WE received lately from Señor Vasquez of Mexico a budget of interesting Games, of which we have now much pleasure in giving an instalment.

(Evans Gambit).

Notes.

(a) A move which brings disaster; the Kt in such positions should always go to B 3.

(b) We should have preferred playing P to Q 4 here; for if Black then Castles, White wins back his Pawn, with a fine attack, by P to Q 5; and if P takes P, White can either retake, or play Kt to Kt 5, with an excellent game.

(c) If this sacrifice be sound in the two Knights' Opening where White has not Castled, it might be naturally supposed to be still more powerful now; nevertheless, owing to White's Q Kt being unable to go to B 3, and also to the fact that Black's Bishop being out, leaves room for his Rook to come into action, we much question its correctness.

(d) A serious error; the Kt should of course have been played to Kt 3. (e) Brilliant, but it strikes us that QR to K sq, was at least equally decisive.

(9) KR to Q sq was apparently the best mode of prolonging the game, though nothing could have saved it.

GAME 140.

The following Game is the best of those yet finished in the International Correspondence Tourney. The score now stands America 2, Great Britain 3.

(Allgaier Gambit.)

WHITE.

Mr. Jæger (American).

1 P to K 4

2 P to K B4

3 Kt to K B3

4 P to KR 4

5 Kt to K 5

6 Kt takes Kt P (a)
7 P takes Q P (b)
8 K to B 2

9 K to B 3

10 K takes B

11 K to R 3

12 P to K Kt 4
13 B to K 2

14 R to K B sq
15 B takes P
16 K to R 2

17 K to R sq

18 R takes P (e)

BLACK.

Mr. Copping (British).

1 P to K 4

2 P takes P

3 P to K Kt 4

4 P to Kt 5

5 B to K Kt 2

6 P to Q 4

7 Q to K 2 ch
8 B to Q 5 ch

9 B takes Kt ch (c)
10 Kt to K B 3 ch
11 Q to Q 2 ch

12 P to K R 4
13 R to K Kt sq
14 P to K B 6 (d)
15 P takes P ch

16 B to K 4 ch

17 P takes B

Black announces mate in 6 moves.

(a) Much inferior to P to Q 4.

Notes.

(b) A move like this, in a match of importance by correspondence, is wholly unintelligible, since every handbook on the game demonstrates its badness.

(c) He might with perhaps even greater advantage have played P to K R 4, e.g.

10 Kt to B 2

11 Kt takes B

12 K takes Kt P

13 K to R 3 best

9 P to KR 4

10 B to Kt 5 ch
11 P takes Kt ch

12 Kt to B 3 ch

(d) This is good style of Chess, yet taking the Pawn at once was at least equally efficacious.

(e) Q takes P would have prolonged the struggle, but of course nothing could save the game, which has been well played by Black all through; the final mate is especially creditable to him, as it is not obvious.

[Since writing the above notes we see that the first thirteen moves of this game are to be found in Mr. Gossip's " Manual," page 423. We may at any rate conclude that the American player was not aware of this fact, or he would surely have altered his tactics.-ED.]

GAME 141.

One of the Games in the Muzio Gambit Tourney at Hull :

WHITE (Mr. J. Crake).

1 P to K 4

2 P to K B4

3 Kt to K B 3

4 B to B 4

5 Castles
6 P to Q 4

7 B takes P ch

8 R takes P ch

9 Q to R 5 ch

10 Q to Kt 5 ch

11 P to K 5

12 P takes Kt
13 Q to R 5 ch
14 Kt to B 3 (c)
15 Kt takes P
16 R takes B

17 B to Kt 5

18 Kt to K 7 ch

19 B to R 6 ch

Notes.

BLACK (Mr. R. H. Philip.)

1 P to K 4

2 P takes P

8 P to K Kt 4

4 P to Kt 5

5 P takes Kt

6 P takes Kt P (a)
7 K takes B

8 Kt to B 3
9 K to Kt sq
10 B to Kt 2
11 K to B 2 (b)
12 B takes P
13 K to Kt sq
14 P to Q 4
15 B takes P ch
16 P to B3
17 Q to K B sq
18 K to Kt 2
19 Resigns

(a) In this variation, as well as in every other of this Gambit, it is most important for Black to gain time, for which reason P to Q 4 is here considered to be his best move.

(b) P to KR 3 was clearly Black's proper play at this point, which it is surprising he failed to see.

(c) R to Kt 4 ch would have been still more decisive.

CHESS INTELLIGENCE.

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SECRETARIES OF CLUBS AND OTHERS are invited to assist us in making our record of the month's doings as complete as possible.

