BOXING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 9, 30 August 1911, Page 9

BOXING.

Money and the Prize Ring. (By JIMMY BRITT.) There seems to have been a great deal of surprise expressed in this country at the amount of money offered for the recent Jeffries-Johnson contest for the heavy-weight championship of the world at Reno, Nevada, for people over here do not seem to have realised that boxing iu America is looked upon as a profession to be taken up as seriously and in as businesslike a way as any other. When prizes were small it goes without saying that your boxer was almost bound to wait around with his hat in his hand, so to speak, as he was practically dependent on his backer. But to-day such is not the ease. An intelligent man who takes up boxing as a profession- the “profession’* of boxing is more thoroughly undei stood in Ameiica than in England knows his drawing powers better, and is, therefore. more capable of commanding a high price. And. after all, surely it is only a. question of common sense that if the general public will dock in such large nuinkrs to see two men box that the "gate” receipts swell to anything from 30,0D0 dollais to 40.000 dollars, and even more, those two boxers are not going to be content with lighting for a few pounds. No, I can think of. many far more pleasant professions than that of a boxer, and, therefore, those who take up this calling must have some sort of compensation for their self-denial and strenuous existence. 4 boxer, too, must realise that his of usefulness in the ring is very limited, and if he is a wise man he will adhere to the old adage, “Make hay while the sun shines.” In order to do this he has to lead a very careful and abstemious life both in and out of training, and I fancy that many of the arm-chair critics who declare that "boxers are hopelessly overpaid nowadays,” and so on and so forth, would probably altogether alter their opinions if they had to regulate their lives, from the point of view of self denial. as severely as does a boxer. In the old days, however, both in "England and America, and, indeed, all the world over wherever boxing was practised, purses were so small—l have heard it said that the services of an oculist and a microscope were necessary to see them—that your professional boxer had the greatest difficulty in living on what he earned in the ring, and, as a matter of fact, was generally dependent on his backer for the necessaries of life. To put it mildly this was, to say the least of it, far from a dignified position for your fistic artist to be in, and, in consequence, knowing that the business was not a remunerative one, no intelligent man had much inducement to adopt the career of a lighter. Happily, however, for the good name of what many sportsmen consider the most truly sporting pastime in the world things are now different, and to-day a successful boxer does not have to fight for a mere pittance. If he is in the forefront of his class, no matter whether he be light-weight, middle-weight, or heavy-weight, he fights for a fortune; in one of my contests with “Battling” Nelson, whom I have twice defeated, the "gate” receipts exceeded £9OOO. The result is that better men have taken to fighting as a means of livelihood, and boxing itself has necessarily improved, for fighters are now recruited from a more intelligent class. There still seems to be the impression that the professional fighting man must necessarily be something of a "rough,” though why this should be so I entirely fail to understand, for in America, at any rate, a great many men of good education and breeding take to the ring for their living, and they certainly do not consider they lose caste by doing so, ami 1 have an idea that you in England would do well to follow our example in this respect. Interest in boxing has been greatly stimulated here in the last year or two, and I fully expect you to turn out a good series of champions liefore long. Yet it would be wall for you to remember—if England is to regain her old pride of place in the ring that boxing is a science which calls for the exercise of a ffreat deal of infelligeneo. and that wr’» In cated men bold :» f *’* 1 been neglected, even if their muscles have not. The only way, however, to

induce the right stamp of man to come forward and take to the ring is to offer substantial remuneration in the way of purses, and it is here that you lag far behind America. Still, you are moving in the right direction, and as soon as boxing becomes recognised as a profession in England—and a better-paid one than it is now I expect to see you “cock of the walk” once more. But you eannot expect mon to undergo the hardships that a professional pugilist has to unless they can claim a fair reward in hard cash, can you? There is plentv of room in the ring for new champions, too- for although, in my opinion, boxing is a more exacting and scientific art to-dnv than it was in the past, I do not think there are any exponents of the fistic art who are quite the equals of such men as .lent Mace. Peter Jackson. John I. Sullivan, nnd Charlie Mitchell. Of course, the new men have the advantage of new ideas, modern footwork, and so on, but were the old ehampinns at their beat today I hardly think that the now mon would sbine against them. So hurry up, you ■ oimg men of Fmrlnnd. nnd soe if you mnot produce another Jem Mace or a fom Sayers— we arc waiting for you!

