Budapest tournament, Round 7: Spielmann now alone in front

Rudolf Spielmann, playing powerful attacking chess, defeated Karoly Sterk in 26 moves to claim the sole lead after the seventh round of the Austro-Hungarian Championship tournament in Budapest.  Spielmann, with 5 points, has now scored three successive victories and stands one full point ahead of a group of five players with 4 points: Lajos Asztalos, Leo Forgacs, Saviely Tartakower, Zoltan von Balla, and Gyula Breyer.  Each of the above-named, including the leader, has one free day remaining on his program, owing either to the bye or to an originally-scheduled pairing against Jeno Szekely, who has withdrawn from the event.  

Breyer recorded the day's only other victory, besting Milan Vidmar in 24 moves.  The games Brody-Barasz, Forgacs-Asztalos, and Marco-Tartakower were drawn.  Reti and von Balla were free.

Scores after 7 rounds:  Spielmann* 5; Asztalos*, Forgacs*, Tartalower*, v. Balla*, Breyer* 4; Marco* 3; Vidmar** 2 1/2; Brody* 2; Reti 1 1/2; Barasz*, Sterk* 1.    *The number of asterisks following a surname indicates the number of free days for that player over the remainder of the tournament.  Vidmar, for example, will be free during two of the remaining six rounds; Reti, none.

The scores of the wins by Spielmann and Breyer have been sent from Budapest, and should delight those readers who prefer short and decisive chess battles.  Here the new tourney leader essays the Scotch Game against Sterk, the game transposing to the Hungarian Defense after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 d6 4.Bc4 Be7.  Spielmann, playing with great verve, takes masterful advantage of his opponent's laggard development and repeated Queen displacements, sacrificing a piece on his 21st turn to inaugurate an overwhelming attack against the Black King, which remains on its original square throughout the contest.  The game as a whole is a most worthy addition to Spielmann's already large collection of smashing victories.

 

Breyer scored a relatively easy victory against Vidmar's Open Defense to the Ruy Lopez, taking instant advantage of Black's error on the 22nd move, which left the Knight on g4 with no means of retreat.