Budapest 1896

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Budapest 1896
Compiled by suenteus po 147

The Budapest Chess Club organized a chess tournament, to participate in the Budapest Millennial Exhibition intended to mark the 1000 years since the Magyar conquest of Hungary by the legendary King Árpád in 896, in October of 1896. Among the participants were established masters such as Siegbert Tarrasch, Mikhail Chigorin, and David Janowski, as well as young chess stars such as Harry Nelson Pillsbury and Carl Schlechter. Hungary was represented by Géza Maróczy, who was acting solely as tournament director until Semyon Alapin withdrew at the last minute and Maróczy stepped in as replacement to preserve the orginal organization, and new star Rudolf Charousek who had made his international debut the year before at Nuremberg. Maróczy was quick to secure a venue and funding- Emperor Franz Joseph donated the rent for the tournament venue: the monumental restaurant-hall of the fabulous Pest Vigadó, Budapest's premiere entertainment building, though the Budapest Chess Club had regularly met in the Pest Vigadó, in one of the smaller, and more affordable, back rooms. The Emperor also donated a 12 kilogram solid silver trophy, a statue of "Winged Victory." Baron Albert Rothschild provided 1000 Kronen and famed explorer Count Jenő Zichy provided 600 kronen towards the prize fund. Hungarian chess master Kornél Havasi acted as chief referee, and enforced a time control of two hours for the first 30 moves, and one hour for each 15 minutes after that.

Siegbert Tarrasch was awarded first brilliancy prize (beauty prize) for his Queen sac game against Ignatz Von Popiel in round six. Charousek tied Chigorin for first at the end of the tournament, and at first tournament director Maróczy insisted that there be no playoff--he argued that since Charousek had won his tournament game against Chigorin, the Hungarian master should be given clear first. Chigorin, however, insisted on a playoff mini-match, and Charousek was keen to participate in the showdown, effectively overruling the tournament director. Chigorin, a veteran match player, soundly defeated the young Charousek 3-1 in the playoff. After winning the playoff, Chigorin was given a choice: the silver "Winged Victory" trophy or 2,500 kronen. He took the money, and the trophy sat at the Budapest Chess Club until the advent of World War I, after which the trophy mysteriously was "lost." Charousek received 2000 kronen for second place. This result made Charousek an instant national hero in Austria Hungary, and he was invited by the nobility of Budpest and Vienna to lecture and to play simultaneous exhibitions. To this day, Budapest 1896 is the strongest chess tournament ever held in Hungary.

The final standings and crosstable:

=1st Charousek 8½/12 * 1 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 1 1

=1st Chigorin 8½/12 0 * ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1

3rd Pillsbury 7½/12 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1

=4th Schlechter 7/12 ½ 1 ½ * 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0

=4th Janowski 7/12 1 0 ½ 0 * 0 1 0 1 1 ½ 1 1

=6th Walbrodt 6½/12 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 * 1 0 1 0 ½ 1 1

=6th Winawer 6½/12 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 * 1 1 1 1 1 1

8th Tarrasch 6/12 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 0 * ½ 0 0 ½ 1

=9th Albin 5/12 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ 1

=9th Maróczy 5/12 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 1 * ½ 0 1

11th Marco 4½/12 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ * 1 0

12th Noa 4/12 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 * 1

13th Popiel 2/12 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 *

Playoff Match:

1st Chigorin 3/4 1 1 0 1

2nd Charousek 1/4 0 0 1 0

*special thanks go to <jessicafischerqueen> for the superb historical details that helped complete this collection.

