Chess Archaeology HomeChess is a scientific game and its literature ought to be placed on the basis of the strictest truthfulness, which is the foundation of all scientific research.W. Steinitz

O’Hanlon’s First Two Irish Titles
by David McAlister

Introduction
    The Irish Chess Union was founded in 1912 and continues to this day to be the governing body of chess in Ireland.  This is the story of its first two Championships, seen principally from the perspective of the winner on both occasions, John O’Hanlon.  He won nine titles in total, the last in 1940, and played in every championship, except the one in 1927, from 1913 to 1956.  On his last appearance he was eighty years old.
The First Irish Chess Union Championship 1913
    This was not the first time there had been a competition for the title of Irish chess Champion.  During the period 1865 to 1893 a number of different organisations had organised Irish Championships.  The title-holder after the last of those competitions was J. A. Porterfield Rynd and the Irish Chess Union recognised him as the reigning champion and as such he was eligible to compete in the first ICU Championship together with the champions of the four provinces.
    O’Hanlon was the champion of Ulster, a title he had had held since 1902.  He played regularly in England where he was able to play against a higher overall standard of opposition than he could encounter locally.  This had brought him into contact with the German master (but resident in England for many years) George Shories [calculated as having a 5-year best average rating of 2430 by Arpad E. Elo in his book The Rating of Chessplayers, Past and Present, Batsford 1978] and they became friends.  Towards the end of 1912 they played a series of 19 friendly games while Shories was on a visit to the North of Ireland.  O’Hanlon won 7, drew 1 and lost 11 of that series, which was according to the News-Letter chess columnist “a very creditable record against such an opponent.”  These encounters were ideal preparation for the Ulster champion ahead of his attempt to acquire the Irish championship.
O’Hanlon,JJ — Shories,G
(1)
D60/05
QGD: Orthodox (Lipschütz)
1912
IRE Portadown (Casual series)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nf3 0–0 7.Bd3 dxc4 
A favorite maneuver of Shories.  I think, however, the possession of the center is of more importance than the time lost by the attack on the bishop.
8.Bxc4 a6 9.0–0 b5 10.Bb3 Bb7 11.Qe2 c5 12.Rad1 c4 13.Bc2 Qc7 14.Bf4 Qa5 
Black is under some disadvantage, and cannot well interpose the bishop, for then 14...Bd6 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.e4.
15.Ne5 Nb6 16.a3 
Necessary, otherwise Black would get a strong attack by the advance of the pawns.
16...Nbd5 17.Nxd5 exd5 
To get the usual theoretical advantage of three pawns to two on the queenside, but I would have preferred 17...Nxd5.
18.g4 
This and the 23rd move are strongly reminiscent of Blackburne’s great game with Lipschütz in the New York Tourney of 1889.
18...Rad8 19.g5 Ne4 20.Qg4 Bc8 
A mistake leaving a hole at c6 and driving the white queen where she wants to go. 
21.Qh4 Qb6 22.f3 f6 
From this point Black makes a clever attempt to save the game, but without success.
23.g6 h6 24.Nf7 f5 25.Nxh6+ gxh6 26.Qxe7 Qxg6+ 27.Kh1 Rd7 28.Qh4 Ng5 29.Rg1 Rg7 30.Be5 Rff7 31.f4 1–0. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1913.02.06
    Originally it was intended that the provincial champions would play a double round all-play-all tournament to decide the challenger to Porterfield Rynd.  However only the champion of Leinster, C. J. Barry, and O’Hanlon, came forward as challengers and so instead a match of five games, to be played at a rate of 20 moves per hour, was arranged between them.  It commenced on Monday 10th February at the rooms of the Dublin Chess Club in Lincoln Place.
    Barry had the White pieces in the first game but lost in 28 moves of a Ruy Lopez, O’Hanlon playing the Berlin Defence.  In the second game Barry leveled the match score. 
O’Hanlon,JJ — Barry,CJ
(2)
D53/16
QGD: Pillsbury
1913
IRE Dublin (Irish Championship Preliminary Match)
Annotations by Barry.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nf3 c6 7.Bd3 h6 8.Bh4 0-0 9.0-0 Ne8 10.Bg3 f5 
This weakens the e-pawn permanently and leaves a “hole” at e5 of which White takes full advantage subsequently, but Black had too great a respect for the white queen and bishop working on the open diagonal and so closed it with this move.
