Torn from oblivion: *October Tournaments* in Novi Sad, part 3.

  The 7th in a row *October tournament* in Novi Sad, the second most populated city in Serbia took place between the 13th October and the 30th October 1979. Tournament gathered 10 Grand Masters, 3 International Masters and one National Master, and been one of the strongest tournaments in the World that year. Romanian Grand Master Florin Gheorghiu won it, and by his own words, he had extra motive. At the time, Romania was an *Eastern Block* country with especially rigid communistic rule, and only sportsmen with top achievements, like Nadia Comaneci or tennis player Ilie Nastase been allowed to leave it,- Gheorghiu, after the Novi Sad tournament prepared to go to US, *To catch a few dollars*. From US itself Walter Browne arrived in Novi Sad. Arrived with huge ambitions, but the chess clock wasn`t an ally of his, Creative, very talented player, often he entered into the lack of time situations, though, so the triumph of Gheorghiu was well deserved.

   A significant was, Gheoghiu left behind three Soviet Grand Masters, expert for *Sicilian Defense* Sveshnikov, for decades candidate for World Champion Geller, also Beliavsky.

  In 1982, Dutch Grand Master John van der Wiel won the 8th *October tournament* in Novi Sad. They called him *The 5th Tulip of Holland* ( Donner, Timman, Sosonko, Ree ). 

  Won the tournament in front of domestic player Petar Popovic and, similar to in 1976, when Smejkal won the tournament, change of generations took place, *Young forces* on top, while veterans Suetin and Gligoric finished the tournament in the bottom part of the tournament table.

Next year, in 1983, the main trophy went to Czechoslovakia. It was for the second time that the trophy of *October tournament* went to Czechoslovakia. Jan Plachetka repeated success of compatriot Jan Smejkal, who in 1976 in Novi Sad played the tournament of his life. 

The tournament was of the *7th Category*, not as strong as previous years *October tournaments* in Novi Sad had been, but Grand Master Plachetka was playing with inspiration, deserved congratulations.

  Step by step, the row of chess tournaments in Novi Sad arrived at the nice, round number 10, it was in 1984. Nobody at a time would predict it would be the last tournament in a row, many social and sport circumstances influenced this to happen. However, as participants had some feelings this would be the last *October tournament*, they show plenty of it, which makes out of chess a beautiful game - skill, competitive spirit, nice relation with the press, friendship among themselves once the tournament round used to be finished,- friendship away from the board. The writer of these lines, a teen at a time, remembers the game Velimirovic - Sokolov he presented over a huge demonstration board to the audience in a playing hall. In his style, Velimirovic sacrificed material in *Dragon Sicilian*, Sokolov remained calm. At one moment it looked like he would have winning endgame,- soon however, it ended in a draw through repetition of moves. Draw full of pulsating energy. 

  At the time, of course, the influence of computers on chess been minimal. Anyone who remembers those days, remembers as well in each and every round some of games been adjourned. In the late evening, player who was on the move got the envelope to write a move he was about to play inside. Tomorrow morning, the tournament referee should open the envelope and the game will continue. In Novi Sad, in 1984, the tragic figure of tournament Jan Smejkal was, From three games that been adjourned with dominating position of his, he got only half of point, missed chance to repeat triumph of 1976. Stays remembered imaginary face of Smejkal during the final dinner party in the restaurant of Zoran Asanin. While everybody around was enjoying the party, Smejkal with a small, magnetic chess board in his hands, was moving pieces, wondering where he was wrong, where there was a chance to be missed. But this is *Caissa*. Today you are her lovin` one, tomorrow she will find someone else. This is the curse she is bringing to the chess player, this is her glory at the same time.

  Difference in chess approach, different kind of energy to start the game with,- difference between personalities among Grand Masters, participants of *October tournament* could be spotted on the form for recording moves. 

In the end, Predrag Nikolic won the tournament in front of Novi Sad player Petar Popovic. The domestic audience was hoping it would be the opposite, but Nikolic was the only participant without defeat, played in a stabile manner, this would be his style in years to come.

  It was a final chapter of a row of tournaments that started in 1972, memories remain..

  At the end, let the final turn on *October tournaments* belong to the big Serb poet Miroslav Antic, who loved chess, was close friend with Tal and many others, and rarely missed visiting, at least for a while, battles on 64 squares in Novi Sad, the city where he lived. Words he dedicated to the participants of all 10 *October tournaments*.

  *There are moments when the Autumn rains come, when we look at the wet windows for a long time. Those are the days when I recognize dear characters in the windows. I've been playing chess since childhood, it is my world. I would never trade it for anything else. This is a story about both white and black chess kings... Those who from the first move went for victory, defeated others, and experienced terrible defeats themselves. They are all terribly alone together, yet so in love with the world.*

   In creation of blog been used segments from the book of Dusan Bucan *October of Novi Sad*.