Chess History and Reminiscences Part 12

GAMES AT THE BELFAST CHESS CONGRESS IN THE QUADRANGULAR COMPEt.i.tION BETWEEN J. H. Blackburne, H. E. Bird, F. J. Lee, and J. Mason, Sept. 12th to Sept. 23rd, 1892.

Of the eighteen games competed for by the above, eight are worthy to be placed in a first cla.s.s collection. They are--No. 1, "Evans Gambit Declined," (Bird v. Blackburne) which is thought in some respects the best, as ill.u.s.trating the styles and resources of the two players, besides containing many instructive phases.

No. 4, "A Vienna Opening," between Blackburne and Mason, was a game of considerable enterprise and interest, though the latter missed an ingenious and promising opportunity, which would have given him a considerable advantage, sufficient for so careful and reliable a player (who seldom misses chances) to have won.

No. 7, a Kt to Q5 defence to the Ruy Lopez) a form not approved by the authorities, condemned once more by Mr. Hoffer, in the Field, but pa.s.sed without comment by Mr. Mason in the B. C. M.) was a popular game with the spectators and was won by Bird, defending against Blackburne, who also succeeded in No. 17 on the last day against Mason with a Sicilian in a short and decisive game, pleasing and amusing to the lookers on who liked to see a lively and decisive game. No. 9, "A Queen's p.a.w.n opening" produced fine combinations and critical positions and a brilliant finish (Bird scoring from Lee). No. 11, "A Two Knight's Defence" terminated in a clever and meritorious victory for Mason as second player over Bird.

The above six games were the most entertaining of the series, viz.--l, 4, 7, 9, 11 & 17.

No. 5 Lee and Blackburne, Kt to KB3, and No. 12, Blackburne and Lee, a Ruy Lopez were steady, but rather dull, but furnished excellent specimens of Blackburne's skill and masterly conduct of end games.

Next to the foregoing eight games in order of interest were No. 3, Bird and Lee. Counter Queen's p.a.w.n opening and No.

13, Bird and Blackburne KP one, these, though both drawn, were steady, well-played and instructive games. In No. 2, Lee and Mason, a Petroff, the former should have drawn, but lost on his 75th move. In No. 6, Mason was at a decided disadvantage with Bird who committed an ingenious suicide in a game he could have drawn.

In No. 13, a Kt to KB3 opening, P KB4 reply. Lee had much the better game with a p.a.w.n more against Mason, but made a palpable blunder at his 34th move and resigned.

No. 8, a tame draw in 18 moves, Mason and Lee 10, Mason and Blackburne, 28 moves, not much better 16, Blackburne and Mason 30 moves, of no interest, and No. 18, the last game 20 moves between Lee and Blackburne, from which something was expected, but which baffles polite description, and cannot be dignified by the name of, or as a game, completes the list. This was a Four Knights game, 15 Blackburne and Mason a Giuoco Piano 30 moves was a lamentable specimen of wood s.h.i.+fting.

The following game presented some very instructive positions towards the close:

Game played in the Masters' Tournament, 16th September, 1892, between Messrs. H. E. Bird and F. J. Lee.

White Black LEE BIRD 1 P to Q4 P to Q4 2 Kt to KB3 P to K3 3 P to B4 Kt to KB3 4 P to K3 QKt to Q2 5 B to Q3 B to K2 6 Kt to B3 Castles 7 Castles R to K square 8 P to QKt3 P to B3 9 B to Kt2 B to Q3 10 Q to B2 P takes P 11 P takes P B to Kt square 12 Kt to K2 Q to R4 13 P to B5 P to K4 14 B to B3 Q to Q square 15 Kt to Kt3 P takes P 16 B takes P Kt to K4 17 B takes Kt B takes B 18 Kt takes B R takes Kt 19 KR to Q square Q to K2 20 QR to B square B to Kt5 21 P to B3 B to K3 22 R to K square P to KKt3 23 P to B4 R to Q4 24 P to K4 R to Q5 25 P to B5 QR to Q square!