11.Qc2 Nd6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bd7 15.Qb3 
Threatening 16.Bxd6 bxd6 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Qxd5 followed by Qxd6.
15...Bc6 16.f3 Qd7 17.Rad1 Rac8 18.Rfe1 a6 19.Bxd6 Bxd6 20.e4 
This move comes at last after careful preparation.
20...fxe4 21.fxe4 dxe4 22.Bxe4 Rf6 23.Bxc6 
23.d5 would have made things lively for Black.
23...Qxc6 24.d5 exd5 25.Nxd5 Rf7 26.Kh1 Kh8 27.Re2? 
There was scarcely sufficient time for this.  Black is now out of difficulty and has the best of the game.
27...Rcf8 28.Ne3 Qe4 29.Qc3 Qf4 30.g3 Qf3+ 31.Rg2 Qe4 32.Kg1 Bb4 33.Qc1 b6 34.h3 Bc5 35.Re1 Rf3 36.Rge2 Rxg3+ 37.Kh2 Qf3 0-1. 
Northern Whig, 1913.03.06
    The third game was another Ruy Lopez, won by O’Hanlon in a complicated queen and four pawns ending.
Barry,CJ — O’Hanlon,JJ
(3)
C67/07
Spanish: Open Berlin (Pillsbury)
1913
IRE Dublin (Irish Championship Preliminary Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nb7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Re1 Nc5 11.Nd4 Ne6 12.Nxe6 
This exchange is not advisable, as it gives Black an open file.  12.Be3 leading to the Rio de Janeiro variation is much superior.
12...fxe6 13.Qg4 d5 14.Bh6 
A line of attack frequently adopted, but I think it can hardly be the best, as the bishop has afterwards to retreat with loss of time.
14...Rf7 15.Rad1 Qf8 16.Ne2 
A trap; if 16...Rxf2 17.Bxg7 winning the exchange.
16...Kh8 17.Be3 Rb8 18.b3 Rb4 19.Rd4 Rxd4 20.Nxd4 c5! 21.Nf3 
21.Nc6 was preferable, and would have prevented the immediate loss of the pawn namely 21.Nc6 d4 22.Bc1 (if 22.Nxe7 dxe3) 22...Bb7 23.Nxe7 Qxe7 and if 24.f4 c4 followed by ...Qb4 with the better game; if 21.Nxe6 d4 22.Nxf8 ( and if 22.Bc1 Bxe6 23.Qxe6 Rxf2 winning) 22...Bxg4 and the knight cannot escape.
21...d4 22.Bc1 
I rather expected 22.Bg5 Bxg5 23.Nxg5 Rf5 (if 23...Rxf2 24.Qh4) 24.Qh4 h6 25.Nh3 Bb7 threatening ...Rf3 followed by ...Rc3 or ...c4, followed by ...Qb4, according to White’s play.
22...Bb7 23.Qxe6 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Rxf3 25.Re4! Rxf2 26.Rf4 Rxf4 27.Bxf4 Qxf4 28.Qxe7 Qc1+ 29.Kf2 Qxc2+ 30.Kf3 Qd3+ 31.Kf4 h6 32.Qd8+ Kh7 33.Qxc7 Qe3+ 34.Kf5 Qf3+ 35.Ke6 d3 36.Qxc5 Qe4! 
The winning move preventing the check at c2, and leaving White without any satisfactory resource.
37.Qf2 Qc6+ 38.Ke7 Qc7+ 39.Kf8 Qxe5 40.Qg2 Qf6+ 41.Ke8 Qg6+ 0-1. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1913.02.20
    O’Hanlon won the fourth game, a Queen’s Gambit, in only 20 moves and so qualified for a five-game match with Porterfield Rynd.  The latter had first won the Irish title at the Dublin Chess Congress of 1865 and had held it since that time, except for the period between October 1886 and January 1892.  Rynd was coming out of retirement to play the match but at the height of his powers he was probably a better player than O’Hanlon; for instance, in 1888 he had played two short matches, first defeating Amos Burn by 3 to 1 and then scoring +2 –2 =1 against James Mason.  Unfortunately your author has been unable to locate any of his wins against these distinguished gentlemen in those matches so here instead is an example of his match-play from his heyday against a man with a famous chess-playing name.
Porterfield Rynd,JA — Morphy,J
 
C25/03
Vienna: Pierce
1886
IRE Dublin (St. Patrick’s Chess Club)
Annotations by Porterfield Rynd.
