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Phony Benoni
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  1. Anglo-American Cable Matches
    From 1896 to 1911 the Anglo-American Cable Match was a highlight on the chess calendars of Great Britain and the United States, attracting some of the best players from both nations. Thirteen matches in all were played, and to say the results were even is an understatement: each side won 6 matches (with one match drawn) and each side scored exactly 64 points in the 13 matches. This was a competitive and hard-fought series all the way, with very few short draws or quick victories.

    The matches were played over two days at the relatively fast time limit of 20 moves per hour, though transmission times slowed this down a bit. Two four-hour sessions were played each day with an one-hour interval between, starting at 3:00 PM (London time) or 10:00 AM (New York time). Unfinished games after the fourth session were to be adjudicated, though this was rarely necessary as the two sides could usually agree as to the results. There were some minor changes to these conditions throughout the series, but they remained fairly consistent throughout.

    In general, the players were required to be "native-born", though this requirement was relaxed for children born to citizens who were overseas at the time, such as Hermann G Voigt or George Alan Thomas .

    The prize at stake was the Sir George Newnes Cup, which was to remain in the permanent possession of the first team to win three matches in a row. When Great Britain accomplished this feat in 1909-1911, the series ended. A picture of the Cup can be found at http://www.rookhouse.com/blog/index... (scroll down a bit; thanks to <The Focus> for pointing this out).

    In the summary below, an asterisk (*) indicates a game I will be submitting for the database.

    <Match 1, March 13-14, 1896: USA 4½, GBR 3½> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Pillsbury 0 Blackburne
    2 Showalter 1 Burn
    3 Burille 1 Bird
    4 Barry 1 Tinsley*
    5 Hymes 1/2 Locock*
    6 Hodges 1/2 Mills
    7 Delmar 1/2 Atkins*
    8 Baird 0 Jackson*

    The first match proved a pattern for what was to come, as the lead seesawed back and forth. Lawrence put the British up, but Bird evened things up by blundering his king. Showalter put the Americans ahead, Blackburne evened the match, then Barry clinched it with the last game to finish.

    <Match 2, February 12-13, 1897: GBR 5½, USA 4½> (GBR White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Blackburne 1/2 Pillsbury
    2 Locock 0 Showalter*
    3 Atkins 1 Burille*
    4 Lawrence 0 Barry*
    5 Mills 1/2 Hymes
    6 Bellingham 1/2 Hodges*
    7 Blake 0 Delmar*
    8 Jackson 1 Helms*
    9 Cole, Henry 1 Teed
    10 Jacobs 1 McCutcheon*

    The second match saw the rosters expand to ten players, which seemed to favor the British as their one-point victory was due in large part to a sweep on the bottom three boards.

    <Match 3, March 18-19, 1898: GBR 5½, USA 4½> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Pillsbury 1/2 Blackburne
    2 Showalter 1 Burn*
    3 Barry 1 Caro*
    4 Hymes 1/2 Atkins*
    5 Hodges 1 Bellingham*
    6 Delmar 0 Mills
    7 Baird 1/2 Locock*
    8 Young 0 Jackson*
    9 Robinson 0 Jacobs*
    10 Galbreath 0 Trenchard*

    Once again, British depth told the story. The Americans scored 4-1 on the top five boards, but could only manage 1/2-point on the bottom five. Board 7 was possibly the least interesting game in the entire series, Baird producing nothing from his last 45 moves except a very long scoresheet.

    <Match 4, March 10-11, 1899: USA 6, GBR 4> (GBR White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Blackburne 1 Pillsbury
    2 Atkins 0 Showalter*
    3 Lawrence 0 Barry*
    4 Jackson 0 Hodges*
    5 Mills 1/2 Hymes
    6 Jacobs 1/2 Voigt*
    7 Locock 1/2 Johnston
    8 Wainwright 1/2 Marshall
    9 Bellingham 1/2 Newman*
    10 Trancheard 1/2 Baird*

    Since Great Britain had won two matches in a row, a victory this year would give them permananet possession of the Newnes Cup--but the Americans put an emphatic stop to that with their usual good performance on the top boards and a solid job by the lower. Notable among the newcomers was a young Frank J. Marshall, who showed some promise.

    <Match 5, March 23-24, 1900: USA 6, GBR 4> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Pillsbury 1/2 Blackburne
    2 Showalter 1/2 Lee*
    3 Barry 1 Atkins*
    4 Hodges 1 Bellingham*
    5 Hymes 1/2 Mills
    6 Voigt 1 Lawrence*
    7 Marshall 0 Jackson*
    8 Bampton 0 Jacobs
    9 Newman 1/2 Ward*
    10 Delmar 1 Trenchard*

    The USA made it two victories in a row with another solid performance on the higher boards. Pillsbury remained winless in five cable games against Blackburne, and Showalter was finally slowed after four wins in a row. However, Barry kept his winning streak intact, Hodges contributed a second victory, and Hymes made in five draws in a row.

    <Match 6, April 19-20, 1901: USA 5, GBR 5> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Pillsbury 1 Blackburne
    2 Showalter 0 Mason*
    3 Barry 1/2 Lee*
    4 Hodges 1/2 Mills
    5 Hymes 1 Atkins*
    6 Voigt 1/2 Bellingham*
    7 Marshall 0 Ward
    8 Bampton 1/2 Jackson*
    9 Newman 1 Jacobs*
    10 Howell 0 Michell*

    It was now the USA's turn to be within one win of retaining the Newnes Cup permanently, but the British just hung on with a tie match that broke several streaks. Pillsbury finally collected a win on board 1 over Blackburne, but Showalter suffered his first loss and Barry his first draw. On the other hand, Hymes ended his run of draws with a victory, but it was not enough.

    <Match 7, March 14-15, 1902: USA 5½, GBR 4½> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Pillsbury 1/2 Lawrence
    2 Barry 1/2 Mason*
    3 Marshall 0 Atkins
    4 Hodges 1 Lee*
    5 Hymes 1/2 Mills
    6 Voigt 1/2 Bellingham*
    7 Delmar 0 Trenchard*
    8 Newman 1/2 Blake*
    9 Howell 1 Michell*
    10 Helms 1 Girdlestone*

    The United States started a new winning streak, in a year that saw regulars like Blackburne, Jackson, Jacobs and Showalter missing. Some new blood had to be found, and the USA replacements workes out better. An unusual feature saw Pillsbury and Marshall, who had just finished a tournament in Monte Carlo, hopping across the Channel and playing their games over-the-board in London.

    <Match 8, April 3-4, 1903: USA 5½, GBR 4½> (GBR White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Lawrence 1/2 Pillsbury*
    2 Blackburne 0 Barry*
    3 Mills 1/2 Hodges
    4 Atkins 0 Marshall
    5 Bellingham 1 Hymes*
    6 Trenchard 0 Voigt*
    7 Michell 1 Newman*
    8 Jacobs 1/2 Delmar*
    9 Gunston 1 Howell
    10 Hooke 0 Helms*

    The Americans fielded the same team as the previous year, and another narrow victory gave the Americans 4 wins in the previous 5 matches. They were still one win short of the three-in-a-row clause., but the aged and ill Blackburne was no longer the same force and the British seemed to have nobody coming forward to take up the slack.

    Pillsbury and Marshall once again played their games in London, the latter pulling off a patented swindle to get his first cable match win.

    With all the momentum on the American side, it looked like 1904 might see the end of the series. But then free enterprise intervened.

    In both 1904 and 1905 the teams were ready to play, but at the last moment the cable companies refused to carry the moves in a dispute over compensation. For some time it seemed the series would come to an untimely end, but eventually matters were worked oout and the next match was held in 1907--by which time some things had happened.

