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         The History and The Culture of Chess



 

 The 1902 International Chess Tournament of Monte Carlo  


                    

    
Brooklyn Eagle, March 10, 1902
   The drawing for the twentieth and semi-final round of the international chess masters' tournament here, this morning, resulted in the selection of the less exciting of the two remaining pairings, the seventh of the Berger schedule.
   While it included several very important encounters, Maroczy and Pillsbury, the leaders, were matched with the weaker of their opponents, and consequently the real tussle is left for the final round to-morrow.
   Pillsbury was the first to bring his game to a conclusion. Mortimer, the tail-ender, succumbing to a vigorous counter attack. Temporarily the lead was then with the American champion, but he did not enjoy it for long.
   Maroczy's victory over Popiel followed, in due course, the latter being outplayed at all points. The Hungarian thereupon again passed Pillsbury and still holds a lead of point over the American. It is possible for Pillsbury to pass his rival by defeating Marshall in hi last game to-morrow, in case Maroczy should fall victim to Tarrasch.
   The only other player who can equal Maroczy's present total, in the event of the latter's defeat, is Teichmann, and to do so he must win from Tarrasch to-day and from Janowski to-morrow.
   All the other competitors have been distanced as far as first prize is concerned. Marshall is doing his utmost to gain an advantage with Janowski. Thus far his efforts have been to no purpose. The Teichmann-Tarrasch contest has been closely fought and will probably result in a draw.



Brooklyn Eagle, March 11, 1902
   Pillsbury and Marshall engaged in a rough and tumble encounter with plenty of complications in the final round of the international chess masters' tournament at Monte Carlo this morning.
   The American champion was on his mettle, and, with keen insight, anticipated Marshall's every move, and thwarted his designs. Eventually, getting the upper hand, Pillsbury emerged winner of a well fought game.
   Several things were determined by the result of this encounter. Chief was the fact that Pillsbury cannot be headed off by any of the competitors for second place and that Teichmann no longer can attain to an equality for first prize.
   In case Pillsbury winds up in the lead, by virtue of Maroczy's possible defeat by Tarrasch, the Teichmann may tie the Hungarian for second. Nevertheless, the question of who will actually receive the different prizes is still an open one, even at this late hour. The first four, however, will go to Pillsbury, Maroczy, Teichmann and Janowski.

GEZA MAROCZY FIRST AT MONTE CARLO
_______________
Hungarian Chess Champion Wins
International Tournament
Pillsbury Second

_________________
MARSHALL IS NOT PLACED
Janowski and Teichmann Third and Fourth
Tarrasch, Schlechter and Wolf also Winners.
_________________


                    (special to the Eagle)
Monte Carlo, Monaco, March 12 -- The international chess masters' tournament, which has been in progress here since February 3, came to a conclusion this morning.
Geza Maroczy of Budapest, certain of at least tying for first prize, succeeded in drawing the second time with Tarrasch, and emerged, in accordance with general expectations, winner of chief honors.
Harry N. Pillsbury, the American champion, is left in second place by the smallest possible margin - a quarter of a point.
While yesterday's play in the final round was attended by the greatest excitement, suppressed though it was, this morning's was of very perfunctory character.
The question of supremacy was practically settled in the minds of nearly all, when Maroczy, as second player, managed to draw with Tarrasch of Germany, and tied Pillsbury's total of wins.
Having the move to-day, it was taken for granted that Maroczy could do no worse than draw again, which was all that was necessary for him to gain that all important quarter of a point.
Subsequent events proved that the surmise was correct, for Tarrasch, being on a level with Schlechter and Wolf, and just within range of the minor prizes, did not feel called upon to risk finishing as a non-prize winner.
Maroczy, on the other hand, needed only to play for safety. Accordingly, the game was not particularly entertaining and a draw was ere long agreed upon.
The same state of affairs existed between Schlechter and Wolf, who were paired in a supplementary contest. Both wished to figure as prize winners and took no chances whatever.
The result was that Schlechter, Wolf and Tarrasch all tied for fifth, sixth and seventh prizes. The management, in view of the large amount of consolation money, contributed by outsiders, decided to add a seventh prize and increase the regular prize fund by 750 francs.
Otherwise the chief winners of the consolation money would have received almost as much as the lower prize takers.
The third and fourth prizes had been definitely determined yesterday afternoon when Janowski downed Teichmann and passed him for third place. The official list of winners is as follows:
First prize, 5,000 francs, Geza Maroczy, Hungary.
Second prize, 3,000 francs, H. N. Pillsbury, America.
Third prize, 2,000 francs, D. Janowski, France.
Fourth prize, 1,500 francs, R. Teichmann, England.
Fifth, sixth and seventh prizes, 1,000, 750 and 500 francs equally divided between Dr. S. Tarrasch, Germany; C. Schlechter, Austria and S. Wolf, Austria (750 francs apiece).
The consolation money was divided according to the merit of the final scores of the non-prize winners.
The special prizes for brilliancy, etc. will be awarded later on.

