An Tostal (part II)

Here is the second installment on my look back at Cork's first international chess tournament. It's a difficult decision whether to edit contemporary reports of events or not. There's not much point unless you can add something to the original, in this installment I cannot. In future to distinguish my input (which will be little) I will place it in italics.

Just a piece of little known, maybe useless, information - Theo Van Scheltinga was Max Euwe's second during the 1948 World Championship tournament.

Round one Thursday 12th May
One of the finest games in the masters section was that between J. Reid (Munster and former Irish champion) and D.J. O’Sullivan. Reid handled the Sicilian with great skill, sacrificed a pawn on the 11th move and developed an attack on Black’s uncastled king. Threatened with unavoidable mate, Black resigned on the 32nd move.
Another ex Irish champion E.N. Mulcahy played a King’s Indian, lost two pawns to a neat combination by the English player, B.H. Wood and promptly resigned.
Count O’Kelly de Galway defeated J.J. Walsh (Leinster) in a King’s Indian defence.
Adjourned – T. Van Scheltinga (Holland) v. Dr. Bernstein (France) – in a rook and pawn ending where van Scheltinga has a slight initiative.

Round two Friday 13 May
Last year’s winner Count O’Kelly gave an impressive display of positional chess in defeating D.J. O’Sullivan (Leinster) in 31 moves of a Reti opening when the Tostal chess tournament was continued at Cork last night.
After an early exchange of queens O’Kelly launched a Q-side attack and gained a pawn on move 27. O’Sullivan blundered in a lost position and resigned on move 32.
B.H. Wood (England) had his second win defeating J. Reid (Munster) in a Bird’s opening. In a strong Q-side attack he won a pawn on move 25, forcing his opponents resignation on move 33.
Dr. Bernstein defended with the Slav Defence against E.N. Mulcahy, Queens were exchanged on move 16 and Bernstein by advancing in the centre obtained a passed pawn. Mulcahy counter-attacked on move 34 to liquidate the centre. The game is adjourned in an apparently even position.
Also adjourned is the game J.J. Walsh-van Scheltinga – van Scheltinga have the slight advantage of the two bishops in a minor piece ending.
Present scores – O’Kelly and Wood 2 points, Reid 1 point, van Scheltinga and Bernstein ½, O’Sullivan, Mulcahy, Walsh 0.





That's all for today folks!