Zurich 1961

The Schachgesellschaft Zürich — the oldest chess club in the world, founded in 1809 — brought a strong international field to Switzerland in the early summer of 1961. It became a triumph for two Soviet greats: Paul Keres took first with 9/11, playing what admirers called some of the most beautiful chess of the event, a half-point ahead of the future World Champion Tigran Petrosian.

◇An international field in Zürich

The Zürich club had a long tradition of hosting elite events — most famously the 1953 Candidates Tournament — and its 1961 international drew a twelve-player field mixing Soviet stars with leading Western masters and the cream of Swiss chess. Keres and Petrosian headed the entry; Svetozar Gligorić, the American William Lombardy, Bent Larsen, Lothar Schmid, and Milan Matulović filled out the international contingent, with Swiss players Dieter Keller, Josef Kupper, Edgar Walther, Edwin Bhend, and Martin Christoffel completing the round-robin.

It was, in effect, a duel between the two Soviet entrants and the field. Neither Keres nor Petrosian could be caught by the rest, and the tournament turned into a private race between them.

◇Keres beautiful, Petrosian close behind

Keres, then in his mid-forties and still one of the very strongest players alive, won with 9/11, playing the clear, elegant chess he was known for. Petrosian, two years before he won the world title in 1963, finished half a point back on 8½. Gligorić was clear third on 7.

For Keres the victory was another sign of how consistently he stayed near the top. He beat every World Champion from Capablanca to Fischer, and is still remembered as the greatest player never to hold the title.

“Keres, playing beautiful chess, came first with 9.”