Chess From long Ago

Waiting for Schenextady A, Albany and Saratoga A teams to schedule and play the last and critical matches of the season in the CDCL led me to scrounge around on the net. In doing so a very interesting site was found; Chess Archaeology. It is a virtual treasure trove of little remembered material from yesteryear well worth a look on a rainy morning ot a quiet evening.

In about three months the NYS Champioship will be held once more in Saratoga Springs. Most local chess players are aware the State Championship has been in Saratoga for several years. Less well known is how far back in time the State Association and Saratogo go, and how distinguished the players who participated were. Here's a sample of what can be found:

The New York State Chess Association’s

Mid-Summer Meeting at Saratoga Springs 1899

by John S. Hilbert

The New York State Chess Association (NYSCA) had, even before time took its sharp turn into the Twentieth Century, an established history of holding what it referred to as “mid-summer” association meetings. The term “mid-summer” is set off by quotation marks to emphasize that, by 1899 at least, the meetings were held at the end of August and beginning of September, and hence could hardly, even under the most charitable calendar reading, be considered near the middle of summer. Such events were frequently, if not invariably, held outside of New York City, and often were held at summer resorts such as the meetings at Thousand Islands 1897 and Lake Keuka 1898. In 1901, for another example, the association’s mid-summer meeting was held in Buffalo, New York, then the scene of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. Seven years earlier, play had also been held in the Queen City, and in later years other upstate locations, including Rochester, would be the summer playgrounds of the NYSCA.

The events held in the late 1890s, however, are unusual for another reason. Rather than remaining purely the province of New York players, players from other state associations, notably Pennsylvania, but also Massachusetts, were actively lobbied to attend the NYSCA’s mid-summer sessions. Indeed, a lively interstate rivalry developed between the players of New York and those of Pennsylvania.

The article goes on at length providing background on the several contests, remember this was in the days before the Swiss System, the competition issues and historical insights. It also includes many games with annotations by the participates and others.

One event was a match for the Staats-Zeitung Cup Match. The Cup was named for a NYC German language newspaper that donated the trophy. The match in 1899 was between Frank Marshall and S. Lipschütz. Instead of what one might expect, this was no "whitewash" by Marshall. Of course the match took place fifteen years before Marshall was named one of the first five chess players to be called Grandmaster by Czar Nicolas II at the 1914 St Petersburgh tournament. Lasker, Capablance, Alekhine, Tarrasch along with Marshall, the top five prize winners were give title by the Czar in closing ceremonies.

The Staats-Zietung Cup Match was to be a five game contest. Lipschütz represented Manhattan and Marshall Brooklyn. Marshall had made a reputation for himself by winning the recent London Minor Tourney in England. Lipschütz was considered the more experienced player with many years of battles at the top of NYC and NYS chess.

The games were published in the American Chess Magazine for September 1899. Lipschütz took the early lead winning the first game, then finished going away winning the next two also.

Lipschütz,S (Manhattan) — Marshall,FJ (Brooklyn)

Game 1

C29/03

Vienna Gambit

1899.08.28

USA Saratoga Springs, NY (Staats-Zeitung Cup Tournament)

Annotations from the American Chess Magazine and additional material from Deep Rybka and Bill Little.

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2

So far a generally accepted version in those days. One hundred years later top players such as Adams, Hector, Shulman, Djuric and Lombardy preferred 6 Qe2, which has 8-2 with 7 draws record in the databases.

6...Bc5

“To draw on the d-pawn and get it within reach of the c-pawn. White might otherwise play d3 and effectively dislodge the knight from e4.” quoting American Chess Magazine.

7.d4 Bb4 8.Bd2 c5

Deep Rybka does not see any great difference between this move and the alternative 8..., Nc6.

9.0-0 Nc6 10.a3 Ba5

More comments from the magazine; “The try 10...Bxc3, followed by ...c4, would not improve the Black position to any extent, although apparently causing a block. As will be seen, Black later on regains the pawn he now surrenders.”

11.dxc5 0-0 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxa5 Qxa5 14.b4 Qc7

Rybka now gives White the edge. It suggests 14..., exf3?!; and if 15 bxa5, fxe2; 16 Qd3, exf1+ (Q); 17 Rxf1, and Black has the advantagewith two minor pieces and a Rook for the Queen. That being the case, White would likely vary with 15 gxf3, Qc7; 16 fxg4, Qxe5; when the two extra pawns on the Q-side and net one pawn advantage overall make endgame prospects very good for White.

15.Ng5,...

This looks doubtful. Better is 15 Nd2, and White obtaisn the advantage.

15..., Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Qxe5 17.Qe3?