    <Match 9, February 22-23, 1907: GBR 5½, USA 4½> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Marshall 1/2 Burn
    2 Barry 0 Atkins
    3 Hodges 1/2 Lawrence*
    4 Voigt 1/2 Blackburne
    5 Morgan 0 Richmond*
    6 Fox 1/2 Lee*
    7 Bampton 1 Ward*
    8 Wolbrecht 1/2 Holmes*
    9 Howell 1 Michell*
    10 Robinson 0 Wainwright*

    With the death of Pillsbury and the inactivity of several other familiar faces, fully half the American team changed. Burn got his pipe going in time to strengthen the British side, and the bottom game went their way when Robinson blundered a rook by falling for an elementary trap in the French Defense.

    The British got another break on board 5 when Mordecai Morgan forfeited on time due to the misapprehension that the time control was 40/2 rather than 20/1. The Americans did have some consolation in Howell's brilliant win (played live in London).

    So how seriously did the players take this event? Marshall participated though he was in the middle of his world championship match with Lasker!

    <Match 10, March 13-14, 1908: USA 6½, GBR 3½> (GBR White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Blackburne 1/2 Hodges
    2 Atkins 1/2 Voigt*
    3 Lawrence 1/2 Helms*
    4 Richmond 1/2 Delmar*
    5 Wainwright 1/2 Stadelman*
    6 Ward 1/2 Howell*
    7 England 0 Schwietzer*
    8 Michell 0 Wolbrecht*
    9 Palmer 0 Libaire*
    10 Sergeant 1/2 Robinson*

    The 1908 meeting was probably the weakest of the series thus far, with many top players on both sides missing. In the end, it was the Americans who pushed the right buttons and scored the most lop-sided victory thus far.

    <Match 11, March 26-27, 1909: GBR 6, USA 4> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Marshall 1 Blackburne
    2 Barry 1/2 Lawrence*
    3 Hodges 1 Ward*
    4 Voigt 1 Wainwright*
    5 Howell 0 Blake*
    6 Helms 0 Michell*
    7 Schwietzer 0 Wahltuch*
    8 Stadleman 1/2 Holmes*
    9 Mlotkowski 0 Sergeant*
    10 Ruth 0 Jacobs*

    With the teams closer to full strength, Great Britain again showed their traditional depth: they scored only 1 draw on the top four boards, but collected 5½ on the bottom six!

    Marshall later related how he announced mate in five against Blackburne and received the reply, "Saw it; gone home."

    <Match 12, March 11-12, 1910: GBR 6½, USA 3½> (USA White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Marshall 1 Blackburne
    2 Barry 0 Atkins*
    3 Hodges 1/2 Lawrence*
    4 Voigt 0 Wahltuch*
    5 Wolbrecht 0 Yates*
    6 Stadelman 0 Wainwright*
    7 Schwietzer 1/2 Ward*
    8 Black 1 Blake*
    9 Rosenfeld 0 Thomas
    10 Meyer 1/2 Michell*

    The British won their second match in a row, duplicating the Americans' record margin from 1908. They had some strong, upcoming players on their side with Yates and Thomas playing for the first time. Atkins' win was widely considered the best game of the match, and possibly of his career.

    On a sad note, Sir George Newnes, whose Cup had helped kick off the nonsense, died in 1910. Perhaps it was appropriate that the next match would be the last.

    <Match 13, April 21-22, 1911: GBR 6, USA 4> (GBR White on the odd-numbered boards)

    1 Burn 1 Marshall
    2 Atkins 1/2 Hodges*
    3 Lawrence 0 Fox
    4 Wahltuch 1 Barry*
    5 Yates 1 Voigt*
    6 Richmond 0 Black*
    7 Ward 1 Walcott*
    8 Thomas 1 Milnes
    9 Michell 1/2 Schwietzer*
    10 Cole 0 Meyer*

    Three times before, a team had been on the brink of gaining perpetual possession of the Newnes Cup. The fourth time was a charm.

    It was the top half of the team which really let the Americans down this time, as Marshall, Barry and Voigt, heroes of many previous matches, all lost their games. New players Walcott and Milnes also lost, killing any chance of a comeback.

    The 65 players who participated are listed below, with their records. The player's name is followed by his (country), year, (board number), result and opponent. By the way, <Albert Hodges> was the only player to come out for all 13 matches, and he was also able to remain undefeated the entire way (5 wins, 8 draws). Other players with at leat 10 appearances were Atkins and Barry (12), Blackburne (11), Lawrence and Voigt (10).

    1. Henry Ernest Atkins (GBR): 1896 (7) D-Delmar; 1897 (3) W-Burille; 1898 (4) D-Hymes; 1899 (2) L-Showalter; 1900 (3) L-Barry; 1901 (5) L-Hymes; 1902 (3) W-Marshall; 1903 (4) L-Marshall; 1907 (2) W-Barry; 1908 (2) D-Voigt; 1910 (2) W-Barry; 1911 (2) D-Hodges. +4 -4 =4 .500

    2. David Graham Baird (USA): 1896 (8) L-Jackson; 1898 (7) D-Locock; 1899 (10) D-Trenchard. +0 -1 =2 .333

    3. Samuel Warren Bampton (USA): 1900 (8) L-Jacobs; 1901 (8) D-Jackson; 1907 (7) W-Ward. +1 -1 =1 .500

    4. John Finan Barry (USA): 1896 (4) W-Tinsley; 1897 (4) W-Lawrence; 1898 (3) W-Caro; 1899 (3) W-Lawrence; 1900 (3) W-Atkins; 1901 (3) D-Lee; 1902 (2) D-Mason; 1903 (2) W-Blackburne; 1907 (2) L-Atkins; 1909 (2) D-Lawrence; 1910 (2) L-Atkins; 1911 (4) L-Wahltuch. +6 -3 =3 .625

    5. G Bellingham (GBR): 1897 (6) D-Hodges; 1898 (5) L-Hodges; 1899 (9) D-Newman; 1900 (4) L-Hodges; 1901 (6) D-Voigt; 1902 (6) D-Voigt; 1903 (5) W-Hymes. +1 -2 =4 .429

    6. Henry Edward Bird (GBR): 1896 (3) L-Burille. +0 -1 =0 .000

    7. Roy Turnbull Black (USA): 1910 (8) W-Blake; 1911 (6) W-Richmond. +2 -0 =0 1.000

    8. Joseph Henry Blackburne (GBR): 1896 (1) W-Pillsbury; 1897 (1) D-Pillsbury; 1898 (1) D-Pillsbury; 1899 (1) W-Pillsbury; 1900 (1) D-Pillsbury; 1901 (1) L-Pillsbury; 1903 (2) L-Barry; 1907 (4) D-Voigt; 1908 (1) D-Hodges; 1909 (1) L-Marshall; 1910 (1) L-Marshall. +2 -4 =5 .409

    9. Joseph Henry Blake (GBR): 1897 (7) L-Delmar; 1902 (8) D-Newman; 1909 (5) W-Howell; 1910 (8) L-Black. +1 -2 =1 .375

    10. Constant Ferdinand Burille (USA): 1896 (3) W-Bird; 1897 (3) L-Atkins. +1 -1 =0 .500

    11. Amos Burn (GBR): 1896 (2) L-Showalter; 1898 (2) L-Showalter; 1907 (1) D-Marshall; 1911 (1) W-Marshall. +1 -2 =1 .375

    12. Horatio Caro (GBR): 1898 (3) L-Barry. +0 -1 =0 .000

    13. Harold Godfrey Cole (GBR): 1911 (10) L-Meyer. +0 -1 =0 .000

    14. Henry Holwell Cole (GBR): 1897 (9) W-Teed. +1 -0 =0 1.000

    15. Eugene Delmar (USA): 1896 (7) D-Atkins; 1897 (7) W-Blake; 1898 (6) L-Mills; 1900 (10) W-Trenchard; 1901 (7) L-Trenchard; 1903 (8) D-Jacobs; 1908 (4) D-Richmond. +2 -2 =3 .500

