Friday, October 11

Liverpool-Johannesburg cable match: Both games drawn

We present the pair of games from the recently-concluded match conducted by cable between the Liverpool and Johannesburg chess clubs.  Both contests were drawn following careful play, with the moment of greatest interest likely being that after Black's 32nd move in the second game appended below, when the Liverpool side, playing White, could have gained a pawn by force, but rightly resisted the temptation to do so, as the resulting pawn endgame would have been won for Johannesburg despite its material deficit.  The venerable Master Amos Burn served as captain for the Liverpool squad, while Johannesburg was led by Bruno Siegheim, a native German well-known in New York chess circles from his time spent in this city a decade or so ago.  

That modern means of communication make possible the playing of chess games over vast distances at whirlwind speed remains a source of wonder and delight to us.  This is not the languid chess world of our youth, and we welcome the change.  Let us hope that today's young players, born into this era of extraordinary scientific innovation, will fully appreciate the great gifts they have received.

    


 

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