How Many Positions in Chess Games - The Montgomery County Times

The Montgomerry County Times, Wales
 4 January 1896
This is a newspaper from The Salopian & Montgomeryshire - Cardigan area of Wales. The chess column runs from 1895. Chess editor not named.

Game:
Mikhail Chigorin vs Wilhelm Steinitz 0-1, St. Petersburg 1895/96
Evans Gambit
The week's best chess tournament happened to be in St. Petersburg between four elite players, Lasker, Steinitz, Chigorin and Pillsbury. The newspaper picked up this tournament since last week.

Problem:
White to move and mate in four moves
The problem come with aesthetic circle shape and "Wishing You A Happy New Year" in the middle.

Anecdotes:
Interesting article on the number of positions the chess game can reach:

MORAL SUASION

Apropos of profound mathematical calculations we recount the following, which was going the rounds some time back-
The first player in chess has twenty moves to choose from on his first move, and, whichever of the twenty he takes, his opponent has the same number of replies," said Browne of our club the other day, smoking a Criterion cigarette as he stood with his back to the fire so that," continued he, there may be four hundred games of chess, only one move played on each side, and yet each position different."

"Prove it!" said Jones.
"Prove it!" replied Browne, with voice full of scornful disdain.
"Yes, prove it," cried Jones.
Jones was rather a big man, with a wooden leg, which he took off and placed by his side when playing a game of chess. He generally won, for there was a great deal of moral suasion about that leg. Browne said it was the only soft part about him.

"Mr Jones," replied Browne loftily—he was always polite when lofty-" after I have finished giving the club the information that I have called for their benefit, I will condescend to argue with yon. When four moves have been played," he went on, there may be 318,179,584,000 games, each position being different.

" Prove it!" shouted the irrascible Jones, who looked as if he wished it done on the spot.

"Gentlemen," coritiritzed Browne, not noticing the frustration,"the two Kings alone; never standing on adjacent squares, can be placed in 3,615 different positions.

"Prove it!" reiterated Jones, now getting his wooden leg into position, should it be required for the purpose of moral suasion.
"And further, gentlemen," said Browne, seven chessmen, say four white and three black, may occupy 128,746,434,575,809-"

But the sentence was never finished a booming noise, caused by a wooden leg in mid-air, suggested to us a rapid retreat, and the last we saw wns Brown ducking his head as if to avoid moral suasion.

The Montgomery County Times - 4 January 1896

Welsh Newspapers Online

tags: chess column in old newspaper, rare chess problem, aesthetic chess problem, wales chess history, montgomery chess history, chess mathematic

Chess and Poetry by Charles Tomlinson - The Cambrian Swansea

The Cambrian, Swansea
5 May 1893
Newspaper from Swansea Wales that provide chess column since 1891. Edited by James Glass

Games:
Sophy vs Charles Tomlinson, unknown
odd: remove Black King Bishop's Pawn (f pawn)
Carles Tomlinson is a British poets. He composed a canto with a chess theme and put into this book. This game probably played by him and issued by The Cambrian in 1893.

Dr. F. Deighton vs Mr. J.H. Blake 1-0, Amateur Tournament Cambridge 11 April 1893
Evans Gambit
A miniature game played by strong amateur players as the column suggested.

Reports:
Ireland vs West of England great correspondence 100 players chess match 1893 - the score as in the newspaper

Problem:
White to play and mate in two moves, composer Rev. W.P. WIlliams (Landcore)

The Cambrian 5 May 1893

chess column from Swansea Wales

tags: wales chess history, swansea chess history, poetry and chess history, chess column in old news paper, age of chess, romantic chess, british chess history

Chigorin vs Steinitz 1892 - The Cambrian Swansea

The Cambrian, Swansea Wales
29 January 1892
Newspaper from Wales with Chess column, edited by James Glass

Game:
Mikhail Chigorin vs Wilhelm Steinitz 1-0, World Championship Rematch 1892
Evan's Gambit Slow Variation C52
Chigorin vs Steinitz game annotation from this issue: "The following is the first game of the championship match now in progress at Havana. It is a most brilliant game, and Tschigorin has played it in that fine dashing style for which he is famed."

Reports:
- Steinitz vs Chigorin have been played nine games: Chigorin 3, Steinitz 2, 4 drawns
- Judd vs Showalter match - Showater 6, Max Judd 4, drawn 3
- remember the local James Glass vs M.F.Lee, the score: James Glass 3, M.F. Lee 1, 2 drawns
- Gunsberg expressed his fears that, although much recovered after his six weeks illnes, he would not be strong enough to take part in any serious chess contest. Gunsberg thinks it possible that he may, like Chigorin, play a return match with Steinitz for the Championship of the World.