26 P to K5! Kt to Kt5 27 P takes B R takes B 28 P takes P ch Q takes P 29 Kt to K4 Q to KB5 30 Q to QB4 ch K to Kt2 31 P to KKt3 Q to R3 32 R to B2 R to Q8. Good 33 Q to K2 R takes R ch 34 Q takes R Q to K6 ch 35 K to B square Q to KB6 ch 36 R to KB2 Q to R8 ch 37 K to K2 Q takes K8 ch Resigns.

THE NORTH OF IRELAND (Belfast & Holywood) CHESS CONGRESS MASTERS QUADRANGULAR OOMPEt.i.tION.

H. E. Bird, J. H. Blackburne, F. Lee, and J. Mason.

FIRST ROUND.

September 12--Blackburne drew with Bird, Lee v. Mason adjourned after forty-two moves. Resumed on Thursday, Mason won.

September 13--Bird drew with Lee, Blackburne beat Mason.

September 14--Blackburne beat Lee, Mason beat Bird.

SECOND ROUND.

September 15--Bird beat Blackburne, Lee drew with Mason.

September 16--Bird beat Lee; Blackburne drew with Mason.

September 19--Bird lost to Mason, Blackburne beat Lee.

THIRD ROUND.

September 20--Bird drew to Blackburne, Lee lost to Mason.

September 22--Bird drew with Lee, Blackburne drew with Mason.

September 23--Bird beat Mason, Blackburne v. Lee, drawn.

Blackburne won 2 out of 3 from Mason.

Mason " 2 " 3 " Bird.

Bird " 2 " 3 " Blackburne.

These three scores being equal.

Blackburne and Mason each won 2 1/2 out of 3 with Lee, but Bird only 2 out of 3.

Final score--J. H. Blackburne... ... 5 1/2 J. Mason ... ... ... 5 1/2 H. E. Bird ... ... 5 F. J. Lee ... ... ... 2 ------ 18

GAME No. 7.--RUY LOPEZ ATTACK.

Kt to Queen's fifth Defence (Bird.) Note. This defence is condemned by all authorities.

The following was considered the game of the Tournament and must be admired:

White Black White Black BLACKBURNE BIRD BLACKBURNE BIRD 1 P to K4 P to K4 25 P takes P B to B5 2 Kt to KB3 QKt to B3 26 B to K2 B takes B 3 B to Kt5 Kt to Q5 27 R takes B P to Q4 4 Kt takes Kt P takes Kt 28 P takes P R takes R 5 P to Q3 P to KR4 29 Kt takes R P takes P 6 P to QB3 B to B4 30 Kt to Q4 R to K square 7 Castles P to QB3 31 P to B5 R to K5 8 B to R4 P to Q3 32 Kt to K6 ch K to Q3 9 Q to K square Q to B3 33 Kt to Kt7 R takes P 10 K to R square Kt to R3 34 P to B6 Kt to B2 11 P to KB3 P to R5 35 Kt to B5 ch K to K4 12 B to B2 B to Q2 36 Kt takes P P to Q5 13 P takes P B takes P 37 Kt to Kt6 ch K to K5 14 Kt to B3 Castles QR 38 K to Kt square R to Kt7 15 B to K3 QR to K square 39 P to KR4 P takes P en pas 16 B takes B Q takes B 40 P takes P P to Q6 17 Q to B2 Q takes Q 41 R to K square ch K to B4 18 R takes Q P to KKt4 42 Kt to K7 ch K takes P 19 P to QKt4 P to KB4 43 Kt to Q5 ch K to B4 20 R to K2 P to Kt5 44 Kt to K3 ch K to Kt3 21 P to KB4 KR to B square 45 Kt to B4 R takes P 22 R to KB square K to B2 46 R to Q square P to Kt4 23 B to Q square B to K3 47 Kt to Q2 Kt to Kt4 24 R to QB2 P takes P 48 K to B square Kt takes P

Mr. Blackburne might as the annotators observe well have resigned here, he did so on the 73rd move.