    16. P. R. England (GBR): 1908 (7) L-Schwietzer. + 0 -1 =0 .000

    17. Albert Whiting Fox (USA): 1907 (6) D-Lee; 1911 (3) W-Lawrence. +1 -0 =1 .750

    18. John Albert Galbreath (USA): 1898 (10) L-Trenchard. +0 -1 =0 .000

    19. T. B. Girdlestone (GBR): 1902 (10) L-Helms. +0 -1 =0 .000

    20. William Hewison Gunston (GBR): 1903 (9) W-Howell. +1 -0 =0 1.000

    21. Herman Helms (USA): 1897 (8) L-Jackson; 1902 (10) W-Girdlestone; 1903 (10) W-Hooke; 1908 (3) D-Lawrence; 1909 (6) L-Michell. +2 -2 =1 .500

    22. Albert Hodges (USA): 1896 (6) D-Mills; 1897 (6) D-Bellingham; 1898 (5) W-Bellingham; 1899 (4) W-Jackson; 1900 (4) W-Bellingham; 1901 (4) D-Mills; 1902 (4) W-Lee; 1903 (3) D-Mills; 1907 (3) D-Lawrence; 1908 (1) D-Blackburne; 1909 (3) W-Ward; 1910 (3) D-Lawrence; 1911 (2) D-Atkins. +5 -0 =8 .692

    23. H Holmes (GBR): 1907 (8) D-Wolbrecht; 1909 (8) D-Stadelman. +0 -0 =2 .500

    24. [George Archer] Hooke (GBR): 1903 (10) L-Helms. +0 -1 =0 .000

    25. Clarence Seaman Howell (USA): 1901 (10) L-Michell; 1902 (9) W-Michell; 1903 (9) L-Gusnton; 1907 (9) W-Michell; 1908 (6) D-Ward; 1909 (5) L-Blake. +2 -3 =1 .417

    26. Edward Hymes (USA): 1896 (5) D-Locock; 1897 (5) D-Mills; 1898 (4) D-Atkins; 1899 (5) D-Mills; 1900 (5) D-Mills; 1901 (5) W-Atkins; 1902 (5) D-Mills; 1903 (5) L-Bellingham. +1 -1 =6 .500

    27. Edward Mackenzie Jackson (GBR): 1896 (8) W-Baird; 1897 (8) W-Helms; 1898 (8) W-Young; 1899 (4) L-Hodges; 1900 (7) W-Marshall; 1901 (8) D-Bampton. +4 -1 =1 .750

    28. Herbert Levi Jacobs (GBR): 1897 (10) W-McCutcheon; 1898 (9) W-Robinson; 1899 (6) D-Voigt; 1900 (8) W-Bampton; 1901 (9) L-Newman; 1903 (8) D-Delmar; 1909 (10) W-Ruth. +4 -1 =2 .714

    29. Sidney Johnston (USA): 1899 (7) D-Locock. +0 -0 =1 .500

    30. Thomas Francis Lawrence (GBR): 1897 (4) L-Barry; 1899 (3) L-Barry; 1900 (6) L-Voigt; 1902 (1) D-Pillsbury; 1903 (1) D-Pillsbury; 1907 (3) D-Hodges; 1908 (3) D-Helms; 1909 (2) D-Barry; 1910 (3) D-Hodges; 1911 (3) L-Fox. +0 -4 =6 .300

    31. Francis Joseph Lee (GBR): 1900 (2) D-Showalter; 1901 (3) D-Barry; 1902 (4) L-Hodges; 1907 (6) D-Fox. +0 -1 =3 .375

    32. Edward William Libaire (USA): 1908 (9) W-Palmer. +1 -0 =0 1.000

    33. Charles Dealtry Locock (GBR): 1896 (5) D-Hymes; 1897 (2) L-Showalter; 1898 (7) D-Baird; 1899 (7) D-Johnston. +0 -1 =3 .375

    34. Frank James Marshall (USA): 1899 (8) D-Wainwright; 1900 (7) L-Jackson; 1901 (7) L-Ward; 1902 (3) L-Atkins; 1903 (4) W-Atkins; 1907 (1) D-Burn; 1909 (1) W-Blackburne; 1910 (1) W-Blackburne; 1911 (1) L-Burn. +3 -4 =2 .444

    35. James Mason (GBR): 1901 (2) W-Showalter; 1902 (2) D-Barry. +1 -0 =1 .750

    36. John Lindsay McCutcheon (USA): 1897 (10) L-Jacobs. +0 -1 =0 .000

    37. L B Meyer (USA): 1910 (10) D-Michell; 1911 (10) W-Cole, Harold. +1 -0 =1 .750

    38. Reginald Price Michell (GBR): 1901 (10); W-Howell; 1902 (10) L-Howell; 1903 (7) W-Newman; 1907 (9) L-Howell; 1908 (8) L-Wolbrecht; 1909 (6) W-Helms; 1910 (10) D-Meyer; 1911 (9) D-Schwietzer. +3 -3 =2 .500

    39. Daniel Yarnton Mills (GBR): 1896 (6) D-Hodges; 1897 (5) D-Hymes; 1898 (6) W-Delmar; 1899 (5) D-Hymes; 1900 (5) D-Hymes; 1901 (4) D-Hodges; 1902 (5) D-Hymes; 1903 (3) D-Hodges. +1 -0 =7 .563

    40. B F Milnes (USA): 1911 (8) L-Thomas. +0 -1 =0 .000

    41. Stasch Mlotkowski (USA): 1909 (9) L-Sergeant. +0 -1 =0 .000

    42. Mordecai Morgan (USA): 1907 (5) L-Richmond. +0 -1 =0 .000

    43, Charles John Newman (USA): 1899 (9) D-Bellingham; 1900 (9) D-Ward; 1901 (9) W-Jacobs; 1902 (8) D-Blake; 1903 (7) L-Michell. +1 -1 =3 .500

    44. Reverend W C Palmer (GBR): 1908 (9) L-Libaire. +0 -1 =0 .000

    45. Harry Nelson Pillsbury (USA): 1896 (1) L-Blackburne; 1897 (1) D-Blackburne; 1898 (1) D-Blackburne; 1899 (1) L-Blackburne; 1900 (1) D-Blackburne; 1901 (1) W-Blackburne; 1902 (1) D-Lawrence; 1903 (1) D-Lawrence. +1 -2 =5 .438

    46. George W Richmond (GBR): 1907 (5) W-Morgan; 1908 (4) D-Delmar; 1911 (6) L-Black. +1 -1 =1 .500

    47. Alfred K Robinson (USA): 1898 (9) L-Jacobs; 1907 (10) L-Wainwright; 1908 (10) D-Sergeant. +0 -2 =1 .167

    48. Herbert Rosenfeld (USA): 1910 (9) L-Thomas. +0 -1 =0 .000

    49. William Allen Ruth (USA): 1909 (10) L-Jacobs. +0 -1 =0 .000

    50. George J Schwietzer (USA): 1908 (7) W-England; 1909 (7) L-Wahltuch; 1910 (7) D-Ward; 1911 (9) D-Michell. +1 -1 =2 .500

