Page:1902 Encyclopædia Britannica - Volume 26 - AUS-CHI.pdf/815

 CHESS Position by A. Troitzky, BLACK.

759

being taken by a new generation of powerful amateurs, so well equipped that Great Britain could hold its own in an amateur contest against the combined forces of Germany, Austria, Holland, and Russia. It must be distinctly understood that the terms “ master ” and White wins as follows :— “amateur” are not used in any invidious sense, but 1. P-R8 = Q, R-Kt7 ch ; 2. K-Kt5, RxQ; 3. Kt-Q7 ch, simply as designating, in the former case, first - class K - Kt2 ; 4. P - B6 ch, K - R2 ; players, and in the latter, those just on the border-land 5. QP x Kt, R - R sq ; 6. Kt - B7 of. highest excellence. The professional element as it ch, R x Kt; 7. P x R=Kt mate. existed in the heyday of Simpson’s Divan is almost extinct, the reason being the increased number of chess clubs where enthusiasts and students may indulge in their favourite pastime to their hearts’ content, tournaments with attractive prizes being arranged during the season. WHITE. The former occupation of the masters has gone in conPosition by Hoffer sequence ; the few who still exist depend upon the passBLACK. A position from actual play. ing visitors from the provinces who are eager to test their White plays 1. R - B5 threatenstrength by the standard of the master. Blackburne has ing to win a piece. Black replies visited the provinces annually, keeping the interest in with the powerful Kt - Kt5, first-class chess alive by his simultaneous play and his exthreatening two mates, and finally White (Mr Hoffer) finds an traordinary skill as a blindfold player—unsurpassed until ingenious sacrifice of the Queen the advent of Pillsbury, who has done similar good work —the saving clause. in America. Pillsbury is the only first-class player proThe following are the moves:— duced by the United States. America has a number of 1. R - B5, Kt - Kt5 ; 2. Q - Kt8 amateurs Showalter, Delmar, Hymes, Barry; and they ch, K - Kt3 ; 3. Q - K6ch, K - R2; 4. Q - Kt8 ch, and drawn by perhave also beaten Great Britain in producing a second petual check, as Black cannot Morphy. Still the Americans have difficulties in recruitcapture the Queen with K or R ing a team of ten for the annual cable match against without losing the game. Great Britain. WHITE. It stands to reason that first-class chess cun only be Progress of the Game acquired by an interchange of opinions with and by the _ To gauge, the enormous strides which chess has made advice of first-class players, and until this fact is recogsince 1875, it will suffice to give the following statistics. nized and acted upon by the officers of clubs, the unIn London Simpson’s Divan was formerly the chief re- doubted talent of the amateurs may be diverted into the sort of chess players; the St George’s Chess Club was the furrows of mediocrity. A club trophy or a cup should principal chess club in the West End, and the City not be considered the Ultima Thule of a skilful chess of London Chess Club in the east. Now the British player. Chess Club is the principal West End club, whilst Germany has produced Dr Tarrasch, Dr E. Lasker, about a hundred or more clubs are disseminated all over Lipke, Fritz, Bardeleben, Walbrodt, Mieses, and a goodly the metropolis. Formerly only the British Chess Associa- number of amateurs, to replace Anderssen, Paulsen, Tassilo tion existed j after its dissolution the now defunct von Heydebrand und der Lasa, and others. Austria Counties’ Chess Association took its place, and this was has worthy substitutes for Kolisch, Bauer, Falkbeer, in superseded by the re-establishment by Mr Hoffer of the -Max Weiss, Schlechter, Marco, and Hruby. It has also British Chess Association, which again fell into abey- such fine players as the Fleissigs, Dr Mertner, Dr Kaufance after having organized three international tourna- mann, Fahndrich, Jaques Schwarz, and others. Hungary ments—London, 1886; Bradford, 1888; and Manchester, is worthily represented by Maroczy, Makovetz, and Brody, 1890 — and four national tournaments. There were Maroczy being the best since Charousek’s death. Russia, various reasons why the British Chess Association ceased having lost Jacnisch, Petroff, and Schumoff, is now to exercise its functions, one being that minor associa- represented by Tchigorin, Janowsky, SchifFers, Alapin, tions did not feel inclined to merge their identity into a Winawer, and Taubenhaus, and some younger players central association. The London League was established, are ready to take their place in future. France has been besides the Northern Chess Union, the Southern Counties’ on the decline for many years, and at present has only the Chess Union, the Midland Counties’ Union, the Kent veteran M. Arnous de Riviere and the naturalized III. County Association; and there are associations in Surrey, Rosenthal left. Next come Goetz and two good amateurs, Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, MM. Didier and Billecard. Italy has only Signor Salvioli, Somersetshire, Cambridgeshire, Herefordshire, Leicester- although latterly Signor Reggio has come to the fore. shire, Northamptonshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Holland has a fair number of players equal to English Lancashire. All these associations are supported by the amateurs, but no master since the promising young Van affiliated chess clubs of the respective counties. Lennep died. Fortunately the periodical international Scotland has its own association and a large number tournaments contribute in a large measure to maintain of clubs. Wales counts nine chess clubs, and Ireland the standard of first-class chess. A collection of the several clubs in Dublin, Belfast, and other chief places, games is generally published in book form, whilst the altogether about twenty-five. press disseminates a selection of the best games during In spite of all this array of temples devoted to the the progress of these contests. worship of Caissa, England did not produce one eminent player between 1875 and 1901. First-class chess Past and Present. remained in the hands of the few veterans remainThe theory of the game has not advanced in proportion ing from the Old Guard—Burn, Blackburne, Mason, to the enormous strides in popularity of chess. The tendand Bird. The old amateurs — with the exception ency has been one of elimination, and therefore progress of the Rev. C. E. Ranken—passed away, their place has been negative, if the expression may be used. For-