New York, NY, United States and London, England (13-14 March 1896)
Brd USA Team GBR Team
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1 Pillsbury 0 Blackburne 1
2 Showalter 1 Burn 0
3 Burille 1 Bird 0
4 Barry 1 Tinsley 0
5 Hymes ½ Locock ½
6 Hodges ½ Mills ½
7 Delmar ½ Atkins ½
8 Baird 0 Jackson 1
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Scores: 4½ 3½
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Time Control: 20 moves per hour.
USA had White on the odd-numbered boards
Introduction
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. 13 matches in all were played, and to say the result was even is an understatement: each side won six matches (with one match drawn), and each side scored 64 points in the 13 matches. This was a competitive and hard-fought series all the way, with 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 a one-hour interval between, starting at 3 PM (London time) / 10 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, but they remained fairly consistent throughout the series.
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 George 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://images.chesscomfiles.com/upl...
The first match proved a pattern for what was to come, as the lead seesawed back and forth. Jackson 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.
Notes
The 2nd Anglo-American Cable Match (1897) repeated the contest.
Credit
Original collection: Game Collection: Anglo-American Cable Matches, 1896-1911, by User: Phony Benoni.
Kibitzing
