Chess History And Reminiscences
Staunton's celebrated stories about Lowenthal and Williams,
though very amusing to chess ears, I omit for obvious reasons,
though extremely funny as Staunton originally told them, and
as MacDonnell repeats them, they are probably not strictly founded
on fact, and are lacking of the respect to which the memories of
two such amiable and chivalrous chess players as Williams and
Lowenthal are entitled.
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STAKES AT CHESS
The question of stakes or money terms upon which chess is
played is a question of the first importance in the interests of
chess, and a few notes of my experience upon the subject may
not be inappropriate. After about three months looking on
at chess play in 1844, at Raymond's Coffee House near the
City Road Gate, where Dr. Michaelson of the Morning Post,
and Mr. Finley, a farrier, were the respective giants, and a
cup of coffee the usual stake, I learned the moves at chess, and
receiving the odds of a Queen for a few games, I happened
one day to hear with astonishment that the gentleman
conceding me the odds was not as I supposed, the champion of the
world, but that better players could be found at Goodes, Ludgate
Hill, and Simpson's in the Strand. To the former I soon resorted
and found Kling, Kuiper and Muckle, the principal professionals
there; a nominal fee of sixpence being the charge per game,
and Staunton, the champion had played many games at that rate.
It was some weeks before I mustered resolution to visit Simpson's
spacious and handsome hall, but, once arrived there, I made
myself at home. Lowe, Williams and Finch were the attendant
players there, and extensively they were supported. From each
received the Queen soon improving to the odds of the Knight, and
then playing even with them. Buckle alone, who did not mind
hard work, essayed to give me Pawn and move, but for a short
time only. One shilling a game has always been the recognized
stake at Simpson's, and also at St. Georges the principal London
Chess Club, but there have been exceptions, John Cochrane and
Bird, the Rev. G. A. MacDonnell and Bird, and S. Boden and Bird
never played for anything, and these ranked among the most
popular of games, and the players were favourite opponents. In
1873, Wisker was holder of the British Chess Association
Challenge Cup, but had never seen or played with Bird, who had
been for six years out of chess. An accidental meeting by them,
and the presence and intervention of Lowenthal and Boden, led
to the Wisker and Bird four matches, the first for 5 pounds, and the
other for credit of victory only. Anderssen and Bird always
played 5/- a game, Zukertort and Bird 2/6, Steinitz and Bird's first
sixteen games were without stakes, their match of 1866-7 for 25
pounds only. Before the year 1866, 10 pounds or 20 pounds a side
was a convenient and common stake for a match. Staunton and
Harrwitz, Staunton and Horwitz, Morphy and Anderssen, Steinitz
and Blackburne, Steinitz and Zukertort, and Falkbeer and Bird were
all within these figures. The Championship match in 1843, England and
France, between Staunton and St. Amant was for 100 pounds a side, but
the English player had to go to Paris, and the match was a long
one, and it was hoped even at that time that future matches would
be mainly for the honour of victory, and that the entire money
in the case would be a reasonable sum to liberally cover the
players' time and expenses. Morphy reluctantly played for 100 pounds
a side in 1858, but his matches with Anderssen, Harrwitz and
others were for merely nominal stakes. In 1866 a bad example
was set in the case of Steinitz and Anderssen, when 100 pounds a side
was played for, and although Steinitz and Blackburne, and
Zukertort and Blackburne were matches for 60 pounds a side the stakes
were only thus limited to the amount which could be conveniently
obtained from backers at the time. So stakes progressed until
Steinitz and Zukertort actually played for 400 pounds a side, a sum
neither party could afford to lose, even though they could tax their
chess supporters for it. Any chance of a return match which
Zukertort so much desired, became impossible, hence the
extraordinary depression of the great chess victor in two of the most
important Internationals ever held, viz., Paris in 1878, and
Criterion, London, 1883.
There is too much reason to fear that the result of this match,
and Zukertort's sensitiveness to supposed coolness towards him
afterwards mainly contributed to cause his premature break up
and untimely end. I always advised him before the match, in
justice to himself, to stipulate for a time limit of 20 or 25 moves
an hour, and not to play for more than 100 pounds a side, the
previous extreme maximum for the greatest matches, happy for him
if he had observed this rule; as he himself admitted. Zukertort
lived in the Walworth Road just past my single eleven years lodging
--5 Heygate Street; and he voluntarily confided many matters to
me during the last twelve months of his life, which was for certain
reasons fortunate. His two beautiful daughters, the sole care of
his life, are now provided for, one nine years of age, and the other
thirteen years of age, are being educated at or near Berlin by
Zukertort's mother and his married sister.
Returning to stakes, I have met here and there with an amateur
who has had scruples and preferred not even playing for the
shilling.
Buckle, Lord Lyttleton, and many eminent in chess, were
strongly in favour of the customary small stake, and I have seen
dignitaries of the Church, and spotless amateurs, pocket their
shillings with as much gusto as the poor and much abused
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