Bald-Headed vs Full-Haired Match (1891)

Bald-Headed vs Full-Haired Match (1891)

The September 20th edition of the New York Tribune in 1891 announced the Manhattan Chess Club had organized a curious chess contest between bald-headed members and “those blessed with full crops of hair”.  Club members were having a great deal […]

1885 - Blackburne vs Mackenzie

1885 – Blackburne vs Mackenzie

An enjoyable “Scotch Game” contested between Joseph Henry Blackburne and George Henry Mackenzie from the 1885 int’l chess tournament in Hamburg, Germany. This game was played in the second round of the tournament on July 13th, 1885.  The closely contested […]

Wilhelm Steinitz (1837-1900)

Wilhelm Steinitz (1837-1900)

The chess world lost a legend in the truest sense of the word when Wilhelm Steinitz passed away on April 12th, 1900.  Many newspapers and periodicals throughout the world expressed their condolences in the form of published articles, past games, […]

1891 - Curtis vs Willenberg

1891 – Curtis vs Willenberg

C. Locke Curtis and F.H. Willenberg were regular mainstays in competing for the championship of the Ohio State Chess Tournament in the 1890’s.  The following is the deciding game in a tie for that state’s annual championship in 1891, played […]

Royal Rules for Sprightly Skittles

Royal Rules for Sprightly Skittles

A word often used when referring to casual or off-hand chess games is “skittles”.  This term was more prevalent in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, but should be somewhat familiar to chess enthusiasts nonetheless.  The implied use is in […]