AApril 08 1892
The New Zealand Mail, Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, Friday, April 08, 1892
I turn now to the younger master Michael Ivanovitch Tschigorin. This great Russian player was born 31st October 1850, so that he is now in his forty-second year or fourteen years younger than his opponent in the present contest. He commenced to play chess early in life having been taught the moves at college by one of the professors. On the completion of his college studies he became a government official at St Petersburg, but he gave up this appointment a few years ago and has since devoted himself to chess.
In 1873 Tschigorin began to be heard of in Russian chess circles. In that year he won third prize in a handicap at the St Petersburg Chess Club, being handicapped as second-class and receiving Pawn and move from Schoumoff and Schiffers. He then won a match on even terms with Schoumoff, but lost a match to Winawer. He steadily fought his way upwards until in 1880 he was looked upon as the best Russian player having beaten Schiffers and other leading players. The next year was to see Tschigorin enter the arena to meet the masters of the world for in 1881 he went to Berlin to take part the international Master Tournament held in that city and in the contest he did himself honour as he made an equal score with Winawer and thereby tied for third and forth prizes.
I annex a list of International Tournaments in which he has taken part:—
1881—At Berlin, Tschigorin tied with Winawer for third and fourth prizes, Blackburne being first and Zukertort second.
1882—At Vienna. Tschigorin was not placed, his score being a somewhat disappointing one—13 out of a possible 34.
1883—At London. Tschigorin came in fourth, Zukertort, Steinitz and Blackburne being ahead of him.
At New York Tschigorin tied with Max Weiss for first and second places.
(To Be Continued.)
The New Zealand Mail, Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, Friday, April 15, 1892
STEINITZ v. TSCHIGORIN
(Concluded.)
His most important matches have been that with Steinitz in Havana in 1889, when he was defeated by the latter by 10½ to 6 and that with Gunsberg in Havana in 1890, which ended in a draw, each scoring 9 wins, whilst 5 games were drawn.
Noteworthy too, was the part he bore in the celebrated correspondence match of two games between St Petersburg and the British Chess Club in 1888 won by the former club in fine style. His victory over Steinitz in the two games contested by cable must not be forgotten. It is true that Steinitz deliberately bound a cord round his leg by the lines of play he adopted, but Tschigorin's play for all that was of the highest order.
Tschigorin is essentially a brilliant player, daring and fearless, which, however, he rarely allows to degenerate into rashness. He has a profound knowledge of the game and whilst he accepts many of the principles of the so-called ‘modern school,’ of which Steinitz is the prophet, he does not allow them to act as fetters on his genius. He is no pedlar hawking his wares at a country fair; his conceptions are grand, his ideas magnificent, his style chaste. If Steinitz is designed to fall by his hand, he could fall at the hand of no more worthy foe.
Thus with a less brilliant record, but with greater possibilities in the future, the younger master will again essay to wrest the sceptre from the strong hand that has wielded it so long. Whether he succeeds or not Chess will doubtless be the gainer by an heritage of many fine games.
The only time I have had an opportunity of meeting the great Russian master was during the progress of the great London Tournament of 1883. He was then a much slimmer man than Steinitz with a long and somewhat squarecut face, with short beard of formal cut. Everyone that met him was impressed by his amiable manners and manly deportment, as well as by a certain modest bearing which characterized him.
September 16 1892
Mikhail Chigorin playing against Andreas Ascharin in Riga Chess Club 1892.
