The Judges, Messrs. Duffy and Pierce, after reference to the Umpire, Mr. F. H. Lewis, have awarded the Prizes in this Tourney as follow: For the best Sets. - FIRST PRIZE. -" When shall we three meet again." SECOND PRIZE.-"My Lords the Judges, &c." THIRD PRIZE. - " Many things perplex For the best two-move Problem. - No. 1056.-" When shall we three, &c." In addition to these Prizes announced at the opening of the Competition, Mr. Pierce is desirous of presenting a copy of "English Chess Problems," to the Author of No. 1089, forming part of the set bearing the motto "Rosicrucian." The award will remain open for a month, after which interval no objection as to the originality or accuracy of the Prize Problems will be entertained, and the prizes will be at once paid to the successful Competitors. A list of the problems with mottoes and authors' names will be published in our next number. THE LOWENTHAL PROBLEM TOURNEY. No. 2. Mr. Medley has placed at our disposal a further sum of £10 for a second problem tourney in connection with these PAPERS. We give below the conditions of the tourney. I. The Competition shall be open to problem composers of all nations. 2. The problems to be original, to be ordinary mates, and the solutions to be in two, three, or four moves. 3. Each competitor to send three problems, clearly described upon diagrams, accompanied by full solutions, and enclosed in an envelope bearing a distinguishing device or motto, and not the author's name. 4. Each competitor to send with the problems a sealed envelope, containing his name and address, and endorsed with the motto corresponding with that affixed to the problems. These envelopes shall not be opened until after the payment of the prizes. as follows: 5. The problems to be sent to the Editor of the WESTMINSTER PAPERS, 46, Cannon Street, London, E.C., From composers resident in the United Kingdom on or before the 20th March, 1879. From composers resident on the continent of Europe, the Dominion of Canada, and the United States of America the 20th April, 1879. From composers resident elsewhere the 20th August, 1879. 6. Problems, the joint composition of two or more authors, will be disqualified. 7. The problems, after undergoing a preliminary examination, will be published in this journal at the rate of three sets per month, and at the expiration of one month after the publication of the last set the prizes will be awarded. 1 8. The judges will be Messrs. P. T. Duffy and J. W. Abbott, and in the event of any difference of opinion arising between them, Mr. F. H. Lewis will act as umpire. 9. The decision of the judges or umpire shall be final. In the event of either of these gentlemen being unable or unwilling to act the proprietor of these Papers and Mr. Medley will appoint a substitute. Three prizes are offered, viz. First Frize £5, Second Prize £3, Third Prize £2. In addition, we shall give a complete set of "THE WESTMINSTER PAPERS" to the author of the best problem in three moves. The problem competing for the last prize may be part of the sets of three, or may be sent in separately at the option of the competitor. Any editor of a Chess Magazine or Chess column, desiring to publish the problems contributed to this tourney will be supplied from time to time with copies of a set in advance of their publication in this journal, on application to the Editor, 46 Cannon Street, London, E.C.; but notwithstanding their publication elsewhere, all the problems that stand the test of the preliminary examination will be published in "THE WESTMINSTER PAPERS." For the information of intending competitors it is deemed expedient to state here that the judges will deal with dual moves in the following manner : I. Duals arising on the first move of the solution will disqualify the problem, and the set in which such problem appears. 2. Duals arising on the succeeding moves will not disqualify the problem, but will nevertheless be regarded prima facie as a defect, and will then be considered from the stand-point whether their occurrence is unavoidable, or otherwise, and how far their existence affects the idea sought to be embodied in the composition. (a) Losing too much time. If afraid of the Evans, might very well adopt the Two Knights' Defence. (b) This cat has apparently not yet got through its stock of lives. (c) Should take with the Bishop. One of the first signs of future strength is when a player shows by his moveswhether they be good or bad-that he 6 Kt to KB 3 7 Kt to B 3 8 B takes Kt (c) 9 Kt to Q5 10 P to Q 4 11 Q takes P Black. Mr. BLACKBURNE. being, comparatively speaking, a novelty, the defence stands upon its trial. I do not feel favourably disposed towards it myself. 