Chess History And Reminiscences
invented by Capt. W. D. Evans, in 1830.
It was played 23 times, the attack won 15, the defence 5, and
3 were drawn.
The Belfast amateur gained considerably in form in the latter
stages and at the conclusion, whether in brilliancy or depth, there
was not much to choose between them, though the great French
professional would seem to have been the more rapid player.
McDonnell died on the 14th September, 1834, aged 37, and
La Bourdonnais on the 13th December, 1840, aged 43, being about
five years before the appearance in the chess arena of the writer
of this article, and who now, owing to the hospitality and liberality
of Belfast has the honour and pleasure of taking part in a national
British competition in the native place of one who so greatly
contributed to the pioneering of these interesting tests of skill.
NOTE. The match between La Bourdonnais and McDonnell produced games
which for originality, enterprise and spirit have never been
surpassed. They commanded the admiration and enthusiasm of all
lovers of chess at the time, besides securing press notice and
arousing a taste for its practice, and a genuine emulation never
witnessed before this great example, and the appreciation of the
games is now as great as ever, and few modern matches can bear
comparison with them.
Different versions of the score have appeared; it was probably
finally La Bourdonnais 43, McDonnell 29, and draws 13.
------
The Chess Congress of the North of Ireland, which will sound
yet more familiar to many ears, under the title of the Belfast or
Belfast and Holywood Chess Congress (for it is to the spirit and
liberality of these two places that the meeting owes its origin)
commenced in the Central Hall, Belfast, on September 12th, and
concluded with one of Mr. Blackburne's marvellous blindfold
performances on September 24th, an ordinary simultaneous
competition of twenty-one games by Mr. Bird, on September 21st,
having also apparently afforded some pleasure and satisfaction.
The Belfast meeting must, owing to the originality and
enterprise of its conception, and the complete success which has
attended it form a unique item in Great Britain's local chess
records, and will not form one of the least interesting and
significant features in the national chess history of this
generation, for it is the first occasion in the record of the
forty-eight counties gatherings held since the first of 1841, in
Leeds, that the idea has been conceived of adding a contest between
the greatest living masters in the country on terms the most
liberal and deeply appreciated.
The proceedings of the Congress, and the scores of the players
in the Tournaments have been reported from day to day in the
Belfast papers, and the games of the masters with some selected
from the amateur handicaps have also been given, and save that
the same have been presented without comment on the merits of
the play, description, or notes which are found so useful and
acceptable to the general reader, otherwise considered, from a purely
local point of view, nothing remained to be desired. From a
national chess point of view, however, it seems to have been too
lightly regarded by the Press, some trophy in the amateur
competitions to commemorate the name of Alexander McDonnell, a
native of Belfast, who did more in his time than any other man to
uphold British chess reputation, might also not have been
inappropriate on such an occasion. Personally I was surprised that
the name of McDonnell did not appear to be more vividly
remembered in his native city.
It seems desirable, if not indeed absolutely necessary before
describing the games contested by the four masters, Blackburne,
Bird, Lee, and Mason, to say a few words about the original
inception of the great matches in which it was at one time
proposed that two other eminent players, not British born should
participate, but who at the last moment sought certain undue
advantages beyond the very liberal bonuses provided, and even a
controlling influence never anticipated by the committee, and to
which of course it could not, with any full sense of propriety or
regard to originally avowed intentions and subscribers views consent.
Asking pardon for a slight digression I will first say a word or
two about the absentees in not an ill-natured way before coming
to the essence of the play.
It so happens that during the past few years the countries that
furnished us with visits from the chivalrous Anderssen, the
hospitable and princely Kolisch, the distinguished and retiring Szen,
the singularly modest Paulsen, the courteous and gallant Lowenthal,
the amiable, unassuming, and as some think incomparable Zukertort,
and the genuine and in many respects greatest of all chess artists,
Steinitz, have also domiciled with us two more recent additions of
chess experts, who arrived at the age when chess players most
excel, and playing under conditions of time and clocks most
favourable to them have each in turn achieved such remarkable
successes, that native players have retired entirely to the shade,
and a forty year Bird (competitor of Buckle, Staunton, Anderssen,
Morphy and Steinitz, and still the most successful representative
of the rapid amusement school), and a thirty year Blackburne,
perhaps the greatest all round chess genius who ever lived fade
© 101ChessTips.com. All Rights Reserved.
