Better Gutenberg
Free, beautifully formatted public-domain ebooks
‹Better GutenbergChess History and ReminiscencesSecond Round — Third Round · 33 of 57Contents›

Chess History and Reminiscences

by H. E. Bird

33 of 57 · Contents · Download EPUB

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.

September 23—Bird beat Mason, Blackburne v. Lee, drawn.

Blackburne won 2 out of 3 from Mason.
          Mason " 2 " 3 " Bird.
          Bird " 2 " 3 " Blackburne.
          These three scores being equal.

Blackburne and Mason each won 2 1/2 out of 3 with Lee, but Bird only 2 out of 3.

Finalscore—J. H. Blackburne… …5 1/2
J. Mason … … …5 1/2
H. E. Bird … …5
F. J. Lee … … …2
18

GAME No. 7.—RUY LOPEZ ATTACK.
          Kt to Queen’s fifth Defence (Bird.)
    Note. This defence is condemned by all authorities.
The following was considered the game of the Tournament and
must be admired:

WhiteBlackWhiteBlack
BLACKBURNEBIRDBLACKBURNEBIRD
1 P to K4P to K425 P takes PB to B5
2 Kt to KB3QKt to B326 B to K2B takes B
3 B to Kt5Kt to Q527 R takes BP to Q4
4 Kt takes KtP takes Kt28 P takes PR takes R
5 P to Q3P to KR429 Kt takes RP takes P
6 P to QB3B to B430 Kt to Q4R to K square
7 CastlesP to QB331 P to B5R to K5
8 B to R4P to Q332 Kt to K6 chK to Q3
9 Q to K squareQ to B333 Kt to Kt7R takes P
10 K to R squareKt to R334 P to B6Kt to B2
11 P to KB3P to R535 Kt to B5 chK to K4
12 B to B2B to Q236 Kt takes PP to Q5
13 P takes PB takes P37 Kt to Kt6 chK to K5
14 Kt to B3Castles QR38 K to Kt squareR to Kt7
15 B to K3QR to K square39 P to KR4P takes P en pas
16 B takes BQ takes B40 P takes PP to Q6
17 Q to B2Q takes Q41 R to K square chK to B4
18 R takes QP to KKt442 Kt to K7 chK takes P
19 P to QKt4P to KB443 Kt to Q5 chK to B4
20 R to K2P to Kt544 Kt to K3 chK to Kt3
21 P to KB4KR to B square45 Kt to B4R takes P
22 R to KB squareK to B246 R to Q squareP to Kt4
23 B to Q squareB to K347 Kt to Q2Kt to Kt4
24 R to QB2P takes P48 K to B squareKt takes P

Mr. Blackburne might as the annotators observe well have resigned here, he did so on the 73rd move.

This was also a game of great interest which Black should have been contented to draw after his ill-judged and fanciful 29th move had destroyed his chance of winning.

WhiteBlackWhiteBlack
MASONBIRDMASONBIRD
1 P to K4P to Q416 B takes KtQ takes B
2 P takes PQ takes P17 P to QKt4P to QR4
3 Kt to QB3Q to Q square18 Kt to B2P takes P
4 P to Q4P to KKt319 Kt takes PQ to Q3
5 B to KB4B to Kt220 Q to K2P to QB4
6 Kt to Kt5Kt to QR321 P takes PQ takes P
7 P to QB3P to QB322 QR to QB squareQR to Q square
8 Kt to R3Kt to B223 KR to Q squareQ to R4
9 Kt to B3Kt to B324 B to K3R takes R ch
10 P to KR3KKt to Q425 Q takes RR to Q square
11 B to Q2Castles26 Kt to Q4Q to K4
12 B to Q3R to K square27 Q to K squareKt takes Kt
13 CastlesKt to K328 P takes KtQ to K5
14 R to K squareP to QKt429 P to KB3Q takes B ch
15 B to K4B to QKt230 Q takes QB takes P

Mason played the opening of this the following game with spirit and originality, but missed advantageous opportunities at moves 14 and 18, and Blackburne remaining with a superior position and Pawn more won easily in the end game.

