chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

🏆 Vizayanagaram, London (1883)

  PARTICIPANTS (sorted by highest achieved rating; click on name to see player's games)
Charles Ranken, George MacDonnell, Isidor Gunsberg, Levi Benima, George Gossip, James Minchin, Curt von Bardeleben, Thomas Henry Piper, Richard Pilkington, Arthur Puller, F H Dudley, Richard Rabson, William Lindsay, William Leighton Newham, William Mundell, William Elliott Vyse, Henry Lee, Andrew Hunter, Bernard Fisher, James Samuel West, Claude Febvret, John Lord, Charles Lambert, Cyril Vansittart, Francis Ensor, Walter Montagu Gattie

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Vizayanagaram, London (1883)

London, England (26 April-6 June 1883)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Score Place/Prizes ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 1 von Bardeleben • 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 21½ 1st £80 2 Fisher 0 • 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20½ 2nd £60 3 MacDonnell 0 0 • 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 19½ 3rd £40 4 Gunsberg ½ 1 0 • 1 ½ 1 1 - 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 19 4th £20 5 Gossip 0 0 1 0 • 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 17½ 5th-6th £14 6 Ranken ½ 1 1 ½ 0 • ½ 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 17½ 5th-6th £14 7 Lambert ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ • 0 0 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 16½ 7th £8 8 Piper 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 • 0 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 16 8th £4 9 Lee 0 0 0 - 0 1 1 1 • 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 15½ 10 Mundell 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 • 1 1 1 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 15 11 Gattie 1 0 0 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ 0 • 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 14½ 12 Hunter 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 1 • 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 14½ 13 Lord ½ 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 • 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 14½ 14 Lindsay 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 1 • 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 12 15 Minchin 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 • 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 16 Vyse ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 • 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 11½ 17 Ensor 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 • 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 18 Benima 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 ½ 0 • 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 10½ 19 Vansittart 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 • 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 10½ 20 Febvret 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 • ½ 1 1 1 1 0 8 21 Newham 0 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ • 0 1 1 1 1 7 22 West 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 • 1 0 1 1 7 23 Rabson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 0 0 • 1 1 1 6 24 Puller 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 • 1 1 4 25 Pilkington 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 • 1 1½ 26 Dudley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 • 1 ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Unplayed games: + for a win, = for a draw, - for a loss. Format: Round-robin where draws score one-half.


Introduction
This was the minor event held at the same time as London (1883). It was funded by a £200 donation by the Maharajah of Vizayanagaram (perhaps more accurately spelled Vizianagram), with intended prizes of 1st=£60, 2nd=£50, 3rd=£40, 4th=£30, and 5th=£20. Four additional prizes, totalling £40, were to be added later if the number of participants reached 40 players: £15 for 6th place, £10 for 7th, £8 for 8th, £7 for 9th.(1) However, at the time of the tournament's start only eight prizes were established and paid out at the end: 1st=£80, 2nd=£60, 3rd=£40, 4th=£20, 5th=£16, 6th=£12, 7th=£8 and 8th=£4.(2)

This tournament shall be open to such players of all nations as shall not, in the opinion of the Managing Committee, be clearly marked out by their public performance as eligible only for the major tournament. The committee in deciding such eligibility will be guide principally by the following considerations: 1. Whether a player in any international tournament since 1869 has made a score equal to half the score of the winner. 2. Whether a player has in public match play achieved distinction equivalent to the preceding.(3)

The experimental rule in the International tournament requiring that draws be replayed was not in force for this minor tournament, so that draws counted the usual 1/2 for each player. The time control was 20 moves in one hour, and hours of play were scheduled from 7:00 PM until midnight so as not to conflict with the morning sessions of the International tournament. However, players were given the option of playing in the morning as well, and many took advantage of this to finish their schedule sooner. Hence, any round-by-round summary would be misleading, even if such were available. Most of the players came from various regions of England, but one of the few foreigners carried off the honors.

Contemporary Report (4)

"In the Vizayanagram Tournament the conditions of play imposed a much heavier strain upon those of the competitors (and these were the majority) who elected to do battle in the morning as well as the evening; in fact we may say that it was something like giving odds, and when we remember that players such as Bardeleben, Gossip, Gunsberg, Gattie, Lee, and Piper played only in the evening, it is obvious that the advantage they thus obtained must have contributed not a few additions to their score."

"The shorter time limit of 20 moves an hour in this tourney naturally pressed very severly upon the slower and more nervous competitors. Messrs. Lindsay, Minchin, and Ranken seem especially to have felt this, for none of them by any means did himself justice, and the latter, after winning or drawing with all the topmost players, threw away won games to Messrs. Gossip and Lord, and games that were easily drawn to Messrs. Gattie and Lee, simply for want of sufficient time to examine his moves in very difficult positions."

"Mr. Minchin was of course heavily handicapped also by his official duties as Hon. Secretary, and by the constant anxiety and interruption which such a post necessarily entails."

"Other players from whom more might naturally have been expected were Messrs. Ensor and MacDonnell, both, however, were very much out of form for want of practice, and consequently lost game after game to men whom they could at other times have probably beaten."