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.d4! 
Will he accept the gambit W. T. Pierce invented, and advance his pawn to take the knight?
5...Bg7 
No.  Caution rather than venture today, as a loss of a game is the loss of the match.
6.Bc4 d6 
Rosenthal’s continuation is 6...h6 7.0–0 Nge7 8.Ne2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5.
7.0–0 Bg4 8.Ne2 h6 9.c3 Nge7 10.Qc2 
Obviously it was right not to play 10.Qb3; most promise lay with 10.b4.
10...Qd7 11.Bd2? 
The listless movements of this bishop reduce me quickly to a sad plight.
11...0–0 12.g3 fxg3 13.Nxg3 Kh8 14.Be3? d5 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Bd2 
The loss of three moves - even this early - in a “close” opening might not signify.  In a critical phase in the King’s Gambit the loss is disastrous.
16...f5 17.h4 Bxf3 18.Rxf3 f4 19.hxg5 
For desperate cases, desperate remedies.  If now 19.Ne2 Qg4+ 20.Kf2 Ne3!  Therefore I resolve to amputate the knight.
19...fxg3 20.Rxg3 Qd6! 
My rook is attacked most awkwardly.  If I move it to g4 he can play 21...h5.  If I move it to h3 or g2 he wins by 21...Nf4.  If I guard it by 21.Kg2 or 21.Kh2, or by 21.Qd3, he wins by the same move of the knight; while if I play 21.Be1 he wins by 21...Rad8.  Moreover my king is exposed, a sacrifice of his knight for two pawns is threatened, and altogether my position is not one of comfort.  There is a gleam of hope, however.  Suppose I move...
21.Rg4 
...and he replies...
21...h5 
...there is just one move that will give me some relief.  Here goes...
22.Qe4! 
The move of relief.
22...Nce7 
The position is interesting.  Plainly if 22...hxg4 23.Qh1+ Kg8 24.Bxd5+ Rf7 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.Rf1+ Kg8 27.Bf4 Bxd4+ 28.cxd4 Qxd4+ 29.Kg2 Qd5+ 30.Kg3 draws.
23.Qh1 Qg6 24.Rh4 Nf6 25.Qh3! 
Every move in this part of the game is ingenious and interesting.
25...Nh7 26.Bd3 Rf5! 27.Rxh5 Raf8 28.Re1! 
This not merely forces his knight to move (or it cannot be guarded without loss) but opens the way for a winning coup.
28...Nc6 29.Re8! Qxe8 
If 29...Rxe8 30.Bxf5 Qf7 31.Bxh7 etc.
30.Bxf5! Rxf5 
30...Qxh5 31.Qxh5 Rxf5 32.Qh3 Ne7 33.g6 etc.
31.Rxh7+ Kg8 32.Qxf5 Qe2 
I have regained the piece and more, yet it is no easy matter to avoid the draw so cleverly played for by my opponent.  The endgame is instructive.
33.Rh2 
Better than 33.g6 Qd1+ (if he took the bishop on this or his next move, of course queen mates) 34.Qf1 Qg4 (if 34...Qxf1+ 35.Kxf1 Ne7 36.Bh6 Bf6 37.Rf7 wins) 35.Qg2 Qd1+ 36.Kh2 Ne7 etc.
33...Qd1+ 34.Qf1 Qg4+ 35.Rg2 Qe6 36.Qd3 Ne7 
Taking 36...Qxa2 would have shortened the game.  37.Re2 Qd5 (or 37...Qf7 38.g6 Qd7 39.Qe4 etc.) 38.Qg6 etc.
37.b3 c6 38.Qf3 Nf5 39.Rf2 Nh4 40.Qf4 Ng6 
If 40...Qh3; 41.Qf7+ Kh8 42.Qe8+ Kh7 43.g6+ Nxg6 44.Rh2! wins.
41.Qf5 Qe8 42.Kf1 Nh4 43.Qg4 Ng6 44.Re2 Qf7+ 45.Ke1 Nf8 46.Bf4 Qd5 47.Kd2 c5 48.Qg2 Qd8 49.Be5 cxd4 50.Bxg7 dxc3+ 51.Kxc3 Qc7+ 52.Kd3 Kxg7 53.Qe4 Ng6 54.Qd4+ Kh7 55.Re3 Nf4+ 56.Kd2 Qa5+ 57.Kd1 Qxg5 58.Qe4+ Kh6 59.Rf3! 
