The Three Swedish Musketeers
Stahlberg, Stoltz, and Lundin, were called “The Three Swedish Musketeers"! They made their names as world players at the Olympic Games at Folkstone 1933 and Warsaw 1935 where Sweden took the third and second place respectively.
The Swedish Grandmaster Gideon Stahlberg (1908-67) is one of Sweden's strongest players ever. In 1939 the Olympic Games were held in Buenos Aires, and the war broke out while the tournament was still going on. Most of the players managed to get home, but Stahlberg was invited to stay, and he would probably have stayed for ever if, in 1948, he had not been summoned back by the Swedish Chess Federation.
His greatest successes came in the 1930's with a match victory over Aaron
Nimzowitsch, but his best year was 1947, when in the Buenos Aires tournament he scored 88% against strong competition. He has the record of 11 consecutive championships. Following the war, he placed seventh in the Budapest Candidates Tournament in 1950, the year he was awarded the grandmaster title. He also qualified for the super famous tournament Candidates in 1953, but finished in last place.
Erik Lundin was born on the 2nd of July 1904 in Stockholm, Sweden. Awarded the IM title in 1950 and an Emeritus GM title in 1983 he was Nordic Champion in 1936 and 1939. He also won the Swedish Championship on ten occasions! 1932, 1934, 1938, 1941, 1942, 1945, 1946, 1960, 1961 and 1964! Also between 1932 and 1960 he played on nine Swedish Olympiad teams!
Lundin is widely credited for introducing the Benko Gambit into tournament play, later revitalized by Pal Benko.
Goesta Stoltz was born on the 9th of May 1904 in Stockholm, Sweden. Awarded the IM title in 1950 and the GM title in 1954 he was Swedish Champion in 1927, 1928, 1951, 1952, 1953! and also joint Nordic Champion in 1947. He played for Sweden in nine Olympiads from 1927 to 1954. In the 1930's he was the equal of Aaron Nimzowitsch, Rudolf Spielmann, Isaac Kashdan and Salomon Flohr in short matches. He was an automobile mechanic, but eventually became a full time chess professional.
They were the best players in Sweden until the world met… Ulf Andersson.