Round One, October 4th
Charousek vs Schlechter, 1896
(C33) King's Gambit Accepted, 44 moves, 1/2-1/2
Chigorin vs Von Popiel, 1896
(C51) Evans Gambit, 51 moves, 1-0
Janowski vs J Noa, 1896
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 41 moves, 1-0
Pillsbury vs Albin, 1896
(C11) French, 34 moves, 0-1
K Walbrodt vs Maroczy, 1896
(C11) French, 36 moves, 0-1
Winawer vs Tarrasch, 1896
(C26) Vienna, 89 moves, 1-0
Round Two, October 6th
Albin vs Winawer, 1896
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 47 moves, 0-1
G Marco vs Janowski, 1896
(C77) Ruy Lopez, 69 moves, 1/2-1/2
Maroczy vs Charousek, 1896
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 34 moves, 0-1
J Noa vs Chigorin, 1896
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 65 moves, 1/2-1/2
Von Popiel vs K Walbrodt, 1896
(B30) Sicilian, 66 moves, 0-1
Schlechter vs Pillsbury, 1896
(C49) Four Knights, 33 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Three, October 7th
Charousek vs Von Popiel, 1896
(C45) Scotch Game, 25 moves, 1-0
Chigorin vs G Marco, 1896
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 56 moves, 1-0
Pillsbury vs Maroczy, 1896
(D55) Queen's Gambit Declined, 47 moves, 1-0
Tarrasch vs Albin, 1896
(A84) Dutch, 44 moves, 1/2-1/2
K Walbrodt vs J Noa, 1896
(C15) French, Winawer, 32 moves, 1-0
Winawer vs Schlechter, 1896
(C13) French, 34 moves, 0-1
Round Four, October 9th
Janowski vs Chigorin, 1896
(D46) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 42 moves, 0-1
G Marco vs K Walbrodt, 1896
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 35 moves, 1/2-1/2
Maroczy vs Winawer, 1896
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 39 moves, 0-1
J Noa vs Charousek, 1896
(C48) Four Knights, 56 moves, 0-1
Von Popiel vs Pillsbury, 1896
(C23) Bishop's Opening, 62 moves, 0-1
Schlechter vs Tarrasch, 1896
(C24) Bishop's Opening, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Five, October 10th
Albin vs Schlechter, 1896
(D60) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, 42 moves, 1-0
Charousek vs G Marco, 1896
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 65 moves, 0-1
Pillsbury vs J Noa, 1896
(A84) Dutch, 27 moves, 1-0
Tarrasch vs Maroczy, 1896
(D35) Queen's Gambit Declined, 47 moves, 0-1
K Walbrodt vs Janowski, 1896
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 29 moves, 1-0
Winawer vs Von Popiel, 1896
(C00) French Defense, 55 moves, 1-0
Round Six, October 12th
Chigorin vs K Walbrodt, 1896
(C31) King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Counter Gambit, 25 moves, 1-0
Janowski vs Charousek, 1896
(D60) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, 77 moves, 1-0
G Marco vs Pillsbury, 1896
(C42) Petrov Defense, 50 moves, 0-1
Maroczy vs Albin, 1896
(D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 43 moves, 1-0
J Noa vs Winawer, 1896
(C70) Ruy Lopez, 49 moves, 0-1
Von Popiel vs Tarrasch, 1896
(C33) King's Gambit Accepted, 42 moves, 0-1
Round Seven, October 13th
Albin vs Von Popiel, 1896
(C01) French, Exchange, 24 moves, 1-0
Charousek vs Chigorin, 1896
(C33) King's Gambit Accepted, 25 moves, 1-0
Pillsbury vs Janowski, 1896
(D50) Queen's Gambit Declined, 78 moves, 1/2-1/2
Schlechter vs Maroczy, 1896
(C00) French Defense, 27 moves, 1/2-1/2
Tarrasch vs J Noa, 1896
(D50) Queen's Gambit Declined, 105 moves, 1/2-1/2
Winawer vs G Marco, 1896
(C23) Bishop's Opening, 53 moves, 1-0
Round Eight, October 14th
Chigorin vs Pillsbury, 1896
(C49) Four Knights, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2
Janowski vs Winawer, 1896
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 26 moves, 1-0
G Marco vs Tarrasch, 1896
(C61) Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense, 40 moves, 1-0
J Noa vs Albin, 1896
(B06) Robatsch, 62 moves, 1/2-1/2
Von Popiel vs Schlechter, 1896
(C23) Bishop's Opening, 47 moves, 1-0
K Walbrodt vs Charousek, 1896
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 86 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Nine, October 16th
Albin vs G Marco, 1896
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 59 moves, 1-0
Maroczy vs Von Popiel, 1896
(C46) Three Knights, 54 moves, 1-0
Pillsbury vs K Walbrodt, 1896
(D50) Queen's Gambit Declined, 42 moves, 1-0
Schlechter vs J Noa, 1896
(C05) French, Tarrasch, 85 moves, 1/2-1/2
Tarrasch vs Janowski, 1896
(C25) Vienna, 32 moves, 1-0
Winawer vs Chigorin, 1896
(C68) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, 97 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round Ten, October 17th
Charousek vs Pillsbury, 1896
(C29) Vienna Gambit, 66 moves, 1-0
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1896
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 44 moves, 1-0
Janowski vs Albin, 1896
(A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 47 moves, 1-0
G Marco vs Schlechter, 1896
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 39 moves, 0-1
J Noa vs Maroczy, 1896
(C64) Ruy Lopez, Classical, 61 moves, 1-0
K Walbrodt vs Winawer, 1896
(C83) Ruy Lopez, Open, 37 moves, 1-0
Round Eleven, October 18th
Albin vs Chigorin, 1896
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 40 moves, 0-1
Maroczy vs G Marco, 1896
(C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
Von Popiel vs J Noa, 1896
(B06) Robatsch, 33 moves, 0-1
Schlechter vs Janowski, 1896
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 68 moves, 1-0
Tarrasch vs K Walbrodt, 1896
(C31) King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Counter Gambit, 41 moves, 1-0
Winawer vs Charousek, 1896
(C71) Ruy Lopez, 28 moves, 0-1
Round Twelve, October 20th
Charousek vs Tarrasch, 1896
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 65 moves, 1/2-1/2
Chigorin vs Schlechter, 1896
(C77) Ruy Lopez, 57 moves, 0-1
Janowski vs Maroczy, 1896
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 29 moves, 1-0
G Marco vs Von Popiel, 1896
(C42) Petrov Defense, 64 moves, 0-1
Pillsbury vs Winawer, 1896
(D46) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 21 moves, 1-0
K Walbrodt vs Albin, 1896
(C83) Ruy Lopez, Open, 51 moves, 1-0
Round Thirteen, October 22nd
Albin vs Charousek, 1896
(D55) Queen's Gambit Declined, 43 moves, 0-1
Maroczy vs Chigorin, 1896
(A84) Dutch, 53 moves, 0-1
J Noa vs G Marco, 1896
(C24) Bishop's Opening, 34 moves, 0-1
Von Popiel vs Janowski, 1896
(C20) King's Pawn Game, 33 moves, 0-1
Schlechter vs K Walbrodt, 1896
(C77) Ruy Lopez, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2
Tarrasch vs Pillsbury, 1896
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 80 moves, 1-0
Playoff Game One
Charousek vs Chigorin, 1896
(C33) King's Gambit Accepted, 19 moves, 0-1
Playoff Game Two
Chigorin vs Charousek, 1896
(C55) Two Knights Defense, 31 moves, 1-0
Playoff Game Three
Charousek vs Chigorin, 1896
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 57 moves, 1-0
Playoff Game Four
Chigorin vs Charousek, 1896
(C55) Two Knights Defense, 47 moves, 1-0
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