GAMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2250, 15 April 1897, Page 40

GAMES.

Played at Coxsackie, N.Y.. between Messrs H. T. Van I-oon and D. H. Daley. Contributed, with notes, by O. N. Looker. Game 2608—" Laird and Lady." Van Loon's move.

(a) Forms " T ord and Lady," as it ii improperly called in Athens, the home of Mr Van Loon. This opening has been for months a favourite with the strong players of that modem village (&) Not considered the be3fc move in Coxsackie, the home of your correspondent. (c) " This is the little joker," said Mr Daley, as he rose to pnt more tobacco in his pipe. (d) " A home and a country remain not to me," said Mr Van Loon, quoting Campbell; but perhaps if he had been watching his game more closely he might have got in out of the cold at this

point. I leave if for your critics to say. — Newark (New Jersej) Call.

Grover v. Freedman.

Grover 4, Freedman 2, drawn 13, was the scor« in the 20-game mutch at Boston. Mr Grover (says the Pittsburg Chronicle-Tele-graph) is considered one of America's high-class performer.-!— shades below Barker, Freeman, Heffner, and Reed, of course, and poswibly Hefter. Everybody concedes that, but who ranks .sixth ? Grover has just as stout a claim as anybody. His defeat of the late H. Z. Wiight to easily mnrked the gentleman high up tho ladder. AndJf this ii so, what" about Mr Freedman? Practically a stranger in the United States, scarcely out of his teens, he soundly thrashed our dear friend, the amiable, agreeable, acquiescent Dr A. Schaefer, and then he goes to Boston, the home of Grover and Groyer's staunch iriends, to give him battle. - There will be more of Mr Freedman. This hardoheaded Highlander will .sound his pibroch, and call to battle America's choicest warrior's." E. A. Burgin and M. F. Clouser were "timekeepers for Grover and Freedman respectively, and David Kirkwood referee. The Providence Journal write? of the match thus : Samuel Grover is a New England Yankee, 33 years of age. As one surveyed him, standing almost 6fb in height, the well-built, -190-pound man looked more like a champion athlete than a person about to enter a trial of mental skill. Grover seemed as pleasingly confident as wheu he met Lawson. The 18-year-old Scotch lad immediately made a favourable impression. He is of slight build, sft 7in tall, with bright, sharp eyes, black hair, and the flush of health in his countenance. He wns perfectly cool and composed. The physiognomist would immediately note the firm chin, exuressive lips, and confident air of the young man. The arrangement® for the match might well serve as a model for other exhibitions of the kind. Only the players, timekeepers, and reporters were allowed in one room, and through the half-closed door and sft square window at the sidea^iew of the players could be had. In the big, 40ft square room the spectators took seat 3 and watched the" large board on the wall, on which every move was made immediately on being played, and the various positions were discussed audibly by groups of a dozan in different parts of the room. A constant hum of voices and exclamation in this room attested the interest taken. In one group were noted the Barker boy 3, A. J. Heffner, G. 11. Dean, and a couple of Providence players, and their discussion of the game wos listened to by all who could get near them. An admission fee of 15c was charged. The Boston Herald said that this match, in atteudance, Ac, liroke th*i record for tustained interest. The -fOOdol stake money was deposited with the Boston Post In the first game Grover formed " Old Fourteenth," 11 15, 23 19, 8 11, 22 17, 4 8, 25 22, 15 18, 22 15, 11 18 being the line. About mid-game toe iollowiug position was on the board : Black men on ' 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 22 ; White men on 18, 19, 20, 21,30,31,32. Black playa:

(«) A very neat piece of play that secures Freedmau the draw, and surprised the spectators, who thought the game lost for White Freedman worked out of his difficulties in marvellously clever style, and among the onlookers, mostly Americans who were not disposed to credit him with great abilities, the lad's stock went up rapidly. Bis play throughout the day improved his standing with the spectators, who pronounced him one of the "foxiest" players who ever visited Boston. Ending of the third game, an "Old Fourteenth " : Black men on 2, 3, 7, 8, 19 ; White men on 18, 20, 21, 31, 32. Blaok (Grover) to play :

(«) 8 11 is E. Northrop's analysed play in var. 4G, A.D.P. ; 8 11 also pluyed by J. Moir ogainßt J. Smith, var. 3, 23rd move, Robertson's Guide.

{b) This amounts to a correction of book play, and undoubtedly was the lesult of previous analysis by Grover and Hoffner. Freedman is now beaten.

Both men, Grover first and Erecdman afterward, missed a chance to win the seventh game. The endind follows : Bluck men on 1, 2, 8, In", 21, 23, 28 ; White men on 5, 11, 12, 17, 22, 31, 32. Black

(a) It -was claimed that by throwing the man the other way (c 3 26) Grover could have won the game.

(6) After playing for about three hours Freedman allowed Grover to draw by this hasty move. It was an oversight in one of thoao positions where " anything would win."

11 lb 13 17 !3 19 li) 15 8 11 4 8 >2 17 *^24- 19 0 13-a 6 9 L 7 14 28 21 10 17 2 6-& 21 14 15 10 15 IS 6 15 >fi 93 19 10 11 10 31 26 9 13 25 22 18 25 29 22 8 11 23 19 11 16 57 23 It) 18 13 552 22 15 19 10 16 20 22 26 10 Cc 19 16 29 17-d 12 19 23 IS 23 16 1 10 26 31 32 23 16 12 17 22 W. wins 2(i 17

U It .8 !) 514 II 20 !5 29 !(i22 3 7 52 28 i in 30 25a 1115 20 1G 15 24 28 19 1015 1910 Jz lit 10 7 19 23 7 2 23 2(5 2 (J 2(5 30 010 14 17 2213 29 22 2117 30 25 1714 25 21 14 9 HI 17 1015 1714 9 & 2217 6 1 1418 2215 it Eli 1 <i 811 (510 26 Si Draw.

in zo 2117 2 C-a 1814 812& L 7 13 / 1U 14 7 310 32 28 10 15 28 24 2.) 2/ 3126 27 32 26 23 32 28 2319 ID 1O 20 16 28 32 24 20 3227 1611 2/ Zl iU 10 1916 2 7 121!) . 18 22 11 7 Grovev 6 10 won. 7 2

y • !1 25-a 10 21 .9 23 L 5 11 '5 30 L 7 13 )0 25 J217 >5 22 3 4 2218 1714 18 9 13 6 2 9 "1619 811 19 23 1115 23 20 2127 26 31 1714 918 15 22 3 7 12 8 710 8 3 1016 3 7 1519 711 19 23 22 25 3127 1116 27 21 16 20 24 27 25 30 27 31 20 24 23 27 32 23 28 32 6-24 20 3127 Draw.