Here is the front page of the book about this Olympiad.
István Bilek wrote in this book:
We were turning into the finishing straight with half point before the great rival as it is said: their breath hits our nape already.
XII. round, 3 December
Hungary – Romania 3-1, Soviet Union – Argentina 3,5 – 0,5
Well begins! First Portisch got draw offer but declines it and pushes off Gheorghiu with excellent play. Sax rushes Ghinda and Ribli has a determined advantage against Suba. Pintér in a difficult type of Nimzo-Indian „plays from notes”. Would be too nice, of course…
The first forced landing is at Ribli when the play-time was coming to an and, who was frightened suddenly and reached an agreement. Pintér rejects a draw offer and demostrates with excellent play that he is standing better in an irregular position.
At our team there are two sealed games: those are probable winners, but yet wouldn’t pay for those the bank from here… and sorry, Portisch cannot win – but sure that the game somewhere was winning. However, this is the past time already, the half point was registered. Pintér also damages in his excitement, and though there is hope moreover, anew sealed game – overtime work from the better part. The complete guards get to work, and they work on the sealed game at whole night. To morning are ready the „death-varianrs”, at first glance and in content these are winnings, but the point will be written in if…
Pintér’s opponent Stoica defends very well, but has more few times and in the decisive moment falls down the flag on his clock… We are rushing home with the good news.
Here is the Ghinda – Sax game from this round, analysed by Csaba Meleghegyi:
XIV. round, 6 December
Hungary – Iceland 3,5 – 0,5 Soviet Union – Danmark 3,5 –0,5
István Bilek wrote:
The last round. We and the Soviet Union are on the first place with 35,5 – 35,5 score. It isn’t advantageous that the Soviet Union got Danmark against the much more stronger Israel, Sweden or Germany. Our opponent is Iceland. At tie break (dead heat) deciding is the Bucholz counting. (Counts the all score of the opponents.) Very disadvantageous for us that in the last round by the drawing plays Israel against Sweden. Thus in the Bucholz we cuold get only 4 points after this match. If it doesn’t happens then it maybe from 0 to 8 points. We played with these teams, Soviet Union not.
And begins! Solemn and strained is the atmosphere, but everybody are disciplined enermously, there isn’t incident or mistakable gesture…
The excitement is on the increase, after 3 hours Portisch, Pintér, Geller and Balasov are walking on the limit of victory, positions of Karpov and Ribli are promising but still aren’t decidings…
Portisch finishes the game with some powerful moves. 1-0. Congratulations! The result of Portisch is colossal, on the first table 9,5 points from 13 games, as was in Buenos Aires too. He met with 10 grandmasters on the first table from the bests of the World. He was concentrated in the last two rounds with enermous power and could win with White and Black too. On the picture Portisch takes leave of GM István Bilek at the funeral.
Pintér brings our second point. He came out with 4,5 points from the five games. But the Soviets make stronger: Geller wins in a hair-raising complication, he is walking as Black with his King on h5, misleading everybody who looked there – seems that moved out from mate…
Balasov crushes to death his adversary. Karpov as if would let out Jacobsen, and Kasparov the other ace – his position is suspicious. At the same time Sax get out from worse position and begins to stand in winning position! Ribli came to decisive advantage, will win. (the 3-0 is mere in our pocket) and come the last minutes. I’m concentrating already for the Sax game: the victory still isn’t obvious, but if he brings it for sealed game than the 4-0 is in existence! Would be fantastic…
Inspiring with huge responsibility Sax is very nervous owing the standing of his clock, still he has seconds, but doesn’t sees how many, moves speedily – and we have the suspicion that the dream is gone: he moved into perpetual check, the plus pawn is in vain, this is a drawn game. Ribli wins and the crowd proceeds to the Hansen – Kasparov gamethere is pushing and noisy. What happens? Kasparov to move, but he is standing by the table and looks at position of others, it looks like that his position doesn’t likes for him, he is in confusion, looks around right and left, visible is that he is bewildered. Suddenly glances at his clock, some minutes remained only, although he must move at least eight. Resolves and shakes hands with his opponent – draw. (Kasparov lost of the exchange, had only Bishop against Rook in the middle-game besides more pieces and queens) Remained two sealed games. (Sax and Karpov games) But in our game Sax cannot win and Jacobsen bungles his game doesn’t finds the thread to draw. Now already the dead heat is probable, we have a look round what is expected in matter of Bucholz…
In the Hall there are journalists, players, secundants moving at full speed with paper in their hand, they are counting that who will win the Olympiad. Snaps an applause. Karpov won. But the first place decided a match between Greece and Scotland. The Soviets played with Greece we played with Scotland. A minimal Scotisch defeat would have mean the Olympic Championship for Hungary. But happened the worse. Greece won against Scotland : 3,5 –0,5. Pritchett the first table player of Scotland travelled home earlier. On the first table Swanson stood for victory against Makropulos almost to the end. It depended on only check that who will be the Olympic Champion. And decided this the 51st Scotisch team with their reserve troops. What a competitions, terms were? It is visible that these were irreals.
Remaining at Scotisch team now I represent the Pritchett – Portisch game from the first round. Analysed it GM István Bilek. We could know from him: how shaves the Hungarian barber.
At least we could see the ominous Swanson – Makropulos game.
The example is talking about itself. On this may have depended the champion title! Would have been enough of it if this party finishes White as had to been, and as would had been logical by the antecendens, and at once is turning the Bucholz relation : 449 : 448,5 to Hungary.
Evidently must draw a lesson from this final result. Must preclude the possibility that a team could decide in the last round the Olympic Champion title which team is after the 15th place. (In this case on the 51th place) Because the teams played 14 matches in the 14 round – at least the first 15 teams are the strongest. Which team played more against the first 15 and scored more points against the 14 teams than this is the stronger team at dead heat. The example from Malta:
Hungary played with 9 team from the first 15 and scored 22 points (from the first 13 team scored also 22)
Sowiet Union played with 8 team from the first 15 and scored 20,5 points (from the first 13 team scored only 17)
At this counting the Hungarian team was the stronger.
The second counting were the most simple. Must sum the placing of a team during the 14 rounds. At Hungary this added number was 14. After every round the team stood on the first place. And all the same scored the second place? This sum (additing) at Soviet Union is 77.
The third continuing is still more simple: when formed a dead heath on the first three places don’t need decide the placings. As in the gymnastic here also had to give two gold or silver medals. The Bucholz let remain to decide placings at more places!
At least now I give two unfair-play prize. One will get the regulation of this Olympiad concerning to dead heat. The second unfair-play prize which is due to Pritchett. This prize is a Razor of a Hungarian Barber who was mentioned at the Pritchett – Portisch game by GM István Bilek.
At least a quote from the Bilek book: „Summing up: Must make a radical alternation, but at least necessary a deep modification of rules that the chess world would get the righteous final result! As for the dead heat, it not necessary to decide mainly not on the first-second places.”
Grandmaster István Bilek immortalized two greatest achievements of Hungarian Chessplaying in two books for ever. István passed away from us but his books and games remained for us and for the next generation. Rest in peace!
