A Notable Chess Match.

Evening Star, Issue 6727, 8 October 1885, Page 3

A Notable Chess Match.

The contest for the world's championship was decided at Hamburg on July 25. The events of the week which led up to the final result were as follows: —The adjourned game between Mason and Riemann was decided in favor of the latter player on Tuesday afternoon. This was the first defeat Which Mason suffered, he having played ten games, out of which number he only drew one, and won all the others. ,Tho game Engli.c'i v.Mason was likewise given as a draw. On the same day Blackburne defeated Minkwitz; while Mackenzie defeated Englisch. Weiss won against Bird, Gunsberg against and Tarrasch against Gottschalh Wednesday Gunsberg added two more victories to his score against Taubenhaus and Minkwitz; the latter player at the time being half a point ahead of Gunsberg, was thereby overtaken. The day, however, proved disastrous for both Blackburne and Mason. Blackburnc in the morning played a game against Bier, which, on being played out on Thursday, was won by Bier. Mason played Schallopp. This game was likewise adjourned in a drawn position, but uttaccountably lost by Mason through moving his Kto the wrong square. He also dreW with Berger. Thursday Was a real lucky field-day for Gunsberg. He Was opposed to Blackburne. As events prove, this contest was of vital importance. If Blackburne had won, he would have won the first prize with 124. Even a draw would have made Blackburne absolute winner, as his final score would have been 12 against 11J of Gunsberg. The game was won by Gunsberg. Mason likewise further weakened his score by losing to Dr Tarrasch, a young player of great promise, and who combines considerable powers of combination with a sound judgment and theoretical knowledge of the game. The position of the leading men after Thursday's play was as follows: —Dr Tarrasch, 104, ; Gunsberg, 10 ; Weiss, 94; Blackburne, 9; Englisch, 9; Mason, 94. Games played, 14. There were three games still to play. On Friday Captain Mackenzie did very good service to the English combatants by defeating Tarrasch in masterly style. Blackburne and Weiss drew together, but won their afternoon games. Gunsberg won against Bird in the morning, but remained with an inferior game against Riemann in the afternoon. Mason also adjourned with a worse position against Minkwitz, but with a winning game against Gotschall. Englisch won both his games. Saturday morning nothing definite could be told as regards tho order of the winners, which goes far to show that tho struggle was an exceedingly close one, and hotly contested. The position of the leaders on the last day was—Tarrasch, lit; Gunsberg, 11 ; Weiss, 11; Englisch, 11; Blackburne, 104; Mason, 9J. Any of these six had more or less chances for the first prizes. Gunsberg had, perhaps, the lightest task to perform; he won his last game against Gottschall, which was his seventh consecutive victory. His score was raised to 12. It is only natural that German sympathies should have been with Tarrasch in his set-to with Blackburne. For Tarrasch this was a struggle for the first prize. Blackburne saw his opportunity of winning a piece on the eighteenth move; whereupon Tarrasch resigned. Score, 114 each. Two more aspirants for first honors were finally disposed of by only being able to draw, namely, Englisch against Berger. Score, Englisch, and', more important still, Mason against Weiss ; Wciss's final score, 114.

Although there were no more games to play, nevertheless the first prize winner was not definitely known, as Gunsberg and Mason had adjourned games to finish. Gunsberg lost against Riemann, his final score being left at 12. Mason, whose score was 10, could, if he won both his games, still have tied for the first prize. It was understood that he could win against Gottschall, which he did later on, but that he would lose to Minkwitz. The assumption, however, proved rash, and did not take into account the great talent which Mason displays when fighting an up-hill battle. Indeed, although starting at a disadvantage at the time of adjournment, Mason won important time moves which enabled him to advance two pawns dangerously near the eighth row. At that moment even Blackburne and Mackenzie thought that Mason would win ; but Minkwitz, perceiving his great danger, brought about a certain draw. This left the winners as follows : First prize. 1,000 m..Guusie'g (London): Score 12 Se«)nd . 750 „Y Were equally divided liy TMrd 500 Blaekburne.Mason(l^ndon), lKnrth " 300 VEogllscn, Weiss (Vienna), FHth " 2001 'UnJDrTarraMhtHaWwilh «iv*h " 160..J a score of lit each. f Iventh I! . 125 „.W Mackenzie(N.Y.)Scorc 10 dividtd (Brcslau) and Soniilopp (Berlin). The other scores were: Minkwitz (editor of the German ' Schach Zeitung), 9; Berger and Bird, 8 each; v. Gottschall and Taubenhaus, 64 each; Dr Noa, 5 ; Paulsen and Schottlander, 4 each.