    51. Edward G Sergeant (GBR): 1908 (10) D-Robinson; 1909 (9) W-Mlotkowski. +1 -0 =1 .750

    52. Jackson Whipps Showalter (USA): 1896 (2) W-Burn; 1897 (2) W-Locock; 1898 (2) W-Burn; 1899 (2) W-Atkins; 1900 (2) D-Lee; 1901 (2) L-Mason. +4 -1 =1 .750

    53. Samuel Leigh Stadelman (USA): 1908 (5) D-Wainwirght; 1909 (8) D-Holmes; 1910 (6) L-Wainwirght. +0 -2 =1 .167

    54. Frank Melville Teed (USA): 1897 (9) L-Cole, Henry. +0 -1 =0 .000

    55. George Alan Thomas (GBR): 1910 (9) W-Rosenfeld; 1911 (8) W-Milnes. +2 -0 =0 1.000

    56. Samuel Tinsley (GBR): 1896 (4) L-Barry. +0 -1 =0 .000

    57. Herbert William Trenchard (GBR): 1898 (10) W-Galbrreath; 1899 (10) D-Baird; 1900 (10) L-Delmar; 1902 (7) W-Delmar; 1903 (6) L-Voigt. +2 -1 =1 .500

    58. Hermann G Voigt (USA): 1899 (6) D-Jacobs; 1900 (6) W-Lawrence; 1901 (6) D-Bellingham; 1902 (6) D-Bellingham; 1903 (6) W-Trenchard; 1907 (4) D-Blackburne; 1908 (2) D-Atkins; 1909 (4) W-Wainwright; 1910 (4) L-Wahltuch; 1911 (5) L-Yates. +3 -2 =5 .550

    59. Victor L Wahltuch (GBR): 1909 (7) W-Schwietzer; 1910 (4) W-Voigt; 1911 (4) W-Barry. +3 -0 =0 1.000

    60. George Edward Wainwright (GBR): 1899 (8) D-Marshall; 1907 (10) W-Robinson; 1908 (5) D-Stadelman; 1909 (4) L-Voigt; 1910 (6) W-Stadelman. +2 -1 =2 .600

    61. George H Walcott (USA): 1911 (7) L-Ward. +0 -1 =0 .000

    62. William Ward (GBR): 1900 (9) D-Newman; 1901 (7) W-Marshall; 1907 (7) L-Bampton; 1908 (6) D-Howell; 1909 (3) L-Hodges; 1910 (7) D-Schwietzer; 1911 (7) W-Walcott. +2 -2 =3 .500

    63. George H Wolbrecht (USA): 1907 (8) D-Holmes; 1908 (8) W-Michell; 1910 (5) L-Yates. +1 -1 =1 .500

    64. Frederick D Yates (GBR): 1910 (5) W-Wohlbrecht; 1911 (5) W-Voigt. +2 -0 =0 1.000

    65. Franklin Knowles Young (USA): 1898 (8) L-Jackson. +0 -1 =0 .000

    <Sources>:

    http://www.365chess.com proved an excellent source for games, even compiling results by tournament. However, their player information must be appproached with caution, and sometimes the years given are incorrect.

    <Chess Results, 1747-1900> and <Chess Results 1901-1920> compiled by Gino di Felice were a helpful source to verify players' names and results--though I do wish he wouldn't insist on using the term <Radiomatch>, which is both inaccurate and anachonistic.

    Google Books has digitized a number of 19th and early 20th century chess periodicals. The <American Chess Magazine> (with which I was not acquainted previously) is chatty and profusely illustrated; the <British Chess Magazine> is both stately and lively, and feels a bit more objective; and the <American Chess Bulletin> is interesting reading as well. I think you'll enjoy the accounts from all three.

    Archival copies of news reports from the <New York Times> are also available, and I'll be popping in some links as I find them. Thanks to <Calli> for showing the way to this resource.

    <1896>: British Chess Magazine, 1896, p.151: http://books.google.com/books?id=5Y...; New York Times: (2/24/96), http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstra...; (3/14/96), http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstra...; (3/15/96), http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstra...; (3/15/96 editorial), http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstra...

    <1897>: British Chess Magazine, 1897, p.81: http://books.google.com/books?id=eR...

    <1898>: American Chess Magazine, v.1, p.547 http://books.google.com/books?id=53...; British Chess Magazine, 1898, p.150 http://books.google.com/books?id=73...

    <1899>: American Chess Magazine, v.2, p.419: http://books.google.com/books?id=02...; British Chess Magazine, 1899, p.146: http://books.google.com/books?id=ln...

    <1901>: British Chess Magazine, 1901, p.202: http://books.google.com/books?id=1H...

    <1902>: British Chess Magazine, 1902, p.166: http://books.google.com/books?id=S3...

    <1903>: British Chess Magainze, 1903, p.202: http://books.google.com/books?id=0X...

    <1907>: American Chess Bulletin, 1907, p.69: http://books.google.com/books?id=3C...

    <1908>: American Chess Bulletin, 1908, p.84: http://books.google.com/books?id=uS...

    If you discover some errors or unearth more online sources, please leave a note at my forum.

    35 games, 1896-1911

  2. Bath Beach 1909
    This six-player round robin decided the New York State Chess Association championship for 1909. It had a couple of notable features: the participation of famous masters Frank James Marshall and Charles Jaffe --and the fact that neither of them won it!

    Jaffe got off to a rocky start, losing in rounds one and three to Wilbur Lyttleton Moorman and Herbert Rosenfeld. Marshall allowed a draw to Otto Roething in round two, dropping a helf-point behind Rosenfeld who began with three straight wins.

    Marshall temporarily restored normalcy by beating Rosenfeld in round four and winning the brilliancy prize in the process. However, in an ironic prequel to Havana 1913, Jaffe defeated Marshall in the last round as Rosenfeld claimed the title with a victory over Harlow Bussey Daly.

    Rosenfeld X 0 1 1 1 1 4.0
    Marshall 1 X 0 1 1 ½ 3.5
    Jaffe 0 1 X 0 1 1 3.0
    Moorman 0 0 1 X ½ 1 2.5
    Daly 0 0 0 ½ X 1 1.5
    Roething 0 ½ 0 0 0 X 0.5

    So who was Herbert Rosenfeld? He was a university student at the time of the tournament, but seems to have dropped out of sight once he had to start making a living. He has only two other games in the database, H Rosenfeld vs G A Thomas, 1910 being from the penultimate Anglo-American Cable Match.

    15 games, 1909

  3. Brussels World Cup, 1988
    The World Cup of 1988-1989 was an effort by the Grandmasters' Association (GMA) to establish a tournament circult of lucrative events for top grandmasters. Six events were held in all: Brussels 1988 (April 1-22), Game Collection: Belfort World Cup 1988 (June 14-July 3), Game Collection: Reykjavik World Cup 1988 (October 3-24), Game Collection: Barcelona World Cup 1989 (March 20-April 20), Game Collection: Rotterdam World Cup 1989 (June 3-24), and Game Collection: Skelleftea World Cup 1989 (August 12-September 3). Special thanks to <suenteus po 147> for quickly bulding collections for these tournaments.