"Messrs. Bardeleben, Fischer, Gunsberg, Gossip, Lee, and Piper played very steadily, and on the whole very well. They all thoroughly deserve the high positions they have attained, but the greatest credit we think is due to Mr. Fisher, as he alone of them fought both morning and evening. He has upheld the credit of the C.C.A. in the Minor Tourney like Mr. Skipworth in the other, and for the first week he had not lost or drawn a single game."

"Another C.C.A. man who has greatly improved is Mr. Lambert, as may be seen by the very respectable total shown by his score. M. Benima is a Dutchman hailing from Groningen, who we think would have stood higher but for his nervousness, for some of his games he played exceedingly well. M. Febvret, though French, has long been resident in London; his style is rapid and impetuous, but somewhat wants ballast."

"Herr von Bardeleben is a quiet-mannered, unassuming young man who has won prizes at the Leipsic Augusten Club; he has shown a great talent for the game and rarely makes any mistakes."

"Mr. Vansittart is an English player living at Rome, and a very promising young player. Messrs. Lee and Gattie are strong and very improving amateurs trained in the University Club at Oxford; Mr. Gunsberg is well known as the Mentor of Mephisto, though one would not suppose that gentleman required an adviser, and his genius for the game makes him a most formidable antagonist; Mr. Piper is a rising young player of the City of London Club."

"Of the rest of the competitors it is hardly necessary to speak."

Sources
(1) Games played in the London International Chess Tournament, 1883, Minchin, London 1883, p(xvi)
(2) Games played in the London International Chess Tournament, 1883, Minchin, London 1883, p(lv)
(3) British Chess Magazine, March 1883, p. 103
(4) British Chess Magazine, June 1883, pp. 208-209

Credit
Original collection: Game Collection: London 1883 Vizayanagaram Tournament, by User: Phony Benoni.

 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 66  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. C Ranken vs Gunsberg ½-½551883Vizayanagaram, LondonC49 Four Knights
2. G MacDonnell vs T H Piper  1-0431883Vizayanagaram, LondonA02 Bird's Opening
3. J I Minchin vs Gunsberg 1-0411883Vizayanagaram, LondonD05 Queen's Pawn Game
4. J I Minchin vs J Lord  0-1541883Vizayanagaram, LondonA04 Reti Opening
5. J I Minchin vs G MacDonnell  0-1441883Vizayanagaram, LondonC48 Four Knights
6. J I Minchin vs W Vyse 1-0391883Vizayanagaram, LondonC58 Two Knights
7. W Mundell vs H Lee  1-0531883Vizayanagaram, LondonC65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense
8. W L Newham vs Gunsberg 1-0461883Vizayanagaram, LondonC48 Four Knights
9. T H Piper vs L Benima 1-0381883Vizayanagaram, LondonA04 Reti Opening
10. T H Piper vs F S Ensor 1-0241883Vizayanagaram, LondonA04 Reti Opening
11. T H Piper vs B Fisher  1-0211883Vizayanagaram, LondonA04 Reti Opening
12. T H Piper vs W Lindsay  ½-½631883Vizayanagaram, LondonB30 Sicilian
13. T H Piper vs J I Minchin  ½-½271883Vizayanagaram, LondonD05 Queen's Pawn Game
14. R Rabson vs H Lee 0-1531883Vizayanagaram, LondonC40 King's Knight Opening
15. C Ranken vs L Benima 0-1311883Vizayanagaram, LondonC45 Scotch Game
16. C Ranken vs B Fisher  1-0361883Vizayanagaram, LondonC11 French
17. J I Minchin vs C B Vansittart 1-0181883Vizayanagaram, LondonC27 Vienna Game
18. C Ranken vs C J Lambert  ½-½301883Vizayanagaram, LondonC11 French
19. C B Vansittart vs T H Piper 1-0441883Vizayanagaram, LondonC11 French
20. von Bardeleben vs L Benima  1-0571883Vizayanagaram, LondonA20 English
21. von Bardeleben vs J I Minchin  1-0261883Vizayanagaram, LondonD37 Queen's Gambit Declined
22. W Vyse vs W Lindsay  ½-½351883Vizayanagaram, LondonC65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense
23. W Vyse vs C Ranken  0-1371883Vizayanagaram, LondonC65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense
24. J S West vs Gunsberg 0-1361883Vizayanagaram, LondonC49 Four Knights
25. C Ranken vs F S Ensor  1-0391883Vizayanagaram, LondonC45 Scotch Game
 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 66  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Aug-01-18  zanzibar: Helpful info about coverage...
Aug-01-18  TheFocus: The report of the <Knowledge>, June 15, 1883, says that both players were forfeited.

http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

Aug-02-18  morfishine: <offramp> On your question: <Chessical>, what does "ride is adeled" mean?

