The 26th edition of Italy's New Year tournament drew a field spanning three chess generations — former World Champion Boris Spassky, England's John Nunn, and a wave of younger professionals. It was 24-year-old Karel Mokrý of Czechoslovakia who threaded through them all unbeaten, taking clear first with 8/11 in the season that brought him the grandmaster title.
Italy's New Year fixture
Reggio Emilia's Torneo di Capodanno — the New Year's tournament — was Italy's oldest and most renowned chess event, established as an annual fixture by grandmaster Enrico Paoli in 1958 and traditionally running from just after Christmas to the day of Epiphany. The 26th edition assembled grandmasters Boris Spassky — the former world champion, by then representing France — John Nunn, Krunoslav Hulak, and Milan Vukić alongside Italy's leading masters Stefano Tatai, Bela Tóth, and Alvise Zichichi, with Australia's Ian Rogers, America's Edward Formanek, Tunisia's Slim Bouaziz, and Switzerland's Fernand Gobet completing the twelve.
Mokrý threads the field
Karel Mokrý won five games and drew six to finish on 8/11, unbeaten and half a point clear of Krunoslav Hulak and Stefano Tatai on 7½. Ian Rogers took fourth on 6½, while Spassky, Nunn, and Vukić shared fifth on 6 — Spassky conceding eight draws and losing only once.
For Mokrý the victory stood among the first of a string of international successes — Copenhagen 1985, Malmö 1986, Vienna and Trnava 1988 followed — and FIDE awarded him the grandmaster title in 1984. He went on to represent Czechoslovakia at the 1984 and 1986 Olympiads and, much later, to run a well-known chess bookshop.
Final standings
| # | Player | Score | Record | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mokry, Karel | 8/11 | +5 -0 =6 | games |
| =2 | Tatai, Stefano | 7½/11 | +6 -2 =3 | games |
| =2 | Hulak, Krunoslav | 7½/11 | +4 -0 =7 | games |
| 4 | Rogers, Ian | 6½/11 | +3 -1 =7 | games |
| =5 | Nunn, John DM | 6/11 | +3 -2 =6 | games |
| =5 | Vukic, Milan | 6/11 | +3 -2 =6 | games |
| =5 | Spassky, Boris Vasilievich | 6/11 | +2 -1 =8 | games |
| 8 | Toth, Bela | 5/11 | +2 -3 =6 | games |
| 9 | Zichichi, Alvise | 4½/11 | +2 -4 =5 | games |
| 10 | Bouaziz, Slim | 4/11 | +1 -4 =6 | games |
| =11 | Gobet, Fernand | 2½/11 | +1 -7 =3 | games |
| =11 | Formanek, Edward W | 2½/11 | +0 -6 =5 | games |
Cross Table
| Rank | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mokry, Karel | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | Tatai, Stefano | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 3 | Hulak, Krunoslav | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 4 | Rogers, Ian | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | |
| 5 | Nunn, John DM | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 6 | Vukic, Milan | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | |
| 7 | Spassky, Boris Vasilievich | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | |
| 8 | Toth, Bela | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | |
| 9 | Zichichi, Alvise | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 | Bouaziz, Slim | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
| 11 | Gobet, Fernand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | |
| 12 | Formanek, Edward W | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ |
Each cell shows the row player's recorded results against the column player. ● = same player.