1 P to K 4 2 P takes P 3Q to R 5 ch 4 P to KB 4 (a) 5 Kt to QB 3 6 Q to R 4 7 K to Q sq 8 R takes B 9 B to Q 3 (d) 10 F takes P 11 R to K sq 12 Kt tks KBP (e) 12 Q to Kt 5 13 Kt to K 5 14 P takes Kt 150 to B 3 16 takes 17 Kt to Q5 18 P to B 3 19 B to Q 2 20 K to Kt sq 13 Kt takes Kt 14 B takes P 15 P to Q 3 16 B takes Q 17 K to Q 2 18 R to K 3 19 R to KB sq ch 20 B to K 7 21 B to B 5 22 B to Q6 22 Kt to K 3 23 P to K Kt 3 (f) 23 B to K 5 24 Kt to Kt 2 24 P to Q 4 (b) By playing 5 Kt to O B 3, the allies would bring the same position which arises from 4 Kt to Q B 3, as an answer to 3 P to KB 4. I apprehend, however, that they could here obtain the superiority by proceeding with 5 Kt to KB 3, followed by 6 P to K 5. (c) Ill advised according to my think. ing. (d) The modifying effect of circumstances upon cases is here exemplified, for this move is as good in the present instance as it is generally the reverse. (e) Ingenious, but the colour is not sufficiently firm for it to wash well. (f) To present B to KB 5, and also to provide a square for the Knight which cannot at present move anywhere, on account of B to Q5 ch. The game is lost anyhow. (b) Best no doubt, for if 15 Kt to B 4, then Q Kt to B 6 ch, 16 K to R sq, B to R 6 with the advantage. (c) They should certainly take the Rook followed, if 190 takes Kt P by R to K sq, whereby there would be two pieces bearing down on the adverse Knight. (d) This fine move may seem to be a flash of unnecessary ingenuity, having regard to the plausible aspect of 22 Kt to B6 ch; but the latter continuation will be found upon examination to be by no satisfactory for White as might be expected, and in any case the superiority of Mr. Blackburne's conception will be means sO come clear enough. (e) They have nothing better. What. ever move be made their Queen is lost. 5 Kt to Kt 5 16 Kt takes B P 7 P to Q 4 8 B takes P 9 B to B 4 ch 10 Castles 11 Q to Q 2 12 Kt to B 3 13 B to K 5 14 Kt to Q 5 119Q takes KP 21 R to Q7 ch (c) 22Q takes 23 B to 23 ch ch 5 P to KR3 6 K takes Kt 7 P to Q 4 8 P takes P 9 K to Kt 2 10 Kt K to B 3 11 B to K 2 12 B to K B 4 (a) 13 to 2 14 Kt to B 3 15 Kt takes B 17 Q to B 3 18 P to KR 4 20 Q to K Kt 3 22 K takes Q 23 K to Kt 4 (d) 24 R to Kt 7 ch 26 R takes B P 27 B to B 5 28 R takes Kt P 29 R to Q Kt 5 30 R to K sq ch 26 QR to KB sq 27 R to B 3 28 KR to KB sq 29 P to Kt 6 Resigns (e) inclined to think that P to QB 4 is Black's (a) This is not satisfactory. I am best defence at this point to be followed, if B to K 5, or P to Q5, by Q Kt to O 2, and if Kt to Kt 5, then by Kt to R 3. (b) This acute stroke is virtually decisive of the contest. (c) Possibly the safest course, but much may be said for 21 Q to Q7 ch, followed, after K to R 3, by B to Q3. (d) K to R 3 is preferable, but the position is big with a victory for White, play as Black may. (e) I do not see that there is any more reason for resigning now than before. GAME 20б. Played in the Second Round of the City of London Handicap. White. Mr. BLOCK. 1 P to K 4 2 Kt to Q B 3 3 Kt to B 3 4 B to Kt 5 5 Castles 6 P to Q 3 7 Kt takes Kt 8 Kt to K 2 9 Kt to Kt 3 110 K to R sq (a) 11 Q to B 3 12 P to KR 3 13 K to Kt sq 14 P takes P (c) 15 B to Q 2 16 B to Q B 4 17 P takes B 18 Kt to K 4 19 P to Kt 4 20 P to B 5 21 P takes P 22 Kt takes B 23 Kt takes P 26 Q to Kt 3 ch 27 Q takes R and Black. Mr. KLEIN. 1 P to K 4 2 Kt to Q B 3 3 Kt to B 3 4 B to Q B 4 5 Castles 6 Kt to Q 5 7 B takes Kt 8 B to Kt 3 9 P to Q 3 10 Kt to Kt 5 11 Q to R5 14 P takes P 15 B to K 3 16 B takes B 17 P to B 5 18 Kt to R 3 20 P takes P 21 B takes P 22 R takes B 23 R to B 2 24 R takes QBP 25 R to Kt 2 26 K to R sq White followed up the capture by resigning (e) (a) Either P to KR 3, or B to K Kt 5 seems necessary at this point. In either case White would have a somewhat inferior game. (b) All this is played with that skill which is to be expected from Mr. Klein, who is one of the most promising of the young City players. (c) It is scarcely necessary to point out that if P takes Kt, Black would reply with P takes Kt P, winning back his piece. (d) This also is in a good style. (e) White resigned on perceiving the force of 27 P to B 6. In this however, he was somewhat precipitate, for he could have replied to that move with 28 Kt to B7 ch, Kt takes Kt, 29 Q to B 5, R takes Pch, 30 K to R sq, whereupon Black would perhaps begin to wish that he had not staked his game upon a venturesome and unnecessary, if ingenious combina tion. |