The Westminster Papers. 1st NOVEMBER, 1878. THE CHESS WORLD. "The whisperings of our petty burgh." THE past month brought in its course the usual autumn revival of Chess in the metropolis, and we are now fairly launched upon the season of matches and tournaments. We mean club matches of course, for our past experiences forbid us to hope much from the rumours of projected matches between the alumni of our petty burgh. A few weeks ago there was just a chance of a match being arranged between Captain Mackenzie and Herr Zukertort. The champion of America was anxious for such a fray, and if the champion of the world betrayed a less ardent desire for it, the feeling must be ascribed to the counsel of professed admirers rather than to his own sense of what was due from his position. The opportunity passed, however, with the departure of Captain Mackenzie, and now, unless there is some truth in the report that a match is arranged between Herren Zukertort and Steinitz, there is little prospect of any great Chess battle marking the close of the current year. A dinner to celebrate the victory of Dr. Zukertort at Paris will be given at the Criterion on the 14th Nov., at 7 o'clock. Tickets (1 1s.) can be obtained of Dr. Richard, 26 Manchester Square, or Mr. J. L. Minchin, St. George's Chess Club. Perhaps the most lively signs of the revival of Chess in the metropolis are to be observed at the Royal Aquarium. In a snug corner of that curious combination of the Musical glasses and Bartlemy Fair, the uncanny Chess player, hight Mephisto, holds daily and nightly converse with all comers. Mephisto has been described in these pages already, and in terms that leave little to be said in commendation of his play or the agency that directs it. Of the latter we are as ignorant as any of our readers, and we should, probably enough, mislead them by guessing. It is enough to note that Mephisto has been successful against some of the strongest players in London, and that in losing he sets before us an example of patience and courtesy that should be taken to heart by some of his mortal adversaries. In the course of one evening during the past month we witnessed many of Mephisto's victories and one defeat. The conquest was effected by Miss Helen Down in a brief but remarkably well played game, and though the gratification of the spectators was loud and clear, it was outdone by the graceful recognition of skill expressed by the mechanical Chess-player's bended head and outstretched hand. For amateurs who like a quiet game of Chess in the afternoon or evening against an adversary of the first force, Mephisto's reception room at the Royal Aquarium is much to be preferred to any of the public rooms in London. The coming of Christmas is scarcely more certain than the advent in due time of the City of London Handicap. It is, we believe, upwards of twenty years since the first of these annual contests was started. Small things had then their day, and it was not for a long time after-in fact not until the fertile period of Mr. Chappell's secretaryship that the City Handicaps became important in the eyes of the general Chess public. However, from 1870 to to the present date these yearly tilts have been objects of interest and curiosity, not only to metropolitan Chessists but to lovers of the game throughout England; and we need not even confine ourselves within these limits, for in the colonies and America the results of the various rounds are given by Chess editors as news likely to prove acceptable to their readers. It will be remembered that the number of entries last year was sixty-four, and it has been considered since that the remarkable feat of gathering together so many players was one that would not bear repetition. Mr. H. F. Down thought otherwise, and in starting this season's tournament announced his intention of again getting together sixty-four competitors. The task proved almost too much even for his persistent energy. However, he blotted the word "impossible" out of his dictionary, and has had the pleasure of seeing his efforts crowned with success. This is the third occasion of a chessboard handicap having been produced in the City Club, whereas no other association, British or Foreign, can boast of having so much as once accomplished a similar achievement. We give hereunder the names and pairing of the competitors. The First Class gives to the Second, Pawn an 1 move; to the Third, Pawn and 2 moves; to the Fourth, the Kt; to the Fifth, the Rook; and to the Sixth, two minor Pieces. The Second Class gives to the Third, Pawn and move; to the Fourth, Pawn and 2 moves; to the Fifth, the Kt.; and to the Sixth, the Rook. The Third Class gives to the Fourth, Pawn and move; to the Fifth, Pawn and 2 moves; and to the Sixth, the Kt. Class. The Fourth Class gives to the Fifth, Pawn and move; and to the Sixth, Pawn and 2 moves. The Fifth Class gives to the Sixth, Pawn and move. Name. Class. 5b за We are requested to announce a "three-move single problem tourney" in connection with the Chess Players' Chronicle. Three prizes are offered for competition, viz., First £5, Secon 1 £3, and Third a set of Chessmen and Board value £2 28. In addition to these, the best solver of the tourney problems will be presented with a copy of "English Chess Problems" by Mr. James Pierce. The following are the conditions of the tourney: 1. The competition is open to all the world. 