Problem:
White to play and mate in two moves, composed by unknown. The issue give a title "An Amusing Old-Timer" from the Baltimore Sunday News

The Cambrian Chess Column, Swansea Wales

29 January 1892

tags: wales chess history, swansea chess history, unknown chess game, chess column scan from old newspaper, age of chess

Ireland vs West England Correspondence Chess 1893 - Evening Express Wales

Evening Express, Cardiff Wales
24 February 1893
The Evening Express was based in Cardiff Wales and doing "Our Chess Column" since 1891. The chess editor was Geo W. Lennox, they focused more into local chess news and activities.

Game:
P. Sandford, M.A. (Ireland) vs W.R. Fisher (England) 1-0, Ireland vs West England and Wales
Correspondence Chess Match 1893, Evan's Gambit
A copy of game played between the two association. Rare game but the players were unknown.

Reports:
- A report about dispute between Cardiff vs Llanelly Chess Club
- Cardiff Dock vs The Hills United. We got to learn the chess players on this area, Geo W. Lennox and J.J. M'Eachran are known players on Cardiff but none were famous in the Hills side.

Problem:
White to play and mate in two, composed by P.F. Blake

Evening Express , Cardiff Wales

Our Chess Column - 24 February 1893

tags: ireland chess history, ireland vs england correspondence chess games, wales chess history, historical chess column, chess column in newspaper, rare chess games

Vazquez vs Blackburne 1891 Match - Evening Express Wales

Evening Express, Cardiff Wales
1 May 1891
Evening Express Wales is Cardiff based newspaper. Chess columns were dedicated in the 1891s era.

Game: (Status RARE)
Andres Clemente Vazquez vs Joseph Henry Blackburne 0-1, Match Havana 1891
Evan's Gambit
This was probably a match between Blackburne and Vazques, chess master from Havana. There are already three games in chessgames.com and another one in this blog, also from Evening Express report.

Collected so far, in those known five games, Blackburne won them all.

Problem:
White to move and mate in two moves, composed by W. Heitzman , Pontypridd

Reports:
Local events of United Rhonddas Chess Clubs vs Pontypridd Chess Club won by Rhonddas.
Then Swansea vs Llanelly, which games already published in earlier edition of Evening Express.
We can take a look of the chess players of those chess club around that time.

Evening Express "Our Chess Column" - Cardiff Wales

1 May 1891 -  Welsh Newspapers Online

Rare games of Joseph Henry Blackburne vs Andres Clemente Vazquez , in their 1891 match
tags: rare chess game, chess column from old newspaper, chess history in newspaper, wales chess history, welsh chess history

James Glass vs E. Louden 1891 - Evening Express Wales

Evening Express, Cardiff Wales
24 April 1891
This newspaper from Cardiff district, Wales, provide "Our Chess Column". Chess editor was Geo W. Lenoox. The column seems focus more on their local players and games.

Games:
Chess club games played at the Swansea Chess Club 1891:
E.N. Bisgood (Cardiff) vs Amateur (Swansea) 1-0, Evan's Gambit
James Glass vs E.Louden 1/2-1/2, Giuoco Piano - a rarity
No other information on E.N. Bisgood and E. Louden, but they were strong club player on the time of writing. James Glass was chess editor to a chess column in The Cambrian newspaper and considered strong club level player. His other games can be found on this blog HERE. The game can be view below:

Problem:
White to play and mate in two moves, composed by F.G. Tucker (Bristol)

Evening Express, Cardiff Wales

24 April 1891 -  Welsh Newspapers Online

tags: historical chess column, wales chess history, cardiff chess club history, rhondda chess player, romantic chess, age of chess, ageofchess blogspot, historical chess blog

Paul Morphy vs NN on Rook Odd - The Cambrian 1891

The Cambrian, Swansea Wales
25 December 1891
Chess column from 19th century Wales newspaper in Swansea area.

Game:
Paul Morphy vs Amateur / NN - 1-0 unknown date
Evans Gambit with odd : remove white's Queen's Rook
This game was collected from mr. Reichhelm's manuscript, according to the column it has about sixty in collection. Unfortunately while trying reconstructing the game I found error at move B to QR4 and Kt to QR4 for black, as the QR4 square already occupied. Or maybe I miss something there... The game was known and this is similar game  to Steinitz vs Rock 1863, so since 1891 the game was known played by Morphy.

