Mieses at the Chess Olympiads
From the first Olympiad in 1927 to guest of honor in Prague 1931 — Mieses' connection to the team battles of nations.
The Chess Olympiads began in 1927 as a FIDE competition of nations and quickly established themselves as the most important team championship in chess. Jacques Mieses belonged to the generation that co-founded and shaped this tradition.
His Olympiad history reflects the generational change in German chess: from active regular player in London 1927 to honored observer in Prague 1931.
London 1927 — The First Chess Olympiad
Tournament Overview
- Date: July 18–30, 1927
- Location: Westminster Central Hall, London
- Participants: 16 nations
- Winner: Hungary (Maróczy, Nagy, Vajda, E. Steiner, Havasi)
- Germany: 6th place
The German team played with the lineup Tarrasch (board 1), Mieses (board 2), Carls (board 3), and Wagner (board 4). Germany was the only team to contest all matches in the same board order.
Prehistory: Paris 1924
Mieses already represented Germany at the unofficial Chess Olympiad in Paris 1924 (15 games, 10 wins according to Chessmetrics). This tournament took place parallel to the Summer Olympics and is sometimes considered a precursor to the FIDE Olympiads.
Prague 1931 — Mieses as Guest of Honor
Tournament Overview
- Date: July 11–26, 1931
- Location: Café U Nováků, Wenceslas Square, Prague
- Participants: 19 nations (22 registered)
- Winner: USA (Kashdan, Marshall, Dake, Horowitz, H. Steiner)
- Germany: 5th place (Bogoljubov, Ahues, Wagner, Richter, Helling)
Mieses was not part of the German team in Prague 1931. The team had rejuvenated: Bogoljubov on top board, Ahues, Wagner, Richter, and Helling formed the new generation.
Mieses was present as guest of honor and observer — the newspaper caption identifies him as "Mieses (Leipzig)" rather than "Mieses (Germany)". Bogoljubov won the individual silver medal on top board (+9 −1 =7).
The image impressively shows the generational change: Mieses, once a regular player on the German national team, now in the audience as a respected guest of honor.
The Generational Change
The transformation between London 1927 and Prague 1931 illustrates the upheaval in German chess. The "romantic generation" — Tarrasch, Mieses, Carls — gave way to the "new ones": Bogoljubov, Ahues, Richter.
Tarrasch died in 1934, Mieses emigrated to England in 1938. The Olympiads document not only sporting achievements but also the transition from one chess era to the next.
More on the history of German chess: German Chess History and Chess and Emigration.
Sources and Further Links
- Wikipedia: 1st Chess Olympiad 1927
- Wikipedia: 4th Chess Olympiad 1931