2. Each competitor to contribute one original problem only; "White to play and mate in three moves." 3. Each problem to be clearly described on a diagram, and accompanied with full solution, and marked with a motto or device and not the author's name. 4. Each competitor to send with the problem a sealed envelope, containing his name and address, and endorsed with the motto affixed to the problem. These envelopes will remain unopened until after the adjudication of the prizes. 5. The problems and sealed envelopes to be sent to Mr. J. Crum, 16, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, (who has kindly consented to receive them, and send copies only to Mr. W. T. Pierce). 6. The problems must be received by Mr. Crum from composers resident in the United Kingdom on or before the 1st January, 1879; from composers resident on the Continent of Europe, Canada, and the United States the 1st February, 1879; and from composers resident elsewhere the 1st May, 1879. 7. Each problem must have but one author.. 8. The problems, after examination, will be published in the Chess Players' Chronicle, at the rate of, at least, two each month, on large diagrams, and in addition to the ordinary problems. 9. The Rev. C. E. Ranken and Mr. W. T. Pierce will act as judges, with power to appoint an umpire in case of difference of opinion. A new work upon the subject of Chess, entitled "Chess Chips," may be expected before the close of the year. It will consist of a small collection of two-move problems new and old, by the best composers, anecdotes, brief and brilliant games, and an introduction by Professor Tomlinson, and it will be edited by Mr. J. Paul Taylor. The subscription price will be half-a-crown, and it will be published by our printers. The Glasgow Herald announces that, through the liberality of a friend the Chess Editor is enabled to offer a prize of one guinea for the best problem in three moves, contributed to his column on or before the 1st December next. The conditions of the competition, are as follows: 3. Each 1. The competition shall be open to all. 2. The problems to be original, and in three moves. competitor to send one or two problems (but not more) on diagrams, accompanied by full solutions, and enclosed in an envelope bearing a distinguishing motto, and without the author's name. The author's name to be enclosed in a second envelope, duly sealed, and bearing the same motto as that affixed to the problem. 4. The problems to be sent to the Chess Editor of the Glasgow Weekly Herald on or before 1st of December, 1878. 5. Two prizes will be given-First, one guinea; second, the Weekly Herald, post free, for one year. 6. The judge's decision will be final. The name of the judge will be announced before the 1st of December. We are glad to learn from our correspondent, Mr. A. Townshend, that a Chess Club has been formed at Newport, Monmouthshire. The new society already numbers over two dozen members, and its meetings are held nightly in the reading room of the Town Hall. On the 16th ultimo a general meeting of the members was held, and the following gentlemen elected first officers of the Club. President: John Moses, Esq. (Mayor). Hon. Sec. and Treasurer: Mr. Frank Mason. Committee of Management: Messrs. C. Kirby, A. Williams, John Gale, W. Phillips, E. Phillips, and A. Townshend. We wish the Newport Chess Club a long and prosperous career. The prosperous career of the Bristol and Clifton Chess Association continues uninterrupted, if we may judge from the Seventh Annual Report, just issued to the members by the committee. A challenge cup has been presented to the club by the President, Rev. J. Greene, to be held by the best player of the year, but not to be retained by any one. At the general meeting the Rev. Mr. Southby, the Rev. Mr. Tibbitts, and Messrs. Cleland, Cross, Franklin and Walton were elected to serve on the Committee for the ensuing year. The Bellman, a humorous and satirical paper published in Hull, has a Chess column edited by Mr. J. Crake, the well-known problem composer. The number for the 26th ultimo contains an amusing game, with appropriate notes, culled, with great ingenuity, from the works of Shakespeare." Design and Work, a London publication, has also commenced a Chess column, giving a problem and notes upon the subject of Chess in each weekly issue. From La Stratégie we learn the Parisian head-quarters of Chess, the Café de la Regence, has assumed its usual aspect. The Chess room is well attended by players, with an interested gallery of spectators, and arrangements had been made for recommencing the monthly tourney on the 1st instant. La Stratégie notices with pleasure, which we take the liberty of 'sharing with our French contemporary, that the Rev. Mr. Ranken has retracted his charge of "favouritism" against the management of the late tourney. The charge, which had its origin in an expression of thanks to M. Morel for sending us some of the games, should never have been made, but nothing in the Chess world surprises us now-a-days, not even that a gentleman, who professes to eschew personalities in his own pages, should appear not at all unwilling to introduce them in the pages of any other journal that will admit them. The conditions of the literary tourney in connection with the Paris Congress are given in full in the last number of La Stratégie. They are in effect the same as appeared in an extract of last month. The condition that the essays are to be written in the French