AApril 07 1889
The Philadelphia Times, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sunday, April 07, 1889
THE CHESS TOURNEY
The Congress' Progress—Blackburne's Gallery Game With, Showalter.
The interest of the World's Chess Congress, now going on in New York, is growing at the approach of the thick of the fight and the mettle of the hardiest veterans will be severely tried. From present indications it looks as if the race for first place was practically limited to Blackburne, Burn, Gunsberg, Lipschuetz, Tschigorin, Weiss and, perhaps, Graham Baird, Delmar and Judd. Our opinion is that first will be achieved by either Weiss, Gunsberg, Tschigorin or Blackburne.
Weiss has the reputation of being able to draw whenever he wants to, and so far this is borne out in the tourney. Gunsberg is of a very sweet disposition. On being complimented on one of his games being “nice,” he replied: “Well, do you know, all my games are nice.” Tschigorin infringed on Voigt's patent by rushing out of the tournament, but he improved on it by rushing in again, “Tschi,” you know, is Rush-ian. Gossip from time to time unbottles his enthusiasm. Delmar threw a game to McLeod on purpose, Delly is always generous when he loses. Constant Ferdinand Burille is the great exponent of the lightning analysis style of “If he goes here you go there,” etc., which has been made so popular at the Mercantile Library by Mr. Weil. Mason is rather an unsteady player, especially at the finish of a game, to which he does not give much sober thought. Dear old Birdie, no longer straight and stalwart as we knew him of yore, is still the lightning hitter. Among the Philadelphia visitors to the tourney have been notably Messrs. Robinson, Frost, Young, J. P. Morgan, Dr. Persifor Fraser, W. Penn Shipley and others.
The following is the score after ten days' play:
AMERICANS. Won FOREIGNERS. Won.
Lipschuetz .... 7 Weiss......... 7
Mason ......... 5 Gunsberg ..... 7½
Judd .......... 6 Tschigorin ... 6½
Delmar ........ 5 Blackburne ... 7½
D. Baird ...... 5 Burn ......... 5½
J. W. Baird ... 3½ Taubenhaus ... 5½
Burille ....... 3½ Bird ......... 5½
Martinez ...... ½ Pollock ...... 3½
Showalter ..... 3½ Gossip ....... 3½
Hanham ........ 3 McLeod ....... 2
--- ---
Total ........ 42 Total ....... 54
For later scores, see telegram.
Considering that the Americans are battling against the combined mastership of Great Britain, France, Austria, Russia and Australia, the figures above show well, especially when we consider that neither Steinitz nor Mackenzie are in the fight.
The sum of $500 will be taken from the gate money to be divided among the non-winners as consolation prizes.
Our esteemed correspondent “Priofae,” writes us from the tourney:
Steinitz is on hand, taking the kind of interest in the proceedings that Jupiter might be supposed to take in the Olympian sports. He says he is an old man now and will not play the winner even if challenged. No one else has won steadily all matches for twenty years and that is enough. Blackburne expressed himself as quite willing to come on to Philadelphia after the tournament and give an exhibition of blindfold chess and Bird will be delighted to come on and play on any terms. He likes to meet his friends and play chess and we hope that a party can be arranged for him. Tschigorin has recovered his calm and is on the upward flight in spite of his game forfeited to Mason. The arrangements for seeing the games are very bad. The room is small and the tables crowded. Shipley beat the automaton at the Dime Museum amid the plaudits of a hundred spectators.
The following are a few of the “gems” of the tourney.
Joseph Henry Blackburne vs Jackson Whipps Showalter
6th American Chess Congress, New York (1889), New York, NY USA, rd 9, Apr-03
Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch. Primitive Pillsbury Variation (D50) 1-0
Henry Bird vs Amos Burn
6th American Chess Congress, New York (1889), New York, NY USA, rd 3, Mar-27
Spanish Game: Berlin Defense (C65) 0-1
Jackson Whipps Showalter vs Isidor Gunsberg
6th American Chess Congress, New York (1889), New York, NY USA, rd 10, Apr-04
Spanish Game: Berlin Defense. Cordel Variation (C67) 0-1
