Salzburg 1943

Keres finally draws level with Alekhine
9–19 June 1943 · Salzburg, Austria
Shared first (Alekhine, Keres) — 7½/10
Event Index 30 GAMES

A year after the first Salzburg grandmasters' event, the same wartime series returned with another six-player double round-robin. This time Paul Keres caught World Champion Alexander Alekhine — both finished undefeated on 7½/10 to share first place, ending a run in which Keres had trailed the champion into second at Salzburg 1942, Munich 1942 and Prague earlier in 1943.

The series continues

Salzburg 1943 was the sequel to the previous year's grandmasters' meeting, again gathering six players for a full double round-robin over ten rounds. Alekhine, Keres, Paul Felix Schmidt and Efim Bogoljubow returned from 1942, while Jan Foltys and Ludwig Rellstab came in for Gösta Stoltz and Klaus Junge.

A shared first

Both leaders went through all ten rounds without defeat and finished level on 7½ — the first time in their wartime meetings that Keres matched Alekhine rather than finishing a step behind him.

The rest of the field was left far in their wake: Schmidt took third on 4½, followed by Bogoljubow (4), Foltys (3½) and Rellstab (3).

Final standings

7½/10
Shared first (Alekhine, Keres) — 7½/10
# Player Score Record
=1 Alekhine, Alexander 7½/10 +5 -0 =5 games
=1 Keres, Paul 7½/10 +5 -0 =5 games
3 Schmidt, Paul Felix 4½/10 +2 -3 =5 games
4 Bogoljubov, Efim 4/10 +2 -4 =4 games
5 Foltys, Jan 3½/10 +1 -4 =5 games
6 Rellstab, Ludwig Sr 3/10 +1 -5 =4 games

Cross Table

Player 123456
1 Alekhine, Alexander ½½ 1½ ½1 ½1 11
2 Keres, Paul ½½ ½1 11 ½1 1½
3 Schmidt, Paul Felix 0½ ½0 10 ½½ 1½
4 Bogoljubov, Efim ½0 00 01 1½ ½½
5 Foltys, Jan ½0 ½0 ½½ 0½ 10
6 Rellstab, Ludwig Sr 00 0½ 0½ ½½ 01

Each cell shows the row player's recorded results against the column player. ● = same player.

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