Career
Spielmann was a lawyer but never worked as one. He was known as "The Master of Attack" and "The Last Knight of the King"s Gambit". His daredevil play was full of sacrifices, brilliancies, and beautiful ideas.
This was exemplified, for example, in the 1923 Carlsbad tournament, where he did not have a single draw (with five wins and twelve losses).
Despite a strong opposition at that time with players like Alekhine, José Raúl Capablanca, Emanuel Lasker, Tarrasch, Rubinstein, Nimzowitsch, and Tartakower, Spielmann managed to score well in numerous tournaments. He is also remembered as the author of the classic book The Art of Sacrifice in Chess .
As a Jew, Spielmann had to flee from the Nazis, escaping to Sweden. He died in Stockholm in great poverty.
The latter tournament is generally regarded as his best tournament result, as he scored 14½ out of 21, tied for second with Capablanca, a half point behind Aron Nimzowitsch.
Here is one of Spielmann"s wins:
Capablanca–Spielmann, Bad Kissingen 1928
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.e3 b5 6.a4 b4 7.Na2 e6 8.Bxc4 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.b3 c5 11.Bb2 Bb7 12.Nc1 Nc6 13.dxc5 Na5 14.Ne5 Nxc4 15.Nxc4 Bxc5 16.Nd3 Qd5 17.Nf4 Qg5 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Rc1 Rfd8 20.Qh5 Rac8 21.Rfd1 g6 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.Qe5 Be7 24.h3 Rc5 25.Qa1 Bf6 26.Rd1 Rd5 27.Rxd5 exd5 28.Ne5 Qd6 29.Nfd3 Ba6 (diagram) 30.Qe1 Bxe5 31.Nxe5 Qxe5 32.Qxb4 Bd3 33.Qc5 Qb8 34.b4 Qb7 35.b5 h5 36.Qc3 Bc4 37.e4 Qe7 38.exd5 Bxd5 39.a5 Qe4 0–1
According to Richard Réti, Spielmann demonstrated "unusual resourcefulness in complicated situations, in which he felt perfectly at home."
Spielmann himself believed "A good sacrifice is one that is not necessarily sound but leaves your opponent dazed and confused."
"Play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine." – Spielmann.