Probably the youngest of all our greayers is MR. H. H. COLE, whose splendid win against America in 1897 made certain Great Britain's success. Born in Hastings, he enjoyed , at the age of six, an experience which is, perhaps, unique in chess annals.
His father, then and still a famous player, had the good fortune to meet a man who declared that he had never been beaten. Mr. Cole, senior, could not allow such an opportunity of gaining glory to pass, and he requested the pleasure of a game.
"By some means," Mr. Cole says, "I gradually obtained the better position , and just as I thought that I could see my way to a beautiful victory , my opponent remembered an important engagement and had to leave. As, however, he promised to finish the game, I wrote down the position, and for months carried the piece of paper in my pocket ready to resume hostilities. At length the pencil-marks became so illegible that, in disgust, I tore up the paper.
The very next day the man called; but, as I happened to be out, Harry undertook the task of entertaining him, at once asking for a game. The visitor smilingly acquiesced; and I shall never forget his face when, joining them a little later, I found that my youthful son had altogether outplayed him, and had administered a sound beating."
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When only nine, Mr. H. H. Cole played for Visitors against Hastings, winning his game, and firmly establishing a reputation as possible player of merit. Coming to London, he clearly won game. soon made his presence felt, and worked his way through the ranks of the Ludgate Circus Chess Club in most brilliant fashion, crowning his successes by gaining its championship. But meanwhile he was further enhancing his reputation by the excellence of his "simultaneous” exhibitions, in one of which he scored nineteen games out of twenty.
On a certain occasion, having arranged to perform against a number of suburban players, he arrived at the local club-house a little early. An old gentleman, who had taken up his position in front of the fire, nodded "good evening," and remarked: "It's rather cheeky, isn't it, of that young fellow to come here to play the lot of us?”
“I suppose it is," Mr. Cole replied; "are you playing?"
"Oh, yes, and mean winning, too," returned the old gentleman.
“Needless to say," Mr. Cole said, when narrating the incident, “that I made sure of scoring his game."
Poor old fellow!
It is only right to add that the members of the Ludgate Circus Club, as well as of the City of London Club, to which he is also attached, look forward to great things from this young and popular international.