kelly, 1946 (<nescio> called this win "one of the lowest points in his career", see Botvinnik vs Keres, 1948 (kibitz #64))

So the +10=3 stat is a bit misleading.

Apr-09-24  mk volkov: Botvinnik's great storm.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific tournament only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC