Olivia. Burchell, Moses, Sophia, are pale shadows of themselves, and Thornhill and Olivia alone stand out with any clearness. Luckily for Mr. Wills these two characters are represented by Mr. Terriss and Miss Ellen Terry. Mr. Terriss, perhaps the best jeune premier on the stage, has benefited by his recent training at Drury Lane and the Adelphi, for these establishments, if good for nothing else, require distinctness of articulation in an actor; and Miss Ellen Terry, as an actress of what are called emotional parts, has no superior on

the stage.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

CHESS.

IGNORAMUS.-Solutions correct. The conditions of problem No. 1013 are, White to play and mate in four moves. T. TARRANT.-In your problem (69) the B K escapes at B 4. If you will correct it we shall be glad to give it insertion in our next number.

J. C. (Hull). Many thanks for your letter and the problem. We should have published the latter his month, but we believe it cannot be solved in the way proposed if Black plays 2 B to K B 2nd (ch). We shall be glad to exchange with the Hull Miscellany.

J. P. (Paris).—The extra number has been forwarded, and we note your desire to receive three numbers for the future.

WHIST.

N. P. R.-A leads Ace of Hearts. It is Z's deal. He leads a 13th card, and calls the Heart Ace. Is not this sharp practice ? Ans. Certainly not, you play a game which is governed by certain recognised laws, and one of these is that an exposed card can be called out anytime. Play strictly or not at all, and if you incur a penalty pay it with a good grace and never dream of hinting that any player keeping strictly within the law is a sharp practitioner.

P. R. B.-The reasoning is simple. can force you in Clubs, and he does saries draw the conclusion that he properly finesse against him.

Your partner knows he not do so. The Adveris weak in trumps and

but C makes a revoke, A and B claim the game (a single) on the ground that, as penalty for the revoke-they are entitled to add three points to their score, and hold two by honours. Can they claim the game ?-Ans. Certainly. They have two by honours, and they add three to their score. It is only a single because tricks count before honours. Revoking players cannot go out that hand, and therefore they have only got to four. There are three ways of taking the penalty for a revoke. You may add three to your score, take three from your adversaries score, or take three of their tricks, and add them to your own.

M. B. P. (Charleston S. C.)-You will oblige by letting me have your views on the following case: A and B are partners at Whist. There are three trumps in, the 4 and 5 in A's hand, the 8 in B's, six or seven cards remaining in each hand. A, having to lead, plays a 13th heart, and, not dreaming that his partner would trump it, does not wait on him, but throws on the table three winning cards; viz., the two trumps and the Ace of Clubs, altogether. The question is, what penalty can the adversaries exact; has A led out of turn three times, and can they, (as to his three cards), elect whether they shall call a lead or call the cards? If they decide to call a lead from B and treat A's cards as exposed, have they a right to select which of the three shall be taken up, and which left, when his partner (B) leads? and if a lead is called from B, can A be made to play one of the three cards upon the card led, if he cannot follow suit? or, must the calling of his cards be deferred until the next trick or tricks? It may be premised that the play of the cards as above shown, would have won the odd trick, even if B had been compelled to take one of his partner's tricks.-Ans. The facts are slightly incomplete. We assume that B had not trumped the thirteenth card when A threw down his cards. In this position B can be called on to win the card led, and the 3 cards left on the table by A are all callable. If they leave B to play as he likes and he takes the trick, the exposed cards are callable. If he does not take the trick the adversaries may lead the exposed cards one after the other, and require B to win any one of them.

NOTICE TO CHESS EDITORS.

Will these gentlemen be so good as to note the address beneath. We constantly receive papers directed Westminster Papers, "London," and England." This gives the Post Office authorities unnecessary trouble. All communications should be addressed Editor, Westminster Papers, Civil Service Printing and Publishing Company, 8 Salisbury Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C."

66

The Westminster Papers.

1st JUNE, 1878.

THE CHESS WORLD.

"The whisperings of our petty burgh."

THE arrival in London of Mr. James Mason, the distinguished American Chess player, is the most interesting event of the past month. America does not often send us representative Chess players, more is the pity, but we hope the reception given to Mr. Mason by English amateurs may lead to more frequent intercourse between the players of the two nations. On the 27th ultimo Mr. Mason was invited to a banquet at the City of London Club, where he was heartily received by an assemblage that included most of the leading Chess players of the Metropolis. Our visitor, who is about to take part in the Paris tourney, will make some stay in London, and we hope next month to be able to record the result of his play against the London practitioners.

On the evening of the 17th ult. the Divan and City Club were companions in misfortune. They were deserted by even their most faithful votaries. Everyone had made his way to the College Chess Club, in order to witness what was felt to be an interesting and unique spectacle, namely, Mr. Blackburne playing blindfold against six lady opponents. The College Club, as our readers know, is an association lately formed with the express object of enabling ladies having a taste for Chess to practise and enjoy it. Any reason why they should not thus recreate themselves does not, at the present moment, occur to us, and we do not propose to look about for one. Could we believe that women would drink much whisky over their Chess, or take to colouring clay pipes, or swear when they lost, or offer to back themselves to any extent to give a rook to successful rivals, or glorify themselves in print. then, indeed, we should doubt the expediency of their being allowed to enter "our petty burgh," but we by no means expect these or any other evil consequences to follow from their learning how to checkmate. Men may, and often do, in defeat, forget that they are gentlemen, but, from the ladies, we should look for nothing worse than a graceful sweep of the hand across the board by way of resignation. Returning, however, to the immediate business on hand we have to mention that Mr. Blackburne's six adversaries were Mrs. Down, Miss Florence Down, Mrs. Shedlock, Mrs. Jamieson, Miss Nellie Down, and Miss Wallington. The very spacious room in which the members of the club meet was none too large for the numerous spectators, among whom might be observed the lions and tigers of the metropolitan Chess world. The company took exceeding interest in the games, and displayed much sympathy with the players in their struggles against the crafty devices of their enemy. This sympathy was far too zealous to be repressed by any feeling of impartiality, in other words, there was much giving of advice. It was very excusable, and certainly Mr. Blackburne, the only person concerned, did not mind it, but the ladies state that on future occasions they will not allow anything of the kind. They want to play their own games and not to be assisted by anyone. We think they are right, there is a pleasure even in being beaten if the struggle has been all one's own. There is delight in having made the best, or at any rate a good fight, in having by unaided skill foiled this or that stratagem. We advise the ladies to adhere to their resolution. Play commenced at 7 p.m., and continued until a little after 10 o'clock, by which time Mr. Blackburne had defeated five of his opponents, but he had to resign to the strongest of them all, viz: Mrs. Down. That lady stood her ground well, but in the end she owed her victory to a slip made by her blindfold opponent, after he had obtained a great, if not decisive advantage over her. It should be mentioned that Mr. Webber, the Honorary Chess Instructor of the Birkbeck Institute, performed the arduous duties of Teller. At the conclusion of the performance Mr. Burden, the president, made a speech expressive of the gratification he felt, and thanking Mr. Blackburne very much for having shown so much kindness to their young Club. There the business of the evening terminated, but some of the visitors, in accordance with invitations received, proceeded to the residence of Mrs. Down, which is near the College, and were there entertained at supper. Amongst them were Messrs. Blackburne, Bird, MacDonnell, Potter, F. W. Lord, Manning, Webber, and Riley. After supper were heard the strains of music, both vocal and instrumental, and thereat the ladies of the family, notwithstanding that they are all Chess players, showed themselves equally accomplished as obliging. We may mention that the Hon. Secretary of the College Chess Club is Mr. F. T. Richardson, and that the members meet at the Ladies' College, Little Queen Street, Holborn.

