Ten of Germany and Central Europe's leading masters met at the Kurhaus in Bad Nauheim in August 1935, one of a string of tournaments the Großdeutscher Schachbund staged that year to sharpen German talent ahead of the following summer's Munich team event. Twice a world-championship challenger, Efim Bogoljubow proved the class of the field, winning with 6/9 and holding off a shared second between the German attacker Ludwig Engels and the young Austrian Erich Eliskases, both a half point back.
A German-organized field
The ten-player field, assembled under the auspices of the Großdeutscher Schachbund as part of Germany's build-up to the following summer's Munich team tournament, mixed home talent with international guests: the German attacking players Ludwig Engels, Kurt Richter and Ludwig Rödl, the Czech veteran Karel Opočenský, Sweden's Gösta Stoltz, Denmark's Erik Andersen, Switzerland's Henry Grob, and the Austrian Erich Eliskases, alongside Germany's Carl Ahues and the tournament's eventual winner, Efim Bogoljubow.
Bogoljubow confirms his class
Bogoljubow, twice a challenger for the world championship against Alexander Alekhine in 1929 and 1934, needed the full nine rounds to establish his authority, finishing on 6/9. Engels and Eliskases shared second on 5½, Opočenský was fourth on 5, and Stoltz and Ahues divided fifth-sixth on 4½. It was a result in keeping with Bogoljubow's standing as one of the strongest players of the interwar years never to hold the world title.
Final standings
| # | Player | Score | Record | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bogoljubov, Efim | 6/9 | +4 -1 =4 | games |
| =2 | Engels, Ludwig | 5½/9 | +5 -3 =1 | games |
| =2 | Eliskases, Erich Gottlieb | 5½/9 | +4 -2 =3 | games |
| 4 | Opocensky, Karel | 5/9 | +2 -1 =6 | games |
| =5 | Stoltz, Gosta | 4½/9 | +4 -4 =1 | games |
| =5 | Ahues, Carl Oscar | 4½/9 | +3 -3 =3 | games |
| 7 | Richter, Kurt Paul | 4/9 | +2 -3 =4 | games |
| =8 | Andersen, Erik Sr | 3½/9 | +2 -4 =3 | games |
| =8 | Roedl, Ludwig | 3½/9 | +2 -4 =3 | games |
| 10 | Grob, Henry | 3/9 | +2 -5 =2 | games |
Cross Table
| Rank | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bogoljubov, Efim | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | |
| 2 | Engels, Ludwig | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 3 | Eliskases, Erich Gottlieb | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 4 | Opocensky, Karel | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 5 | Stoltz, Gosta | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 6 | Ahues, Carl Oscar | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 7 | Richter, Kurt Paul | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
| 8 | Andersen, Erik Sr | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | |
| 9 | Roedl, Ludwig | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | |
| 10 | Grob, Henry | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 |
Each cell shows the row player's recorded results against the column player. ● = same player.