This was also a game of great interest which Black should have been contented to draw after his ill-judged and fanciful 29th move had destroyed his chance of winning.

White Black White Black MASON BIRD MASON BIRD 1 P to K4 P to Q4 16 B takes Kt Q takes B 2 P takes P Q takes P 17 P to QKt4 P to QR4 3 Kt to QB3 Q to Q square 18 Kt to B2 P takes P 4 P to Q4 P to KKt3 19 Kt takes P Q to Q3 5 B to KB4 B to Kt2 20 Q to K2 P to QB4 6 Kt to Kt5 Kt to QR3 21 P takes P Q takes P 7 P to QB3 P to QB3 22 QR to QB square QR to Q square 8 Kt to R3 Kt to B2 23 KR to Q square Q to R4 9 Kt to B3 Kt to B3 24 B to K3 R takes R ch 10 P to KR3 KKt to Q4 25 Q takes R R to Q square 11 B to Q2 Castles 26 Kt to Q4 Q to K4 12 B to Q3 R to K square 27 Q to K square Kt takes Kt 13 Castles Kt to K3 28 P takes Kt Q to K5 14 R to K square P to QKt4 29 P to KB3 Q takes B ch 15 B to K4 B to QKt2 30 Q takes Q B takes P

Mason played the opening of this the following game with spirit and originality, but missed advantageous opportunities at moves 14 and 18, and Blackburne remaining with a superior position and p.a.w.n more won easily in the end game.

White Black White Black BLACKBURNE MASON BLACKBURNE MASON 1 P to K4 P to K4 11 QKt to B4 B to R3 ch 2 Kt to QB3 Kt to KB3 12 P to Q3 QR to K square 3 P to B4 P to Q4 13 P to KKt3 Q to Kt5 4 BP takes P Kt takes P 14 K to Kt2 R takes P 5 Q to B3 P to KB4 15 P takes Kt Q takes Q ch 6 Kt to R3 Kt to QB3 16 K takes Q P takes P ch 7 B to Kt5 Q to R5 ch 17 K to Kt2 P to Kt4 8 K to B B to B4 18 Kt takes P R takes Kt 9 Kt takes P Castles 19 Kt to R3 R to Kt3 10 B takes Kt P takes B 20 B to B4 B to K7

White Black White Black BIRD LEE BIRD LEE 1 P to K3 P to K4 31 P to R3 R to KB2 2 P to QKt3 P to Q4 32 K to R2 Q to Q 3 B to Kt2 B to Q3 33 R to QB P to QR4 4 Kt to KB3 Q to K2 34 R to KKt P takes P 5 P to B4 P to QB3 35 P takes P Q to K2 6 P takes P P takes P 36 B to B5 Q to Q 7 Kt to B3 Kt to KB3 37 B to Q4 Q to K2 8 Kt to Kt5 Kt to B3 38 B to B3 B to R3 9 Kt takes B ch Q takes Kt 39 Q to R3 B to K7 10 B to Kt5 P to K5 40 P to KKt5 BP takes P 11 Kt to K5 Castles 41 P takes P P to Q5 12 B takes Kt P takes B 42 B takes P R takes B 13 R to QB B to Kt2 43 P takes R P takes P 14 Castles Kt to Q2 44 R to B2 P to Kt5 15 P to B4 Kt takes Kt 45 Q to Kt3 B to B6 16 B takes Kt Q to K2 46 R to QR R takes P 17 B to Q4 KR to K 47 R to R8 ch K to R2 18 Q to Kt4 P to B3 48 K to Kt Q takes P 19 R to B5 P to QR3 49 Q to R4 ch K to Kt3 20 KR to QB QR to B 50 R to KR8 P to Kt6 21 P to B5 K to R 51 Q to R7 ch K to B3 22 R to KB R to B2 52 Q to R4 ch K to Kt3 23 R to KB4 Q to B2 53 Q to R7 ch K to B3 24 Q to R3 R to KB 54 Q to R4 ch K to Kt3 25 P to KKt4 K to Kt 55 Q to R7 ch K to B3 26 Q to Kt3 P to R3 56 Q to R4 ch R to Kt4 27 P to Kt4 R to Q2 57 Q to B4 ch K to Kt3 28 R to QB R to QR 58 R takes B P takes R 29 P to KR4 Q to K2 59 Q to K4 ch R to B4 30 R to B5 R to KB 60 Q to K6 ch R to B3

