Chess -- Chess History And Reminiscences

Chess History And Reminiscences


  White             Black
  MASON             H. E. BIRD
1 P to K4          P to QB4
2 Kt to KB3        Kt to QB3
3 P to Q4          P takes P
4 Kt takes P       P to Q3
5 Kt to QB3        B to Q2
6 Kt takes Kt      B takes Kt
7 B to Q3          P to K3
8 Castles          P to KKt3
9 P to B4          P to KR4
10 P to B5         Kt P takes P
11 P takes P       Q to Kt3 ch
12 K to R square   Castles
13 P takes P       P takes P
14 Q to K2         P to K4
15 B to K4         Kt to K2
16 B to Kt5        P to Q4
17 B takes Kt      B takes B
18 B to B5 ch      K to Kt square
19 P to QKt3       P to K5
20 Kt to R4        Q to B2
21 P to B4         Q to K4
22 P takes P       B to Q3
23 P to Kt3        B takes P
24 QR to B square  P to K6 ch
25 K to Kt square  QR to KKt square
26 R to B3         B takes R
27 Q takes B       R to KB square
Resigns.

          No.18.
Game played in the Masters' Tournament, 23rd September,
1892, between Messrs. F. J. Lee and J. H. Blackburne:

          A Contrast.

  White               Black
   LEE             BLACKBURNE
1 P to K4           P to K4
2 Kt to QB3         Kt to KB3
3 Kt to B3          Kt to B3
4 P to QR3          B to K2
5 P to Q4           P to Q3
6 B to K2           Castles
7 Castles           B to Kt5
8 P to Q5           Kt to Kt square
9 P to R3           B to R4
10 Kt to KR2        B to Kt3
11 B to Q3          QKt to Q2
12 B to K3          Kt to B4
13 P to B3          Kt takes B
14 P takes Kt       Kt to Q2
15 P to KKt4        P to QR3
16 Kt to K2         B to Kt4
17 B to B2          B to R5
18 B to K3          B to Kt4
19 B to B2          B to R5
20 B to K3          B to Kt4
            Drawn.

------

     GAMES AT THE BELFAST CHESS CONGRESS
       IN THE QUADRANGULAR COMPETITION
                  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 class collection. They are--No. 1,
"Evans Gambit Declined," (Bird v. Blackburne) which is thought
in some respects the best, as illustrating 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 passed 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 Pawn
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.