Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-04-07
An Extraordinary Game of Chess.

The Cafe de la Regence, Paris has been recent
" the scene Of an extraordinary display Of chess
power vi. Harrwitz the celebrated PLAYER, con-
tending, without seeing the board. in two games
a. the same time against two players of the Paris
Chess Club. Prince Antoine Bonaparte, the Duke
Of Brunswick, the Marquis de Carracciolo. Count
Issiore, and great number Of amateurs and
members Of the club, were present, and followed
with unf1agging interest to the close She wonder
full feat Of mental abstraction and chess memory
which NJ Harrwitz presented on the occasion
without, to all appearance, an harrassing effect
To better understand how the matches were
conducted, II may be well to state that the Cafe
de la Regence consists Of two large SALES on the
ground floor one fitted up a cafe. properly
called and the other provided with billiard tables
and arranged as an estaminet, In which smoking
Is allowed In both of these rooms, which are
open to all, and in which chess ID going on nearly
all day long, the amateur is 1T all times to
find some one willing To play a game. But above
use of the Paris Chess Club, and in these it was
that the wonderful display took place OH the oc-
casion Of which we speak.
In the centre Of the largest Of these rooms were
placed two tables, at which were seated, each.
with board and chessmen before him. Mr.. Lee
rivain and NJ. p, the gentleman with whom NJ
Harrwitz was To engage in peaceful conflict, The
room beyond. the last Of the suite, was set apart
for the mental player all its nttings-up consist
Ing nsrely Of three or four chairs. and table in
one corner on which were placed wine, sugar and
water; and other refreshments, as well az writing
materials, to enable the gentleman, who acted as
secretary to mark down the moves when decided
on.
The door of communication between the two
rooms was kept open the whole time. so that
eveTy one could see that not only NJ. HarIwitz
had no means of aiding his memory by any ex-
traneous or tangible object, but that all inter
course with other persons was absolutely impoS-
slbIe All around the other rooms were arranged
ehess-tables, on which the amatuers invited to be
present followed the moves as they were PLAYED
Everything being declared in readiness, at about
haI-past the play commenced. The manner
IN which the moves were announced is this
vi. Lequensne, who had kindly consented to
act AZ secretary after having received his instruc
lions from NJ HarrwftI, wrote down the moves
for both games, and then entering the other room
and saying "First game" specified the move
fixed for it; next saying, second game" he
acted IN the same way for 1t. The moves, thus
named, Were then played on the board and the
two adversaries studied the reply to be given :.
When both gentlemen had decided NJ Leouesne
marked down the moves as before and then in
turn announced to NJ. HarIwitz, exactly in the
same manner, the advance so given in each case
The longest game, in which there was remark
ably fine play on both sides, lasted three hours
and half, and from the beginning to the
end OF that long space Of time, during which
the strain on the memory must have been enor-
nous, VI. HarTwitz (says Galignani) never for
moment appeared In the slightest degree embar-
rassed, nor did he delay longer In his moves than
he, probably, would have done In an ordinary
game: when looking at the board. The replies
certainly came more rapidly from him than from
the other room, NJ. Lecrivain taking a considera-
bic time to examine each position and PLAYING
with great caution. NJ P, OH the other hand
moved az once, and, being naturally quick play
er, soon got somewhat fatigued by the great
length Of time which he was obliged to remain
unoccupied while waiting for the decisions Of NJ
Leo'ivain. II is most probably to this circum-
stance that must be attributed the fact that he by
no means equalled his usual game 1t was after
one O'Clock when VI Harrwitz came into the gen.
eTaI room after winning in both games. He de-
clared himself to be but little fatigued and in
answer TO observations made to him. proceeded at
once to explain various points Of his play