WhiteBlackWhiteBlack
BLACKBURNEMASONBLACKBURNEMASON
1 P to K4P to K411 QKt to B4B to R3 ch
2 Kt to QB3Kt to KB312 P to Q3QR to K square
3 P to B4P to Q413 P to KKt3Q to Kt5
4 BP takes PKt takes P14 K to Kt2R takes P
5 Q to B3P to KB415 P takes KtQ takes Q ch
6 Kt to R3Kt to QB316 K takes QP takes P ch
7 B to Kt5Q to R5 ch17 K to Kt2P to Kt4
8 K to BB to B418 Kt takes PR takes Kt
9 Kt takes PCastles19 Kt to R3R to Kt3
10 B takes KtP takes B20 B to B4B to K7
WhiteBlackWhiteBlack
BIRDLEEBIRDLEE
1 P to K3P to K431P to R3R to KB2
2 P to QKt3P to Q432K to R2Q to Q
3 B to Kt2B to Q333R to QBP to QR4
4 Kt to KB3Q to K234R to KKtP takes P
5 P to B4P to QB335P takes PQ to K2
6 P takes PP takes P36B to B5Q to Q
7 Kt to B3Kt to KB337B to Q4Q to K2
8 Kt to Kt5Kt to B338B to B3B to R3
9 Kt takes B chQ takes Kt39Q to R3B to K7
10 B to Kt5P to K540P to KKt5BP takes P
11 Kt to K5Castles41P takes PP to Q5
12 B takes KtP takes B42B takes PR takes B
13 R to QBB to Kt243P takes RP takes P
14 CastlesKt to Q244R to B2P to Kt5
15 P to B4Kt takes Kt45Q to Kt3B to B6
16 B takes KtQ to K246R to QRR takes P
17 B to Q4KR to K47R to R8 chK to R2
18 Q to Kt4P to B348K to KtQ takes P
19 R to B5P to QR349Q to R4 chK to Kt3
20 KR to QBQR to B50R to KR8P to Kt6
21 P to B5K to R51Q to R7 chK to B3
22 R to KBR to B252Q to R4 chK to Kt3
23 R to KB4Q to B253Q to R7 chK to B3
24 Q to R3R to KB54Q to R4 chK to Kt3
25 P to KKt4K to Kt55Q to R7 chK to B3
26 Q to Kt3P to R356Q to R4 chR to Kt4
27 P to Kt4R to Q257Q to B4 chK to Kt3
28 R to QBR to QR58R takes BP takes R
29 P to KR4Q to K259Q to K4 chR to B4
30 R to B5R to KB60Q to K6 chR to B3

Lee for once in this Tournament worked his very hardest and his 41st move was of the highest order. Bird’s attack seemed irresistible.

And the game was drawn after 73 moves.

The games in the amateur competitions for spirit and liveliness contrasted in many instances with some in the Masters’ Tournament, and we would gladly have given a larger selection of them had they reached us a little earlier.

The proceedings of the North of Ireland Congress and its play were worthy of a special work.

WhiteBlackWhiteBlack
R. S. GAMBLER. BOYDR. S. GAMBLER. BOYD
1 P to K4P to K419 P to Q5P to QB4
2 Kt to KB3Kt to QB320 R to K4P to B3
3 B to QKt5B to B421 B to B4QR to K square
4 P to QB3Kt to KB322 QR to K squareP to KKt4
5 P to Q4P takes P23 B to R2K to R square
6 P to K5Kt to KKt524 P to KKt4Kt to R5
7 P takes PB to QKt325 Kt takes KtP takes Kt
8 CastlesCastles26 Q to R6B to Q square
9 P to KR3Kt to KR327 R to K6B to Kt2
10 B to K3Kt to KB428 Q to R5B to K2
11 Q to Q3P to Q329 Q to KB5B to Q square
12 B takes KtP takes B30 B takes PR to KKt square
13 B to Kt5Q to Q231 Kt to K4B to B square
14 P takes PP takes P32 Kt takes PR takes R
15 Kt to QB3P to QR433 R takes RQ to KB2
16 R to K squareB to QKt234 B to K5B to B2
17 P to Kt3B to R335 Kt takes R chB takes B
18 Q to Q2B to B2
andwins.

White Black R. A. WILLIAMS LT. COL. CHALLICE 1 P to K4 P to Q4 2 P takes P Q takes P 3 Kt to QB3 Q to Q square 4 P to Q4 Kt to KB3 5 B to K2 B to B4 6 B to K3 P to K3 7 P to QR3 B to K2 8 Kt to KB3 Castles 9 Kt to K5 Kt to K5 10 B to B3 Kt takes Kt 11 P takes Kt P to QB3 12 P to KKt4 B to Kt3 13 Q to Q2 Q to B2 14 P to KR4 P to KR3 15 P to R5 B to R2 16 P to Kt5 P takes P 17 KR to Kt B to Q3 18 Kt to Q3 P to B3 19 K to K2 Kt to Q2 20 R to Kt2 QR to K1 21 P to R6 P take P 22 QR to R square K to Kt2 23 R takes P K takes R 24 B take P ch and mates in three moves.

Game played in the Championship Tournament (Tie) between Messrs. E. A. Robinson and W. L. Harvey, September 27th, 1892:

White Black W. L. HARVEY E. A. ROBINSON 1 P to K4 P to K4 2 Kt to KB3 Kt to QB3 3 B to Kt5 Kt to KB3 4 P to Q3 P to Q3 5 P to B3 P to QR3 6 B to R4 B to Q2 7 Kt to Q2 P to KKt3 8 Kt to B square

Steinitz favours this continuation, which however is considered to lose time for White’s attack.

8 B to Kt2 9 B to B2 Kt to K2 10 B to K3

10 B to KKt5 at once seems to be much better.

10 Kt to Kt5 11 B to KKt5 P to KB3 12 B to R4 B to K3 13 P to KR3 Kt to R3 14 Q to Q2 Kt to B2 15 Kt to K3 Q to Q2 16 P to Q4 P to B3 17 P to Q5

17 P to QB4 is preferable at this point.

17 P takes P 18 P takes P B to B4 19 B takes B

Turning the chances in favour of Black. If 19 Kt takes B, leaving Bishops of different colours, there is all appearance of a draw.

19 Kt takes B 20 P to KKt4 Kt takes B 21 Kt takes Kt Kt to Kt4 22 Q to K2 Castles KR (one hour) 23 Castles QR P to QKt4 24 Kt (on R4) to Kt2 Q to QB2 25 P to KR4 Kt to B2 26 P to R5 P to Kt4 27 Kt to B5

Threatening trouble by P to R6, followed by Kt to Kt7, &c.

27 P to R3 28 Q to K4 (!) Kt to Q square 29 Kt (on Kt2) to K3 Kt to Kt2 30 Kt takes B Q takes Kt 31 Q to Kt6

The position here bristles with interest. Examination will show that Black is in more serious danger than lies on the surface.

31 P to KB4 32 Kt takes P R takes Kt

Judiciously giving up the exchange and Pawn to escape the fatal attack threatened on Rook’s file.

33 P takes R R to B square 34 R to R2 R to B3 35 Q to K8 ch K to R2 36 P to KB4 Kts P takes P 37 R (on R2!) to R square

The other R to R square, doubling, seems much stronger. If then R x P, 38 Q to Kt6 ch! From this point White plays a weak game.

37 R takes P 38 Q to Kt6 ch Q takes Q 39 P takes Q ch K takes P 40 P to QKt4 P to K5 41 R (Q sq) to Kt sq ch R interposes 42 K to Q2 Kt to Q square 43 R takes R ch P takes R 44 R to R8

After this it is only a matter of time. The Pawns cannot be stopped.

44 Kt to B2 45 R to Kt8 ch K to R2 46 R to K8 P to K6 ch 47 K to K2 K to Kt3 48 R to K6 ch K to B4 49 R to K7 Kt to K4 50 R to K8 P to Kt5 51 R to B8 ch

Driving him where he wants to go!

51 K to K5 52 R to B6 P to B6 ch 53 K to Q sq P to Kt6 54 R to B8 P to Kt7 55 R to Kt8 P to B7 Resigns.

← Back to Chess History and Reminiscences

Scroll to Top