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Stephen Ruth

Number of games in database: 30
Years covered: 1893 to 1898
Overall record: +5 -19 =6 (26.7%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games.

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Most played openings
C43 Petrov, Modern Attack (4 games)
D31 Queen's Gambit Declined (3 games)
C44 King's Pawn Game (3 games)
C42 Petrov Defense (2 games)
C02 French, Advance (2 games)


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STEPHEN RUTH
(born Feb-29-1868, died Mar-15-1939, 71 years old) United States of America

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Stephen Griffith Gassaway Ruth, born Missouri, United States; died New York, NY, United States.

Last updated: 2024-06-20 19:09:11

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 page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 30  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. H Helms vs S Ruth  1-0251893Brooklyn CC Minor ChampionshipC62 Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense
2. J C Tatum vs S Ruth  1-0211893Brooklyn CC Minor ChampionshipC02 French, Advance
3. A Schottlaender vs S Ruth  ½-½291893Schottländer Simul 14bC50 Giuoco Piano
4. J D Elwell vs S Ruth  1-0371894Frank Rudd Novelty Tournament 1893/94000 Chess variants
5. H Helms vs S Ruth  1-0181895Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/96C31 King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Counter Gambit
6. J D Elwell vs S Ruth  ½-½531895Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/96D40 Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch
7. S Ruth vs E Delmar  0-1191895Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/96D08 Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit
8. J C Tatum vs S Ruth  1-0541896Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/96C42 Petrov Defense
9. S Ruth vs J Morphy  ½-½451896Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/96C02 French, Advance
10. S R Rocamora vs S Ruth  1-0321896Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/96C26 Vienna
11. W E Napier vs S Ruth  1-0491896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
12. S Ruth vs W E Napier  1-0591896Napier - RuthC65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense
13. W E Napier vs S Ruth 1-0111896Napier - RuthB30 Sicilian
14. S Ruth vs W E Napier  0-1321896Napier - RuthD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
15. W E Napier vs S Ruth  1-0421896Napier - RuthC44 King's Pawn Game
16. S Ruth vs W E Napier  ½-½721896Napier - RuthD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
17. W E Napier vs S Ruth 0-1191896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
18. S Ruth vs W E Napier  0-1431896Napier - RuthD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
19. W E Napier vs S Ruth  1-0261896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
20. S Ruth vs W E Napier ½-½481896Napier - RuthD07 Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense
21. W E Napier vs S Ruth  1-0251896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
22. S Ruth vs W E Napier  0-1411897Brooklyn CC Championship 1896/97A80 Dutch
23. S Ruth vs R Breckenridge  0-1431897Brooklyn CC Championship 1896/97B01 Scandinavian
24. Marshall vs S Ruth  ½-½651897Brooklyn CC Championship 1896/97C77 Ruy Lopez
25. W E Napier vs S Ruth  1-0331897Brooklyn CC Championship 1896/97C44 King's Pawn Game
 page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 30  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Ruth wins | Ruth loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
Oct-28-09  Sans Dieu Rien: Stephen G. Ruth was part of the Boston Magnificent Seven (just kidding, sounded awesome to me...). He played against the likes of Napier, Marshall, etc. Often, he was either second or third in competition. He was even a director of the Boston Chess Club for a couple of years around 1895. As he became proficient in chess, they shortened his name to none other than S G Ruth.
Dec-05-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: A game of Ruth's which provides an interesting insight into the old custom of announcing mate:

Stephen G Ruth - Austin
Club Game Boston, 1893
[Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Jan. 3, 1894, p. 7]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 c6 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 b4 8.Ne2 Nxf3+ 9.gxf3 d5 10.Rg1 Qb6 11.c3 bxc3 12.bxc3 Bc5 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 0-0 15.e5 Nd7 16.Bh6 g6 17.Bxf8 Nxf8 18.Bc2 Ne6 19.Rb1 Qd8 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.f4 Qh4 22.Rg3 Ba6 23.Qf3 Rf8 24.Bxg6 Rxf4 1-0


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Hermann Helms: <"The last move gave Mr. Ruth a chance to announce a mate, which he did, but in seven moves, allowing good measure. Mr. Pillsbury, who was present, corrected tnls, saying it could be done in six. We fail to see why it cannot be done in five moves by the following continuation: 25.Bh5+ Qg4 26. Rb8+ Bc8 27.Rxc8+ Bf8 28.Qxf4 and mate follows next move. Should Black should play 25...Rg4, then 26.Rxg4+ Qxg4 27.Rb8+ Bc8 28.Rxc8+ Kg7 29.Qf6#. Another variation is 25.Bh5+ Kf8 26.Rb8+ Bc8 27.Rxc8+ Qd8 28.Qxf4+ Ke7 29.Rg7#>

OK, the first line is flawed, since Black can delay the "mate follows next move" by 28...h6 or 28...Kh8. So maybe Pillsbury's mate in six is right? I fed the position into Bozo 0.5, and it gave a mate in 8:

25.Bh5+ Qxg3 26.Qxg3+ Kh8 27.Qxf4 Bb5 28.Qf6+ Kg8 29.Bf7+ Kf8 30.Bxe6+ Ke8 31.Qf7+ Kd8 32.Qd7# 1-0

Which may be right, since Helms doesn't consider 25...Qxg3. But it makes me wonder what Ruth was thinking about. Plus that cryptic "allowing good measure" comment, which seems to imply that Ruth didn't see a forced mate and just said "seven moves", figuring he could definitely do it by then.

Oct-12-11  Sans Dieu Rien: Very interesting! We should include this as a separate game for further discussion.

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