Stefano Rosselli del Turco

Stefano Rosselli del Turco, Marquis, (27 July 1877 – 18 August 1947)^[1] was an Italian chess player, writer and publisher. He was five times Italian champion and represented Italy in the Chess Olympiad seven times. He was a member of the famous Rosselli del Turco noble family of Florence.

Born in Florence, Rosselli del Turco received the title of National Master from the Italian Chess Federation in 1900.^[1] He played in all ten of the first official Italian championships, and was twice official Italian champion. He tied for 7-8th at Viareggio 1921 (1st ITA-ch, Davide Marotti won); won a match for the title against Marotti (8½–4½) at Naples 1923; lost a match for the title to Mario Monticelli (6–8) at Florence 1929; won at Milan 1931 (4th ITA-ch); took 6th at Milan 1934 (Monticelli won); tied for 2nd-3rd at Florence 1935 (Antonio Sacconi won); tied for 7-9th at Florence 1936 (Vincenzo Castaldi won); took 12th at Naples 1937 (Castaldi won); tied for 7-8th at Rome 1939 (Monticelli won), and tied for 7-8th at Florence 1943 (10th ITA-ch, Vincenzo Nestler won).^[2] As well, he was unofficial Italian champion in 1919 and 1920.^[3]

He tied for 8-9th at Sanremo 1911 (Hans Fahrni won); placed 10-11th at Opatija 1912 (King's Gambit tournament) with a score of 7½/21 points (Rudolf Spielmann won); won at Bologna 1913 scoring 5½/7;^[4] took 5th at Trieste 1923 (Paul Johner won); tied for 12-13th at Meran 1924 (Ernst Grünfeld won); placed 16-17th at Baden-Baden 1925 with 7½/20 (Alexander Alekhine won); and took 9th at Meran 1926 (Edgar Colle won). Rosselli won at Livorno 1926; took 6th at Venice 1929 (Rudolf Pitschak won);^[5] tied for 2nd-3rd with Abraham Baratz, behind Brian Reilly, at Nice 1931, and placed 12th at the Zurich 1934 chess tournament scoring 4½/15 points (Alekhine won).^[6][7]

Rosselli del Turco represented Italy in the Chess Olympiad:

• In 1924 at 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad in Paris (+5 –4 =4), took team 6th place and individual 14-15th (Consolation Cup, Karel Hromádka won);
• In 1927 at first board in 1st Chess Olympiad in London (+2 –3 =10);
• In 1931 at first board in 4th Chess Olympiad in Prague (+2 –8 =8);
• In 1933 at first board in 5th Chess Olympiad in Folkestone (+1 –6 =5);
• In 1935 at third board in 6th Chess Olympiad in Warsaw (+1 –11 =3);
• In 1936 at second board in 3rd unofficial Chess Olympiad in Munich (+2 –10 =5);
• In 1937 at first reserve board in 7th Chess Olympiad in Stockholm (+2 –7 =0).^[8]

He also participated in the 1928 World Amateur Championship at The Hague, won by Max Euwe, placing 9-11th with a score of 6/15 points.^[9]

In the years 1911–1916 and 1924–1943, he was the founder and an editor of the Italian chess journal L'Italia Scacchistica.^[10] He played some correspondence chess as well, later in life.^[11]

He was a strong attacking player, essaying a sharp style, and was at his best up to the late 1920s, when his results declined, likely due to age.

• Stefano Rosselli del Turco chess games at 365Chess.com
• Stefano Rosselli del Turco player profile and games at Chessgames.com