Chess History and ReminiscencesBird, H. E. (Henry Edward)
History
Chess History and Reminiscences
Bird, H. E. (Henry Edward)
Chess
To the English Chess Masters mentioned, four in number,
Blackburne, Burn, Bird, and Mackenzie, the space allotted is less
than a fifth of that given to four foreign Masters, Zukertort,
Steinitz, Rosenthal, and Lowenthal. The writer himself also
figuring somewhat conspicuously.
The reason for the introduction, and at such length, of the
name of the distinguished Hungarian player, Lowenthal, into an
article presumably by title intended for living Masters, is not at
all apparent--he died in 1876. Anderssen, far more successful
if not far greater as a chess-player considered by many, including
the writer of this article, as King of all chess-players, who lived
till 1879, is not even mentioned. The selection may seem to
have been made for effect, and for the purpose of reproducing
certain too oft repeated jokes and quaint notions commonly
attributed to Lowenthal; that highly agreeable and justly popular
gentleman having apparently been regarded (if the expression
may be permitted) as a very convenient peg on which to hang
some funny sayings and ideas.
Horwitz, who died in 1884, is also in the article, supplying
further pleasantry. There will not be wanting, however, many
chess-players who will consider a description of Anderssen's play,
and great Championship and Tournament Victories of 1851, 1862,
and 1870 of at least equal interest.
Rosenthal of Paris, next to Steinitz and Zukertort, absorbs the
largest space among living players, more in fact than all the
British Masters combined; here again supposed witticisms and
pleasantries open up at the expense of the volatile and amiable
Polish player; no other plausible explanation appears to offer
for the prominency and length of space devoted to Rosenthal.
The name of a much greater though more demure Master,
happily still in the flesh, Von Heydebrand Der Lasa, considered
by many, including Morphy, as the finest chess-player of his
time, and certainly one of the most distinguished of foreign
writers, is not even mentioned.
The Prussian Masters are entirely omitted; Paulsen, most
modest and distinguished, certainly, one of the greatest players
and not second to any but Blackburne as a blindfold artist, why
is he forgotten? Bardeleben, winner of the Vizayanagram
All-comers' Tournament, Criterion, London, 1883, is another
unaccountable omission. Where is the incomparable Schallopp, the
present Prussian champion? His welcome visits from Berlin,
and performances unsurpassed for brilliancy at Hereford in 1885,
as well as London and Nottingham this year, are still pleasurably
remembered by us all. The absence of Paulsen, Bardeleben,
Schallopp, and Riemann, all living Masters of the highest
excellence, has the effect of excluding Prussia altogether, and
makes a portentous void, as it would do in any article on chess.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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