Chess Notes

Edward Winter

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6476. What?

6477. First chess club

From Robert John McCrary (Columbia, SC, USA):

‘I have found a reference suggesting an earlier club than the ones noted in your Chess Records article. On page 264 of volume two of Chess by R. Twiss (London, 1789) a Dublin historian named Jos. C. Walker was quoted as saying in a letter:

“A Chess-club consisting of some of the principal nobility and gentry was formed in Dublin about 40 years ago: but, like all private associations, its existence was of short duration.”

That would imply a date of about 1749 for the “club”, but it is impossible to ascertain from this brief reference whether it was a formally-organized body.

On page 265 of the same work a “letter from Edinburgh” was quoted as follows:

“There was formerly a Chess-club here, but of late in general every game has given place to Cards.”’

6478. Pillsbury and Marshall games

Dominique Thimognier (Fondettes, France) sends this game from page 6 of L’Echo de Paris of 16 March 1903:

For more information, see the complete column.

Our correspondent has also provided, from page 6 of L’Echo de Paris of 8 April 1901, the game Marshall v Henig, Monte Carlo, March 1901.