This wins in a few moves.
59...Qg1+ 60.Kd2 Qh2+ 61.Ke3 Qg1+ 62.Rf2! Qe1+ 63.Kf3 Qh1+ 64.Kxf4 Qh4+ 65.Ke3 Qg3+ 66.Ke2 Qc7 
And I announce mate in four.
1–0. 
Irish Sportsman, 1886.03.13
    The match between champion and challenger was delayed for some time by a variety of causes, including the illness of the champion.  It eventually got under way on Monday 4th August, again at the rooms of the Dublin Chess Club, with Shories in attendance to support his “protégé.”  The time limit was 15 moves an hour but throughout the match Rynd played very rapidly and it was obvious that the champion was finding it difficult to cope with the demands of serious match-play after a long absence from the competitive scene.
O’Hanlon,JJ — Porterfield Rynd,JA
(1)
C70/01
Spanish: Morphy (Classical)
1913
IRE Dublin (Irish Championship Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Bc5 
The old “Classical Defence” long since abandoned as inadequate.
5.c3 d6 6.d4 
First 6.0-0 might be suggested, as it would have prevented the check.
6...exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 b5 9.Bb3 Bg4 10.0-0 Bxc3 
Almost compulsory, as Nd5 was threatened, but it gives White a strong center.
11.bxc3 Qd7 12.Re1 
A useless move!  12.h3 should have been played at once.
12...Nge7 13.h3 Bxf3 
The bishop could not have been moved away, as g4 and Nh4 would have followed.
14.Qxf3 0-0 15.Qg3 Rae8 16.h4 
To prevent 16...Ng6 to which White would reply 17.h5 and 18.Bh6 winning the exchange, but if the king had been kept on its original square 17...f5 could not have been played.
16...Kh8 17.Bc2 f5 18.Qh3 Qc8 
18...Rd8 would not have been better, as White could reply 19.exf5 Nxf5 20.d5 Ne5 21.Bg5 Rde8 22.f4 Nc4 23.Re6 with a strong attack.
19.exf5 Ng8 20.Bg5 Nf6 21.g4 Na5 22.Bxf6 Rxf6 23.g5 Rff8 24.Qf3 Nc4 25.Qh5 Nd2 26.f6 g6 27.Bxg6 Nf3+ 28.Kg2 Nxe1+ 29.Rxe1 Rf7 30.Rxe8+ Qxe8 31.Bxf7 Qe4+ 32.Qf3 1-0. 
Northern Whig, 1913.08.14
Porterfield Rynd,JA — O’Hanlon,JJ
(2)
D00/06
Queen’s Pawn: Chigorin
1913
IRE Dublin (Irish Championship Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.Nc3 
An irregular method of opening, but it is not good, as in the Queen’s Pawn opening it is necessary to leave the c-pawn free to advance.
1...d5 2.d4 c5! 3.e4 dxe4 4.Bb5+ 
I would have preferred 4.d5, although that also turns to the advantage of Black.
4...Bd7 5.dxc5 Nf6 6.Qe2 a6 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.b4 
White should have taken the pawn and he would have been only slightly behind in development.
8...a5 9.Ba3 
And again it would have been very much better to have retaken the pawn.
9...e6 10.Rd1 axb4 11.Bxb4 Qc8 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Bxc5 14.Bxc5 Nxc5 15.Qf3 Rxa2 16.Ne2 0-0 17.0-0 Rxc2 18.Nd4 Rc4 19.Nb5 Qc6 20.Nd6 Qxf3 21.gxf3 Rc3 22.Rb1 Rb8 23.Rb5 b6 24.Rfb1 Nd7 25.Ne4 Rxf3 26.Nc5 Nxc5 27.Rxc5 Rf5 28.Rxb6 
Clever, but to no avail.
28...Rd8 29.Rd6 Re8 30.Rc7 g6 31.Kg2 Ra8 32.Rd2 Ra4 33.h3 Ra3 34.Rcd7 Rg5+ 35.Kh2 e5 36.R7d3 Rxd3 37.Rxd3 Kg7 38.f3 h5 39.Rd5 Kf6 40.Rd6+ Ke7 41.Rd5 h4 42.Rb5 Kf6 43.Rb4 Rg3 44.Rxh4 Rxf3 45.Rb4 Kf5 46.Kg2 e4 47.Rb7 Kg5 48.Rd7 f5 49.Rd6 Kh4 
A mistake.  Black saw he could not retake the pawn at once, but thought he could play 50...Rg3, and he had almost done so.