A point of particular interest is the fact that the two chief prize winners, Maroczy and Pillsbury, were absent from the first tournament, held here last year, when Janowski of Paris finished in first place.
On this season Janowski finished just below the two absentees of a year ago.
There were in all six supplementary games to be played off this morning and every one of these, like those already referred to, were drawn.
Napier divided the score a second time with Marco and the young American accordingly wound up his schedule as leader of the second division of masters.
Marshall of Brooklyn, on the other hand, after a brilliant start, finished ninth, below Tschigorin of Russia and above Gunsberg, who brought up the rear of the first division of ten players.
Other drawn games this morning were recorded between Mason and Eisenberg, Popiel and Gunsberg and Scheve and Eisenberg. None of these affected the standing of the respective players. The final records show:
Maroczy.............
Pillsbury.............
Janowski............
Teichmann.........
Schlechter..........
Tarrasch.............
Wolf....................
Tschigorin..........
Marshall.............
Gunsberg............ 
14¾
14½
14
13¼
12
12
12
11½
11
10¾


5

7
7
7

8
Napier...............
Mieses..............
Mason..............
Albin.................
Marco...............
Popiel................
Scheve..............
Eisenberg.........
Reggio..............
Mortimer..........


9


7
5


1


10
10½
11¼
11¾
14
14½
16½
18

Geza Maroczy was born on March 3, 1870, at Szegedin, Hungary, and was educated at the Polytechnic School of Zurich, where he became librarian of the Hungarian Society. Here he first learned chess. Later he was appointed to a government position at Budapest and he is now a civil engineer.
Maroczy's first appearance of note was at Hastings in 1895, where he won first prize in the minor competition, concurrent with the international tournament won by Pillsbury.
Next year, at Nuremberg, he made his debut in an international masters' tournament and created a sensation by finishing second to Lasker, and above Pillsbury and Tarrasch.
The same year he took part in an international tournament at Budapest, but was not placed. He did not play in the Berlin contest of 1897 but in the Vienna congress of 1898, he divided eighth and ninth prizes with Lipke.
At London in 1899, he divided third and fourth prizes with Pillsbury, following Lasker and Janowski, while a year later, at Paris, he divided third and fourth prizes with Marshall.

Brooklyn Eagle, March 12, 1902

 

 

Brooklyn Eagle, March 16, 1902



The wind up of the tournament, which ended last Wednesday, found G. Maroczy of Hungary in the van, with the American champion, Pillsbury, a quarter of a point in his wake. Janowski, the previous winner, was this time third in a field of twenty, a place he attained by defeating Teichmann in the final round.
Teichmann's grand work was the prominent feature of the contest and there was universal regret when, on the last day, he succumbed to Janowski, being relegated thereby to fourth place. This was not due to any lack of popularity on the part of Janowski, but because Teichmann had earned his position by persistent and conscientious application to a more difficult task than fell to the lot of any of his rivals. He drew with seven of the players, and, of course, had that many additional contests to play. Four of these supplementary contests he drew a second time, but the other three he won.
Tarrasch and Schlechter started poorly, especially so the former, but, as was expected, made a strong finish. Wolf of Vienna, who tied with these two, was a distinct surprise. He is evidently to be heard from in the future.
Tschigorin made a determined bid for a high rank, but was left at the post.
Marshall's brilliant start was in marked contrast to his indifferent work at the close. Nevertheless, he has strengthened his reputation materially, and is now considered one of the most dangerous opponents among the world's leading masters.
Napier, on the other hand, finished in good form, and his position at the head of the second division is a source of gratification to his friends. It must be said that his international debut was a decided success.
The replaying of drawn games has again been found to be unsatisfactory and a burden, particularly to the weaker competitors.
In reviewing the play it is worth while to note how the leaders would have stood had the drawn games been counted in the old fashioned way. Pillsbury and Wolf were not affected by the rule, as each won and lost two games in the play off. Tschigorin and Marshall each won one and lost one, Teichmann won three, Janowski, Tarrasch and Schlechter each two, and Maroczy one. None of these five players lost a supplementary game. Consequently, had the original drawn games been counted as ½, Maroczy and Pillsbury would have tied for first and second, Janowski and Teichmann would still have third and fourth, respectively; Wolf would have finished fifth, while Tschigorin would have tied with Tarrasch and Schlechter for sixth and seventh.
   In this connection the record of chief prize winners in all international tournaments they have competed in, will be of interest to every chess player. The tables giving this information follow:

Maroczy's Record.

