The Westminster Budget from London, Greater London, England • Page 26

24 ftaqt. CONCLUSION of the LADIES' CHESS CONGRESS. BY OUR CHESS EDITOR. The last two rounds on Saturday completed the serious contest in which the ladies were engaged for ten days at the rate of eight hours, per day. It was a contest of physical and mental endurance of so severe a nature that we should have hesitated to impose upon them.

Notable in the last round was the struggle between Mrs. Bonnefin and Lady Thomas. Lady Thomas with the inferior position compelled her opponent to be satisfied with a draw, thus securing a place amongst the prize-winners, in spite of a discouraging start. Mrs. Bonnefin, on the other hand, may be proud of her achievement of fifth in the list of prize-winners since members of the Ladies' Chess Club with a higher reputation than hers have not been placed.

These are Miss Field, Miss Fox, and Miss Finn (the latter, however, having withdrawn early from the contest). Mrs. Berry played a fine game against Miss Hook, which the latter (a talented player, in spite of her score) gracefully acknowledged. Mrs. Berry, therefore, deservedly secured a share of Lady Thomas's prize.

Mrs. Worrall (fourth prize) has, perhaps unnecessarily, handicapped herself with too solid a style. She has, however, maintained her reputation as the best American lady chess-player. Miss Thorald, like the first prize winner, is a well-known provincial chess-player'who has taken part with distinction in the meetings of the Counties' Chess Association, and some years ago in the Amateur Tournament of the British Chess Association at Bradford. Her place (third prize) is fully deserved and not unexpected.

Mrs. Fagan has maintained her reputation as an apt pupil of the late Dr. Zukertort, who had a high opinion of her talent. That she came out below the first prize winner may be accounted for by a bolder and perhaps more hazardous style than her cautious rival. Personally we prefer her style to that of Miss Rudge, although it proved less successful on this occasion.

Miss Rudge (the first prize winner) is an experienced match player, who has taken part on various occasions with distinction in provincial contests. Even a less severe style would have been sufficient to maintain her at the head of the list. Her style is somewhat similar to Steinitz's an accumulation of minute advantages." In almost all her games, if her opponents did not present her with a piece, she managed to gain a pawn, and with that pawn she won her game. Thus we might say son gcnri est petit, mats eJe est grande dans, son genri. Miss Rudge won every game, except one draw with Mrs.

achievement of which she may be justly proud. The contest practically reduced itself to a match between the prize winners. With the exception of Miss Field and Miss Fox, the remainder of the team was what the Germans call Kanonenfutter. The two German ladies have never before played any other but drawing-room chess." The clocks and measuring time proved a novel experience, as well as the recording the game. We are convinced that to comply with these mechanical accessories appeared more difficult to them than the actual game.

Both ladies, however, will on future occasions give a better account of themselves. Miss Mullerhartung has quite an original and imaginative style, while Miss Hertzsch possesses a great talent for the game. Miss Eschwege is about in the same position as the abovementioned ladies. She only wants a little more theoretical knowledge. She has ample ingenuity and fertility of resource, and at times, like in her last game with Mrs.

de la Vingne, she is capable of a heroic effort. With a little more solidity she might have secured the brilliancy prize for this game. Unfortunately she seemed to have missed the connecting link in her combination, and lost the game. FINAL SCORE. (President), and on Tuesday the competitors were the guests of Lady Newnes at a farewell reception.

We give one of the games played in the'last round EVANS' GAMBIT. Miss Hooke 10 Mrs. Sidney 10 Miss Fox 9 Miss Hertzsch Miss Eschwege 6 Miss Mullerhartung Miss Forbes-Sharp 4 Madame de la Vingne 4 Mrs. Stevenson 1 Miss Rudge (1st prize, Mrs. Fagan (2nd prize, £50) Miss Thorold (3rd, £40) 14 Mrs.