    The twenty-five invited players were: Ulf Andersson Ulf Andersson, Aleander Beliavsky Alexander Beliavsky, Jaan Ehlvest Jaan Ehlvest, Johann Hjartarson Johann Hjartarson, Robert Huebner Robert Huebner, Anatoli Karpov Anatoli Karpov, Garry Kasparov Garry Kasparov, Viktor Korchnoi Viktor Korchnoi, Lubomir Ljubojevic Ljubomir Ljubojevic, Predrag Nikolic Predrag Nikolic, Jesus Nogueiras Jesus Nogueiras, John Nunn John Nunn, Lajos Portisch Lajos Portisch, Zoltan Ribli Zoltan Ribli, Valery Salov Valery Salov, Gyula Sax Gyula Sax, Yasser Seirawan Yasser Seirawan, Nigel Short Nigel Short, Andrei Sokolov Andrei Sokolov, Boris Spassky Boris Spassky, Jonathan Speelman Jonathan Speelman, Mikhail Tal Mikhail Tal, Jan Timman Jan Timman, Rafael Vaganian Rafael Vaganian, and Artur Yusupov Artur Yusupov. Each played in four of the six events, with his best three results counting in the World Cup standings.

    At Brussels, 17 World Cup players were invited, local player Luc Winants participating to provide an even number of players. However, Vaganian withdrew after four rounds due to the death of his brother. The games (draws against Tal, Portisch, Beliavsky, and Timman) are given in the collection, but do not appear in the tournament crosstable.

    Speaking of which:

    1 Karpov 11/16 * = 1 = 0 = = 1 1 = = 1 = 1 1 = 1

    2 Salov 10/16 = * 1 = 1 = = = = = = = 1 = = = 1

    3 Ljubojevic 9.5/16 0 0 * 1 = = 1 = 1 = = 1 1 = = = =

    4 Nunn 9.5/16 = = 0 * 1 = = = = 1 = = = = = 1 1

    5 Beliavsky 9.5/16 1 0 = 0 * = = = = 1 = = 1 1 = = 1

    6 Andersson 9/16 = = = = = * = = = = = = 1 = 1 = =

    7 Portisch 9/16 = = 0 = = = * = 0 = 1 1 = = = 1 1

    8 Speelman 8.5/16 0 = = = = = = * 1 = = = = = 1 0 1

    9 Sokolov 8/16 0 = 0 = = = 1 0 * 0 1 = = = = 1 1

    10 Tal 7.5/16 = = = 0 0 = = = 1 * = 0 0 1 = 1 =

    11 Nikolic 7.5/16 = = = = = = 0 = 0 = * = = 0 1 = 1

    12 Timman 7.5/16 0 = 0 = = = 0 = = 1 = * = = 0 1 1

    13 Seirawan 7.5/16 = 0 0 = 0 0 = = = 1 = = * = 1 = 1

    14 Nogueiras 7/16 0 = = = 0 = = = = 0 1 = = * 0 = 1

    15 Korchnoi 6.5/16 0 = = = = 0 = 0 = = 0 1 0 1 * 0 1

    16 Sax 6/16 = = = 0 = = 0 1 0 0 = 0 = = 1 * 0

    17 Winants 2.5/16 0 0 = 0 0 = 0 0 0 = 0 0 0 0 0 1 *

    World Cup points were awarded only for results between World Cup players. To understand this, it is helpful to redo the touranment table by including only World Cup playars:

    1 Karpov 10/15 * = 1 = = 0 = 1 = 1 = 1 = = 1 1 27.5

    2 Salov 9/15 = * 1 = = 1 = = = = = = 1 = = = 25

    3 Ljubojevic 9/15 0 0 * 1 = = 1 = = 1 = 1 1 = = = 25

    4 Nunn 8.5/15 = = 0 * = 1 = = 1 = = = = 1 = = 22

    5 Andersson 8.5/15 = = = = * = = = = = = = 1 = = 1 22

    6 Beliavsky 8.5/15 1 0 = 0 = * = = 1 = = = 1 = 1 = 22

    7 Portisch 8/15 = = 0 = = = * = = 0 1 1 = 1 = = 19.5

    8 Speelman 7.5/15 0 = = = = = = * = 1 = = = 0 = 1 18

    9 Tal 7/15 = = = 0 = 0 = = * 1 = 0 0 1 1 = 16

    10 Sokolov 7/15 0 0 = 0 = = = 1 0 0 * 1 = = 1 = = 16

    11 Nikolic 6.5/15 = = = = = = 0 = = 0 * = = = 0 1 13

    12 Timman 6.5/15 0 = 0 = = = 0 = 1 = = * = 1 = 0 13

    13 Seirawan 6.5/15 = 0 0 = 0 0 = = 1 = = = * = = 1 13

    14 Sax 6/15 = = = 0 = = 0 1 0 0 = 0 = * = 1 10

    15 Nogueiras 6/15 0 = = = = 0 = = 0 = 1 = = = * 0 10

    16 Korchnoi 5.5/15 0 = = = 0 = = 0 = = 0 1 0 0 1 * 8

    The number at the end of each line is the number of Grand Prix points awared. There were three sources of these:

    (1) The number of points scored against other World Cup players;

    (2) Place points, ranging from 17 for first place to 1 for 17th. If players tied for a place, the respective points were divided equally;

    (3) If a tournament had fewer than 17 World Cup players, an extra 1/2 point was given for each game less than 16 played.

    So Karpov received 10 points for his score, 17 points for finishing sole 1st, and an extra 1/2 point for playing only 15 games, hence a total of 27.

    Salov and Ljubojevic each received 9 game points, 15.5 place points for splitting second (16 points) and third (15 points), and got their 1/2-point bonus for playing only 15 games, for a total of 25.

    Note that Korchnoi, who finished ahead of Sax in the general crosstable, actually wound up with fewer Grand Prix points since he scored fewer points against World Cup players.

    The most points a player could win in one tournament was 33, Kasparov coming closest to this by scoring 29 at Belfort.

    Source: World Cup chess : the Grandmasters Grand Prix / Lubomir Kavalek. North Pomfret, Vt. : Trafalgar Square Publishing, 1990. 0-943955-31-9


    140 games, 1988

  4. Coburg 1904
    For well over half a century, Germany held a position in the chess world similar to that later occupied by the Soviet Union. Germany, along with Austria-Hungary and other German-speaking areas, had the deepest roster of great players, the greatest theoreticians, and German was the language of the learned chess world. Other countries could produce top chess talent, but none could match Germany's strength from top to bottom.

    A highlight of the German chess scene were the biannual Congresses of the German Chess Federation. These featured a <Meisterturnier>, open only to recognized Masters from Germany and around the world, and a grueling <Hauptturnier>, which was a kind of Candidates tournament whose victor would win the right to play in future <Meisterturniers> and become recognized as a Master not just in Germany, but the entire world.

    The 14th Congress of the German Chess Federation was held in Coburg from July 18-August 1, 1904. The Master Tournament featured a strong sample of players from various parts of the Empire and beyond:

    Curt von Bardeleben; Johann Nepomuk Berger; Ossip Bernstein; Miklos Brody; Horatio Caro; Leo Fleischmann Forgacs; Hermann Von Gottschall; Walter John; Georg Marco; Jacques Mieses; Carl Schlechter; Hugo Suechting; Rudolf Swiderski; Heinrich Wolf.

    Berger jumped out to a quick lead, being the only player to win his first two games. In round 3, however, he was beaten by Swiderski (who had been a point behind), and the favored Schlechter drove to the top.

    After Round 5, Schlecter had a half-point lead on the field, with Swiderski a point behind. Once again, Swiderski knocked off the leader, and when Schlechter's bye (due to the withdrawal of Brody after round 3) came up in the next round, he drifted down in the scoretable and it was Bardeleben's turn to surge to the top.

    Are you discerning a trend here? After Round 8, Bardeleben was a half-point ahead of the field with Swiderski a point behind. Yep. Lightning struck for the third time, and now Swiderski decided to end all this foolishness by winning two more in a row and establishing his own lead.