language will in all probability restrict the competition to our lively neighbours. At all events, we should not in England expect many contributions from the Continent of Europe in a similar competition with a condition that they should be written in English. In the only affair of this kind that has been organized, the literary tourney of the Hartford Times, no such restriction was placed upon the competitors, and, as a matter of fact, the essay which carried off the prize was contributed in French by M. Dellannoy. From Austria we have intelligence of the death of Herr Willmers, one of the greatest problem composers of his time, and musical director at the Court of Vienna. Herr Willmers' Chess compositions gained the first prize in the first American Chess Tournament (1857), and this year he obtained a prize in the problem competition in connection with a German Chess Association. The principal item of news from America this month is the arrival of Captain Mackenzie in New York on the 2nd ultimo, and the enthusiastic reception accorded to him by the Chess players of the Empire city. On the 11th he was entertained at dinner in the Westminster Hotel, Union Square, when there was a large gathering of amateurs to greet him. Captain Mackenzie has resumed his editorial supervision of the Chess column in the Turf, Field and Farm, except as regards the literary portion of the department, which for the present will be conducted by Mr. H. C. Allen. Most of our American Exchanges of the past month are filled with discussions of the management of the late problem tourney in connection with the American Chess Association. It is not for us to pronounce for or against the necessity for such a controversy, and knowing something of American Chess-players we have full con lence in their willingness and ability to maintain their own honour without interference from any quarter. Nevertheless, we cannot help regretting the consequences, for instead of the bright and genial Chess gossip to which our American contemporaries have accustomed us we have a succession of painful charges and recriminations of which we can say nothing more than that we should willingly let them die. As we go to press we receive a Catalogue of the Chess Collection of the late George Allen, LL.D., author of the Life of Philidor. The collection is offered en bloc for 3,000 dollars. The library consists of about 1,000 volumes, 250 autograph letters, and 50 engravings and photographs, the result of twenty-five years' labour on the part of the collector. We may have something to say on the collection in our next number. The Chess season of 1878 having now commenced, we shall expect to receive news of the victories and defeats of the various metropolitan Chess Clubs. It is more than likely that our expectation will be in vain. Mr. Thompson of the Athenæum, and Mr. Gibbs of the Eclectic, two model secretaries, will, we may hope, favour us as heretofore with those particulars which only in our pages are likely to become permanent records. This is a point which we would commend to the notice of club officials. Ten or twenty years hence they, or their successors, may wish to recall the past histories of their clubs, and where would they, or would authors, go for the desired information? naturally and necessarily to volumes, such as ours, which, accumulating year after year, become ultimately the sole depositories of past doings. We would put it to club officers whether they are not depriving themselves and their fellow members of a source of much future pleasure, such as would be derived from turning over pages in which the past had been embalmed, and living again among the associations of vanished years. What we have now said is similar to many previous appeals, and experience forbids the hope that this one will be responded to any more than the others. We scarcely, however, feel that secretaries are much to blame. They have plenty of work on their hands, work for which they receive no reward in currency of the realm, and but little solatium in the shape of thanks; but we have never been able to understand why each club should not appoint one of the members as its honorary reporter, whose sole duty it should be to transmit intelligence of matches, meetings, tourneys, &c. to the Chess press. We commend this suggestion to the attention of clubs in general, and believe they would benefit by its adoption; for there can be no question but that Chess associations, like other bodies, benefit by publicity. From time to time we hear of the " Trophy" competition at the Bermondsey Chess Club. This prize, which consists of two statues of Law and Justice, has to be won three times before its constituents can be carried home in triumph to become the household gods of any competitor. Mr. Beardsell has won it once, but Mr. Huttly betters that achievement, for he has been twice the winner, and should success again sit on his shoulders, the much desired trophy will become his absolute property. In the present season's tourney there were sixteen competitors, but honneur aux vainqueurs is the motto of the Bermondsey Secretary, and as the first "series " has been completed, he has only supplied us with the names of the eight survivors, who, by their victories, have qualified themselves for taking part in the second series now in progress. These are-first class, Mr. Beardsell; second class, Mr. A. Holeman; third class, Messrs. Cooper and Huttly; fourth