Carl Schlechter - Some Games Chosen Just Because I Like Them. Part Three.
Morning Everyone, I am back with the third and final part of my quick look at Schlechter, with some more images that you won't find elsewhere on the internet.
My Friend @RoaringPawn was kind enough to send me a slightly edited translation of the introduction to a Soviet - Fizkultura Y Sport - ( other transliterations are available!) book about Schlechter. The author was L.S. Verkhovsky, and the introduction is by Lev Polugaevsky. Many thanks mate!
''Chess history is rich in the centuries-old traditions, famous chroniclers, and celebrated heroes. Philidor, Anderssen, Morphy, Capablanca. The names that entered the legends during their lifetime already. But not to all chess greats the fate was so kind. There are players about whom very little has been written and whose creative biography was more of a blank spot on the map of chess history. And that's been the case not only with chess. The phenomenon can be seen in other areas of art, for example in painting and music, when some great masters have received recognition only years after their death.
In chess, such fate befell the Austrian Grandmaster Schlechter who lived at the turn of XIX and XX century. I think time will correct that mistake.
Why has there been written so little about him? Now we can only guess about it. In those years they more appreciated the brilliance of style, the beauty of combinations and chess attacking skills. At the same time, such elements as strategy and manoeuvring, that markedly differentiated Schlechter's style from others, only began to crystallize from the legacy of chess romanticism.
Probably that must have been why Schlechter, who, in addition, they called the Drawing Master for his peacefulness, appeared to his contemporaries as a colourless player. But chess history bears witness there has been no case where a colourless player would get to fight for the World Championship title.
It is inconceivable that someone plays in a World Championship match by accident!
It is perfectly obvious that the contemporaries didn't fully appreciate his merits. I think the assessment of Schlechter's creative output does not create any doubt. He is one of the brightest figures in the history of chess, beyond dispute.
Schlechter left a rich chess legacy. He went into history as an outstanding player of the positional style, as a subtle strategist, as an analyst who introduced many important ideas into the opening theory that are quite consonant with our time.
It is exactly these qualities characterizing Schlechter style that ultimately gave him the special place amongst the most remarkable chess players of the world.''
So, my final brief selection of games. I hope you enjoy them.
In the comments to part two, the following game was suggested, so I made room for it here - always glad to do requests!!
A couple of games from Hamburg 1910.
Picture - as with the others here marked W.S. from Wiener Schachzeitung, 1910.
Off the top of my head, I think that the following game was the debut of this young man in a major international tournament.
Picture from Tidskrift for Schack no. 7. 1912.
I can think of less challenging introductions to the top flight than Black against Schlechter!!
Surprisingly, whilst looking for material, I spotted that the following game can be found on Youtube!! Obviously I am not the only one who likes it. There is something very characteristically Schlechter about it.
The following is one of the greatest games ever played in a World Championship match. It has been annotated many times, including in the wonderful article on the match by my friend @ddtru
https://www.chess.com/blog/ddtru/lasker-vs-schlechter-world-chess-championship-1910
I have decided just to do some notes of my own, rather than quote from others, but there is plenty about if you want to go and look for it.
W.S. Left of picture is Thirring - loser of a game given earlier in this series.
Oldrich Duras, from W.S. A fascinating chess player and figure in his own right.
W.S.
