THE CHESS CHAMPION AND HIS PLAY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1053, 18 January 1884, Page 4

THE CHESS CHAMPION AND HIS PLAY.

“Jh East Fourteenth street, within a

stone’s throw of Union Square, is the

great haunt of New York chess men. There every evening assemble the devotees of that fascinating game,, ,who take rank according to their grades in tfie”ndble art. A .first-class player is known as an A triair. Others are not

called second-rate* third-rate, or fourth- - rate, but-are : B men, C men, and D men. All others are mere tyros in the hands -of the instructor, Capt.. Mackenzie. At present there is great excitement in. the place, for Zukertort, of won the first prize at the recent-tournament, pays daily visits to the ?|flub. - Any afternoon the lounger there tflll observe ar small, spare man , with a large stove-pipe hat, evidently of British build, who hovers: about, the : tafctefj jin'*' and who is treated with “deference by every one. Such is the power .of genius that thejich men of the club regard that little m a qnigit£i atwej although be has. no for- . tune save the Chess Monthly Journal that Lfir&Shs find edits.T The little man is Dr Zukertort The fat, happy-look-ing short man who rolls toward him to introduce a member is_ Mr; iHellwitz, the 'President o£_.the... Club, and the mopibgr isf; desirous of playing a gartie or Wo with the chess prodigy. He is

a Bman, and will receive pawn-rand move, but he knows ,in his/ .heart ■ Idri^ insufficient-., They sit down, and the champion removes, .showing a face ; and forehead.Qf.jna^ked,intellectual .power.-. AtrffisljgTance one wouldthink him frail andrdelicate, but the second impression iso thathfe possesses 1 great nervous strength;'and iV as tough sis' whipcord. His„ ,hak :t is a dark, red, his. beard, and ' whiskers are a bright red^jbutsi^cy ; in texture. His eyebrows arer®ed .and!-heavy. ■ ■ The general color ofiAheiskiniis'TeddTsb, and the impres-

sion is. created that the Northern Finns ofStdssla must'be; allied in some way to the 6t reland and, th e Highi^dcrs/pf-Sqotland, where such regqjsh/heads and> skins are - familiar sHnidefneath the square eyebrows &*e penetrating eyes. After 1 the first few T moyes, which are . a matter of‘ idtiti'ijte, ',?st}Vertor.t.begins to’ study hi|Jsia|ioL ‘by’" aperies :;of' glances thaFare'like flashes of lightning. At thft^am^qtime-he feels his silky red beafd contemplative way. : No soo%ishas’‘the < anta|gdmst , 'indyed thaii J Hand and glande at -the- opposing player as if to read his reception of Jhprmpye* and then feels in his podket for a cigar., Five or six cigars are presented by oy-_ M jeleqjs;:lhe - nearest with a courteous how/ and pleasant smile. He lights it, begins fto puff cheerfully, steals another penetrating glancei-at* his j -adversary, 1 hnd ihen plunges into general conversation with everybody, speaking his ‘exquisite Eng lisb. Dr. >Zukersort regarded, the speaks the same penetrating glance that, jhe.bpsto wed u P on .hischess antagfdnisf; but sjs recalled.to, the game by an admirable .move which elicited murqmjrs of delight. from all the club men 1 , 1 whb evidently hoped .that the B wpuffi win the hop.or. of a .draw., Longfjaqd seriously .did: Zukertort. ponhe replied to that move; and thedsumpsiom the ‘upper part of his forehead, where the phrenologists place ’ reflactipn.seeiaaed to’swell visibly. His moutbi became-close-pressed, the fine lines froni’the base of his nose to the of'ltis hrtoutli deepened, and the f wrinkles above, his nose became a of lines both, horizontal and .perpendicular. One hand passed rapidly over, “bcajd and whiskers, wasjextended to-a piece; hut was sudaenlyl.withdrawn ; and an investigating finger touched the side of his -nose-in-a-scrutinising way. He looked!'J«sdly at ,his antagonist from under his thick eyObidwte} extended his

Hand once more to theroojt, and moved St, never board,' but keeping his glance up&n 'hi.ffqe.'' 1 His an- . lagonist regarded the move with an air V' ; pf andin i five v. more shaking his I • head and awing that r be felt from the f| w t he ought to have had more odds, 1; ThfeiviiZukertort sipped black? cofiee • * 1 witfe^^tt ! air" of ' extreme en] content; f. and; reviewed 1 ' the