    So after round 11 Swiderski had 7.5, Bardeleben 6.5, and Bernstein, Marco, Mieses and Schlechter stood at 6.0. At this point, there was good news and bad news for Swiderski. The bad news was that he had only one game left, since his bye would come up in the 13th and final round. The good news was that the game was against Walter John, who was sitting comforably in last place. A win would almost surely clinch things, since Bardeleben could only catch him by beating Schlechter with Black, which didn't seem likely.

    Well, you can look at the game and decide whether Swiderski beat himself or John had something to do with it, but at any rate the upset did occur. Schlechter defeated Bardeleben, leaving this situation:

    Swiderski 7.5 (bye)
    Schlechter 7.0 (Black vs. Berger)
    Bardeleben 6.5 (White vs. Caro)
    Marco 6.5 (Black vs. Suechting)
    Mieses 6.5 (Black vs. Bernstein)

    When Berger traded queens in a symmetrical position you could be pretty sure that Schlechter would do no more than draw, and he didn't. Of the others, only Bardeleben was able to come through with a win and tie for first.

    1 Swiderski 7.5/12 * 1 1 0 = 1 1 0 = 1 1 0 =
    2 Schlechter 7.5/12 0 * 1 = = = = 1 1 = = = 1
    3 Bardeleben 7.5/12 0 0 * = = = 1 1 = = 1 1 1
    4 Bernstein 7.0/12 1 = = * = 1 = = = = 0 1 =
    5 Marco 7.0/12 = = = = * = = = = = = 1 1
    6 Mieses 6.5/12 0 = = 0 = * 1 = = = 1 = 1
    7 Berger 6.5/12 0 = 0 = = 0 * 1 1 = = 1 1
    8 Suechting 6.0/12 1 0 0 = = = 0 * 1 = = 1 =
    9 Wolf 6.0/12 = 0 = = = = 0 0 * = 1 1 1
    10 Forgacs 5.0/12 0 = = = = = = = = * 0 = =
    11 Caro 4.0/12 0 = 0 1 = 0 = = 0 1 * 0 0
    12 John 4.0/12 1 = 0 0 0 = 0 0 0 = 1 * =
    13 Gottschall 3.5/12 = 0 0 = 0 0 0 = 0 = 1 = *

    Finally, a mention of the Hauptturnier. It was won by Augustin Neumann and Milan Vidmar with 13.5/16, Neumann winning a short play-off match. (No, you've never heard of him; he was another promising young talent cut short by illness, and would die 18 months later at the age of 26). Some of the other players were young versions of Rudolf Spielmann, Oldrich Duras, and Aron Nimzowitsch. I told you it was grueling.

    81 games, 1904

  5. DIRP!
    Augustus J. Dirp (1841-1907), generally considered the Father of Anti-Positional Play, holds an unique and otherwise unwanted spot in the history of chess theory.

    While his unfortunate aphorisms such as <Never move a piece twice before you have moved it once> and <Keep your pieces out of the center--they could get hurt there!> still guide legions of aspiring N.N. wannabes to this day, his true colors shown most dimly as a theorist of the pawn formation which bears his name, the Doubled Isolated Rook Pawn.


    click for larger view

    A lifetime of study and hard drinking led to the formulation of Dirp's Credo: <Except in positions where it is neutral, the DIRP is an advantage unless it is a disadvantage.> Though the Credo has never been refuted, its practical application has generally proved disastrous.

    Dirp also has two opening systems named after him, mainly by default: The Dirp Attack (White plays Na3 and Nh3) and the Dirp Defense (Black plays ...Na6 and ...Nh6). The idea, of course, is that capturing the knights will set up immediate fianchettos of the bishops and provide half-open files for the rooks. Meanwhile, the king is sheltered behind the unmoved center pawns and the queen can fend for herself. The two systems are considered so devastating that there are no known examples of them being used.

    Indeed, none of Dirp's game scores have survived, probably due to the Geneva Convention. However, as this collection will show, his ideas continue to infect chess players everywhere, providing a fitting legacy for the man appropriately eulogized as "...quite possibly the weakest player never to become world champion."

    44 games, 1851-2009

  6. Duplicates, part 1 (A00-A99)
    <What was, will be again,
    What has been done, will be done again,
    And there is nothing new under the sun.>

    --(Ecclesiastes 1:9)

    These collections will focus on games where the moves are duplicated; alternate game scores that require research to resolve will not be included. While there may be small typographical or other differences. the moves will essentially be the same. Besides, this project should be big enough even with the limitation.

    In light of chessgames.com's announcement (chessgames.com chessforum) concerning changes in the process used to merge duplicates, I'm going to delay submitting corrections for the moment. Those who are eventually assigned the task are welcome to use these collections as they wish.

    The games will be arranged by ECO code for my convenience. It's the easiest way I can think of to keep them in some sort of order.

    If I've screwed something up, it won't be the first time. Please leave two notes in my forum. I only respond to duplicate messages.

    30 games, 1899-2008

  7. Duplicates, part 2 (B00-B99)
    <Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.> -- (Charles Caleb Colton)

    These collections will focus on games where the moves are duplicated; alternate game scores that require research to resolve will not be included. While there may be small typographical or other differences. the moves will essentially be the same. Besides, this project should be big enough even with the limitation.

    In light of chessgames.com's announcement (chessgames.com chessforum) concerning changes in the process used to merge duplicates, I'm going to delay submitting corrections for the moment. Those who are eventually assigned the task are welcome to use these collections as they wish.

    The games will be arranged by ECO code for my convenience. It's the easiest way I can think of to keep them in some sort of order.

    If I've screwed something up, it won't be the first time. Please leave a note in my forum, and my answering machine will contact your answering machine.

    54 games, 1946-2008

  8. Duplicates, part 3 (C00-C99)
    <It's déjà vu all over again.> -- (Yogi Berra)

    These collections will focus on games where the moves are duplicated; alternate game scores that require research to resolve will not be included. While there may be small typographical or other differences. the moves will essentially be the same. Besides, this project should be big enough even with the limitation.

    In light of chessgames.com's announcement (chessgames.com chessforum) concerning changes in the process used to merge duplicates, I'm going to delay submitting corrections for the moment. Those who are eventually assigned the task are welcome to use these collections as they wish.

    The games will be arranged by ECO code for my convenience. It's the easiest way I can think of to keep them in some sort of order.

    If I've screwed something up, it won't be the first time. Please leave a note in my forum, preferably one with a picture of a dead president.

    88 games, 1839-2008

  9. Duplicates, part 4 (D00-D99)
    <You can duplicate some of the games all of the time, and you can duplicate all of the games some of the time, but you can't duplicate all of the games all of the time.> -- (Honest Abe Xerox)

    These collections will focus on games where the moves are duplicated; alternate game scores that require research to resolve will not be included. While there may be small typographical or other differences. the moves will essentially be the same. Besides, this project should be big enough even with the limitation.

    In light of chessgames.com's announcement (chessgames.com chessforum) concerning changes in the process used to merge duplicates, I'm going to delay submitting corrections for the moment. Those who are eventually assigned the task are welcome to use these collections as they wish.

    The games will be arranged by ECO code for my convenience. It's the easiest way I can think of to keep them in some sort of order.

    If I've screwed something up, it won't be the first time. Please leave a note in my forum, and while you're there piok up your free prospectus for my big sale of Florida swampland.

    28 games, 1834-2003

  10. Duplicates, part 5 (E00-E99)
    <Dup, dup, dup, duplicates
    Dup, dup, duplicates
    Dup, dup, duplicates
    Dup, dup, duplicates...>

    -- (Probably not from "My Name is Earl")

    These collections will focus on games where the moves are duplicated; alternate game scores that require research to resolve will not be included. While there may be small typographical or other differences. the moves will essentially be the same. Besides, this project should be big enough even with the limitation.

