Mieses Jacques - Znosko Borovsky
Ostend-B, 1907, Round 17
Eugène Znosko-Borovsky (1884–1954)
The Russian master Znosko-Borovsky was far more than just a chess player – he was a music and theater critic, author of numerous influential chess books, and veteran of the Russo-Japanese War. In Paris, where he lived from 1920, he became one of the most respected chess teachers of his time. His books like "How Not to Play Chess" are still read today.
Tournament: Ostend 1907 (Master Tournament) · Significance: A classic example of Mieses' feared attacking style in the Vienna Game. This tournament was one of the strongest of its time – Mieses shared 3rd place with Nimzowitsch.
The Tournament
The Ostend Masters' Tournament 1907 was arguably the largest top-level round-robin ever conducted, with 29 players competing over six weeks from 16 May to 25 June at the Casino of Ostend. Mieses blazed to a stunning 13 points from his first 16 games, leading the tournament for much of its duration, before collapsing down the home stretch. He still managed to share 3rd–4th place with Nimzowitsch, just half a point behind joint winners Bernstein and Rubinstein.
This game against Znosko-Borovsky from Round 17 (7 June 1907) is a classic example of Mieses' feared attacking style – Edward Winter called it "vintage Mieses".