The evening times., 1898-07-22
CHESS AT VIENNA.
Piilrbury Is Doing Great Work and
Is Expected to Come Out First.
Ernrn The Rrooklrn EapleN

NfIOii2 Gt DEOohilu t-aSlc.D
Next week VIII see the close of the
Vienna chess tournament. To American
devo,ees of the game this meeting of the
masters has been a most important event.
the progress of which has been watched
with an interest increasing proportion
ately with the steady success of the
youngest player among the four repre-
senting this country. So far playing
strength goes the contestants in this
tournament are stronger lot than those
VINO have figured in any similar event
since the famous Hastings affair of 1855.
Europe has contributed many OF her
most famous experts. although Lasker
and Chariusek are not among the num-
ber- From this country have gone Henry
N. Pillsbury. admittedly the leader of
American chess and one of the half dozen
greatest living exponents of the game;
William SteinitA who for nearly twenty
years was the first player in the world:
Jackson W. Showalter. formerly cham
pion of the United States. and D. G.
Baird. who. while hardly classified
among the frst-rates has lately succeed
ed in lowering the coiors of men ordi-
narily much stronger than himself
From Pil!sbury most was expected and
so far he has splenddly justified the con-
ffdence OF his admirers. In the first half
of the tournament ne played eighteen
games, winning twelve. drawing four and
losing but two. one each to Tsch:rorin
and Maroczy. This gave to him a total
score. allowing half a point either way
for drawn games. of IA wins and losses.
His victims included masters as eminent
as Dr. Tarrasch. now his nearest conn.,
pedtor in the race; Blackburne, the ve;e-'
ran English expert; young WaIbrodt. of
Berlin; Janowski. the brilnan, Partisan,
and Marco and Schlechter. the two lead
iy,c AtrcY ~
ond half Pillsbury has already defeated
Stemitz. Tschigorin, Blackburne and
Showaiter. besides others of lesser note.
rhus placing his score a clear point TO
tne good above that of Tarrasch To say
tnat ne looks like sure winner would be
hazardous in view of the fact that eight
more rounds are still to be PLAYED in
one OF which he must face his most for
midaole opponent. Nevertheless. he has
nnade showing more brilliant SO far
than that which gave to him first honors
at Hastings three years ago. and ,hose
VINO are best able to judge his peculiar
a'oiiitles as player are confident that he
can maintain TO the end his present grin
on the situation. Some of his games. in
particular that against Tarrasch will
DOUBTLESS find permanent places in the
literature of chess. OF the other Ameri-
can representatives Steinitz is making
SHoW4HS, peiNS now in third
pace. ShowaIter. while playing some
nrst rate chess at times. has again disap-
pointed his friends, as he did at Nurem-
Derg, and will likely find place with
baird among the tail enders. The ax-
champion has never been a successful
tournament; player
Iaken as whole. the tournament has
ploducd Individual Sontests that viii
stand as the best examples OF modern
cness. game differing considerably from
tnat which obtained in the days of Nor
pny ana ANDERSEN. The time limi. on
moves has made it almost impossible to
think out the old elaborate combinations
and the champion of today is the man
who. while capable of acting on a sudden
inspiration. is also able to maintain
those small advantages which make so
greatly toward success under the mod
ern system. Perhaps after all the
drawn out fight made at Vienna by Pills.
bury against Schlechter will prove as in
structive TO the student as Anderssen's
classic defeat of Kieseritsky.