    In light of chessgames.com's announcement (chessgames.com chessforum) concerning changes in the process used to merge duplicates, I'm going to delay submitting corrections for the moment. Those who are eventually assigned the task are welcome to use these collections as they wish.

    The games will be arranged by ECO code for my convenience. It's the easiest way I can think of to keep them in some sort of order.

    If I've screwed something up, it won't be the first time. Please leave a message in my forum and I'll respond after recovering from the nervous breakdown.

    99 games, 1927-2007

  11. Game of the Day, 2004
    Missing games: May 8. Also, there is no game for December 27 because it had already been used on October 8, and a game can appear only once in a collection.

    Gameoftheday 2004


    247 games, 1620-2004

  12. Game of the Day, 2005
    Missing games: April 30, October 25.

    Gameoftheday 2005

    363 games, 1625-2005

  13. Game of the Day, 2006
    Gameoftheday 2006
    365 games, 1824-2006

  14. Game of the Day, 2007
    Gameoftheday 2007
    365 games, 1515-2007

  15. Game of the Day, 2008
    There is no game for November 11, since it had already been used on February 22 and a game can appear only once in a collection.

    Gameoftheday 2008

    365 games, 1620-2008

  16. Game of the Day, 2009
    Gameoftheday 2009
    333 games, 1770-2009

  17. Hastings 1919
    The 12th BCF "Special Victory" Congress, held at Hastings from August 11-23, 1919, was not part of the the series of Hastings Christmas Congresses which began in 1920/21. However, it did provide the opportunity for some international action following the Great War with the ususl British suspects being joined by several representatives from foreign lands:

    Jose Raul Capablanca; Harold Godfrey Cole; Adrian Garcia Conde; Borislav Kostic; Max Marchand; Reginald Price Michell; Adolf Georg Olland; Roland Henry Vaughan Scott; George Alan Thomas; Victor L Wahltuch; William Winter; Frederick D Yates

    The big attraction was Capablanca in his first European tourament in five years. Any thoughts that the supposed lack of first-class practice might have left the Cuban rusty were emphatically destroyed, as he conceded a draw to Kostic while sweeping the rest of the tournament with consummate ease.

    OK, it wasn't <THAT> easy; he had to keep winning since Kostic was nipping at his heels the whole way. And there was that incredible blip in round 4 against Thomas.

    <Round 1>: Capablanca 1 Yates; Scott 0 Kostic; Thomas 1/2 Wahltuch; Marchand 1 Cole; Michell 1 Conde; Winter 0 Olland

    STANDINGS: <1.0>: Capablanca, Kostic, Marchand, Michell, Olland; <0.5>: Thomas, Wahltuch; <0.0>: Cole, Conde, Scott, Winter, Yates

    <Round 2>: Marchand 0 Capablanca; Kostic 1 Michell*; Yates 1/2 Thomas; Olland 0 Scott; Cole 0 Conde; Wahltuch 1 Winter

    STANDINGS: <2.0>: Capablanca, Kostic; <1.5>: Wahltuch; <1.0>: Conde, Marchand, Michell, Olland, Scott, Thomas; <0.5>: Yates; <0.0>: Cole, Winter

    <Round 3>: Cole 0 Capablanca; Conde 0 Kostic; Thomas 1 Marchand; Michell 1 Olland; Scott 0 Wahltuch; Winter 1 Yates;

    STANDINGS: <3.0>: Capablanca, Kostic; <2.5>: Wahltuch; <2.0>: Michell, Thomas; <1.0>: Conde, Marchand, Olland, Scott, Winter; <0.5>: Yates; <0.0>: Cole

    <Round 4>: Capablanca 1 Thomas; Kostic 1 Cole; Olland 1 Conde; Yates 1 Scott; Wahltuch 1 Michell; Marchand 1 Winter*

    STANDINGS: <4.0>: Capablanca, Kostic; <3.5>: Wahltuch; <2.0>: Marchand, Michell, Olland, Thomas; <1.5>: Yates; <1.0>: Conde, Scott, Winter; <0.0>: Cole

    <Round 5>: Winter 0 Capablanca; Kostic 1 Olland; Thomas 1 Cole; Conde 1 Wahltuch; Michell 0 Yates; Scott 1 Marchand

    STANDINGS: <5.0>: Capablanca, Kostic; <3.5>: Wahltuch; <3.0>: Thomas; <2.5>: Yates; <2.0>: Conde, Marchand, Michell, Olland, Scott; <1.0>: Winter; <0.0>: Cole

    <Round 6>: Capablanca 1 Scott; Wahltuch 1/2 Kostic; Thomas 1 Winter; Yates 1 Conde; Marchand 0 Michell; Cole 0 Olland*

    STANDINGS: 6.0>: Capablanca; <5.5>: Kostic; <4.0>: Thomas, Wahltuch; <3.5>: Yates; <3.0>: Michell, Olland; <2.0>: Conde, Marchand, Scott; <1.0>: Winter; <0.0>: Cole

    <Round 7>: Michell 0 Capablancal Kostic 1 Yates; Scott 0 Thomas; Olland 1 Wahltuch; Conde 1 Marchand; Cole 1 Winter

    STANDINGS: <7.0>: Capablanca; <6.5>: Kostic; <5.0>: Thomas; <4.0>: Olland, Wahltuch; <3.5>: Yates; <3.0>: Conde, Michell; <2.0>: Marchand, Scott; <1.0>: Cole, Winter

    <Round 8>: Capablanca 1 Conde; Marchand 0 Kostic; Yates 1 Olland; Thomas 1/2 Michell*; Wahltuch 1 Cole; Winter 1 Scott*

    STANDINGS: <8.0>: Capablanca; <7.5>: Kostic; <5.5>: Thomas; <5.0>: Wahltuch; <4.5>: Yates; <4.0>: Olland; <3.5>: Michell; <3.0>: Conde; <2.0>: Marchand, Scott, Winter; <1.0>: Cole

    <Round 9>: Kostic 1/2 Capablanca; Olland 0 Marchand; Michell 1 Winter; Wahltuch 1/2 Yates; Conde 1/2 Thomas*; Scott 1/2 Cole*

    STANDINGS: <8.5>: Capablanca; <8.0>: Kostic; <6.0>: Thomas; <5.5>: Wahltuch; <5.0>: Yates; <4.5>: Michell; <4.0>: Olland; <3.5>: Conde; <3.0>: Marchand; <2.5>: Scott; <2.0>: Winter; <1.5>: Cole

    <Round 10>: Capablanca 1 Olland; Thomas 1/2 Kostic; Cole 0 Yates; Marchand 1 Wahltuch; Scott 1 Michell; Winter 1 Conde*

    STANDINGS: <9.5>: Capablanca; <8.5>: Kostic; <6.5>: Thomas; <6.0>: Yates; <5.5>: Wahltuch; <4.5>: Michell; <4.0>: Marchand, Olland; <3.5>: Conde, Scott; <3.0>: Winter; <1.5>: Cole

    <Round 11>: Wahltuch 0 Capablanca; Kostic 1 Winter; Olland 1/2 Thomas; Yates 1 Marchand; Michell 1 Cole; Conde 0 Scott*

    1 Capablanca 10.5/11 * = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
    2 Kostic 9.5/11 = * = 1 = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
    3 Thomas 7.0/11 0 = * = = = 1 = 1 = 1 1
    4 Yates 7.0/11 0 0 = * = 1 1 1 1 1 0 1
    5 Wahltuch 5.5/11 0 = = = * 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
    6 Michell 5.5/11 0 0 = 0 0 * 0 1 1 1 1 1
    7 Scott 4.5/11 0 0 0 0 0 1 * 1 1 1 0 =
    8 Olland 4.5/11 0 0 = 0 1 0 0 * 0 1 1 1
    9 Marchand 4.0.11 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 * 0 1 1
    10 Conde 3.5/11 0 0 = 0 1 0 0 0 1 * 0 1
    11 Winter 3.0/11 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 * 0
    12 Cole 1.5/11 0 0 0 0 0 0 = 0 0 0 1 *

    The following games were not available as of 4/28/2009. Colors may not be accurate.

