


St. Petersburg 1914 was a landmark in the history of chess, because three players performed at the level of the present top twenty. They were world champion Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine.
Based on what did they perform at the level of the present top twenty? That's a bit difficult to measure.
Yes. it is even impossible to compare levels a hundred years apart, but a few suggestions are made, e.g. in the book The Even More Complete Chess Addict : Lasker 2745, Capablanca 2765 and Alekhine 2735, average 2748,3 means a comparable tournament category at least 20 (2725-2750).
When we forget about Carlsen, the other top twenty are approx 2765 ( say between 2740 and 2790), or category 21 (2750-2775)
Taken into account the changes in the rating-levels in 100 years, and the number of Grandmasters as well, the remark "performing at the level of the present top twenty" is in my opinion correct.
This all is subjective and there is no claim to statistical accuracy.
For your info: in January 1987 only nine players were above 2610; in January 1993 forty-five !
this is a very nice thread rishi9...continue creating threads similar to this one ...nice historical background...kinda like "Batgirl" approach. thanks for posting.
Yes. it is even impossible to compare levels a hundred years apart, but a few suggestions are made, e.g. in the book The Even More Complete Chess Addict : Lasker 2745, Capablanca 2765 and Alekhine 2735, average 2748,3 means a comparable tournament category at least 20 (2725-2750).
When we forget about Carlsen, the other top twenty are approx 2765 ( say between 2740 and 2790), or category 21 (2750-2775)
Taken into account the changes in the rating-levels in 100 years, and the number of Grandmasters as well, the remark "performing at the level of the present top twenty" is in my opinion correct.
This all is subjective and there is no claim to statistical accuracy.
For your info: in January 1987 only nine players were above 2610; in January 1993 forty-five !
Even if one would say that The Even More Complete Chess Addict was right in for example suggesting Alekhine as rated 2735, it is difficult to say anything about how he performed in S:t Petersburg 1914 (where he scored +0 -4 =2 against Lasker and Capablanca, and drew with white against Blackburne and Janowski, but otherwise did quite well).
Chessmetrics rank Rubinstein as World #1 during the tournament, but that doesn't mean that one can add him to the three lower ranked players and say that four players performed at current top 20 level. Stating at what level some players performed in a tournament 100 years ago is even more difficult than comparing their playing strength with the current top players.
It was a great tournament, but I don't think one can say with any amount of certainty that it was a landmark because Alekhine played better than Radjabov does today.
We are celebrating 100th anniversary of St Petersburg 1914 tournament. The main event lasted from 21 April to 22 May 1914.
St. Petersburg 1914 was a landmark in the history of chess, because three players performed at the level of the present top twenty. They were world champion Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine.
The invitation procedure was remarkable. A list of twenty-four ‘grandmasters’ of chess was made. Anderssen, Charousek, Chigorin, Kolisch, Mackenzie, Pillsbury, Steinitz and Zukertort had died. The rest plus the two winners of an All Russian Tournament were invited. Burn, Teichmann, Weiss and Winawer declined for reasons, such as old age. Duras, Maróczy and Schlechter could not accept due to tensions of Russia with Austria-Hungary.
Eleven players accepted: young Alekhine, Bernstein, old Blackburne, Capablanca, old Gunsberg, Janowsky, Lasker, Marshall, Nimzowitsch, Rubinstein and Tarrasch.
The players got an excellent compensation for their expenses. Lasker got an additional 4500 Rubles for his first tournament in five years. Capablanca was well paid as well.
Prizes or money for draws and wins had to be earned.
The games were played at the club house Liteiny Prospekt 10 from 21 iv - 22 v 1914 in the afternoon and evening. The tempo was 30 moves in 2 hours, followed by 22 in 1½ hours and 15 per hour for the rest of the game. The tournament started with all-play-all preliminaries. Five players qualified for the doubled rounded finals. The great surprise was the elimination of Rubinstein.
The tournament celebrated the 10th anniversary of the St. Petersburg Chess Society. The elite of the city was present on a grand banquet at the end of the preliminaries. Sergei Prokofiev gave a piano recital.