24 QR—KBI V—KR3 25. B—R4 P—KKt4 26. PxP Kt—K6c!i 27. K Ktl QxQ 2S. Resigns. lai Giving up a pa.vn for an attacking position. tl»» P KK3 would allow Q —-R5, with e strong attack. («•) If KxKt, Q —Rscli; 14. K —Ktl, PxP; 15. Pxß. QxPcli; 46. K—Rl, B -Kt 6. and wins. (d» P— KR3 would hav e been useful. (pi Now the reply to P—KR3 is R— Kill. Chess in the 18th Century. We have been favoured with the loan of a copy of Philidor’s treatise. The style is quaint and original (even after due allowance for translation), the notation cuinbersonio. and the notes are prolix. but withal impressive. One cannot but be struck with the soundness of the principles enunciated. The title page leads: “Chess Analysed: or Instructions by which a Perfect Knowledge of this Noble Game may in a short time be acquir’d. By A. D. Phildor. The Fourth Edition. — London, Printed for C. Nourse. in the Strand. M. DCC. LXXVIL” The author’s comments on certain Ger man innovations in play are caustic and amusing. He thus delivers himself in the preface:—‘This game has in many parts of Germaauy been so disfigur’d, as not to be known but by the Board and the Men.” (Perhaps these were labelled ‘‘Made in Germany.”) “They allow playing two Moves successively at the Opening of the Game. This appears to me very ridiculous, as no Game is known, but the Players play alternately. Besides, can it be thought that where two good Players meet, he who plays last can have any great Chance of winning? Secondly, they give a Pawn Leave to pass beyond taking by Pawns; which not only makes quite a different Game from the original one, but also takes off a great deal of its Beauty: because by this means a Pawn may pass before two others, which with much Dexterity and Industry, have reached within three Squares of becoming Queens, amt are there stopt by the King, or the AdBishop; while this single Pawn will either go ami make a Queen, or oblige you to abandon all your advanced Pawns ami come attack this Wretch, who luring the whole Game has done nothing. This certainly is quite opposite, to the Rules of War. where Merit only Can advance a Soldier’s Fortune. Besides. when the King castles, they allow him to push his Rook’s Pawn; by which means lie plays twice running. In my Opinion all these Deformities have been introdu-ed by Wranglers, who have obliged their Adversaries to play according to their Whims.” Then he waxe* satirical at the practice of allowing a player to queen a pawn, while retaining his original queen. He continues: — “ While this Field of Criticism lie.- open, I cannot pass by my own Countrymen, who have committed as great a Fault as the Germans. They are less to be excused, there being many goo 1 players among them; nay, some of the best in Europe. I presume they have been lei away (like myself formerly) by a bad Custom, established in all Probability by the Person who first brought Che-'-s into France: 1 am inclined to believe it must have been some player at Draughts, who knowing little more than the Moves of the Pieces, imagined one might make as many Querns in the Game of Chess, as at Draughts. I would only ask what a fine sight it is to see upon the Chessboard, two Pawns on the same Square, to distinguish a second Queen; and if by chance a third should be made (as I have often seen it at Paris) then it is still a finer sight, while the Bottom of one Pawn is almost sufficient to cover a on the Board. Is not tlureforc this Metho I most ridi. ulous. especially as it is practise! in no Country where the game of Chess is known? However, if niv ( omitr> men will go on in this erroneous Way. I would advise them, to prevent all Disputes that nay arise about their Multiplicity of Queens, to make to each Set of < hess men three or four Queens, as many Rooks, Knights, etc.” He might have added that these extra pieces should be numbered, so that in recording a move one might, in the language of the time, say: “ The third Queen gives check at the Black King’s third square.” or as the case might require. and thus avoid confusion. Philidor was born at Dreux, about forty nnle* west of Paris, in 1727. At the

time, therefore, of the publication of this edition lie was about 60 years of age. He was the greatest player of his time in France, and probably in Europe. He was succeeded in France by Deschapelles and De La Bourdonnais. We propose next week to give an extract from the text showing Philidor’s method of instruction. A Master's Play. The following artistic finish occurred in the American Masters’ Tourney. The score is from "The Daily News.” The players were Capablanca (white) and Morris (black). The play on White’s part shows fine judgment and foresight. Everything is timed to a nicety. The position after Black’s 23rd move was: — UrrSk: splp: 3qlp2; lplpll>2: 2pR4; PIPIRS2: IP3PPP: 3Q2KI. and the game proceeded:— 24. R—R4 R—KKtl 25. Kt—Q4 Q—Q2 26. R—K7! QxR 27. Ktxß. and Black resigns, for he must suffer either irreparable loss in material, or mate by RxP eh. followed by Q —R-5. Traps. The Australasian says:—What is the commonest trap in the Ruy Lopez? —■ Well, the one that lias probably claimed (more victims than any other comes off something as follows:—1. P—K4 P—K4 2. Kt KI >3 Kt —QBS 3. B—Kto P—QR 3 4. B—R4 Kt—B3 5. P—o 4 B—K2 6. Castles Castles. And now White should play PxP, and not what looks so nicely developing—KI—B3 —for then would happen: — 7. Kt—B3 PxP S. KtxP KtxKt 9. QxKt P —QKt4 10. B—Kt3 P—B4 11-0 moves P —B.> and the Bishop is gone.” We should hardly call this a trap. If it is a trap, it is set by the one who gets caught in it. Local Items. On account of a temporary shortage of funds caused by the absence of the Hon. Treasurer, the Auckland Chess Club has made a call on the members. New members are. however, exempted The one-time popular C'hristv Minstrel song "Willie We have Miss-d You!” is again the vogue. A meeting of the chess and draughtplaying members of the Au. klan I Work-ing-men’s Club is to be held at the Club to-night (Wednesday). at 8 p.m., with the object of forming a chess and draughts section on similar lines to the Wellington Working-men’s t. and D. Club. It is to be hoped there »ill lie a good muster. Such a club will supply a long-felt want. There is plenty of material, from old congress veterans to raw recruits, and the accommodation leaves nothing to be desired; but there is no machinery for bringing the players together. Carlsbad Tournament. The Carlsbad publicity o;iiie announced tiiat the following masters would compete in the tournament, commencing August 20th: S.hlechter (Vienna), Rubinstein (Warsaw). Maroezy (Buda pest), Marshall (New York), Dr. Bernstein (Moscow i. Burn ( Liverpool), Teichmann (Berlin). Dr Vidmar (Graz), Janowski (Paris). Niemzowitch (Riga), Duras (Prague!. Spieliuann i Munich >, Leonhardt (Hamburg). and probably Capablanca Cuba). End Game (No. 105.) The game proceeded: — 20 Kt x RP (d) 21. Q—K2 Kt x Pch 22. QxKt Ox Kt eh 23. KxQ R—R5 mate <d) There is no reply to this brilliant stroke. A remarkably pretty termination follows.