class, Messrs. Barker and J. Holeman; fifth class, Mr. Smith; and sixth class, Mr. Henna Odds are given between these classes from the Pawn and move down to the Rook On the 19th ulto. Mr. Potter paid a visit to the Bermondsey Chess Club, whereof he is an honorary member, and played fourteen simultaneous games, the following gentlemen being his opponents-namely, Messrs. Barker, Beardsell, Bugby, Cooper, Hampton, Dredge, Henna, A. Holeman, Huttly, Keates, Powell, Soutter, Stacey, and Weaver. Mr. Huttly won his game, and Mr. Bugby drew, but the other twelve were more goodnatured. A match took place on the 22nd ult. between the College Chess Club and the City of London Chess Club with eleven players on each side. The City combatants were taken from the third, fourth, and fifth classes, and constituted a much stronger team than had been originally contemplated, seeing that the secretary of the College Club had not placed his ambition higher than trying a bout with Rook players, which one would think was a pretty severe ordeal to be undergone by an association not yet a year old. However, the best laid schemes of mice and men often come to nought, as Mr. H. F. Down found on this occasion; for the Collegians, undismayed by the strength brought to bear against them, went to work with a will, and issued out of the fray victorious by 10 games to 8, with 3 draws. From the list hereunder given, it will be seen that Mrs. Down sustained her reputation by defeating Mr. Gastineau in both games. Miss F. Down made a hard struggle with Mr. Templeton in the first encounter, and succeeded in obtaining a draw; but in the next had to succumb to the superior strength of her opponent. Upon Miss H. Down great hopes were placed on account of the surprising development of skill lately exhibited by her, though but a few weeks back she was quite a weak player, and indeed had not been judged strong enough to take part in the present contest at all. However, considering that she had not only beaten Mephisto, but had also won a game of Mrs. Down in the Club Even Tourney, and had furthermore defeated Mr. H. F. Down, who is a very good third class player, in a test game upon even terms, she could not but be considered as a sufficiently capable representative of the College, and as likely to make a very good fight with Mr. Meller, who is one of the best of the fifth class players of the City Club. She lost both her games with hin, but in the second had an undoubted winning superiority, and must have won had it not been for an unfortunate slip such as the inexperienced are liable to. Mr. Meller good-naturedly offered her the move back, but with a very proper spirit she refused to accept of any such favour. The match, as it had been arranged between the two clubs, was of course upon even terms, but at one of the boards, namely between Messrs. Heywood and T. Watson, a Knight was given. There is no doubt that Mr. Watson could not have made any real fight in an equal contest against his very strong opponent, who arrived after the other combatants had been paired. But for all that we wonder that Mr. Richardson, the Secretary of the College Club, should have consented to one of his team receiving odds upon such an occasion. In default of any other resource we almost think he might have called upon Mr. H. F Down, who is himself a Collegian, to play on that side. We consider it fortunate for the College that Mr. Watson lost both his games, for otherwise the victory would have had a hybrid appearance. The following is the score:CITY OF LONDON CLUB. COLLEGE CHESS CLUB. A match took place on Saturday, the 12th ult., between the Athenæum. and Excelsior Clubs at the Athenæum Institute, Camden Road, Holloway. The home team were victorious. The return match takes place at Camberwell Hall, on the 25th of January. The Excelsior have made up their list of inter-club matches for the season 1878-9, and it would appear that the number is twenty. The Kentish Town Club have arranged to play seventeen matches with other clubs during the present season. We are indebted for these items of information to the Holloway Press, a journal which, if too much disposed to foster an exclusively local spirit amongst the minor clubs, nevertheless serves them zealously and well. In doing so it supplies a want much felt in the metropolis previous to the existence of its Chess columns, and performs a good work in the cause of the game itself. We consider the Holloway Press to be entitled to the support of all metropolitan Chess-players. It is with sincere regret that we announce the death of our distinguished friend and Chess-player, Captain Hugh Kennedy. We received the melancholy intelligence too late in the month to do more than record the fact, and we therefore reserve until next month a more lengthened notice of his doings in the fields of literature and Chess. OUR PROBLEMS REVIEWED No. 1050.- A particularly elegant problem, the ultimate duals being unavoidable and immaterial. No. 1051.-This problem is a gem, being wonderfully beautiful in conception, and constructed by the hand of a master. No. 1052.-Taking a Pawn on the first move in a problem of four moves is decidedly objectionable, but the great beauty of this composition fully condones this defect. No. 1053.-A problem of very great merit, more difficult, but far less elegant than No. 1050. No. 1054.-A very fine problem; the duals are not a blemish in this style of two-mover. |