368 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Deo. U, 1883. 



nor mate giTen, a draw can then be obtained." This may be best 

 described as a vexations law. We tbink the Editor was bound to 

 omit this rule, as at an early stage of the Tournament the Com- 

 mittee abohshed it, as it was found to be quite impracticable. A 

 suggestion of a similar kind made by Dr. Lange before the com- 

 mencement of the Nuremberg Tournament was by all players pre- 

 sent declared to be unworthy of discussion. 



Enle 8 of the programme provides that only the third draw 

 should count as half to each player. In I'eference to this rule the 

 Editor states that " a section of the English Chess players, sup- 

 ported by their partisans in the Chess press," were opposed to this 

 rule. We do not think the Editor was justified in publicly ascribing 

 the criticism of the Chess press to partisanship. If the latter does 

 exist Mr. Minckin, in his position as hon. secretary of the most 

 important Chess organisation of the country, will, we hope, find 

 plenty of opportunities to diseoimtenance such practices. We still 

 think the objection to this rule well founded, although we always 

 admitted that something was required to be done to check mere 

 playing to the score by draws. 



We are told that the opinions expressed (by letter) of probable 

 English and foreign competitors of the tournament were largely in 

 favour of the draws not counting. While not wishing to deny this 

 as a fact, we beg to remind the Editor of the following equally 

 important fact — that a day or two before the tournament most 

 of the foreign competitors were holding meetings and loudly 

 clamouring for the abolition of Rnle S, and that a majority of the 

 competitors were decidedly opposed to it. In reference to this 

 rule, the Editor tells us : "I considered it our duty to devise rules 

 that should most effectually crush the weak, and discover by selec- 

 tion the strongest." We hope, for the sake of Chess and rising 

 Chess-players, that futm-e committees will never again adopt this 

 perverted application of an equitable doctrine well known in legal 

 and sporting practices — namely, that leniency should be inclined 

 on the side of the weak. We fail to see why a weak player 

 should be prevented from playing to draw (however undesirable 

 that may be) if by the same rule o stmig player is enabled 

 to play for a draw in a doubtful position against a weaker 

 player, relying upon three games to scoring one. In fact, 

 we think the question may be reduced to a problem in simple arith- 

 metic. English scored loi ; Mackenzie, 15^; and Mason, 15|. 

 English played 45 games ; Mackenzie, 41 games ; and Mason, 39. 

 We decidedly assert that Mackenzie's performance is a better one 

 than that of English, and that Mason has proved himself stronger 

 than either of the two, and that, therefore, both these players have 

 been ivrouged by Eule 8, but for which English must have ranked 

 below them. But the Editor himself admits the impracticability of 

 Rule 8 by recommending its modification to " Where two opponents 

 have drawn, and are satisfied with that result, the draw should be 

 allowed to be final." 



The Index is capable of much improvement. It cannot be 

 ascertained from it where the score-sheets, rules, laws, &c., are 

 to be found. Each player ought to have had his games given 

 complete under his name, regardless of the double references, 

 and that in alphabetical order. An index of the games arranged 

 according to the openings would likewise have been welcome. 



Our next notice will be devoted to the more congenial task of 

 examining the analytical contents of the book. 



ONE OF A NUMBEE, OF GAMES PLATED BY MR. BLACK- 



BURNE AT THE WHITEHAVEN CHESS CLUB. 



French Defence. 



J. H. Blackburne. 



1. P to K4 



2. P to Q4 



3. Kt to QB3 



4. Kt to KB3 



5. B to Q3 



6. Castles 



7. KP takes P 



8. Kt to K2 



9. Kt to Kt3 



10. P to QB3 



11. P to KE3 



12. Q takes B 



13. Q to KR5 



14. B to Q2 



15. QR to K sq 



16. P takes B 



17. R to K3 (f) 



18. KR to K sq 



19. R to K5 



P to K3 

 P to Q4 

 Kt toQB3 

 B to QKt5 (a) 

 Kt to K2 (fc) 

 Castles 

 P takes P 

 Kt to Kt3 

 B to KKto 

 B to Q3 

 B takes Kt 

 QKt to K2 

 P to QB3 

 QtoB3 

 B takes Kt 

 Q takes P 

 Q to Q3 (d) 

 QR to K sq 

 P to KE3 

 20. B takes P (e) Kt to B5 (/) 



21. B takes Kt 



22. Q to K6 



Position after White's 

 Black. 



