pgn of annotated games played in Reggio Emilia     Zip CB-files of Chess tournaments in Reggio Emilia

Enrico Paoli (1908-2005) was the grand old man of Italian chess. He had been a ship captain for Lloyd Triestino and learned many languages on his voyages. Later he became a composer of endgame studies and the ideal organiser of international chess tournaments in Reggio Emilia.

The New Year's tournament or 'Torneo di Capodanno' started in 1958/59. Play started after Christmas and ended the next year. Previous summer events had occurred in 1947 and 1951.

The level increased when strong players from Communist countries began to participate during the sixties. It became a closed master event of 10,12,14 or 16 participants. Paoli took part many times. He nearly won the eleventh 'Torneo di Capodanno' and participated for the last time in the main group of number eighteen. When Pachman played in 1975/76, the Eastern Europeans withdrew. The first Soviet player took part in the nineteenth installment.

Sponsorship by the Banco San Geminiano e San Prospera gives an impulse to the tournament since 1981/82. Former women's world champion Gaprindashvili was the first player who benefited from it. Number 27 was boycotted by the Soviets, because Spassky had participated the previous time. Still, it became a fine grandmaster tournament. The greatest event happened in 1991/92. Anand became the winner before nine former Soviets, including Kasparov and Karpov.

Enrico Paoli		Main sponsor	Anish Giri

When the sponsorship by the bank decreased, the level went down and Italians participated in the main group again, but it remained an interesting tournament. Enrico Paoli died at the age of 97 at 15 xii 2005 after a hospitalisation of one month. The Circulo Scacchistico Ippogrifo in Reggio Emilia took good care of his tournament. A new impulse gave the 50th Golden Jubilee tournament. The event returned to a grandmaster level. Giri won the last tournament. Edition 55 of the Torneo di Capodanno was postponed due to the financial crisis.

VENEZIA

pgn of annotated games played in Venice       Zip CB-file games played in Venice

The second series of Italian tournaments has been played in Venice. Preliminary events happened in 1929 and 1930. Bigger tournaments started in 1947. Najdorf won ahead of Canal, Barcza and Euwe in 1948. The tournaments were played in fine buildings each time. Venice 1950 became a great event. Kotov won before Smyslov.

Hotel Lido Tournament hall in 1929	Salone delle feste dell'Ala Napoleonica Tournament hall in 1947	Sala delle Colonne di Ca' Giustinian Hall in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1953

The event moved to the Casino Municipale in the 1960s. A great Dutch success happened when Donner won ahead of world champion Petrosian in 1967. The event had grown into a grandmaster tournament in 1974. The series ended with a master event in 1980.

Casino Municipale Tournament hall in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971 and 1974	Ca' Flangini (at the left) Tournament hall in 1980

Winners in Reggio Emilia

Winners in Venezia

Circulo Scacchistico Ippogrifo Reggio Emilia

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