Rudolf Spielmann

Rudolf Spielmann (5 May 1883 - 20 August 1942) was an Austrian-Jewish chess player of the romantic school.

Related Topics:
5 May - 1883 - 20 August - 1942 - Austrian - Jewish - Chess

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rudolf Spielmann, "The master of attack", was also know as the "last romantic". His daredevil play was full of sacrifices, brillancies and beautiful ideas.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Despite a strong opposition at that time with players like Alekhine, Capablanca, Emanuel Lasker, Tarrasch, Rubinstein, Nimzowitsch, and Tartakower, Spielmann managed to score well in numerous tournaments, winning 33 of the roughly 120 in which he played, for example:

Related Topics:
Alekhine - Capablanca - Emanuel Lasker - Tarrasch - Rubinstein - Nimzowitsch - Tartakower

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• 1st (Bad Pistyan, 1912)
• 1st (Stockholm, 1919)
• 1st (Bad Pistyan, 1922)
• 1st (Semmering, 1926)

He is also remembered today as the author of the classic book The Art of Sacrifice in Chess.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As a Jew, Spielmann had to flee from the Nazis, escaping to Sweden. He died in Stockholm in great poverty.

Related Topics:
Nazis - Sweden - Stockholm

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Spielmann was one of a handful of players to win more than one game against Capablanca, and was one of an even smaller number to have an even score (+2 =8 -2) against him. Both of Spielmann's wins came shortly after Alekhine dethroned Capablanca as World Champion in 1927: at Bad Kissingen 1928 and Karlsbad 1929. Among leading players, only Keres (+1 =5 -0) had as good or better a score against Capablanca. Here is one of Spielmann's wins:

Related Topics:
Capablanca - Alekhine - World Champion - Bad Kissingen - 1928 - Karlsbad - 1929 - Keres

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Capablanca-Spielmann, Bad Kissingen 1928 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

5.e3 b5 6.a4 b4 7.Na2 e6 8.Bxc4 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.b3 c5 11.Bb2 Bb7 12.Nc1 Nc6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

13.dxc5 Na5 14.Ne5 Nxc4 15.Nxc4 Bxc5 16.Nd3 Qd5 17.Nf4 Qg5 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Rc1 Rfd8 20.Qh5 Rac8 21.Rfd1 g6 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.Qe5 Be7 24.h3 Rc5 25.Qa1 Bf6 26.Rd1 Rd5 27.Rxd5 exd5 28.Ne5 Qd6 29.Nfd3 Ba6 30.Qe1 Bxe5 31.Nxe5 Qxe5 32.Qxb4 Bd3

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

33.Qc5 Qb8 34.b4 Qb7 35.b5 h5 36.Qc3 Bc4 37.e4 Qe7 38.exd5 Bxd5 39.a5 Qe4 0-1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
Rudolf Spielmann: See also ►