A match has been lately played for the championship of the Railway Clearing House Chess Club. Mr. W. J. J. Knight has for years been the acknowledged leader of that association, but its Hon. Secretary, Mr. J. Tarrant, has for some time past been improving to such a degree, that it became a question which of these two gentlemen

was the stronger. A contest was accordingly arranged to decide this matter, and Mr. Tarrant, whom we assume to have been the challenger, justified his défi by winning seven games to four with one draw. He therefore becomes the captain of the Club which owes so much to his energy and business-like talent. We do not know whether Mr. Knight accepts the result as decisive. If the last game in the match, which we publish in this number, be a fair specimen of his play throughout, he must be very much out of form, for it is very far from exhibiting that amount of skill which might be expected of him. We may here mention that the Railway Clearing House Club, during the past season have played fifteen matches with other metropolitan associations, of which number they have won nine, lost three, and drawn three.

Pedigerous Chess is the rule at the City Club during the summer months, and the first performance of the present season took place on the 15th ultimo. Mr. Potter was the pedestrian, and he had twenty-two opponents. The circumambulation commenced about a quarter past 7 p.m., and lasted a little over four hours, by which time the performer had defeated seventeen of his antagonists, lost to one of them, viz., Mr. Staniforth, and drawn with the others, who were Messrs. Bussy, Stevens, F. W. Lord, and Israel.

We learn through the Holloway Press of the establishment of two new Metropolitan Chess societies. One, which is in connection with the Working Men's Reading Room, George Road, Holloway, owes it formation to Mr. C. Fish, and it has secured the services of Mr. C. Wedd, a metropolitan amateur of fair strength. By the kindness of Mr. Rans, Manager of the reading room, an apartment has been set apart for the use of the Chessplayers, and arrangements had been made for a meeting to take place on Monday the 20th ult. The other organization is in the shape of a class to be formed among the members of the Working Men's Progressive Club, Hornsey Road, of which there are upwards of three hundred, several of whom are Chess-players. Mr. S. Parsons is the Hon. Secretary, and he expresses his hope of their being able, when the season comes round again, to compete in friendly rivalry with neighbouring Clubs. We wish both these new societies much success; and if supplied by their officials with particulars of their transactions from time to time shall be happy in accordance with our invariable custom to afford them such assistance as may be derived from publicity. We are in fact always willing and pleased to support all manner of Chess associations, whether new or old, and whether in the metropolis or the provinces. This being so, we can only attribute the apparent apathy of secretaries to the fact that they are unwilling to increase the burden which their ordinary duties involve, a very natural reluctance on their part, seeing that they are all honorary officers; but why does not each club appoint a special reporter whose duty it will be to transmit all interesting and important intelligence to such Chess journals as may shew a willingness to publish the same? We feel sure that volunteers for such a useful office would not be wanting in any association. There are here and there found members of Chess bodies who send intelligence upon their own account, but we presume they would be better pleased if formally invested with authority so to act, and besides there would then be the sense of duty to urge them on. As to the profit derived by clubs from their proceedings appearing in the Chess press, we suppose no one in these days can have any doubt upon that head. Not only is a beneficial stimulus applied, but the club becomes known, is advertised in fact, and thereby must be constantly gaining new recruits.

The Holloway Press takes exception to some remarks of ours last month concerning the Metropolitan Chess Association. In a very friendly spirit we offered our advice to the new society, and warned it against falling into an obvious snare. Wishing it well, as is shewn by the whole tone of our observations, we asked it not to act in any narrow spirit, in other words, not to be too local, and we expressed our opinion that "a Chess vestry would be a very poor institution." In so writing we, according to the Holloway Press, "decried" the Association. Our contemporary labours under a delusion in this respect. We by no means accused its protégé of being what we advised it not to be. We could not do so, for, as was the case with Sam Weller, our vision is limited, and the taciturn future has not thought fit to extend to us its confidence. While upon the subject, we feel inclined to ask whether the Association has been seen anywhere lately by anyone. Of course it cannot very well go out of doors if the suit of clothes ordered on the 1st of April has not yet been made, but two months seem a long time to take for that purpose. Perhaps our contemporary will see how matters stand in that respect. It is of course satisfactory to know that " the members have a distinct object in view," but we should like to see some signs of the "great life and activity" alluded to by the Press.

