optimal play: <<<<BLACKBURNE, THE CHESSPLAYER.>Adelaide, Saturday>
Mr. J. H. Blackburne, the chessplayer, played twenty five antagonists here last night.
He lost one game to Mr. Charlick, but he won all the other games.
Mr. Charlick then played two games at once against the champion, won one in five moves, and drew the other.>
- Evening News (Sydney, NSW) issue Monday 18 May 1885 page 5>
The peculiar game in which Charlick beat Blackburne in only five moves is elsewhere mentioned, with the remark that the champion made "an absurd slip in the opening". Unfortunately no record of this five-move game appears to be extant.
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notes to this game...
(a) 2...d5
<The "Handbuch" gives B to B 4 as the best way of declining the gambit; but as Cook points out, P to Q 4 is preferred by English players.>
(b) 3.Nf3
<The usual move is P takes Q P.>
(c) 8...O-O-O
<A pleasant way of initiating a bold attack.>
(d) 14.Qxa7
<It is premature to commence an attack on the Queen's flank, as his pieces are required to defend the King's side. Q to Kt 3, preparatory to uncovering the third row, should have been played a move or two previously.>
(e) 14...f3
<Mr. Charlick is not undaunted by his opponent's apparent carelessness as to the strength of the attack. He has evidently a very clear insight of the game, which he carries on with perfect judgment.>
(f) 15.Nb5
<The game cannot be saved now, but it could have been prolonged by 15. P takes P. We give the position and leave our readers to find out for themselves how black can mate in five moves:->
< - South Australian Weekly Chronicle (Adelaide, SA) issue Saturday 23 May 1885 page 15>
Kibitzing
