The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-04 00:00:00

CHESS.

It would appear from a correspondence which has
aken place between M: St. Amant and
,Mr. Staunton,
hat the return' match between those two celebrated
players is not likely to come off, as the lovers
of this scientific game had anticipated. In the
last number of the Palantede, M. St. Amant's
chess journal, .is published a letter from that gen-
tleman, in answer to certain conditions laid down by
Mr. Staunton, as the bases of the second match, to the
most important of which the French champion re 7
fuses to • consent, on the score of their being un-
reasonable and extravagant. M. St. Amant commences
by • declaring that he considered Mr. Staunton boundby promise to play another match, on terms so similar
to those of the- former contest, as to call for no
hesitation as to their acceptance ; that as he has no
written agreement, he -cannot force him to act as his
promise seemed to imply, and that he should, therefore,
merely recapitulate the terms proposed, 'and -state why
he refused to accede to 'some of them. The new propo-
sitions, he remarks,- smack dreadfully of the victor :
Brennus, when throwing his sword. into the scale, never
spoke with more authority. Mr. Staunton's conditions
are : • •

"1. o play with M, St.... Meant, or an other player,
five matches of five games each, for 501 a match, or •
2504 in all." To'this M. St. Amant replies, " that he
sees no sufficient reason- for: changing the stakes. As
the former' match was - for. 1001. a-side, so should be
the, new one. If 'the intention of the English
player was to play for a larger sum than before,
the new proposition might defeat this purpose, as the
chances were, that out of the five matches, between such
equal players, only one would-be the difference at the
end; and that, therefore, only 504 would be won or lost.
But even supposing that one party won four matches,
and the other only one, the Sura won would. be 150/.,
leaving the mean •1001, the same as in the other match.
Why, therefore, change, particularly as the new proposi-
tion had this great disadvantage, of the possibility of one
champion winning, three: matches, or nine games, and
'the . other two matches and twelve games, each thus
deeming himself entitled" to sing le triumphe !" M. St.
Amaiit invites Mr. Staunton to reflect on these observa-
tions, at the same time declaring that, should the con-
dition be insisted cm, he will subicribe •to it, although
unwillingly. •
2. Those matches to be •played at ,London or
.Paris • within three • months after March 1, 1844,
the sum of 50/ .being allowed out of the stakes to the
• person who shall leave his own country for the pur.
is
on' this M. St. Amant declares that as it
is ntterly imFossible fOr him to be absent from
' Paris, on account of his mercantile occupations, for
more than ten days, he, cannot play the matches in
London ; that as to 501. being allowed in place of 20/.
(the sum agreed on for:the former match), he considers
it to be an extravagant demand, and refuses absolutely
to consent to it. Labourdonnais, heobserves; went four
times to. London to ,contend with the English players,
and never once thought of making any, such stipulation,
"3. The play to take place in a private room, with no
person present but the seconds and a referee on each
side." Strongly, objected to, though not absolutely
refused, on the ground that " as; even according
to Mr. Staunton's own showing, nothing could
surpass the ' admirable conduct of the Paris
club during the late contest ; to insist on such a
condition would be considered an insult, as implying that
.something had been done on the previous occasion to
render such privacy necessary." M. St. Amant further
observes, that he feels convinced of the utter impossibi=
lity to find three gentlemen among the Paris chess
players willing to submit to such solitary confinement. •
"4. A game to be played every day, except Sunday,
from the beginning to the end of each match, when one
or.two days' rest would be allowed, as might be agreed
on, before the next was • commenced." Refused point
blank, on the ground of his.mercantile engagements ab-
solutely preventing such an unlimited occupation of time.
(31.. St. Amant is, we believe, a wine-merchant.) The
French.champion proposes four days per week instead
of six.

" 5. The publication of the games to be forbidden
until after the' whole of the matches are brought to
a conclusion." Objected to, though not refused,
on the ground that • such publication could not
prove injurious to any party, and •that the
amateurs of Paris • and London would be unwilling
to hear of any such condition. M. St. Amant observes
further, that this . prohibition appears strange, coming
from a native of England, the country of publicity, and
.after the eagerness evinced by the English journals to
publish the games of the late match..
"6. The maximum of time to be allowed for each
move to be 30 minutes."—Agreed to.
" 7. In the half or the games (twelve) both champions
'to begin with the King's Pawn two squares." To this
141, St. Amant consents ; remarking, that, out of the 21-
games of the last match, he had commenced by this
move three times, whereas Mr. Staunton had done so
only twice. He however, further observes that in a
great match, such as . that in question, he is of opinion
that no shackles or impediment ought to be placed on
either champion's style of opening.
" 8. Etch day's play to commence at 11 o'clock, and
whoever should be inexact to pay a fine of one guinea,"
--Agreed to.
M. St. Amant, in conclusion, says :--"From the tenor,
of your letter, the lapse of time thatyou have permitted to,
pass, and concarrbnce of other circumstances, you—or.
rimeritOoyzootiN.Ahe friends. &Du .. hare iconsulted.—do mot