A match between Messrs. Potter and Heywood at the alternate odds of Knight and Pawn and two moves has been going on during the past month. Seven games have been played, and the score at present stands Potter 4, Heywood 1, drawn 2. Curiously enough, the odds receiver has not done anything like so well with the greater, as with the lesser odds. Three games have been played at Pawn and two moves with a score of one to each party and a draw, whereas, of four Knight games, Mr. Heywood lost all but one, which was drawn. Whoever scores first five will be the victor.

Mr. Blackburne, on the 27th ulto., played simultaneously against all comers at the Leigh Chess Club. began with twenty opponents, but as soon as one was disposed of another was found willing to man the deadly breach, so that in this way about thirty games were got through. The performer managed to draw two, and as to the others, it is understood that, somehow or other, things did not go very well with Leigh. On the 28th Mr. Blackburne played at the same club blindfold. He had eight opponents, and at the conclusion seven of them looked

jealously at the eighth, who it may be mentioned succeeded in effecting a draw. The Leigh Chess Club is in connection with the Leigh Liberal Club. There are Conservatives in those parts, and there are also milestones on the Dover Road. Lord Beaconsfield is not, we believe, a Chess-player, but if he were, we assume he would go where he could get a game. That was at any rate the view taken by the Conservative Chess-players of Leigh, and they accordingly came boldly into the enemy's camp. The President of the Liberal Club, though not himself a Chessplayer, seemed to think the phenomenon worth noticing, as a good point in Chess, and to that effect expressed himself in a speech upon the occasion. We quite agree with him.

The twenty-third annual meeting of the West Yorkshire Chess Association was held at the Queen's Hotel, Leeds, on the 11th ultimo; the Mayor, Mr. E. H. Carbutt, presiding at the opening ceremony. Six tourneys were arranged, and the following is a report of the result of each, with the names of the competitors :

:

No. I TOURNAMENT.-(For the Mayor's Prize)-First Round: Mr. Gregson beat Mr. Barbier. Mr. Holliday beat Mr. Bilborough.-Second Round: Mr. Gregson (£1 15s.) beat Mr. Holliday (17s. 6d.)

No. 2 TOURNAMENT. (For the Mayor's Prize)—First Round: Mr. Bennett beat Mr. Rossell. Mr. Dyson beat Mr. Millard. Mr. Stokoe beat Mr. Shaw. Mr. A. Finlinson beat Mr. Bracken.-Second Round: Mr. Stokoe beat Mr. Bennett.—Mr. Stokoe received £2 2s., and Messrs. Finlinson and Dyson divided £2 2s.

No. 3 TOURNAMENT. (For J. Barran, Esq., M.P.'s Prize)-First Round: Mr. Macmaster beat Mr. Wainhouse. Mr. Brown beat Mr. Onions. Mr. Hussey beat Mr. Knapton. Mr. Taylor beat Mr. Whitley.-Second Round: Mr. Macmaster beat Mr. R. Taylor. Mr. Brown beat Mr. Hussey.—Third Round: Mr. Brown (£2 15s.) beat Mr. Macmaster (1 8s.)

No. 4 TOURNAMENT.-(For Sir Andrew Fairbairn's Prize.)—First Round: Mr. R. A. Wright beat Mr. Craven. Master Jackson beat Mr. Hagen-Torn. Mr. Cooking beat Mr. Wright. Mr. Woodhead beat Mr. Hudson.Second Round: Mr. Cocking beat Mr. R. A. Wright, and there not being time to conclude this tourney, Mr. Cocking, having won two games, received £2 2s., and Mr. Woodhead £t is., and Master Jackson £1 18.

No. 5 TOURNAMENT.-First Round: Mr. Bisby beat Mr. Dobson. Mr. Sadd beat Mr. Smith.-Second Round Mr. Bisby (£1 18.) beat Mr. Sadd (10s.)