NOTES. 

 (a) Not good ; B to K2 is the proper move. 

 (6) K2 is an inconvenient square for the KKt in this opening. 



(c) White is fully compensated for the Pawn by getting his 

 Rooks into full play ; the combination which follows is highly 

 interesting. 



(d) B2 would have been a far better square for the Q. 



(e) Delightful play. Black's best course would have been to 

 have taken the B, when the game might have continued as 

 follows : — P takes B. 21. Q takes P, Q to B3 (to provide against 

 R to E5). 22. P to KH4, Q to Kt2 (if Q takes P. 23. R to Ro, 

 Q takes R (ch). 24. K to R2, and wins). 23. Q takes Q (ch), K 

 takes Q. 24. B takes Kt, P takes B. 25. R takes Kt (ch), with 

 the better game. See diagram in the previous column. 



(/) This is useless. To take the Rook was not eo good as it 

 looked. The game might have proceeded as follows : — Kt takes R. 

 21. B takes P (if now K takes B, White will win the Q in two 

 moves, by Q to R7 (ch), &c., but will have given two Rooks for it). 

 If Kt (K4) to Kt3, then follows 22. B to K5, Q to Q2. 23. S to 

 K3, P to B3 (if P to B4, then 24. R to R3). 24. R to Kt3, R to 

 B2. 25. B takes Kt, Kt takes B. 26. R takes Kt (ch), R to Kt2. 

 27. B takes P, R takes R. 28. Q takes R (ch), K to B sq. 29. Q 

 to R6 (ch), K to B2. 30. Q to Kt7 (ch), K to K3. 31. Q to Kt4 

 (ch), K to Q3. 32. B to K5 (ch), K to K2. 33. Q to Kt5 (ch), K 

 to B sq. 34. Q to R6 (ch), K to B2. 35. Q to Kt7 (ch), K to K3. 

 36. Q to B6, mate. If, on the other hand. Black at any time ex- 

 changes R for B, then, of course, White wins by superiority of 

 Pawns. 



MR. R. A. PROCTOR'S COURSE OF LECTURES. 



LIFE OF WORLDS. 

 THE SUN. 

 THE MOON. 



4. THE PLANETS. 



5. COMETS. 



6. THE STAR DEPTHS. 



See Advt. Pages for full Syllabus. 

 The following arrangements are complete: the Bumbers i» 

 brackets referring to above list. 

 READING, Dec. 14, 19 (2, 3). 



DORCHESTER, Dec. 18 (2). 

 1884. 

 ROCHESTER, Jan. 21, 23, 25 (1, 2, 3). 

 GEAVESEND, Jan. 22, 24 (1, 2). 



PERRY BAR, Jan. 29 (6). 

 KING'S HEATH, Jan. 30 (1). 

 BRISTOL (Colston Hall), Feb. 18, 22, 25, 28 j March 3, 6 (the 



full course). 

 CHELTENHAM (Assembly Rooms), Feb. 5, 8, 12, 15 (1, 2, 



4, 6). At 3 o'clock, Feb. 5 and 12 (3, 5). 

 BATH (Assembly Rooms). Four Morning Lectures at 3 

 o'clock, Feb. 6, 9, 13, 16 (1, 3, 4, 6) ; two Evening, 

 Feb. 6, 13 (2, 5). 



BIRKENHEAD, March 10. 

 ALTRIXCHAM, March 11 (5). 

 CHESTER, March 12, 13 (1, 2). 

 Note. — All covi7minications respecting Lectures should be ad. 

 dressed to Mr. John Stuart, Boyal Concert Hall, St. Leonards. 



Contents of No. 110. 



The Extraordinary Sunsets. By 



A. C. Hanyard 341 



The Chemistry of Cookery. XXIV. 



Bv W. Mattieu WOliams 342 



The'Senses in Infants. II 343 



Submarine Cables. By ^V. Slingo . 345 

 Neglected Insects. By E. A. 



Butler, B.A., B.Sc 346 



The Lancelet Fish {Illu).) 348 



PASB 



The Star-nosed Mole (niua.) 348 



Editorial Gossip 349 



The Face of the Sky. By F.R.A.8. 330 

 Correspondence : Is the Sun Green ? 

 — Strange Coincidences — Tri- 

 cycles — Severe Weather of the 



13th— 15th, &c 331 



Our Whist Colnmn 333 



Oar Chess Column 364 



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