Author: Gillam, Anthony J (editor)
Year: 2012
Publisher: The Chess Player
Place: Nottingham
Description:
195+[1 ad] pages with table, diagrams and photographs. Octavo (8 1/4" x 5 3/4") bound in original publisher's wrappers. Rare and Unpublished Chess Tournaments and Matches number 92. First edition.
There have previously been two books on this tournament both now unobtainable on the secondhand market. They were Morgan's Shilling Library and The Bradford Tournament published by the British Chess Magazine.
It was in Bradford in 1888 that the British Chess Association held an international master-tournament and the British Amateur Championship. This was the first international tournament ever held in the provinces. For Bradford to be chosen was a tribute to the town and to its Chess Club. Indeed, no chess club in the provinces can boast a greater honor. Until then there had been four international tournaments in this country-1851, 1862, 1872, and 1883, the last three of which had been organized by the British Chess Association. All four had been held in London. To increase the interest in chess the B.C.A. had decided that master-tournaments should be held alternately in the capital and the provinces, but at first, it could find no provincial committee which would undertake the responsibility. Then the Yorkshire County Chess Club showed initiative. It offered to make arrangements for a tournament in Bradford. There were eighteen entries, but one of them, the Rev. A. B. Skipworth retired after five rounds and his score was cancelled. The others included six masters resident in Britain Henry Bird, Joseph Blackburne, Amos Burn, Isidor Gunsberg, James Mason and William Pollock and Captain George Mackenzie, who came from New York, Jean Taubenhaus (Paris), Curt Von Bardeleben (Berlin) and Miksa Weiss (Vienna). There were a number of amateurs, among them J. E. Hall, a member of the Bradford club. Gunsberg, who scored 13 points out of a possible 16, was the winner, Mackenzie with 12 was second, and Bardeleben and Mason with 11 were equal third. Hall was sixteenth with 3 points. He defeated three amateurs and drew with Bardeleben. There were thirteen competitors in the British Amateur Championship.
Condition:
A near fine copy.
SOLD 2022