Reports:
-Mr. W.H.K. Pollock gave 21 simuls and won all of them in Baltimore Chess Club

Endgames:
-Endgame between Champion vs Mephisto
-Herr Berger, end-game master of Germany has made the discovery that two Bishops force mate in eighteen moves from the most unfavourable position, and Bishop and Knight in thirty-two moves
- Correspondence games between Liverpool vs Glasgow Chess Club with Amos Burn in play
- South Wales Chess Association event, Swansea vs Neport at Whyndham Hotel, Bridgend. We see the full team of Swansea and Newport chess players. At Swansea side: E. Louden, James Glass, W. Cann etc.

Problems:
White to play and mate in three, composed by J.N. Babson

The Cambrian Swansea Wales Chess Column

25 December 1895  Welsh Newspapers Online

tags: unknown paul morphy chess game, paul morphy give odd chess game, paul morphy vs nn, old endgame study, mephisto chess automaton, age of chess, historical chess newspaper column, romantic chess column

Blackburne vs James Glass Swansea Simuls 1891 - The Cambrian

The Cambrian, Swansea Welsh
11 December 1891
Chess editor James Glass runs a regular chess column to this Swansea area newspaper.

Game (Status RARE):
Joseph Henry Blackburne vs James Glass 1-0, Simultaneous Swansea 7 December 1891
Evans Gambit
Finally this is a sample of chess editor James Glass' game. He was a strong amateur in Swansea chess club. Blackburne was in the Swansea area on December 1891 to give exhibition.

Reports:
Joseph Blackburne simultaneous display at Swansea area in December 1891. Blackburne on his burn mode and won most of the game against strong amateurs of the club.

Problem:
White to play and mate in three moves, composed by F. Healey
Solution to each problem can be found in next issue.

The Cambrian Chess Column

11 December 1891

Game viewer : possible new found Blackburne chess games on his simultaneous against Swansea's area amateur players


tags: swansea chess club history, new discover chess games, Blackburne simultaneous new games, ageofchess, age of chess, chess newspaper old chess column, romantic chess games

James R. Hunnex vs Nelson CC 1900 - The Tribune Nelson (Canada)

The Tribune, Nelson Canada
1 December 1900
The Tribune from Nelson, Manitoba Canada do has some chess news on their paper, such as this one.

Game:
James E. Hunnex (Erie) vs Mr. E.G. Smith (Nelson CCC) unfinished, Correspondence 1900
Evans Gambit
Again, unfinished documentation on this correspondence game between member of Erie vs Nelson Chess Club. The player for Erie was James E. Hunnex and for black was E.G. Smith. James Hunnex was reported as able exponent who was member of London Chess Club as well and crossing sword with Blackburne and Gunsberg. His short bio can be found HERE. Mr. E.G. Smith was crack Canadian amateur at best according to the column.

The game only documented up to its 15 move, with black having the upper evaluation for its material advantage.

The Tribune Nelson Manitoba Canada chess column

1 December 1900 -  Manitobia : Digital Resources

Game Viewer, unknown correspondence chess game from the 19th century of Canada chess


tags: chess history, ageofchess, canada chess column, 19th newspaper chess column, romantic chess, unknown rare chess game

Morphy vs Rousseau 1849 - The Cambrian Swansea

The Cambrian - Wales
27 November 1891

 The Cambrian was newspaper from Wales, they dedicated a chess column with editor James Glass. This is their seventh article.

Games:
E.A. Ford vs August Vorrath 1-0, 1891 (?)
Evans' Gambit
This game is a rarity, can only found one game in chessgames.com for August Vorrath and no info on E.A.Ford.

Paul Morphy vs Eugene Rousseau 1-0, New Orleans 1849
Italian Game - Rousseau Gambit
The very first published game of Paul Morphy according to the knowledge of the article. And this also maybe the game to be hold Rousseau name in the gambit. Game is widely known. The annotation on the column was by Kieseritsky.

Problem:
White to play mate in three, composed by F. Healey

The Cambrian Swansea chess column, 27 November 1891

Welsh Newspapers Online search

Kolisch vs Sam Loyd 1867 - The Cambrian Swansea

The Cambrian, Swansea Wales
23 October 1891

The Cambrian from Swansea Wales area was a newspaper with regular chess column. Their columnist was James Glass.

Game:
Ignatz von Kolisch vs Samuel Loyd 1-0, Paris 1867
Evans Gambit

Interesting rare game between Kolisch versus 'probably the greatest of living problemist' as mentioned in the chess column. The annotation was by Rev. W. Wayte. The game already known and the public interest in Sam Loyd already reach proper attention.

Problem:
White to move and mate in two, composed by "J.B. of Bridport"

Reports:
Blackburne simultaneous blindfold display in London Chess Club 1891. Results: Won three, lost one by oversight, drew two and unfinished two, both in favor of Blackburne.

Steinitz vs Chigorin match announced in Havana , play for $2000 best of ten.

The Cambrian chess column - 23 October 1891