Young Esling: http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

In 1878, Esling finished 3rd in the candidate master tournament at Frankfurt. Esling returned to Melbourne in 1879 with a degree in civil engineering.

Here is a summary of his match and tournament record in Australia:

1880
Match with J Wisker (+5, =2, -4)

1885
Australian Championship match with GHD Gossip (+1, =0, -0). Gossip did not appear for resumption of 2nd game Esling was recognised in 1950 as the first Australian champion

1887
Australian Championship - Adelaide 1887
2nd (6/9) behind H. Charlick

1890
Melbourne Championship
=1st (8/9) with RL Hodgson (Hodgson won play-off match)

1891
Victorian Championship
1st (11/11)

1892
Victorian Championship
1st (13/14)

1893
Victorian Championship
=1st (10.5/13) with RL Hodgson (Esling won play-off match)

1894
Victorian Championship
1st (18/18)

1895
Australian championship match, Melbourne
AEN Wallace defeated FK Esling (+7, =4, -5)

1896
Victorian Championship
1st (17.5/19)

1897
Victorian Championship
1st (17/18)

1922
Australian Championship, Melbourne
Esling withdrew after losing in the first round to AW Davies

Esling was also a regular participant in the annual telegraph matches that were held between Victoria and the other colonies in the latter part of the 19th century.

<1885
Australian Championship match with GHD Gossip (+1, =0, -0). Gossip did not appear for resumption of 2nd game Esling was recognised in 1950 as the first Australian champion>>

chessbase database is giving the following as '2nd game':

[Event "AUS-ch m"]
[Site "Australia"]
[Date "1885.06.27"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Esling, Frederick Karl"]
[Black "Gossip, George Hatfeild"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C84"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Nc3 b5 7. Bb3 b4 8. Nd5 d6 9. Ba4 Bd7 10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. d4 exd4 12. Nxd4 Bxd5 13. exd5 O-O 14. Nc6 Qd7 15. Re1 Rfe8 16. Qf3 a5

click for larger view

http://www.nma.gov.au/collections-s...

"Care for A Game?"
by Bob Brooking

https://www.melbournechessclub.org/...

===

<"...let us go back to 1885, when the Hon.George Hatfield Dingley Gossip, the unlikeable and vainglorious Englishman who had come to Melbourne not long before, boldly challenged anyone to play him for a stake of £30 and the title of champion of Australia. Esling was induced to take up the challenge and the match began at the club on 29 June 1885, Esling playing black. Gossip chose the Vienna. He played indifferently and soon had cause to regret his challenge.">

1st game Gossip vs F K Esling, 1885

===

<"The 2nd game was adjourned with Esling in much the better position. That was enough for Gossip. He failed to appear at the next sitting, and showed no signs of ever appearing again. Unfortunately the influential Andrew Burns, who had not been prepared to accept the challenge himself and who was ever jealous of his own reputation, persuaded the Melbourne Chess club committee to announce that the match was cancelled. It had not been cancelled, and in any event the committee had no jurisdiction. Gossip's legacy to us is the curiosity of perhaps the only championship match where but a single game was completed.">

F K Esling vs Gossip, 1885

===