I think the correct spelling is "rider is added" (requiring deposits from all the players)

But I may be wrong

Aug-02-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <Morfishine> That make total sense! Another mystery solved!
Aug-02-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  Chessical: <Offramp>: "The same ride is adeled requiring £5 deposit..." should have read "The same rule is added requiring £5 deposit... "
Aug-02-18  morfishine: <Chessical> Thank you for clearing that up! :)

<offramp> Doesn't seem I'm correct, though I liked using the legal term 'rider', which also includes the additional fee which monetizes the amyrtzn abv 180VZGYRMI

Hope this helps!

Aug-02-18  zanzibar: Damn, looks like I'm too late to ask what does <"... the same ride is added ..."> mean?
Sep-22-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Would someone with access to the tournament book, check how the names of the players are presented?

I'm particularly interested in <F Hunter> and <Richard Roe Rabson>, as given above. A contemporary newspaper report has <A Hunter>, which, if correct, may be this A Hunter, who I've seen recorded as <Andrew Hunter>.

Regarding Rabson, I found a <Richard Roe Rabson>, but flourishing in Eastbourne in 1900, not dead since 1896.

Sep-22-18  TheFocus: <MissScarlett> In <London 1883>, which includes games from the <Vizayanagaram>, on pg. xxi, we are given the list of entrants as:

R. Rabson, Esq., of Woolrich

A. Hunter, Esq., of London

There is a small selection of games from this event, including these:

I. Gunsberg - F. Hunter, pg. 331

F. Hunter - Ranken, pg. 345.

R. Rabson - F. Lee, pg. 357

Players names are listed in the crosstable without first names or initials on pg. xxix.

So even the book has both A. and F. as first initial for Hunter.

Sep-23-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <R. Rabson, Esq., of Woolrich>

Woolwich, I assume. If even the tournament book is spotted with errors or typos, we're really in trouble.

As to <Richard Roe Rabson>, I sense the inky hands of <Tabanus>.

Sep-23-18  TheFocus: <MissScarlett> <Woolwich, I assume.>

You are correct.

Sep-23-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <F H Dudley>

And what of him? I feel sorry for the poor mucker - 59 ganes recovered for this event yet not one from him.

Jan-17-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <Tabanus> has pointed out a piece by <Tim Harding> about this event that addresses a couple of the matters discussed above:

http://www.chessmail.com/research/v...

On what basis Harding identifies Hunter as <Andrew Hunter> isn't made clear, but I think the correction to <A Hunter>, at least, is clearly justified.

I'll submit the outstanding 3 games.

Jan-19-19  Jean Defuse: ...

A grateful <source for Vizayanagaram games> (who not published in the tournament book) are the <issues of 'Nuova Rivista degli Scacchi'> 1883-1887...

https://books.google.com/books?q=ed...

...

Jan-19-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: I discover that <cg.com> has three games that Harding is, or was, unaware of:

Game Collection: London 1883 Vizayanagaram Tournament

Piper-Ranken; Ranken-Lord; Ranken-Ensor. Going by the gameids, all three were uploaded together, at a later date to the bulk of the collection. Ranken being the common denominator might be a clue as to their origin. Anyone have an inkling?

Jan-19-19  zanzibar: <<Missy> Anyone have an inkling?>

I have an inkling that <CG> should keep a public record of game submissions, with updates on incorporation/publication.

Jan-21-19  Jean Defuse: ...

C E Ranken vs F S Ensor, 1883 - BCM Dec 1883, p. 406

C E Ranken vs J Lord, 1883 - BCM Jan 1884, p. 15

T H Piper vs C E Ranken, 1883 - BCM Jan 1884, p. 16

...

Jan-21-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Thanks. I thought the BCM was the likely source, as Ranken was one of its co-founders, but I'm surprised such a source hadn't already been mined by the commercial databases. or that Harding was unaware of these games.

Do you have hard copy or online access to these volumes?

Jan-21-19  Jean Defuse: ...

Here are the two volumes:

http://www.mediafire.com/folder/b2o...

The game (from Harding's collection) 'Lord v Vansittart' is also missing...

...

Jan-21-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Hmmmm. Any more available? I know the BCMs for 1882 and 1886 are at archive.org.

<The game (from Harding's collection) 'Lord v Vansittart' is also missing...>

You're not paying attention.

<Games awaiting upload: Lord - Vansittart (MWP, 31.05.1884) - submitted

Dudley - MacDonell (ISDN, 29.09.1883) - submitted

Ranken - MacDonnell (L&W, 05.01.1884, p.18) - submitted

Gossip - Hunter (ISDN, 07.11.1885, p.182) - submitted

West - MacDonnell (ISDN, 04.08.1883, p.527) - submitted

Puller - MacDonnell (ISDN, 23.07.1887, p.543) - submitted>

So - at some point in the dim and distant future - we'll have 65 games here. This is exactly 20% of the total 325 games in the event (minus any defaults).

Jan-22-19  Jean Defuse: ...

https://www.mediafire.com/?xafbp92k...

...

Jan-22-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Blimey...
Feb-24-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: I like the name Vansittart.

Vansittart, Tredescant and McCormick, solicitors for oaths.

Feb-24-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: I'm giving a shout-out to <Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grubb>.
Dec-08-21  Marcelo Bruno: Perhaps Gossip had his best performance at this event.
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific tournament only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC