Sunday, June 2

Manhattan vs. Franklin match: Manhattan club wins, 8 1/2 - 7 1/2, after adjudication of final game

Mr. Hermann Helms, the match referee, has announced his decision regarding the unfinished game from the Decoration Day contest between teams representing the Manhattan and Franklin chess clubs, awarding the point to the Manhattan side, who thus prevail in the match by the score of 8 1/2 - 7 1/2.  It will be recalled that at the time agreed for the conclusion of play on the 30th ult. the score stood at 7 1/2 - 7 1/2, with only the Driver (Franklin) - Rosenbaum (Manhattan) game remaining unfinished.  The adjourned position was a most interesting one, with a heterogeneous, albeit roughly equal, balance of material, Mr. Rosenbaum as Black being in possession of a Queen and four pawns, as opposed to the Rook, Knight, and five pawns of Mr. Driver.  The common opinion of those who examined the position over the intervening days was that Black stood to win, the aggressive placement of his Queen, combined with the absence of the White Knight from the principal sphere of battle and the rather exposed position of the White King, giving the second player a decisive advantage.  This opinion has now been ratified by Mr. Helms, and we reproduce the game below, along with a but a tiny sampling of the many variations that conscientious arbiter worked out by hand in support of his decision.

This year's result reverses that of last year, when the Philadelphia men took the measure of their New York counterparts by exactly the same 8 1/2 - 7 1/2. score.  With their victory the New Yorkers once again become holders of the Reichhelm trophy, the eponymous award offered in memory of the late stalwart of Philadelphia chess, Gustavus C. Reichhelm.  This trophy, originally competed for in 1909, is destined to become the permanent possession of the first club to capture six of these annual matches, a race that the Manhattan club now leads by a tally of three victories to one, with one match drawn.

Herewith we reprint the score of the Driver-Rosenbaum encounter, along with a selection of other games from the match, courtesy of Mr. Helms, to whom we express our sincere thanks.  If in some of the subjoined contests the losing side seems to prolong resistance beyond the point when resignation would normally be expected, the reader should bear in mind that such a practice is quite common in a team match, where, with the fate of others depending on one's own fortunes, the fight is often carried on until every last scintilla of hope lies extinguished.    



Here Mr. Rosenthal of the Manhattan club essays a promising sacrifice, only to overlook a check soon thereafter.



Mr. de Visser of the Manhattan club collects pawn after pawn on the way to victory in a Four Knights' Game against Mr. Ferris:



Mr. Alfred Robinson of the Philadelphia squad survives some tense moments to score an endgame victory over Mr. Hanham:



Finally, Mr. Northrup of the Manhattan team offers a Rook to initiate a very dangerous-looking attack, only to be foiled by the calm defense of Mr. Albert:



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