Der Vierzehnte Kongress des Deutschen Schachbundes. Coburg 1904

viii+144 pages with diagrams and tables. Octavo (8 1/4" x 5 1/2") bound in blue stiff boards. (Bibliotheca van der Linde-Niemeijeriana: 5267). First edition.

For the second time Carl Schlechter shared a first prize in a German competition. A strong pre-tournament favorite, the Austrian visitor began well with three out of four points but then allowed to many draws to overcome a sixth-round defeat to Rudolf Swiderski. Among the costly "Remis" were uninspired draws against the 10th-12th place finishers. Leo Fleischmann, Horatio Caro and Walter John, and a last-round draw against his old Graz nemesis, Johann Berger. Another vital half-point went a glimmering in the tenth round when Schlechter, after brilliantly outplaying Os Bernstein, unaccountably overlooked a clear win and allowed the young Russian to escape with a perpetual check. Swiderski (+6 -3 =3), one of two other first-place winners, enjoyed a fine tournament, defeating both Schlechter and Curt von Bardeleben to finish the tourney with the most wins. Sharing top prize with Schlechter and Swiderski was the well groomed Berlin Master Bardeleben (+5 -2 +5), whose two losses came at the hands of the co-winners. The inordinately large number of draws (40 out of 78 games!) prompted criticism about the lack of fighting spirit at Coburg. The "Hauptturnier A" at Coburg featured a number of soon-to-be well-known masters: co-winners Neumann and Vidmar (Neumann won the playoff, +2, -1 =2), followed by Duras, Spielmann and Nimzovitch. "Hauptturnier B" winner was Fahrni, and "Haptturnier C" saw Przepoiorka emerge the victor.

Condition:

Rebound in stiff blue boards with some toning to the edges, corners bumped else a very good copy