    Round 2, Game #8: Kostic 1 Michell
    Round 4, Game #24: Marchand 1 Winter
    Round 6, Game #36: Cole 0 Olland
    Round 8, Game #46: Thomas 1/2 Michell
    Round 8, Game #48: Winter 1 Scott
    Round 9, Game #53: Conde 1/2 Thomas
    Round 9, Game #54: Scott 1/2 Cole
    Round 10, Game #60: Winter 1 Conde
    Round 11, Game #66: Conde 0 Scott

    This collection made use of a PGN file of games from PGN Mentor, http://www.pgnmentor.com/

    57 games, 1919

  18. Hastings 1934/35
    Of all the memorable Hastings tournaments, this one must rank near the top for suspense and unexpected twists. The list of players was one of the most impressive in Hastings history, with former World Champion Capablanca, future champions Euwe and Botvinnik, championship contender Flohr, and the brilliant young Hungarian, Lilienthal. (Yes, young. This was a long time ago.)

    But with all the firepower at the top, here were the standings going into the last round:

    George Alan Thomas 6.5

    Max Euwe 6.0

    Salomon Flohr 5.5

    Jose Raul Capablanca 5.0

    Mikhail Botvinnik 4.5

    Andre Lilienthal 4.5

    Reginald Price Michell 3.0

    Vera Menchik 2.5

    Philip Stuart Milner-Barry 1.5

    George Marshall Norman 1.0

    The tournament had gotten off to a slow start, with only Thomas able to win in the first round. Then things picked up a bit, as Thomas proceded to outplay Capablanca and Botvinnik in rounds 2 and 3.

    Euwe put a temporary halt to the foolishness by beating Thomas in round 4 to tie for the lead, and kept up the good work by following with three points from his next four games. However, this only sufficed for second place, since Thomas scored 3 1/2, including a win over Lilienthal and a draw with Flohr.

    So that set up the last round. Not only was Thomas having the tournament of his life, his last round opponent was was fellow countryman Michell. In almost any other country, at any other time, the result would have been foreordained: a friendly draw, and Thomas finishes no worse than a tie for first. Indeed, many players had to be rooting for the universally beloved Thomas to win and come in sole first.

    But that's not how Sir George Thomas played chess. The game was hard-fought, and Michell emerged victorious. But there was a happy ending; Max Euwe, in a better position against tail-ender Norman, made a sporting gesture of his own by offering a draw and settlig for a first-place tie with Thomas and Flohr, who had been hanging around in the background the whole time.

    They don't build 'em like that anymore.

    1 Euwe 6.5/9 * 1 = = = 1 1 = = 1
    2 Thomas 6.5/9 0 * = 1 1 1 0 1 1 1
    3 Flohr 6.5/9 = = * = = = 1 1 1 1
    4 Capablanca 5.5/9 = 0 = * 0 = 1 1 1 1
    5 Lilienthal 5.0/9 = 0 = 1 * = 1 = = =
    6 Botvinnik 5.0/9 0 0 = = = * = 1 1 1
    7 Michell 4.0/9 0 1 0 0 0 = * = 1 1
    8 Menchik 3.0/9 = 0 0 0 = 0 = * = 1
    9 Norman 1.5/9 = 0 0 0 = 0 0 = * 0
    10 Milner Barry 1.5/9 0 0 0 0 = 0 0 0 1 *

    45 games, 1934-1935

  19. Hastings Christmas Congress (Tournament Index)
    Since 1920/21, the Hastings Christmas Congress has been the bane of PGN coders everywhere who can never agree on which year to use in the date field. Though rarely one of the strongest or most prestiguous tournaments, its longetivity and tradition made it into a treasured fixture.

    From 1920/21 through 2003/04, it was run in several sections. The highest (usually called the Premier) was an all-play-all (round robin) event in which several non-British masters mixed it up with the home contingent. The most important of the subsidiary events was the Premier Reserves, whose winner generally qualified for the next year's Premier.

    In 2004/05, the top section was run on a knock-out basis; since then, it has been a large Swiss known as the Hastings Masters.

    Generally, this index will link to game collections or tournament pages from the Premier Section of the Christmas Congress. Thanks to those collectors who have already started the good work of building the history of this event.

    Here are the Hastings collections built so far. As others come into existence, they will be added to this index. Thanks to <suenteus po 147> for filling in the gaps.

    1920/21: Game Collection: Hastings 1920/21 (suenteus po 147)

    1921/22: Game Collection: Hastings 1921/22 (suenteus po 147)

    1923/24: Game Collection: Hastings 1923/24 (suenteus po 147)

    1924/25: Game Collection: Hastings 1924/25 (suenteus po 147)

    1926/27: Game Collection: Hastings 1926/27 (suenteus po 147)

    1927/28: Game Collection: Hastings 1927/28 (suenteus po 147)

    1928/29: Game Collection: Hastings 1928/29 (suenteus po 147)

    1929/30: Game Collection: Hastings 1929/30 (suenteus po 147)

    1930/31: Game Collection: Hastings 1930/31 (suenteus po 147)

    1934/35: Game Collection: Hastings 1934/35 (Phony Benoni)

    1937/38: Game Collection: Hastings 1937/38 (sneaky pete)

    1938/39: Game Collection: Hastings 1938/39 (sneaky pete)

    1945/46: Game Collection: Hastings 1945/46 (suenteus po 147)

    1953/54: Game Collection: Hastings 1953/54 (suenteus po 147)

    1997/98: Game Collection: Hastings Premier 1997/8 (protean)

    1998/99: Game Collection: Hastings Premier 1998/9 (protean)

    2001/02: Game Collection: Hastings Premier 2001/2 (protean)

    2002/03: Hastings 2002 (2002) (discussion page)

    2003/04: Hastings (2003) (discussion page)

    2005/06: Hastings Chess Congress (2006) (discussion page)

    2006/07: Hastings Chess Congress (2007) (discussion page)

    2007/08: 83rd Hastings Chess Congress (2008) (discussion page)

    2008/09: Hastings Chess Congress (2009) (discussion page)

    Finally, here are several major events held in Hastings which are generally known as "Summer Congresses":

    Game Collection: Hastings 1895 (Benzol)

    Game Collection: Hastings 1919 (Phony Benoni)

    Game Collection: Hastings 1922 (suenteus po 147)


    3 games, 1920-2009

  20. Instructive Positions from Master Chess
    Compiled and lightly annotated by Jacques Mieses, the book was originally published in England around the time of his emigration in 1938. It contains 125 positions with striking continuations, taken from actual play.

    Well, almost. He sneaks in the Saavedra position at #99 as an actual game between Fenton and Potter. You know the one I'm talking about:


    click for larger view

    In case you don't know what I'm talking about, try to figure out how White wins this. Once you've done that, look again and find the <real> win.

    History might not be Mieses' strongest point, but his notes are pithy and his style amusing.

    85 games, 1851-1937

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