St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Played to a Draw

PLAYED TO A DRAW

Steinitz and Zukertort

Agree to Declare the Eighth Game "Off"

Yesterday's game was the most unsatisfactory one yet played in the Steinitz-Zukertort chess series. The day was beautiful, the men started promptly at the appointed hour, and the large audience expected to witness a brilliant contest. But just as the moves became intricate enough to hush the murmurs in the rooms, it was found that one of the clock would not work and the players had to wait for half an hour. Dr. Zukertort voiced the sentiments of the anxious spectators when he said he didn't understand why the committee did not have two sets of clocks to provide against accident. Both players were rendered nervous by the interruption and interest lagged even when play was resumed. The opening was an old chestnut well eaten up by book worms, while nearly all the audience had been hoping that Steinitz would make one of his own brilliant openings and proceed to develop his system. As the plays succeeded one another without any startling departure from the regular book moves, disappointment began to show itself with the growing belief that the last of the series in St. Louis was to be the stupidest of all. So when, on the twenty-second move, Dr. Zukertort proposed to call it a draw and Steinitz consented, there was considerable quiet delight among the old chess players at the prospect of another chance to see a good game. On the seventeenth move, the white was crowded back into the first row, making it necessary for him to effect a lively exchange of pieces which resulted in a loss to each of a rook, bishop, and knight. There were eleven pieces on the board when the game was thrown up, but the local lights were nearly unanimous in the opinion that that was the best way out of a dull game, which would have added nothing materially to either's reputation had he won. The conditions of the match requiring one player to win at least three games in this city, the contest will be continued tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Harmonie club, Eighth and Olive Streets. It is not unlikely that this may be won by Zukertort, which would still further prolong the series here. The total score now is: Zukertort 4, Steinitz 3, Drawn 1; St. Louis games - Steinitz 2, Zukertort none, Drawn 1. It will thus be seen that the first drawn game of the series occurred in this city.