Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-25
THE GREAT CHESS-MATCH.
TIE WORLDS CHAMPIONSHIP.
Talks with sieinitz and Zukrror-rheir
Previous Centssts.
fNew yorh TrthuueT

HfabhettAh Nhtso SiNDs hhSh -
putting forth every effort to make
it a success. To that club and
its members, together with the New
Orleans Chess. Checker, and Whist
Club, and the st. Lonis Chess Club, is
due the honor of Bringing the two con-
testants for the worlds championship
together in the United States. On that
account position of the game will be
played in St. Louis and the finish will
be in New Orleans. At the Manhat-
tan, as well as at the New York Club,
and also at the German Club, which
meets in Turn Hall, the forthcoming
match is the chief topic Of converse
ton, and the result is discussed with
animation. A member of the Manhat-
tan Chess Club said to a Tribune re-
porter yesterday:
The Steinitz-Zukertort match will,
think. be the greatest and most ex-
citing contest OF the kind that has ever
taken place. They are the two strong
est players in the world, and the friends
Of each one are confident that their man
will win. / am told that Mr.. Steinitz
has tried repeatedly to get an Opportu-
nifty to win back his lost laurels, but,
owing to the many engagements that DR..
Iukertort has had to fill since his winning
the championship in 1888, it was only
a few weeks ago that definite arrange
ments were made, and the match made a
certainty. The friends Of Mr.. Steinitz
in the London Chess Club are now bet
ting g. to 81 on him, while the friends
of his opponent in the st. Georges
Chess Club in London, Of which DR..
Xukertort is a member, are betting 81
to IS on the latter. Chess, in this land
of business-push and energy, has never
been numbered among the list of popu-
lar games and on that account you
will see few Americans at the rooms OF
any of the chess clubs in this city. In
this contest the honor of England is to
be upheld by Russian, though now
a naturalized citizen of that country,
and of the United States by an Aus
trian. Most of the players here are
foreigners who were taught the game
previous to coming to this country. But
it is growing slowly in popularity, for
twenty years ago there was only one
column published which was devoted
to chess, and now there are over fifty,
and large number Of periodicals and
magazines. Both DR.. Zukertort and
Mr.. Steinitz are the owners and pub
fishers Of chess magazines. That Of
the former is published in London and
is the official organ of the St
Georges Club, and the latter i
published in this city and is the
official organ of the Manhattan Club,
of which Mr.. Steinitz is a member.
Many Of the chess experts here think
that DR.. Zukertort will win, because Of
his having played and defeated all of
the best players, who were the cham
pions Of their respective countries in
Europe. But Mr.. Steinitz has also de-
feated ZukertOrt before, and has won
the championship Of America, which he
now holds, from as good players as
those of the old world.
DR.. Zukertort, who spends most Of
his time at the rooms Of the Manhattan
Club, practicing and playing with the
members who meet there, said to Tri-
LuHe reporter yesterday 81 have met
Mr.. Steinitz before, and he is no mean
antagonist, | assure you. | played
against him in London in 1872, when
he was first and third. ! met him
there again in 1888, when the hOnors
were divided between MeSsrs. Wilma
mayer and Steinitz, although the lat
ter when playing with me only scored
ore half game to my one and one half
games. We had also come together in
glasgow in 1876, and in Vienna in
1882, so there has been a good chance
for each OF us to judge of the other :
skill. My friends in the st. Georges
Club at home are betting that | will
win, but the London Club are giving
odds in Mr.. Steinitz's favor. Yes, it
will be the most important contest
that was ever played. as the
winner will not only be $4,000 richer.
but will carry oil the championship
of the world. | have travelled ex-
tenslyely in this country, and when
here a year ago played many of your
best players blindfolded. My coming
here this time is the result of the chal-
lenge sent out by Mr.. Frere, Mr.. Stein
it's second, and the combined efforts
of the Manhattan Chess Club Of New
York and the New Orleans Chess,
Checker, and Whist Club, they guaran-
teeing to me my expenses in coming
here and also while the match is III
progress"
Mr.. Steinitz was also seen by Tri-
buRe reporter yesterday. lie said
The match will decide for certainty
the much-discussed question of the
worlds championship. | never adj
mitted that | am not still the champion
of the world. Although beaten by
ZukeItort in a tournament, | won two
out Of three games that were played in
a single match in London in 1872, and
since then met him at the tournament
in Vienna in 1882, when there was tie
between Mr.. Winamayer and myself
for the first and second prizes, and a
tie between Or. Zukertort and Captain
Mackenzie for the fourth and fifth
prizes. do not claim any supsri ority
on that account. | always claimed
that was the champion of the world,
because | have never been beaten by
Or. Zukertort in a single match game.
The match now to be played is under
far more favorable conditions fnan-
cially than any previous one. The
stake. money is much higher than usual,
and we have been guaranteed our eX-
penses, thing heretofore unknown to
persons contesting for the champion
ship Of the world. / met DR.. Zuker-
tort on Wednesday, and all Of the
rules and regulations to govern
the game have been decided upon
except three, and | expect that an
agreement will be made upon them in