Year Place Rank Pl'd Won Lost
1896
1896
1898
1899
1900
1900
1902
Nuremberg*
Budapest
Vienna*
London*
Paris*
Munich*
MonteCarlo*

2
9
8
2
3
3
1

18 
12
37
27
16
15
19

 12½
5
30½
18
12
12
14¾
5½ 
7
16½
9
4
3

 *Prize winner
At Budapest Maroczy tied with Albin; at Vienna with Lipke; at London with Pillsbury. and Maroczy, at Paris, with Marshall, at Munich with Pillsbury and Schlechter for first place, but retired from the play off.

PILLSBURY'S RECORD

Year Place Rank Pl'd Won Lost
1895
1895
1896
1896
1898
1899
1900
1900
1902
Hastings
St.Petersberg
Nuremberg*
Budapest
Vienna †
London ‡
Paris
Munich §
Monte Carlo
 1
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
2
 21
18
18
12
37
27
16
15
19
 16½
8
12

28
18
12½
12
14½
 4½
10
6


9

3

*Tied with Tarrasch. †Tied with Tarrasch and lost in the play off.  ‡Tied with Maroczy and Janowski. §Tied with Schlechter, both in the tournament proper and in the play off. Maroczy also tied for first, but dropped out of the play off, taking third prize.

JANOWSKI'S RECORD

Year Place Rank Pl'd Won Lost
1894
1895
1896
1896
1897
1898
1898
1899
190
1900
1901
1902
Leipsic*
Hastings
Nuremberg*
Budapest*
Berlin*
Vienna*
Cologne
London*
Paris
Munich*
MonteCarlo*
MonteCarlo*

12
5
4
4
3
9
3
10
7
1
3
17 
21
18
12
19
37
15
27
16
15
18
19
 10½

11½
7
12½
26½

18
9

10½
14
 6½
12½

5

10½

9
7


5

*Prize winner
   In 1894 Janowski tied with Marco; in 1895 with Burn and Mason; at Budapest, with Schlechter; at London with Pillsbury and Maroczy; at Paris with Showalter and at Munich with Berger, Showalter and Wolf.

TEICHMANN'S RECORD

Year Place Rank Pl'd Won Lost
 1894
1895
1896
1897
1899
1902
 Leipsic*
Hastings*
Nuremberg
Berlin
London
MonteCarlo*
 3
7
19
16
15
4
17 
21
18
19
14
19
 12
11½
4

2
13¼
 5

14
11½
12

*Prize winner
   At Hastings Teichmann tied with Bardelben. At London he retired after playing a few games in the first round, the rest being charged to him as loses.
   By a perusal of the foregoing tables it will be readily seen that Pillsbury's record surpasses all the others. He was a prize winner wherever he competed and his poorest effort was to tie for third place. His is second only to that of Lasker, whose record will be found in the following list of tournament winners since 1895, when Pillsbury made his debut:
Year Place and Winner Won Lost
1895
1895
1896
1896
1897
1898
1898
1899
1900
1900
1901
1902
Hastings, Pillsbury
St.Petersberg, Lasker
Nuremberg, Lasker
Budapest, Tschigorin
Berlin, Charousek
Vienna, Tarrasch
Cologne, Burn
London, Lasker
Paris, Lasker
Munich,.Pillsbury,.Schlechter
Monte Carlo, Janowski
Monte Carlo, Maroczy
16½
11½
13½

14½
28½
11½
22½
14½
12
10¼
14¾









3

  Lasker won every tournament he competed in,  except Hastings where he finished third after Pillsbury and Tschigorin.

 

    click here for the Crosstable

 


 

William Ewart Napier  won the Rothschild Brilliancy Prize for this game against Tschigorin:

 

 

"Prince Dadian of Mingrelia's special prize for the most brilliant game played in the Monte Carlo tournament has been awarded to James Mason of London for his victory over D. Janowski, the French champion. This encounter ran as follows:"