The following comment was made in the original annotation "17.Nxe4 would cost him a piece, as Black then plays ...Rae8, ...Qd4+, and ...f5 in due order." It seemed there might be some flaw in the idea. My trusty electronic companion quikly pointed out: 17 Nxe4, Rae8; 18 Rae1, Qd4+; 19 Kh1, f5; 20 c3!, Qd5; 21 Qd2, breaking the pin and saving the piece remaining a pawn ahead.

17...Rae8

Not 17..., f5; 18 Qb3+!, collects the Exchange.

18.Rae1 Nd4

Guarding against the check at b3 to make possible ...f5.

19.Rf2?,....

Tossing away another chance to cement the advantage with the principled 19 Qxe4. after which White gets to create three connected passed pawns on the far away Queen's wing at the cost of his Knight. The line goes; 19 Qxe4, Qxe4; 20 Rxe4. Nxc2; 21 Rxe8, Rxe8; 22 Rxf7, h6; 23 Rxb7, hxg5; 24 Rxa7, and Rybka gives White a +1.53 evaluation. After the text the game is even.

19....h6 20.Nh3?!

The Ameriacn Chess Magazine comments were: "Fearing the complications attending the capture of the e-pawn, White retreats circumspectly. In this he was wise, as the following interesting variations show: 20.Nxe4 f5 21.Rd2 (21.Rd1 Ne6 also leaves White’s knight open to capture.) 21...Nc6 22.Qb3+ Kh8 and the knight cannot be saved." Unconsider is; 20 Nf3, leading to equality. The game move hands the advantage to Black.

20...Nf5 21.Qf4 e3

“He is forced to advance the pawn or else lose it at once. Advanced thus far its chances for longevity are very slim, however.” So says the commentator.

22.Rfe2

“He could also play 22.Qxe5 exf2+ 23.Kxf2 Rxe5 24.Rxe5 the rook getting to the seventh a move or two later. But, instead of 22...exf2+, Black could retake the queen at once and gain time for the defense of the e-pawn. Moreover, the text move of White enables him more quickly to compass the downfall of the disputed pawn.” American Chess Magazine quoted.

22...Qxf4?

Slipping towards a loss. With better move 22..., Qd5; Black has a near won game. If 23 c4, Qd3; 24 g4, Nd4; 25 Rxe3, Rxe3; 26 Rxe3, Ne2+, picks up the Exchange, or 23 g4, Nh4; strongly favors Black, or finally, 23 Qf1, e3; 24 c2, Re4; 25 g3, Rd8; 26 Qg2, Qc4; 27 Qf3, Rd5, and the Black pieces are very aggressively massing. In each case Black has superior chances. It is easy to see commenting on a chess game was riskier to one’s reputation back before chess computers came on the scene.

23.Nxf4 Re4 24.Nd5 Rfe8 25.Nc3 R4e6 26.Nb5 R8e7 27.c3 Nh4?

Either 27..., a5; or possibily 27..., Ra6; are better tries. The text move is a costly error.

28.Nd4 Re4 29.g3

Forcing his hand. Black must either move the knight or resort to the text move. It is doubtful whether the latter is the wiser course, inasmuch as White’s pawns are undoubled and strengthened in the process. Black retains his e-pawn, but he, nevertheless, finds himself a good way behind in the race.

29...Rxd4 30.cxd4 Nf3+ 31.Kf1 Nxe1 32.Rxe1 Re4 33.d5 Kf8 34.Ke2 Re5 35.Rd1

“Better than advancing the pawn, the Black king being held longer in check.” ACM comments.

35...Ke8 36.c6,...

A nice bit of technique from the olden times. If Black brings his King to d8, White captures on b7 and pushes the d-pawn. There then is no stopping one of the pawns from Queening. The game continuation leaves the Black King cut-off.

35..., bxc6 37.dxc6 Re7 38.b5 f5 39.a4 g5 40.a5 Rc7

With the King unable to aid the Rook and the far advanced White pawn mass on the Q-side threatening to move forward, Black’s attempt to get counter-paly by pushing his own pawns will fail.

41.Rd6 f4 42.Rxh6 Rf7 43.gxf4 gxf4 44.Kf3 Kd8 45.b6 axb6 46.axb6 Rf8 47.Rh7 Kc8 48.Ra7 Kd8 49.Ra8+ Ke7 50.Rxf8 1-0.

The ACM comments on this game closed with the observation that the standard of play was not up to that of internation masters. True enough, but the game is interesting illustrating some improtant points of technique and some missed opportunities by Marshall, who in later years was one of the most gifted tactical masters, fifth the the world for awhile and from many decades the US Champion.

Such was the action from 1899. One hundred and eleven years later chess masters, and the rest of us are getting ready for another gathering in Saratoga. I hope all our games are as interesting.