Chess history trivia

[John Townsend]

Yes

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Next question:

British chess suffered two significant losses during the year 1925. One was Antony Guest at the age of 68. The other died at the age of 76. Who was he?

The Tenacious Englishman. Born on 31 December 1848. Died 25 November 1925.
Also called the “Invincible English Bulldog" (But do people know who called him that?)

[John Townsend]

Mick and Christopher seem to be referring to Amos Burn, in which case they are correct.

In A Century of British Chess (1934, page 275), P.W. Sergeant comments:

"From 1925 it was left entirely to younger generations to maintain the national tradition. How far that can be done remains to be seen. Alas, that one of those who seemed most fitted to do so was prematurely cut off less than seven years after Burn!"

[Mick Norris]

National Museums Liverpool

[John Townsend]

The best biographical work on Burn is Amos Burn: A Chess Biography, by Richard Forster.

[John Upham]

See

Remembering Amos Burn (31-xii-1848 25-xi-1925)

https://britishchessnews.com/2020/11/25 ... -xii-1925/

[John Townsend]

At which important nineteenth-century match is it recorded that a boy was sent to play music next to the window in order to distract one of the players?

[Matt Mackenzie]

Saint Amant v Staunton?

[John Townsend]

No, sorry, Matt. Saint Amant v Staunton seems to have been quite gentlemanly compared with this match!

[John Townsend]

Answer: Harrwitz v. Löwenthal, London, 1853.

Charles Tomlinson remarked:

"As the match inclined decidedly in favour of Löwenthal, one man said, in my hearing, that he had sent an organ boy to play before the window, so as to distract the attention of Löwenthal, who was known to be very nervous."

(source: Chess Resorts: No. I - "Simpson's", British Chess Magazine, Volume XI, January 1891, page 51)

Charles Tomlinson (1808-1897) was a scientific writer and Fellow of the Royal Society. He was author of Amusements in Chess (1845).

There were other shenanigans during the match. Harrwitz achieved a big comeback to win by the odd game.

[John Townsend]

In 1902, one of the world's top players contested a game in which the pieces were acted by real people. Who was the black queen?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

In 1902, one of the world's top players contested a game in which the pieces were acted by real people. Who was the black queen?

You appear to have found a non-Googlable question. It is not immediately obvious what they would have called it then. "Live chess" doesn't really work.

I presume the person playing the Black queen was well known. Or was it his wife? I am going to go for Emanuel Lasker and his wife Martha. They may both be turning in their graves at the very idea of it!

[Mick Norris]

Where was this, in England, or further afield, maybe Monte Carlo or Vietnam?

I assume it's too much to hope it was an actual Queen playing the Queen?

[John Townsend]

Christopher, it wasn't Lasker, though I can see that, as a guess, it is not without merit. I doubt that they would be turning in their graves at the idea of it. Perhaps they would have liked to be invited.

Mick, if I answer too many questions, the answer will become more easily searchable. So, for now, I will limit my reply to confirming that it wasn't in Vietnam. Perhaps more clues later, after the question has survived for a few hours ...

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

In 1902, one of the world's top players contested a game in which the pieces were acted by real people. Who was the black queen?

Mary Ellen Pillsbury took the role of the Black Queen in the game between Harry Pillsbury and Henry Lewis Bowles (whose wife was the White Queen).