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St. George's Chess Club.-The winter handicap of this fashionable Chess circle, which was arranged on the system that the competitors should play on even terms respecting the forces on the board, but should give or take, according to their classification, odds in the score at starting, is now drawing to a conclusion. Ten players originally entered, each of whom had to play two games against every other competitor, drawn games counting half. Dr. Ballard and the Rev. Professor Wayte were selected for the highest class, which started minus one, but the former gentleman resigned early in the contest. According to the present state of the tourney, the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Minchin, is sure to win the first prize, since his score cannot be surpassed by any other competitor, he having won fourteen games over the board. Mr. Minchin's full score is 15, he having been handicapped to receive one game at starting; but the state of the score of the other competitors makes it clear that he would have gained first honours even if he had started amongst the first class at minus one game; for his next rival, the winner of the second prize, Mr. Marrett, scores 12, including the odds of two and a half games which he had been handicapped to receive at the outset. The third prize will, in all probability, fall to the Rev. Professor Wayte, whose actual score is 12; from which, however, one game has to be subtracted, as stated above. But at present Professor Wayte is not absolutely certain to win a prize, there being just one chance of a tie with Mr. Warner if the latter wins every one of the four games he has still to play. Of the other competitors Major Martin, who started at plus two, and Mr. Salter, who received the odds of plus one and a half, have made the next best scores.-The Field.

The prize holders in Division A of the City of London Chess Club Handicap are Messrs. Potter and Eschwege. They will have to play for first and second honours. The former concedes to the latter the odds of Pawn and two moves. The prize holders in division B are Messrs. Heywood and Walthew. The former gives to the latter Pawn and move. The contest between them is for the third and fourth prizes. A Third Class even Tourney has been commenced at this Club. The following are the names of the entrants, viz. :-Messrs. Beardsell, Bensheim, Block, Bussy, Blunt, H. F. Down, Manning, Philp, Stevens, and Watts. The Annual Lower Class Handicap of the City of London Club has been started with twenty-four entries. The first pairing has taken place, with the following result; George v. Lord, Tinsley v. Cutler, Baynes v. Herzfeld, Guest v. Manning, Block v. Botterill, Harris v. Davies, Heywood v. M. Down, Day v. Kindell jun., Earl v. Gastineau, R. Clark v. Hunnex, Bentley v. Stani. forth, and Pizzi v. Templeton. The Fifth Class even Tourney has come to a conclusion, Mr. Atkinson carrying off the first prize, while Messrs. Cutler and Kindell jun. have tied for the second. The last-named two competitors will either divide or play off, at their option.- Land and Water.

[We are again without any information from Metropolitan Club Secretaries, and are obliged therefore to borrow the above extracts at second hand. If the London Chess Clubs desire that the only magazine in the kingdom now exclusively devoted to Chess shall contain the latest and most accurate reports of

their proceedings, they will, perhaps, take steps to furnish us with the necessary materials, for otherwise our news is liable to be stale, or, by reason of the changing phases of tourneys in progress, incorrect. We cannot make bricks without straw.]

The annual general meeting of the City of London Chess Club took place on the 22nd February. The following gentlemen were elected office bearers for the ensuing session:- President, Mr. R. Clark; Vice President, Mr. H. F. Gastineau; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. W. G. Howard; Hon. Secretary, Mr. H. F. Down; Committee, Messrs. Adamson, Baynes, Bussy, W. A. Green, Lovelock, Manning, Pizzi, Potter, Watts, and Weber; Auditors, Messrs. C. Marton and F. W. Lloyd; Librarian, Mr. Adamson. The following gentlemen were re-elected as honorary members-viz., Messrs. Bird, Boden, Burn, Delannoy, Duffy, Harwitz, Horwitz, and MacDonnell.

Mr. Medley has placed the sum of fifty guineas out of the Lowenthal fund at the disposal of the City Club Committee. It is proposed, we believe, to establish two Annua! Tourneys, the one for first class players, the other for a lower grade, in each of which a cup, to be called the Lowenthal Memorial Cup, will be competed for, the winners to hold the trophy for one year.

THE BRITISH CHESS PROBLEM ASSOCIATION.

Professor Tomlinson, F.R.S., has been elected President of the British Chess Problem Assciation, and Mr. H. J. C. Andrews Vice President.

The following Rules have been adopted by the Committee:

POSITION AND PIECES EMPLOYED.-The primary position in a regular problem must be such as would be possible in actual play, and it must contain no more pieces or Pawns than are on the board at the commencement of an ordinary game.

PROMOTION OF PAWNS.-A Pawn, on arriving at the eighth square, must be promoted as in actual play; dummy Pawns are not allowed.

CASTLING.-Castling is not permissible, because the solver has generally no means of knowing whether the K or R has moved.

ECONOMY OF FORCE.-This principle applies not only to the number of White and Black Pieces employed, but also to the mating power brought finally into action, and to the purity of the mates themselves. It is generally undesi rable to use powerful pieces for petty purposes. A composer's aim should rather be to attain the maximum of efficiency with the minimum of force. Occasions will nevertheless arise, when an author's design can be more fully developed, or accurately finished, by the substitution-especially on the defensive side-of a superior piece for one of inferior calibre. The introduction of extra force on White's side to cure serious duals is also allowable, when the end is unattainable by other means. Superior, but otherwise inactive, White pieces should not be set to do the work of an equal number of Pawns. Difficulty thus attained or enhanced is illegitimate, and lowers the value of the problem.

NOVELTY OF IDEA OR ARRANGEMENT.-Besides ranging from comparative novelty up to absolute originality, this clause covers also new combinations of two or more ideas that have been previously used apart. Comparatively stale or conventional problems will pay a penalty under this heading.

ACCURACY.-SECOND SOLUTIONS TOTAL AND PARTIAL.-A choice of play on White's first move disqualifies the problem, and the set containing it. Companion positions in the same set will not, however, be therefore debarred from