Great Britain defeats Holland 12-4 in match play

A double-round match between teams representing Great Britain and Holland, held at the Hague on the 11th and 13th inst., was won by the visiting side by the heavy combined score of 12-4 following a 6 1/2 - 1 1/2 victory on the first day of play and a 5 1/2 - 2 1/2 triumph on the second. Great Britain fielded a powerful team, with Atkins, Yates, Thomas, and Blackburne all present; the last-named, now in his 73rd year, departed shortly after the conclusion of the match for St. Petersburg, where he will take part in the grand tourney set to begin there on the 21st. Drs. Olland and Esser led the Dutch squad.

The visiting British team consisted of ten men, vs. only eight for the Dutch, a discrepancy owing to the fact that a letter sent to the Dutch Chess Association specifying the higher number of participants failed to arrive in good time. In order to allow all players on the British roster the opportunity to compete, Messrs. Wahltuch and Blake, members of the first day's team, sat idle on the second day of play, their places being taken by Messrs. Gibson and Saunders, each of whom recorded a victory.

The individual results were as foillows:

Great Britain                       Holland

H.E. Atkins            1  1       Dr. Olland

F.D. Yates              1  0      Dr. Esser

T.F. Lawrence      1  1       A.E. van Foreest

G.A. Thomas         1  1       B. Leussen

J.H. Blackburne  1  0       L. Gans

R.P. Michell          1 ½      K. Geus

V.L. Wahltuch      0          D. van Foreest

W. Gibson                   1      D. van Foreest

J.H. Blake              ½         G.S. Fontein

H. Saunders               1      G.S. Fontein

We append a selection of games from the event. Here, from the first day's play, H.E. Atkins on top board outplays Dr. Olland in a French Defense.

Next, Thomas recovers from a three-pawn deficit to defeat Leussen via some pretty play.

The veteran Blackburne pounced immediately when Gans erred with 19...Qh4?

Michell's King-side assault proved too much for Geus:

From the second day's play we present a victory by Dr. Esser over Yates, one of the few bright spots for the Dutch team.

Thomas scored a second victory over Leussen in crushing style.

In our final offering, Glasgow's William Gibson defeats Dirk van Foreest with the help of an exchange sacrifice at the 17th move.