Hübner on the Immortal Game in the American Chess Journal

[JustinHorton]

I've been researching certain aspects of the Immortal Game and have become aware that there is a long article by Robert Hübner on the subject in the American Chess Journal number 3 (from either 1995 or 1996, it's not wholly clear). Are there any forum readers who have this item?

[Richard James]

Yes: I have it in front of me now.

[JustinHorton]

Thanks! Have emailed.

[Gordon Cadden]

A great shame that the American Chess Journal folded after just 3 issues. GM Patrick Wolf, was the editor of this luxury magazine. At $12.00 it was probably too expensive for most chess players.
The extensive article by Robert Hubner, illustrates the only known image of Lionel Kieseritsky.

[John Townsend]

It has been speculated that Kieseritzky may be one of the figures depicted in Laemlein's engraving of the Staunton v Saint-Amant match in Paris. Thanks to a contribution from Etienne Cornil, you can see it in Edward Winter's Chess Notes (C.N. 5395):

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/wint ... rlis_Ozols

Staunton and Saint-Amant are locked in combat beneath the busts of De La Bourdonnais and Philidor.

A key to the picture was reported by Etienne Cornil, which you can find by following the link supplied. It is only a sideways view, but Kieseritzky may be the man leaning over and whispering in front of the window. However, that identification is accompanied by a double-question mark in the key, reflecting its speculative nature.

[JustinHorton]

Thanks to Richard for helping with this. Unfortunately we haven't managed to locate what I'm looking for! What I have been trying to find is examples Kieseritzky's notes, from La Régence, translated into English. I don't mean references to them, or paraphrases of them, I mean direct translations of them, either in standalone form or quoted as part of somebody else's notes on the game. If anybody is aware of any examples I'd be keen to hear from them - I was wondering whether Hübner would have quoted them but it appears not.

[Roger de Coverly]

What I have been trying to find is examples Kieseritzky's notes, from La Régence, translated into English.

Why a translation? Are the originals in French or German lost? If Kieseritzky wrote in French or German "here I announced mate in 3, so the game ended", isn't that enough?

[JustinHorton]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Of course the originals aren't lost but readers of English don't necessarily have French (or German) so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

[Roger de Coverly]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Of course the originals aren't lost but readers of English don't necessarily have French (or German) so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

We have access to Google translate. For that matter I'm sure some of us studied French and German to O level standard or beyond. So if it's a question of establishing a factual matter, post the original text and we can work out a translation or approximate translation for ourselves.

[JustinHorton]

I'm sure we can Roger, and for that matter I have A-Level French and can still stagger through the notes myself, but I wasn't asking because I want to understand K's notes, I was asking as a matter of historical curiosity what translations do in fact exist.

[John McKenna]

Some background regarding Kieseritzky, Lionel Adelberto Bagration Felix (1806-53)

Born in what is now Tartu of mixed Polish and German descent... he became a mathematics teacher... sailed to France in 1839... installed himself in the Café de la Régence and would give lessons or play a game... best match achievement was the defeat (+7,-1,=4) of Horowitz at London in 1846... chiefly remembered for his loss... of the "immortal game" when he made his second and last visit to London in 1851.
He brought out a magazine, La Régence, 1849-51 but use of an obscure notation of his own devising limited its success... a difficult man to like and when he died none would contribute to save him from a pauper's funeral and none stood by the grave. [Source: The Oxford Companion to Chess by D. Hooper & K. Whyld]

His letter regarding the London chess tournament 1851 -

"To: H. Staunton, Esq., London

My Dear Sir,

I have just received your obliging letter, and hasten to reply. It is impossible to be more delighted than I am to hear that I shall have the pleasure of meeting Messrs. Heydebrand, Petroff, Anderssen, Szen, and Schumoff, in London. I trust to be able to leave here, accompanied by several distinguished amateurs whose names I shall endeavour to publish in the 'Régence' for the month of April.

Yours very truly,
L. Kieseritzky
Paris, March 18th, 1851"

[Source: The Chess Tournament - London 1851 by Howard Staunton]

Is the above letter a translation, from the French into English, or is it original?
Could Kieseritzky have mastered English with only two (brief?) visits to London?

Here's a link to some banter about the game (see Kibitzer's Corner below game) -

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1018910

See, in particular -

Mar-08-14 john barleycorn: Even Kieseritzky had his doubts about Qg5:
<ceci n'est pas le coupe juste>

in which can be found this link to Kieseritzy's annotations in La Régence, July 1851 -

http://books.google.de/books?id=YCgCAAA ... en&f=false

It's game no. CLXXXVI on p. 221 & 222 but beware the first note (7) refers to the previous game.

(If you ever find RDK translated LABFK's annotations without acknowledging the source I'll doff my cap, but I won't eat it.)

[Gordon Cadden]

Kieseritzky published 50 games of chess, played at the Café de la Regence, in Paris, 1846.
Annotations can be found in the footnotes to each game.
He seems to have had a unique system for recording games, so even if you are fluent in the French language, you will still have to struggle with his system of notation.