Erneut hat ein geschätzter Schachfreund der Sammlerszene dankenswerterweise eine monumentale Biographie veröffentlicht:

"Gideon Stahlberg - An Epoch in Swedish Chess, Volume 1: The Musketeer Years 1908-1939"

by Peter Holmgren (Stockholm)

Der knapp 2,2 Kilo schwere Megaband bietet auf 582 Seiten alle Informationen zum Leben und schachlichen Wirken von Gideon Stahlberg. Darüber hinaus wird auch über die Bridge-Karriere des Schweden berichtet. Zahlreiche Photos machen das Buch vollends lebendig. Wie beim Verlag Verendel gewohnt, ist die Verarbeitung des gebundenen Bandes sehr gelungen. Gebunden + Schutzumschlag. Neuware. Im August 2024 in Schweden erschienen

 

Gideon Stahlberg (1908-1967) reigned among the world?s best chess players for over three decades, leaving an indelible mark on the Swedish chess scene. This captivating biography chronicles his extraordinary journey from humble beginnings in a village outside Gothenburg to global acclaim, marked by triumphant matches against formidable adversaries like Rudolf Spielmann and Aron Nimzowitsch. Alongside fellow countrymen Gösta Stoltz and Erik Lundin, known as "The Three Musketeers"; Stahlberg later elevated Sweden to chess supremacy, securing podium finishes in several Olympiads. However, Stahlberg was not only a strong grandmaster but also a prolific writer of books and newspaper articles. His reputation and popularity made him a natural choice as an arbiter in several world championship matches.

With meticulous research and captivating storytelling, this volume I of Gideon Stahlberg, An Epoch in Swedish Chess, covers Stahlberg?s early years up to and including the 1939 Olympiad in Buenos Aires. The reader will get an understanding of Stahlberg?s character, his motivations, and the challenges he faced on and off the chessboard. Many of Stahlberg?s opponents are also portrayed in the book, mixed with all known games, often with contemporary annotations. In this way, the reader will also get a rare glimpse into the international chess life of the time through the eyes of a man who was placed right in its epicentre.

Volume II will cover the remainder of Stahlberg's career.

 

xi Acknowledgements
xiii Introduction
xv Notes to the Reader
xvi Abbreviations
001 1. Family, Childhood and the First Moves
021 2. 1927 - Reaching the Swedish Elite
037 3. 1928 - Joining the National Team
067 4. 1929 - Military Service and Swedish Champion
083 5. 1930 - Apprentice in the Chess World
115 6. 1931 - A Year in Gothenburg
151 7. 1932 - Moving to Stockholm
173 8. 1933 - Sweden Becoming a Power Nation
205 9. 1934 - Life on the Road
259 10. 1935 - The Best Year Ever for Sweden
339 11. 1936 - Five International Tournaments and One "Olympiad"
393 12. 1937 - Lots of Chess and a Lot of Bridge
457 13. 1938 - Nordic Champion
501 14. 1939 - Farewell Sweden
553 Appendix I - Tournament Record 1925-1939
555 Appendix II - Match Record 1929-1939
556 Notes
563 Bibliography
568 Index of Openings (ECO Codes)
570 Index of Annotators
572 General Index