T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

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Kevin Thurlow
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T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Mar 30, 2021 2:57 pm

I was pondering Van Scheltinga the other day and recalled he had drawn with Alekhine once, so had a look at Chessbase, and found this. Apologies, but pgn tags are beyond me... Anyway, I was struck by the annotation, partly as Chessbase actually acknowledged the author, but more from the text. Does anyone have more info on this? I guess TVS should have just calmly made a move and gone for a walk.

Van Scheltinga,Theo D - Alekhine,Alexander [D22]
Olympiad–08 Final A Buenos Aires (2), 02.09.1939

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 a6 4.e3 Bg4 5.Bxc4 e6 6.Qb3 Bxf3 7.gxf3 b5 8.Be2 c5 9.a4 b4 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Nd2 Nf6 12.Qc4 Nbd7 13.Nb3 Be7 14.e4 0–0 15.Be3 Qb8 16.Rc1 Bd6 17.Na5 Ne5 18.Qd4 Bc7 19.Nc6 Nxc6 20.Rxc6 a5 21.Qc5 Bf4 22.Rg1 g6 23.Bxf4 Qxf4 24.Qg5 Qxh2 25.Rg2 Qh3 26.Rg3 Nxe4 27.fxe4 Qh1+ 28.Rg1 Qxe4 29.Rc4 Qb1+ 30.Qc1 Qf5 31.Rh1 Rfd8 32.Kf1 Qe5 33.Qh6 Qg7 34.Rch4 Qxh6 35.Rxh6 Rac8 36.Rxh7 Rc1+ 37.Kg2 Rxh1 38.Rxh1 Rd2 39.Bb5 Rxb2 40.Rd1 Rc2 41.Rd8+ Kg7 42.Kf3 f5 43.Ke3 g5 44.Ra8 b3 45.Bd3 f4+ 46.Kf3 g4+ 47.Kxg4 Rxf2 48.Kg5 Kf7 49.Ra7+ Kg8 50.Rxa5 f3 51.Rb5 Rb2 52.Kf4 f2 53.Kf3 Ra2 54.Rxb3 Rxa4 55.Kxf2 Ra2+ [After making this move Alekhine said loudly: "draw it is!", immediately signed the scoresheet and left the playing hall. The World Champion's prestige was huge and his young opponent had nothing left to do other than accepting Alekhine's harsh proposal. In today's world Alekhine would most probably be forfeited, nevermind his title. / W.Bartelski/]

½–½

Mick Norris
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Mick Norris » Tue Mar 30, 2021 2:58 pm

Any postings on here represent my personal views

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Mar 30, 2021 3:19 pm

Thanks Mick!

Mike Alderson
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Mike Alderson » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:07 pm

He wouldn't have got away with that against Keith...

Tim Harding
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Tim Harding » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:20 pm

This incident is not remarked upon in Skinner and Verhoeven's collection of Alekhine's games (page 646 game 2236) but the editors provide the following sources, the second of which (at least) some Forumite might be able to check. The Dutch source, however, might be the most informative?

Tijdschrift van den Nederlandschen Schaakbond 1939 pages 350-352

Chess 1940 (volume 5, pages 93-94)

Buenos AIres 1939, page 47

I don't know what that third source is; it is not listed in the Betts bibliography of chess works in English so perhaps it was an Argentinian book or bulletin?
Tim Harding
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Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
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Leonard Barden
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Leonard Barden » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:13 pm

Tim Harding wrote:
Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:20 pm

Buenos AIres 1939, page 47

I don't know what that third source is; it is not listed in the Betts bibliography of chess works in English so perhaps it was an Argentinian book or bulletin?
Decades ago when I had a chess library I had a copy of the book of Buenos Aires 1939. I think it was in Spanish, possibly by Lachaga, and probably not much more than bare game scores, so I doubt if it would help.

James Pratt
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by James Pratt » Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:38 am

I think the book might be a Chess Player from Tony Gillam's stable.

Hans Renette
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Hans Renette » Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:46 pm

No details about any irregularity at the finish of this game was mentioned either in the Tijdschrift van den Nederlandschen Schaakbond, nor in game analysis published in leading newspapers as De Telegraaf or the Algemeen Handelsblad.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: T Van Scheltinga vs A Alekhine

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat Apr 03, 2021 1:08 pm

"No details about any irregularity at the finish of this game was mentioned either in the Tijdschrift van den Nederlandschen Schaakbond, nor in game analysis published in leading newspapers as De Telegraaf or the Algemeen Handelsblad."

Thanks - I would think the Dutch Federation and newspapers would comment unfavourably if it had happened, even though there were more important matters occurring at the time.

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