No. 6 TOURNAMENT.-First Round: Mr. Craven beat Mr. Hagen-Torn. Mr. Gaunt beat Mr. Tetley. Mr. Hunter beat Mr. Bracken. Mr. Wright beat Mr. Parry.-Second Round: Mr. Craven beat Mr. Wright. Mr. Gaunt against Mr. Hunter (retired). Mr. Gaunt and Mr. Craven divided £4 35.

At six o'clock the company adjourned to the tea-table, where the various dishes which had been bountifully provided by the host of the Queen's received ample justice from the players and their friends. The meeting was a very successful one, and before separating it was resolved to meet again at Wakefield in April 1879.

La Stratégie for May gives the exact amount of the prizes to be offered for competition at the forthcoming congress in Paris. They are as follows:

cash.

:

FIRST PRIZE. An object of art provided by the State of the value of 5,000 francs with 1,000 francs in cash. SECOND PRIZE -An object of art, also provided by the State, of the value of 1,800 francs, with 500 francs in

THIRD PRIZE.-Fifteen hundred francs; and FOURTH PRIZE: One thousand francs in money.

The prizes in the Problem Tourney will be four in number, value respectively 400, 300, 200, and 100 francs, and for the End Game competition two prizes are offered, value 250 francs and 150 francs.

In the Game Tourney England will be represented by Mr. Blackburne, America by Mr. Mason, Germany by Anderssen and Paulsen. If the latter-named player shows in this contest the form he displayed at the Leipsic Tourney, the event will probably name him the winner, a reflection that, very possibly, has occurred to some of our readers as well as ourselves. In any case the success of the Congress is assured. Europe and America will be represented by their finest players, and the subscriptions, a very important element of success, have already attained a total of 3,760 francs.

In referring to the contents of La Stratégie last month, we omitted to mention an article by M. A. Delannoy on the subject of Mr. Gumpel's mechanical Chess player "Mephisto." It is written in M. Delannoy's peculiarly graceful and fanciful style, and has already had the honours of translation accorded to it by the Glasgow Herald and the Argus, of Ayr.

We have received this month the first number of a new French Chess periodical, L'Echiquier D'Aix, published by the members of a Chess club in connection with the Academy of Aix. The contents are varied and interesting, comprising a lesson on the openings, model games, end games, and problems. Our other French exchanges, L'Exposition, edited by M. Rosenthal, and La France Illustrée, edited by M. Pradignot, contain games and problems of the highest standard in each of the branches of the games.

The Nuova Rivista of Leghorn, contains, as usual, the best specimens of modern Italian Chess, and an autobiographical sketch of the career of the famous problem master, Herr J. Berger, of Gratz, translated from the Schachzeitung.

The meeting of the West German Chess Association, at Frankfort, next month, promises to be one of the largest gatherings of the kind in recent times. The following is the programme issued by the Committee, who

have, we are informed, issued invitations to all the leading players of the world to take part in the competition for the prizes provided for the occasion.

Saturday 27th July, 6 p.m.-Reception of the Union Members, etc., in the room of the Chess Club, No 8 Brömerstrasse," next to the "Zeil." Lots drawn for the Tournaments.

Sunday 28th July, 9 o'clock a.m. Commencement of the Tournament in the Club House at the Zoological Gardens. Playtime 9 to 1, and 2 to 6 o'clock. Evening at 7. General Meeting under the following orders of the day. Rendering of Accounts for 1877-8. Arrangements for 1878-79. Deliberation on the Statutory drafts of the West German Chess Union (See appendix). New choice of President. Evening 8.30, Festival.

Monday 29th July, commence at 9 o'clock a.m.-Continuation of the Tournament in the Zoological Gardens. Playtime 9 to 1 and from 2 to 6 o'clock. Consultation parties: evening 6.30, (if good weather), Social Union in the Forester's House in Frankfort City Forest.

