The Chess Congress of 1862. (H. G. Bohn.)—Herr Lowenthal contri-
butes to this handsome volume a collection of the games played and a se- lection of the problems sent in for competition, with careful critical notes. Mr. Medley, the secretary of the association, adds a history of the asso- ciation and an account of the proceedings. The most amusing inci- dent was that the Committee awarded the prize for the best problem to a Mr. Campbell, whose production turned out to admit of two solutions which made it radically defective under the rules of competition. They then awarded the prize to another problem by the same gentleman, which also turned out to be open to the same objection. Unfortunately the prize of 20/. had been paid before the mistake was discovered. Mr. Campbell, "not in a mercenary point of view, but on principle," declined to return the cash, and the Committee had to make it good. But what are "suicidal problems ?" The doubt whether they are not problems the difficulty of solving 'which has driven at least one man to self- destruction is the only consideration which prevents our sympathizing with Mr. Medley in his desire to raise the British Chess Association "to its proper rank among the institutions of our country."
Previous page
