Author: Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934) signed with "Dappi".
Year: 1890
Publisher:
Place: Manchester
Description:
Postal postcard with handwritten text in German. (3 1/2" x 5 1/2") with a handwritten text by Siegbert Tarrasch.
Handwritten text in German: Dear child! Brilliant victory over Mason yesterday. Canceled with Alapin in a draw. Now I'm the only one who hasn't lost a game yet. Only 2-3 draws. It's Schalopp's turn today. Your dream has come true because my opponent yesterday wasn't Blackb. ... but Mason. Many warm greetings, your ..."
The text refers to the tournament in Manchester in 1890, which Tarrasch ended victorious.
Manchester Athenaeum, Manchester, England; 25 August 1890—8 September 1890. After the first four rounds, Mason and Bird were the leaders at 3½ points and scheduled to face each other in Round 5. Tarrasch, Mackenzie, and Blackburne were all close behind with 3 points each. Mason would eventually prevail over Bird in their Round 5 matchup against his opponent's Sicilian Defence, leaving him in sole possession of first place. The loss was the start of a three game losing streak for the elderly Bird, who quickly fell off the lead. Mason would not suffer his first defeat until Round 8, at the hands of the also unbeaten Tarrasch. At the halfway point of the tournament, Tarrasch and Mackenzie would have a memorable showdown of tournament leaders that ultimately led to an 80-move draw. This allowed Mason, with his Round 10 win over Mortimer, to sneak back into a tie with the leaders. Blackburne would suffer a loss at the hands of Bird to drop back into fourth place by himself. Just past the midway mark, Tarrasch quickly took sole possession of the lead with victories in four of the next five rounds and started to distance himself from the field. Mason losses to Von Scheve (Round 13) and Gunsberg (Round 15), coupled with a Blackburne loss to Taubenhaus (Round 14) would contribute to the German having a full two and half point lead after 15 rounds. In addition to all of this, the strain of the tournament schedule seemed to finally catch up with the ailing Mackenzie. After being amongst the leaders for the first half of the tournament, he would suffer uncharacteristic losses to Lee (Round 11), Tinsley (Round 13) and the cellar dwelling Van Vliet (Round 14). A Tarrasch win over Blackburne (Round 16), combined with a Mason loss to Owen (Round 17), clinched the tournament victory for Tarrasch, giving him a three point lead over the field with two rounds remaining.
Siegbert Tarrasch was born in Breslau. He learned chess at age 15. He rose to prominence by winning four consecutive international tournaments: 6th DSB Congress, Breslau (1889), Manchester 1890, Dresden (1892), and the 9th DSB Congress, Leipzig (1894). He also won Monte Carlo (1903). Chessmetrics ranks him the No. 2 player in the world (always behind his compatriot Emanuel Lasker) for 111 different months (a total of over nine years) between October 1890 and November 1906.
Condition:
The post card is age toned, has creases and signs of wear, some soiling else about very good.