Lee for once in this Tournament worked his very hardest and his 41st move was of the highest order. Bird's attack seemed irresistible.

And the game was drawn after 73 moves.

The games in the amateur compet.i.tions for spirit and liveliness contrasted in many instances with some in the Masters'

Tournament, and we would gladly have given a larger selection of them had they reached us a little earlier.

The proceedings of the North of Ireland Congress and its play were worthy of a special work.

White Black White Black R. S. GAMBLE R. BOYD R. S. GAMBLE R. BOYD 1 P to K4 P to K4 19 P to Q5 P to QB4 2 Kt to KB3 Kt to QB3 20 R to K4 P to B3 3 B to QKt5 B to B4 21 B to B4 QR to K square 4 P to QB3 Kt to KB3 22 QR to K square P to KKt4 5 P to Q4 P takes P 23 B to R2 K to R square 6 P to K5 Kt to KKt5 24 P to KKt4 Kt to R5 7 P takes P B to QKt3 25 Kt takes Kt P takes Kt 8 Castles Castles 26 Q to R6 B to Q square 9 P to KR3 Kt to KR3 27 R to K6 B to Kt2 10 B to K3 Kt to KB4 28 Q to R5 B to K2 11 Q to Q3 P to Q3 29 Q to KB5 B to Q square 12 B takes Kt P takes B 30 B takes P R to KKt square 13 B to Kt5 Q to Q2 31 Kt to K4 B to B square 14 P takes P P takes P 32 Kt takes P R takes R 15 Kt to QB3 P to QR4 33 R takes R Q to KB2 16 R to K square B to QKt2 34 B to K5 B to B2 17 P to Kt3 B to R3 35 Kt takes R ch B takes B 18 Q to Q2 B to B2 and wins.

White Black R. A. WILLIAMS LT. COL. CHALLICE 1 P to K4 P to Q4 2 P takes P Q takes P 3 Kt to QB3 Q to Q square 4 P to Q4 Kt to KB3 5 B to K2 B to B4 6 B to K3 P to K3 7 P to QR3 B to K2 8 Kt to KB3 Castles 9 Kt to K5 Kt to K5 10 B to B3 Kt takes Kt 11 P takes Kt P to QB3 12 P to KKt4 B to Kt3 13 Q to Q2 Q to B2 14 P to KR4 P to KR3 15 P to R5 B to R2 16 P to Kt5 P takes P 17 KR to Kt B to Q3 18 Kt to Q3 P to B3 19 K to K2 Kt to Q2 20 R to Kt2 QR to K1 21 P to R6 P take P 22 QR to R square K to Kt2 23 R takes P K takes R 24 B take P ch and mates in three moves.

Game played in the Champions.h.i.+p Tournament (Tie) between Messrs. E. A. Robinson and W. L. Harvey, September 27th, 1892:

White Black W. L. HARVEY E. A. ROBINSON 1 P to K4 P to K4 2 Kt to KB3 Kt to QB3 3 B to Kt5 Kt to KB3 4 P to Q3 P to Q3 5 P to B3 P to QR3 6 B to R4 B to Q2 7 Kt to Q2 P to KKt3 8 Kt to B square