Worrall (4th, £30) 13 Mrs. Bonnefin (5th, £20) £i6) Miss Field 11 Miss Gooding Miss Watson Miss Field, Miss Gooding, and Miss Watson receive three of the four medals given by Mr. H. Eschwege, while Miss Hook and Mrs. Sidney tie for the fourth, and an additional prize given during the tournament.

Miss Forbes-Sharp, the Scotch representative, received a prize for the prettiest mate. We have only to add one word for Miss Gooding. She stood amongst the leaders during the first part of the tournament, but broke down altogether for want of physical endurance. The prizes were distributed on Monday evening by Lady Newnes Mrs. Fagan.

White. 1. PtoK4 2. Kt to KB3 3. to B4 4.

to QKt4 5. PtoB3 6. to Q4 7. Castles 8. to Q3 9.

Kt 10. to K5 11. PxP Miss Gooding. Black. PtoK 12.

Kt to QB3 13. to B4 14. 15. to B4 16. PxP 17.

KttoR4 18. PxP 19. to Q3 20. to KKt5 21. 22.

Mrs. Fagan. White. KttoK4 to R4ch Kt to sq ch PxB to Kt5 QxPch to KB4 Bx to B5 to R8 ch Miss Goodine. Black.

QtoBsq KttoB3 Bx Kt Kt to K2 Castles to Q3 to sq Kt to sq QxB Kt(Bsq)toK2 Resigns Miss Gooding plays the defence in original style, probably want of knowledge of the openings. 7.. Kt to R4 instead of 7 to Q3, followed afterwards by 10 to KKt5 and 11 instead of 11 were quite enough to lose the game. Declining the gambit with 4 to Kt3 gives Black a capital game, and that Miss Gooding should have done. Mrs.

Fagan had only the embarrassment of choice how to win. She might, however, have- selected the prettier 22 to B8 ch, Kt 23. Kt to KtT mate. PROBLEM No. 62.

By C. Buchmann. BLACK. WHITE. White to play and mate in two moves.

3. 3. 3. or Kt mates. mates, to K3 mates.

SOLUTION OF PROBLEM NO. 61. 1. to Kt6, BxR; 2. to Kt7.

Any move 1. to Qsq; 2. Kt to Kt7 ch, to B2 1. Kt moves 2. to K5 ch, Kt We are informed by some of our correspondents that Problem No.

61 is a prize, problem by Mr. Lissrier of New York, and not by Berger. The problem, in question was shown to us at the British Chess Club by one of the members, who said it was by Berger. It is pretty enough for any composer. A brilliant little game played by the young Hungarian, Charousek Wollner.

Black. to R5 to sq Kt BP Kt to Kt5 dis ch to Q2 Kt to B3 RxQ BxQ 8. Kt to KKt5is no doubt the beginning of the attack, but as it is not quite transparent for what purpose the text-move was intended, if Black. a Cp vJ? we suspect that Charousek anticipated Black's inainerent to KK3. The combination, however, is so pretty that it was worth trying it came off.

Black attempted an ineffectual counterattack with, 11 to R5, but to K2; Kt (the alternative) would not have been much better. As a matter of fact, to KR3 tost the game. The conclusion is exceptionally pretty. man hundreds of gratetul mothers as the most thtfSidfik 00 early infancy. a pamphlet on the eedmg and Reanng of Infants post free, from MELLIN'S FOOD Peckham, S.E.

DANISH GAMBIT. Charousek. Wollner. Charousek. White.

Blacks White. 1. to K4 PtoK4 11. to K6 2. PtoQ4 PxP 12.

PxRch 3. to QB3 Fx 13. to B4 to B4 Kt to KB3 14. to K2 5. Kt to B3 to B4 15.

to sq 6. Kt to Q3 16. QRtoK sq 7. Castles Castles 17. to K8 ch 8.

Kt to KKt5 to KR3 18. ch 9. Kt Rx Kt 19. QP mates 10. to K5 KttoKt5 19.

QP mates.