The Book of the LONDON International Chess Congress 1922 Add to Watch List Watching View Watchlist >

Dover Publications, New York, 1968, a republication of the work printed in 1924, paperback, 126 pp, 195 grams, condition: good, 4 stamps from a chess club (see last photo).

"The British Chess Federation called for an international tournament that was to be the main event of its 1922 congress. The field it assembled was impressive. There were the World Champion, Capablanca, and the day’s other leading lights who, sooner or later, were to become rightful contenders to the crown: Alexander Alekhine, Akiba Rubinstein, Efim Bogoljubov, Richard Reti, Savielly Tartakover, Milan Vidmar, and Machgielis Euwe.  Rounding the list were the current British Champion Frederick David Yates, Australian Champion Charles Gilbert Watson, Italian Champion Davide Marotti, Canadian Champion John Morrison, British master Henry Ernest Atkins, and Russian Master Eugene Znosko-Borovsky.  

Writing for The Times on the eve of the tournament, Capablanca assessed the chances of the participants. "To my mind," he wrote, "there are four candidates for the first two prizes – namely, Rubinstein, Bogoljubow, Alekhine and Réti."  Reflecting on his own, he remarked: As to my own personal chances, I will say that I feel confident of not finishing worse than third or fourth. While Capablanca was quite modest, he never left any doubt about his superiority. He gained one victory after another with ease and scored 11 victories and four draws in 15 rounds as the runaway winner. Alekhine placed second, 1.5 points behind. Vidmar came third, Rubinstein fourth, and Bogoljubov fifth."