Gösta Stoltz

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Gösta Stoltz (born 9 May 1904 – died 25 July 1963) – a Swedish chess grandmaster.

[edit] Biography

Stoltz played a few matches with strong chess masters. In 1926, he lost to Mikhail Botvinnik (+0 –1 =1) at a team match Stockholm – Leningrad in Stockholm. In 1927, he drew with Allan Nilsson (+2 –2 =1) in Göteborg (SWE-ch). In 1930, he won against Isaac Kashdan (+3 –2 =1) in Stockholm. In 1930, he lost to Rudolf Spielmann (+2–3=1) in Stockholm. In 1931, he won against Salo Flohr (+4 –3 =1) in Göteborg. In 1931, he lost to Flohr (+1 –4 =3) in Prague. In 1931, he drew with Gideon Ståhlberg (+2 –2 =2) in Göteborg. In 1934, he lost to Aron Nimzowitsch (+1 –2 =3) in Stockholm. In September 1935, he played at a match Sweden vs Germany (Scheveningen system), and took 2nd individual result, behind Ståhlberg, in Zoppot (Sopot).

Stoltz played for Sweden in nine Chess Olympiads (1927–1937, 1952,1954) and at unofficial Olympiad in Munich in 1936. He played at fourth board (+5 -5 =5) at the 1st Olympiad in London in 1927 ; first board (+6 -5 =5) at the 2nd Olympiad in The Hague in 1928 ; third board (+7 -4 =6) at the 3rd Olympiad in Hamburg in 1930. He won individual gold medal at second board (+10 -1 =7) at the 4th Olympiad in Prague in 1931. He won team bronze medal playing at second board (+5 -3 =6) at the 5th Olympiad in Folkestone in 1933. He won team silver medal and individual bronze medal playing at second board (+8 -3 =8) at the 6th Olympiad in Warsaw in 1935. He played at third board (+8 -4 =7) at Munich 1936. He played at third board (+2 -7 =3) at the 7th Olympiad in Stockholm in 1937; at second board (+3 -3 =4) at the 10th Olympiad in Helsinki in 1952, and at third board (+0 -0 =2) at the 11th Olympiad in Amsterdam in 1954.

At the beginning of his international career, Stoltz tied for 11-13th in Berlin (BSG) in 1928. The event was won by Efim Bogoljubow. In 1930, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Bogoljubow, behind Kashdan, in Stockholm. In 1931, he tied for 4-7th in Bled (Alexander Alekhine won). In 1931/32, he tied for 5-8th in Hastings (Flohr won). In 1932, he won in Swinemünde. In 1933, he took 2nd, behind Nimzowitsch, in Copenhagen. In 1934, he took 3rd in Stockholm (Erik Lundin won). In 1935, he tied for 1st with Lindberg in Harnosand. In 1935, he took 4th in Örebro (Alekhine won). In 1935, he tied for 5-6th in Bad Nauheim (Bogoljubow won). In 1936, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Böök, behind Vladimirs Petrovs in Helsinki (Helsingfors). In 1936, he took 3rd in Helsinki (Lundin won). In 1937, he tied for 3rd-4th in Stockholm (Reuben Fine won). In 1938, he won in Stockholm (SWE-ch). In 1939, he took 5th in Stockholm (SWE-ch won by Stahlberg)

During WW II, Stoltz played in Sweden and Germany. In 1940, he tied for 4-5th in the Stockholm championship, won by Nils Bergqvist). In September 1941, he won, ahead of Lundin and Alekhine, in Munich (München – 2nd Europa-Turnier). In June 1942, he took 6th in Salzburg (Alekhine won). In September 1942, he tied for 9-10th in Munich (München – Europameisterschaft, 1st European Championship). The event was won by Alexander Alekhine. In 1943, he tied for 1st with Lundholm in Stockholm. In 1943/44, he took 4 th in Stockholm (Folke Ekström won). In 1944, he took 3rd, behind Stig Lundholm, and Paul Keres, in Lidköping, (SWE-ch).

After the war, Stoltz played in a few international tournaments. In 1946, he took 2nd, behind Albéric O'Kelly de Galway in Beverwijk. In 1946, he took 4th in Zaandam (László Szabó won). In 1946, he tied for 8-9th in Groningen (Botvinnik won). In 1946, he tied for 2nd-3rd in Prague (Miguel Najdorf won). In 1947, he tied for 1st with Eero Böök in Helsinki (zonal), and drew a play-off match (+1 –1 =6). In 1948, he took 18th in Saltsjöbaden (interzonal). The event was won by David Bronstein. In 1948, he won in Stockholm. In 1948, he tied for 4-5th in Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) – Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad). The event was won by Jan Foltys. In 1950, he tied for 9-13th in Bled (Najdorf won). In 1951, he tied for 8-9th in Dortmund (O’Kelly won). In 1951, he tied for 3rd-4th in Mariánské Lázně – Prague (zonal won by Luděk Pachman. In 1952, he took 16th in Stockholm (interzonal won by Alexander Kotov). In 1962, he took 12th in Belgrade (Herman Pilnik won).

Stoltz won the Swedish championships at Halmstad 1951, Hålland 1952, and Örebro 1953. He was awarded the IM title in 1950, and the GM title in 1954.