1955 (2nd) An Tóstal Tournament, 12-19 May, C.Y.M.S. Little Theatre, Castle Street, Cork
1955 (2nd) An Tóstal
Cork |
Country |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
Total |
| 1 |
Albéric O'Kelly de Galway |
Belgium |
|
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
| 2 |
Theo D van Scheltinga |
Netherlands |
½ |
|
1 |
½ |
½ |
½ |
1 |
½ |
4½ |
| 3 |
Baruch H Wood |
England |
0 |
0 |
|
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4½ |
| 4 |
Dr. Ossip S Bernstein |
France |
½ |
½ |
½ |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
½ |
4 |
| 5 |
(Edmond) Noel Mulcahy |
Ireland |
0 |
½ |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
3½ |
| 6 |
James Joseph Walsh |
Ireland |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
2½ |
| 7 |
John Reid |
Ireland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
2 |
| 8 |
Donal J O'Sullivan |
Ireland |
0 |
½ |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
Sources of information: IRLChess (article by Sean Coffey, 2012); Ficheall (Tony Foley blog posts) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Irish Times, 7 July 1955 (report by Jim Walsh with crosstable); Illustrated London News, 4 June 1955 (BH Wood). Sources of games; various, including the Belgian Chess History website.
CHESS, 28 May 1955, Vol.20/247, p353
TOSTAL INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT. CORK. MAY 12-19. 1955 (by BH Wood)
Last year the organisers of An Tóstal, an Irish Spring Festival, incorporated in their programme for the first time, an international chess tournament. From the invited players, Count O'Kelly de Galway (Belgium), L. W. Barden (England), R. G. 'Wade (New Zealand) and V. Soultanbeieff (Belgium), the Irish participants failed to wrest even a single draw.
We gave inadequate coverage to last year's tournament through a misunderstanding and, as the full table has (we believe) not been published, we give
1954 (1st) An Tóstal
Cork |
Country |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
Total |
| 1 |
Albéric O'Kelly de Galway |
Belgium |
|
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4½ |
| 2 |
Robert G Wade |
New Zealand |
0 |
|
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
3½ |
| 3 |
Leonard W Barden |
England |
½ |
0 |
|
½ |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| 4 |
Victor I Soultanbeieff |
Belgium |
0 |
½ |
½ |
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
| 5 |
Terry Kelly |
Ireland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
| 6 |
Ken O'Riordan |
Ireland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
This year the invited were O'Kelly again, T. D. Van Scheltinga (Holland), Dr. Ossip Bernstein and I. Believe it or not, Dr. Bernstein is that same Bernstein who took part in the tournaments at Barmen in 1905, Ostend in 1907, St. Petersburg 1909 and 1914, San Sebastian 1911 . . . ; who disappeared from the international arena between the two world wars, only to re-appear at Groningen and then in London in 1946. At the age of 73, naturally, any player is somewhat of an unpredictable factor, though at Montevideo a few weeks ago, he trounced Najdorf in an excellent game. At Cork, where this year's An Tóstal tournament was held, he certainly seemed a young seventy-three. His flood of reminiscence about such legendary figures as Tchigorin, Steinitz, Schlechter, Alapin, Mason, Pillsbury and others made meal-times an unforgettable experience (we give a few of his stories elsewhere).
Though the overseas opposition this year was at least as strong as last, the four Irish players robbed the visitors of four draws and one outright win. E. N. Mulcahy, their young champion and a Cork man, beat Bernstein and very nearly beat van Scheltinga as well.
This, in spite of the handicaps of having to teach during the day and being very much involved in the organisation of the tournament. Clearly he is developing into a very strong player.
The other Irish players all suffered distractions during the tournament. O'Sullivan suffered slight shock in an accident to Reid's almost new Austin which seriously damaged it, and Walsh had £10 purloined from his luggage!
The second issue of Ficheall, the new Irish chess magazine printed by voluntary labour, is now out. Game-scores make their first appearance.
The Irish Chess Federation's secretary, E. Rohan, is another young man; unorthodox, occasionally misguided, but brilliantly enthusiastic and original. He is personally responsible, I am told, for founding a dozen new clubs within the last twelve months.
Subsidiary tournament: Tostal Open Tournament: (1) J F O'Halloran 7; (2) C O'Leary 5½; (3) Sgt Audley 4½; (4-5) Miss Hilda Florence Chater, L Brady 4; (Cork Examiner, 20 May 1955)
File Updated
| Date |
Notes |
| 15 April 2026 |
First upload: 11 games and 4 part-games. |
