The first Chess Stamp: Balkan Games 1947

The first Chess Stamp: Balkan Games 1947

This stamp, the first “chess stamp,” is one of a set of five issued to commemorate the 1947 Balkan Games, held in Bulgaria, in which Chess was one of the sports. The other four stamps portray bicycle racing, basketball, soccer, and the flags of the participating nations: Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia.

Hungary was the winner of the Chess competition, with a team comprising Bakonyi, Benko, Barcza, Florian, Fuster, Gereban, Szabo, and Szny.The stamp (9 leva, white and orange brown) was issued September 29, 1947, typographed on unwatermarked paper, perf 111/2. It was designed by St. Kancer, and 172,000 were issued. The vertical inscription translates: ‘Balkan Games 1947,’ and the horizontal: ‘Republic of Bulgaria.’

The participating nations in the second Balkan Games held in Bulgaria were Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Yugoslavia. The Chess Team Tournament was played under the competition format ‘Eight board round robin’ in three rounds. Each of the teams consisted of 8 players and 2 reserves. A total of 48 games were played.

In the first round the Chess Hungarian team won the Chess Romanian team by 6.5 – 1.5 without any defeat. The Bulgarian team that faced the Yugoslav team lost by 2.5 to 5.5 due to the defeats in the last boards. In the second round a superior Hungarian team won the Bulgarian team 6.5 – 1.5. The Yugoslav team ended up being imposed by a tight 3.5 – 4.5.

In the last round, again the Hungarian team won the Yugoslav team by 3 – 5. While the Romanian team ended up losing to the host team. The Hungarian team finally won the competition with full authority. Its member players were far superior to the rest – Gideon Barcza, László Szábo, Tibor Flórián, Pál Benkő, József Szily, Ernő Gereben, Geza Fuster, Elek Bakonyi, Elod Macskasy, Árpád Vajda.