Tuesday, 30th July, 9 o'clock a.m.-Continuation of the Tournaments in the Palmen Gardens. Playtime from 9 to 12 o'clock a.m. About o'clock dinner on joint account. Afternoon at 3 o'clock, large blindfold productions. At 5 o'clock, Prize distribution and presenting Diplomas of Honour to the victors in the hitherto played tournaments.

Wednesday, 31st July, 9 o'clock a.m.-Completion of the remaining games in the local Club. If weather is fine an excursion to the Taunus mountains.

Announcements of play in the Master Tournaments, or West German Tournament, as well as for the side Tournaments to be addressed to Mr. Emil Rosenthal in Frankfort à Maine, and Mr. Edward Haumacher in Köln, Quirinstrasse 7, till the 25th of July.

A.-MASTER TOURNAMENT.-Under the direction of Mr. Edward Haumacher, of Cologne, lots drawn Saturday evening at half-past 6 commence Sunday morning, at 9 o'clock, play one with another, or in turns, or in groups. Deposit, 5 marks. Two prizes of a minimum value of 400 and 150 marks, of which the winners will have free choice to receive the value in money if they think fit.

B.-WEST GERMAN PRINCIPAL TOURNAMENT.-Under the direction of Messrs. Julius Asbeck, jnr., in Barmen, and Emil Rosenthal, in Frankfort-on-the-Maine. Only for Chess friends in west Germany. Lots drawn on Saturday evening at half-past 6 commence Sunday morning at 9. Play in turns or groups. Deposit, 3 marks. Four valuable prizes.

C.-FIRST SIDE TOURNAMENT.-Under the direction of M. Riefenstahe in Elberfeld. Begins Sunday morning at nine; 16-32 partners. Play in turns. Deposit 1 marks. Four prizes, consisting of valuable Chess works. D. SECOND SIDE TOURNAMENT.-Under the direction of Mayor Stosberg from Dorp. Begins Sunday afternoon at three o'clock. The remaining conditions same as in the First (C) Side Tournament.

E.—“ TOMBOLA" TOURNAMENT.—Under the direction of Mr. W. Wiesen in Frankfort. No deposit. Number of participators unlimited. No one is permitted to tell more than once in this game. The victors in Tournaments A, B, C, and D will receive, besides the prizes, artistically executed honourable diplomas.

Chess in America seems to have fallen on summer days, for although our exchanges from the States are as brilliant as usual, there is no record of matches or tourneys save that by correspondence between England and America. The handicap tourney at the New York Chess Club is drawing to a close, the leading scores standing to the credit of Messrs. Limbeck and Burke.

REVIEW.

THE LEIPSIC CHESS CONGRESS.*

This book treats of the Chess Congress held at Leipsic in July, 1877, in honour of Adolf Anderssen. The occasion may be looked upon as the jubilee of the respected veteran, or as the celebration of his golden wedding with Caissa, for just fifty years had passed away since his first game at Chess. The book has for its frontispiece a capitally engraved portrait of Anderssen, with his bold autograph subjoined, and after a brief preface by the able editor, Herr Schallopp, we are, as might be naturally expected, furnished with a biography of the hero of the festival. We published last year a memoir containing the principal facts connected with the Chess career of Anderssen (see WESTMINSTER PAPERS for July 1877) but Herr Schallopp's painstaking and interesting account gives some further details, and these we will touch upon for the benefit of our readers. We find then that Anderssen learned Chess at the age of nine years. He was taught by, and, for a long time, played exclusively with, his father, who, it would seem, was not exactly a master of the game. The fast improving boy soon ceased to find satisfaction in these battles, which, we apprehend, is an euphemistic mode of stating that he speedily got the better of his teacher. He desired to enter more deeply into the secrets of the game, and being then a second class scholar of the Elizabeth College in his native town of Breslau, he * "Der Schachkongress zu Leipzig," von E. Schallopp. Leipzig: Veit & Comp., 1878.