The Hague 1966

Alexander M. Davie of Dundee was Scottish Boys' Champion in 1960 and 1962, and runner-up in 1961 after a play-off with Ken McAlpine. He won the Scottish Championship in 1964, 1966 and 1969, was a member of several Glorney Cup teams, played at the Students' Team Tournament 1966, and was on the Scottish team at the Lugano 1968 Olympiad.

Davie, only twenty years old at the time of The Hague tournament, and the youngest competitor, played only four rounds before returning home because of illness. Harry Golombek, in the British Chess Magazine, commented that Davie

"...after making an excellent start during which he scored 1½ points out of 3, losing to Pfleger but beating Honfi and drawing with Mazzoni, was unfortunate enough to fall ill. He went to see a doctor, lost a game in the fourth round to Boey when obviously affected by illness and then had to withdraw from the event under doctor's orders since he had jaundice."

In a recent email from Mr Davie he commented:

"I was doing not too badly in this. I visited the tournament doctor for some reason which I forget - he took a sample and when he got the result I was sent home. When I got home I seemed to be OK. All a bit strange."

Here is Davie's fine win against the Hungarian I.M., Honfi. He uses an interesting line in the French Defence (5...Ne4), a variation that was used with great success by Tartakower throughout his playing days.

K. Honfi - A.M. Davie [C13]
The Hague 1966, Zonal (3)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Ne4 6.Nxe4 Bxg5 7.Nxg5 Qxg5 8.h4 Qe7 9.c3 c5 10.a3 Nc6 11.Qg4 f5 12.Qh5+ Qf7 13.Qd1 Bd7 14.Nf3 cxd4 15.cxd4 0-0 16.Qd2 Rac8 17.Bd3 Qe7 18.g3 Be8 19.h5 h6 20.Be2 Bf7 21.Kf1 Rc7 22.Rc1 Na5 23.Rxc7 Qxc7 24.Kg2 Rc8 25.Ne1 Nc4 26.Qf4 Nxb2 27.g4 Qc1 28.Qxc1 Rxc1 29.gxf5 exf5 30.Nd3 Rxh1 31.Kxh1 Bxh5 32.Bxh5 Nxd3 33.Bg6 Nxf2+ 34.Kg2 Nd1 35.Kf3 Kf8 36.Bxf5 Kf7 37.Ke2 Nb2 38.Bc8 b5 39.Bb7 Ke6 40.Bc8+ Ke7 41.Bb7 Nc4 42.a4 bxa4 43.Bxd5 Nb6 44.Ba2 h5 45.d5 h4 46.Kf3 g5 47.Kg4 a3 48.Bb3 a5 49.Kh3 Kd8 50.Kg4 Nd7 51.e6 Nc5 52.Ba2 Ke7 53.Bc4 Ne4 54.Ba2 Nc3 0-1

Sources:
BCM 1966, p 344
High School of Glasgow Bulletin, 20 November, 1966.
A.M. Davie

Alan McGowan
Historian, Chess Scotland