The International Tournament.

Otago Witness, Issue 2375, 7 September 1899, Page 48

The International Tournament.

This contest closed on 11th July at St. Stephen's Hall, RoyaJ Aquarium. There were peculiarities about it which in no way.affected the play and the interest otherwise attaching qto it. One leading competitor described the meeting place as a stable; another declared that the management of the whole affair would have the effect of preventing any more internationals in London for 20 years. The committee began by dictating all round; this had the effect of choking off Burn, Dr. Tarrasch, and others. Then, of course, there was an intention to exclude English professors, and that gave great offence. In the end, to make any tournament at all, the weak and unpractised Englishmen came in, and of course did not succeed against the more devoted Continentals, Lasker was easily first. His position had long been a certainty. We have spoken of the actions of the committee; but it is pleasing to record that the working members in the hall devoted themselves to the affair with extraordinary zeal and courteously gave players every assistance, Mr J. Walter Russell and Mr Handford did most of the work. Otherwise there'was no form of vexatious restriction that was not "in force to worry visitors and players, the single exception being that there was plenty of room. But players had to sign a paper every time they came'into the place, if only out for five minutes. Visitors paid their shillings, and when inside found that there were other shillings to pay to get an imperfect view of the boards, and then when the interval occurred and a new session began all these processes were exactly repeated. These explanations are necessary now in order to show why the tournament was unpopular as a spectacle, and they may serve as a warning how not to do it in future. There were many smiles on Monday, for it was the last day. Play opened late, as the players were photographed. At starting it appeared probable that Janowaki would be second, as only a draw with Ste.initz was necessary to accomplish this. Pillsbury was 18 with a completed account, and Schlechter and Maroczy were 17 each with one to play. Hence they could at most reach Pillsbury's score. A peculiarity was that four players might tie for prizes 2 to 5 if Janowski lost to Steinitz, Schlecter beat Lasker, and Maroczy beat Lee. Schlechter and Janowski both speedily lost through playing too brilliantly. Blackburne was 14J. If he could win of Cohn, and Tinsley could beat Tchigorin, who stood at 15, the English champion would win sixth prize. It so happened that all this came about. Tinsley, after having for some time a slightly superior game, got an attack at last on Tchigorin's king. He pressed it, won a knight, and the game. This was, of course, the most striking result of the concluding moments of this tournament. Cohn soon after lost, and the tournament was over. E. Lasker (Berlin) wins first prize (£250) with the grand score of 22?:. He lost only to Blackburne. D. Janowski (Paris), G. Maroczy (Hungary), and H. N. Pillsbury (U.S.A.) divide second prize (£165), third prize (£100), and the fourth prize (£80). or £115 each. C. Schlechter (Vienna) is fifth and wins £65; Blackburne (England) sixth and wins £50; M. I. Tchigorin (St. Petersburg) seventh and wins £40; J. W! Showalter (Kentucky) wins the eighth prize of JE3O; and James Mason (England) takes the ninth prize value £20. Reckoning Bird's win by Teichmann's withdrawal, Bird and Tinsley stand equal at the end. The English players are all very much out of practice. The chief prize-winners are young men of about 30. Lasker is the champion of the world, having defeated Steinitz in two set matches, besides accomplishing many other notable achievements. He began somewhat feebly, but soon settled down. His play was chiefly characterised by splendid accuracy. Every contingency is foreseen and provided for. Janowski and Pillsbury are more aggressive and brilliant, but they lose points by pressing the attack too much in level games. Their play proved wonderfully attractive. Maroczy plays exactly in Lasker's style, but lacks the perfect finish of the champion A two-round contest of such dimensions is happily uncommon. No doubt one outcome will be a splendid collection of games, which it is announced will be issued in book form. Full score: —

: ■ ; $; g; : : ; : ; W: I 2 f 5° 00 W^^tC jC O U\ *. K^ CO 00 *>. ! Firit Round. HOHHP »-». HHH — °^' | Brd. Oi— O Oi-» O I © Blankburne. Cobn O HOOWSHO I O «> Jatiowslti. I ' Lasker. © C t-J >— » >— © I r» i— i o Lee. ©©© fi-i© I >— Of © w- I kh ten Mason. » 00^.».^ I -o^-h-oo^ Mar> czy. MCCuhO | OOr-OCH Pillsbury. ►■ooa I I— con- © Schlecbter. >— O 1 r- ©r*r~> I— 'O Showaltcr. «-° I «. 1 - t-"--^"t -"--^"- < = UH '= < = steiuitz. O I Ci—*-1— I— >-■ !-■ OHH Tinsley. I (-"O cot-" i-i,— ' i-"=:oo Tchigorin. S^B^^Sm^ s^^ I Total. — Times Weekly Edition.