Chess History And Reminiscences
encountered Morphy. Against Harrwitz he won five to three, and
fourteen to six against Barnes. Morphy's record, though great,
is not superior to Staunton's before, and Steinitz's after him.
There do not appear sufficient grounds for estimating one more
highly than the other. Foreign critics sometimes as well as
English ones have been apt for purposes of inferential comparison
to exalt one player and proportionately disparage another; thus
chess critics, with whom Staunton does not stand in the highest
favour in the past, or Steinitz in the present, too often indulge
in the most extravagant statements as to Morphy's immeasurable
superiority, not based on conclusive grounds; when the games and
evidence are closely and impartially tested.
The rapidly advancing chess skill of so many young amateurs
in the present day is a great stimulus to the rising generation of
chess-players, especially to such as aim at a high state of
proficiency; and, though this may be regarded as one of the most
interesting and popular features in the pursuit the author of the
article in question makes no reference to this branch of the
subject. The gradual introduction of the game as a mental
recreation into seats of learning and industrial establishments,
and the formation of many Working Men's Chess Clubs are now
well known; the result is that for the first time within the
recollection of present players several amateurs have come to
the front scarcely inferior in force to the new Master, Pollock,
whilst some in style may compete with him! Anger, Donisthorpe,
Guest, Hooke, Hunter, Jacobs, and Mills, with the most successful
of the past University Chess Teams, Chepmell, Gattie, Gwinner,
Locock, Plunkett, and Wainwright, are names scarcely less
familiar than those of the half dozen older masters left, who form
the remnant of the little band of twenty recognised masters living
in 1854.
Chess has become far more general than it formerly was
because it is better understood. Old fashioned notions that it
was too serious and necessitated an unreasonable absorption of
time, are passing away. A well-known amateur, whose games
please the public much and are greatly admired in Professor
Ruskin's letters has played many of his best specimens within an
hour, some in half that time. This same player states that he
recurs with great interest, though melancholy in its character,
to some games, he has played with those afflicted in various ways,
on account of the solace and consolation as well as pleasure it has
been found to afford him! The excellent contests some blind boys
made against him with their raised boards; the enjoyment
they expressed and felt, as conveyed to him by the master of the
Asylum, is vivid in his remembrance. Chess has proved highly
beneficial to such of the lower classes, as have been fortunate
enough to resort to it, in place of more exciting and expensive
indoor games. The mental exercise called into play is of the
most healthy character; and those who interest themselves in the
welfare of their less fortunate brethren may benefit them
and society, by assisting to diffuse a better knowledge of its
advantages for those at present uninterested in it.
There may be something in the author's opinion that no
extraordinary mental power is needed for chess excellence; but his
views, probably, would have been more valuable if less general,
and expressed with such qualifications as the history of its masters
suggests; his idea, however, that anyone of average capacity
may play average chess, is not in accordance with experience, if,
indeed, it is not decidedly in opposition to it. Some of the finest
players may appear to Mr. Hoffer to possess but average intellect;
but, whether he is right or not, one thing is certain, that many
with the greatest endowments and known powers of calculation
and thought have failed at it and some have been candid enough
to admit that they abandoned the game because dissatisfied with
their own progress and skill at it. Buckle in his opinion given
by MacDonnell in "Life Pictures," (the amusing and interesting
work of the latter), considers imagination and calculation
necessary, but discards any idea of superior mental capacity.
It is clear, however, that the qualifications necessary to be met
with cannot well be defined; we have never found any successful
attempt to do so. Franklin did not attempt it. We find by
experience that a likely man fails and an unlikely one succeeds.
Stock-brokers have been very successful--mathematicians quite
the reverse. Twenty or thirty eminent players, barristers and
solicitors, may be quoted to four engineers and accountants, the
latter, however, including one of the masters! The Church has
been very prolific as well as medicine.
>From the programmes of our more recent tournaments we find
the most distinguished names of supporters, and the British Chess
Association is honoured with those of Lord Tennyson, Lord
Randolph Churchill, Professor Ruskin, and Sir Robert Peel on its
presidential list. The late Prince Leopold was Patron of the St.
George's Club, and President of the Oxford University Chess Club.
The late J. P. Benjamin, Q.C., and formerly, Sir C. Russell were
among its admirers and supporters. Sir H. James and Sir H.
Giffard also honour the list; and a very brilliant amateur in past
days, (scarcely inferior to John Cochrane and Mr. Daniels), W.
Mackeson, Q.C., still honours the chess clubs with an occasional
visit, willingly taking a board and invariably running a hard
race of combination with the best performers. Earl Granville,
the Marquis of Hartington, the Marquis of Ripon, and the Right
Hon. H. C. Childers, M.P., have also appeared as patrons and
supporters.
Blackburne, Steinitz, and Zukertort, our three greatest
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