Milan Vidmar proposed the major chess tournament that became Bled 1931. His idea was well received in both Ljubljana (his birthplace) and the nearby health resort of Bled. An organizing committee was set up, and at the end of July 1931, following the 4th Chess Olympiad in Prague this committee commissioned Hans Kmoch to conduct the negotiations with the competitors for a double round tournament to be held at Lake Bled.[1] José Raúl Capablanca could not be invited due to his disputes with world champion Alexander Alekhine. Fourteen leading chess masters accepted their invitations. The players stayed at the Hotel Toplice and it was here that most of the tournament except Round 19 (held in Ljubljana) took place. Round one started in the large salon on August 23. Alekhine won decisively, not losing a single game and winning the tournament 5½ points ahead of Efim Bogoljubow.[2] His gambit style was humiliating for the other players.[3]
| # | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandre Alekhine (France)/ Russia | ** | 1½ | 11 | ½½ | 1½ | 1½ | 11 | 1½ | ½½ | 1½ | 11 | 11 | ½½ | 11 | 20.5 |
| 2 | Efim Bogoljubov (Germany)/ Ukraine | 0½ | ** | ½0 | 11 | 0½ | 11 | 1½ | 10 | 0½ | 01 | 00 | 11 | ½1 | 11 | 15.0 |
| 3 | Aron Nimzowitsch (Denmark)/ Latvia | 00 | ½1 | ** | 00 | ½½ | 11 | 0½ | ½½ | ½1 | ½½ | 1½ | 1½ | 11 | 0½ | 14.0 |
| 4 | Isaac Kashdan (United States) | ½½ | 00 | 11 | ** | ½½ | 0½ | 1½ | 00 | ½½ | 1½ | 10 | 11 | ½½ | ½½ | 13.5 |
| 5 | Milan Vidmar (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)/ Slovenia | 0½ | 1½ | ½½ | ½½ | ** | ½0 | ½0 | ½½ | ½0 | 11 | ½½ | ½1 | ½1 | ½½ | 13.5 |
| 6 | Salo Flohr (Czechoslovakia)/ Ukraine | 0½ | 00 | 00 | 1½ | ½1 | ** | ½½ | 10 | ½1 | 1½ | 11 | ½0 | ½1 | ½½ | 13.5 |
| 7 | Gösta Stoltz (Sweden) | 00 | 0½ | 1½ | 0½ | ½1 | ½½ | ** | 11 | ½1 | ½½ | ½1 | 00 | 01 | 1½ | 13.5 |
| 8 | Savielly Tartakower (Poland) | 0½ | 01 | ½½ | 11 | ½½ | 01 | 00 | ** | ½½ | ½0 | ½½ | 11 | ½½ | ½½ | 13.0 |
| 9 | Rudolf Spielmann (Austria) | ½½ | 1½ | ½0 | ½½ | ½1 | ½0 | ½0 | ½½ | ** | ½½ | 0½ | 00 | 1½ | 11 | 12.5 |
| 10 | Borislav Kostić (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)/ Serbia | 0½ | 10 | ½½ | 0½ | 00 | 0½ | ½½ | ½1 | ½½ | ** | ½½ | 01 | 1½ | 11 | 12.5 |
| 11 | Géza Maróczy (Hungary) | 00 | 11 | 0½ | 01 | ½½ | 00 | ½0 | ½½ | 1½ | ½½ | ** | ½1 | ½½ | ½½ | 12.0 |
| 12 | Edgar Colle (Belgium) | 00 | 00 | 0½ | 00 | ½0 | ½1 | 11 | 00 | 11 | 10 | ½0 | ** | 0½ | 11 | 10.5 |
| 13 | Lajos Asztalos (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)/ Hungary | ½½ | ½0 | 00 | ½½ | ½0 | ½0 | 10 | ½½ | 0½ | 0½ | ½½ | 1½ | ** | 0½ | 9.5 |
| 14 | Vasja Pirc (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)/ Slovenia | 00 | 00 | 1½ | ½½ | ½½ | ½½ | 0½ | ½½ | 00 | 00 | ½½ | 00 | 1½ | ** | 8.5 |