# London 1899 chess tournament

The London 1899 chess tournament was a chess tournament held in London. Players of the tournament included old champion Wilhelm Steinitz and Emanuel Lasker, the latter of which won the tournament.
The organizing committee was headed by Sir George Newnes, with Herbert William Trenchard occupying the role of treasurer.
Many top players at the time were invited, with many being the champion of their country. Refusals came from Siegbert Tarrasch and Rudolf Charousek (illness), and Amos Burn had to withdraw on the opening day. Fifteen participants played double rounds from 30 May to 10 July 1899, except for Richard Teichmann. He withdrew after round 4 due to an eye infection.
Lasker finished 4½ points ahead of the group finished tied for second (Janowski, Maroczy, Pillsbury), and was one of the most dominant performances in a chess tournament at the time, and London 1899 is one of many Lasker victories along with St. Petersburg 1896, Paris 1900, St. Petersburg 1914 and New York 1924.

## The Premier tournament

The results and standings:
    #Player123456789101112131415Total 1 Emanuel Lasker (German Empire)xx½ 1½ 11 ½½ 10 11 11 11 ½½ 11 ½1 11 11 1+ +23½ 2–4 Géza Maróczy (Austria-Hungary)½ 0xx½ ½1 0½ ½½ 10 1½ 11 0½ 11 1½ 11 ½1 1+ +19 2–4 Harry Nelson Pillsbury (United States)½ 0½ ½xx0 1½ 10 01 0½ ½1 11 11 11 11 ½1 1½ +19 2–4 Dawid Janowski (France)0 ½0 11 0xx1 11 ½1 1½ 10 01 01 11 10 11 ½+ +19 5 Carl Schlechter (Austria-Hungary)½ 0½ ½½ 00 0xx1 ½1 0½ 1½ 11 10 ½1 11 11 1+ +18 6 Joseph Henry Blackburne (United Kingdom)1 0½ 01 10 ½0 ½xx½ 00 11 ½1 00 11 ½1 11 1½ +16½ 7 Mikhail Chigorin (Russian Empire)0 01 00 10 00 1½ 1xx1 ½1 ½½ 10 11 01 11 01 +16 8 Jackson Whipps Showalter (United States)0 0½ 0½ ½½ 0½ 01 00 ½xx0 ½1 ½0 ½1 11 10 1+ +13½ 9 James Mason (United States)0 ½0 10 01 1½ 00 ½0 ½1 ½xx0 10 00 01 1½ 1+ +13 10–11 Wilhelm Steinitz (United States)½ 0½ 00 00 10 00 1½ 00 ½1 0xx1 ½½ 0½ 11 1+ +12½ 10–11 Wilhelm Cohn (German Empire)0 ½0 00 00 01 ½1 01 01 ½1 10 ½xx1 ½1 00 0+ +12½ 12 Francis Joseph Lee (United Kingdom)0 0½ 00 00 00 00 ½0 10 01 1½ 10 ½xx½ 1½ ½+ +10½ 13 Henry Edward Bird (United Kingdom)0 00 ½0 ½1 00 00 00 00 00 0½ 00 1½ 0xx1 1+ +8 14 Samuel Tinsley (United Kingdom)0 00 00 00 ½0 00 00 11 0½ 00 01 1½ ½0 0xx0 +7 15 Richard Teichmann (German Empire)- -- -½ -- -- -½ -0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -1 -xx2
An amount of £1020 for prizes and consolation money was distributed on 11 July 1899. Lasker got £250 and a gold medal. Steinitz won no prize for the first time in his career.

## The Minor tournament

There was a second section in the tournament, which was won by Frank James Marshall with 8½ out of 11. Georg Marco and Jacques Mieses were the most experienced opponents. The results and standings:
    #Player123456789101112Total 1 Frank Marshall (United States)x½01½11½11118½ 2–3 Georg Marco (Austria-Hungary)½x½½½1111½½18 2–3 Thomas Physick (United Kingdom)1½x½½½½½11118 4–5 Edward Owen Jones (United Kingdom)0½½x101111½17½ 4–5 Jacques Mieses (German Empire)½½½0x01111117½ 6–7 Edward Mackenzie Jackson (United Kingdom)00½11x0011015½ 6–7 Stephen Francis Smith (Canada)00½001x011115½ 8 Oscar Conrad Müller (United Kingdom) / Germany ?½0½0011x01015 9–10 Vasily Tabunshchikov (Russian Empire)00000001x½113½ 9–10 Johannes Esser (Netherlands)0½0½0101½x003½ 11 Henry Erskine (United Kingdom)0½000000½1x13 12 J. Klimsch (German Empire)00000000000x0