Chess -- Chess History And Reminiscences

Chess History And Reminiscences


Next to the foregoing eight games in order of interest were
No. 3, Bird and Lee. Counter Queen's Pawn opening and No.
13, Bird and Blackburne KP one, these, though both drawn, were
steady, well-played and instructive games. In No. 2, Lee and
Mason, a Petroff, the former should have drawn, but lost on his
75th move. In No. 6, Mason was at a decided disadvantage with
Bird who committed an ingenious suicide in a game he could
have drawn.

In No. 13, a Kt to KB3 opening, P KB4 reply. Lee had much
the better game with a Pawn more against Mason, but made a
palpable blunder at his 34th move and resigned.

No. 8, a tame draw in 18 moves, Mason and Lee 10, Mason and
Blackburne, 28 moves, not much better 16, Blackburne and Mason
30 moves, of no interest, and No. 18, the last game 20 moves
between Lee and Blackburne, from which something was expected,
but which baffles polite description, and cannot be dignified by
the name of, or as a game, completes the list. This was a Four
Knights game, 15 Blackburne and Mason a Giuoco Piano 30 moves
was a lamentable specimen of wood shifting.

The following game presented some very instructive positions
towards the close:

Game played in the Masters' Tournament, 16th September, 1892,
between Messrs. H. E. Bird and F. J. Lee.

  White              Black
   LEE               BIRD
1 P to Q4           P to Q4
2 Kt to KB3         P to K3
3 P to B4           Kt to KB3
4 P to K3           QKt to Q2
5 B to Q3           B to K2
6 Kt to B3          Castles
7 Castles           R to K square
8 P to QKt3         P to B3
9 B to Kt2          B to Q3
10 Q to B2          P takes P
11 P takes P        B to Kt square
12 Kt to K2         Q to R4
13 P to B5          P to K4
14 B to B3          Q to Q square
15 Kt to Kt3        P takes P
16 B takes P        Kt to K4
17 B takes Kt       B takes B
18 Kt takes B       R takes Kt
19 KR to Q square   Q to K2
20 QR to B square   B to Kt5
21 P to B3          B to K3
22 R to K square    P to KKt3
23 P to B4          R to Q4
24 P to K4          R to Q5
25 P to B5          QR to Q square!
26 P to K5!         Kt to Kt5
27 P takes B        R takes B
28 P takes P ch     Q takes P
29 Kt to K4         Q to KB5
30 Q to QB4 ch      K to Kt2
31 P to KKt3        Q to R3
32 R to B2          R to Q8. Good
33 Q to K2          R takes R ch
34 Q takes R        Q to K6 ch
35 K to B square    Q to KB6 ch
36 R to KB2         Q to R8 ch
37 K to K2          Q takes K8 ch
Resigns.

------

THE NORTH OF IRELAND (Belfast & Holywood) CHESS CONGRESS
           MASTERS QUADRANGULAR OOMPETITION.
H. E. Bird, J. H. Blackburne, F. Lee, and J. Mason.

                    FIRST ROUND.

September 12--Blackburne drew with Bird, Lee v. Mason
adjourned after forty-two moves. Resumed on Thursday, Mason
won.

September 13--Bird drew with Lee, Blackburne beat Mason.

September 14--Blackburne beat Lee, Mason beat Bird.

                    SECOND ROUND.

September 15--Bird beat Blackburne, Lee drew with Mason.

September 16--Bird beat Lee; Blackburne drew with Mason.

September 19--Bird lost to Mason, Blackburne beat Lee.

                    THIRD ROUND.

September 20--Bird drew to Blackburne, Lee lost to Mason.

September 22--Bird drew with Lee, Blackburne drew with
Mason.