International Tournaments

International Tournaments (1922 - 1953)


Two Great Presidents << >> The Golden Nagler Years
1922	Alexander Alekhine plays simultaneously on 25 boards, only losing to Otto Zimmermann, Henry Grob, and Dr. Emanuel Müller (SSV president and future SG Zurich president).
1925	The 25th Swiss Chess Championship at the Waldhaus Dolder is the strongest tournament to date and marks the 100th anniversary of the Baden gathering held in 1825. Paul Johner (Image left) is enticed back from Berlin with a special fee and representing the Schachgesellschaft Zürich nets a clear victory, winning 10 out of 11 points. Founded the previous year, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) holds its first assembly of delegates in Zurich alongside the tournament. September sees future World Champion Alexander Alekhine play simultaneously on 31 boards, conceding just two games. Those defeated include masters such as Hans Johner and Henry Grob!
1928	Efim Bogoljubow, challenger for the World Championship, takes on the role of Club trainer for a week and plays many individual, simultaneous, and consultation games.
1929	The Winter Tournament of 1929/30 is advertised as a City Championship (for the first time), with the best players from all the clubs being eligible to participate. Otto Zimmermann takes the title, ahead of Hans Johner and Walter Henneberger
1931	Aaron Nimzowitsch is invited to the club to mark the end of his stay in Switzerland. He delights the Zurich club with his wit and chess skills.
1934	The club celebrates its 125th anniversary with the tournament to beat all tournaments. The 37th Swiss and International Chess Championship welcomes big names such as Alekhine, Lasker, Euwe, Flohr, Nimzowitsch, Bogoljubow, and Bernstein, making it a key milestone in chess history. The tournament, of a magnitude never before seen in the history of Swiss chess, is immortalised in an impressive tournament book featuring analyses from World Champion and tournament winner Alexander Alekhine and humorous daily reports from Fritz Gygli.
1939	A tournament held in the memory of famous painter and former president Fritz Widmann attracts many big-name players and is won by Hans Johner, ahead of Henry Grob and Prof. Oskar Naegeli.
1940	The Swiss Chess Tournament is cancelled due to the outbreak of war. The Chess Club organizes a head-to-head match between Swiss champions Grob and Johner in its place, with the final result a 5:5 draw.
1942	The Swiss Championship takes place in various Swiss cities over the first few days of the new year. The final rounds are hosted by the Zurich Chess Club, with the title going to SG Zurich member Fritz Gygli.
1946	A five-master tournament in Zurich is won by Bogoljubow, ahead of Grob and Dr. Adolf Staehelin.
1950	Hans Johner, the Club's foremostplayer for many years, wins his twelfth and last championship title in Lucerne.
1952	The 53rd Swiss Chess Championship is hosted by the Chess Club and once again has an international dimension. Erik Lundin from Sweden takes the title, ahead of Martin Christoffel and former World Champion Dr. Max Euwe.
Two Great Presidents << >> The Golden Nagler Years