50.Rxg6 f4 51.Rg4+ Kh5 52.Rg8 Re3 53.Rh8+ Kg6 54.h4 f3+ 55.Kg3 Kg7 56.Re8 Re2 57.h5 f2 0-1. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1913.08.14
    The Northern Whig for the 7th August gave this account of the conclusion of the match:
    In the third, and what proved the deciding game in the match, Mr O’Hanlon had naturally a great advantage over his opponent, and it was evident from the play in the two previous games that the veteran champion was all through finding it difficult to give, to each successive position in the ever-changing scene of the game, that sustained attention which is absolutely essential in play such as Mr O’Hanlon’s.  In point of fact, although allowed sixty minutes for every fifteen moves, Mr Rynd scarcely consumed twenty minutes, and on subsequent investigation it transpired that he suffered many opportunities to slip.  The most important occurred in yesterday’s game, as after twenty moves on each side, in which he had consumed only ten minutes, he indulged in the luxury of granting his opponent a rook for a knight, and he had only to push his queen’s pawn to maintain a fairly level game.  The result was disastrous, his clever opponent in some dozen moves compelling him to resign, and with it winning the championship of Ireland, which the holder had held for some forty years.
    In 1913 Porterfield Rynd was in his mid-sixties with his chess powers diminished and clearly no longer capable of the concentration required for a serious match.  However, by putting up the championship he had held for so long a period, he conferred extra legitimacy on the fledgling Irish Chess Union and its first championship.
The Second Championship 1915
    There was no Championship contest in 1914 but the following year produced the second Irish Chess Union Championship.  The Union’s original intention had been to hold a preliminary tournament with representatives of each of the four provinces, with the winner going on to challenge O’Hanlon for the title.  However, owing to the war, the Munster champion could not travel and C. J. Barry, once again the Leinster champion, also stood down, leaving just two challengers, R. G. Dixon Addey of Castlebar and Harold Thomas of the Belfast Chess Club.  It was then decided to arrange a match of four games between them to determine who would be the challenger to O’Hanlon.  The match was held in the C. I. Y. M. S. rooms in Belfast from the 17th to 20th May.  The champion took a keen interest in the match and annotated all four games for the Belfast News-Letter.
Dixon Addey,RG — Thomas,H
(1)
D69/01
QGD: Capablanca (Classical)
1915
IRE Belfast (Irish Championship Preliminary Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Rc1 
This was a favorite move of Pillsbury’s, but 7.Qc2 followed by Rd1 is now generally preferred.
7...c6 
This defense gives Black a cramped game, but it is much stronger than it looks.
8.Bd3 
Marshall and most of the masters have played this move.  8.cxd5 is at least equally as good.
8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.0-0 
11.Qd2, if 11...Nxc3, 12.Qxc3 preventing e5 might have been tried.
11...Nxc3 12.Rxc3 e5 13.dxe5 
If 13.e4 exd4 14.Qxd4 b5 15.Bb3 c5 16.Qd5 Rb8 and Black obtains the majority of pawns on the queenside.
13...Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Qb3 b5 16.Bd3 Bb7 17.Qc2 h6 18.Be4 Rac8 19.Rc5 Qf6 20.b4 
White should have taken possession of the open file by 20.Rd1, if 20...Rfd8, 21.Rxd8 Qxd8 22.h3.
20...Rfd8 21.Rc1 Rd6 22.Bf5 
A very weak move, and the main cause of White’s subsequent trouble.
22...Rcd8 23.h3 Rd2 24.Qc3 
An extraordinary move.  24...Qxc3 25.Rxc3 Rxa2 would have won without much difficulty.
24...Rd1+ 25.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 26.Kh2 Qxc3 27.Rxc3 Rd2 28.Rd3 Rxd3 29.Bxd3 Bc8 30.g4 
At this point White has a slight advantage owing to the weakness of Black’s c-pawn, and he should now have played 30.Be4.
30...Kf8 31.Kg3 Ke7 32.Kf4 Be6 33.a3 g5+ 
Black would have had better drawing chances by 33...Kd6.
34.Ke5 f6+ 35.Kd4 Kd6 36.Bf5 
A mistake that might have cost White the game.
36...Bc4 37.Bd3 Bxd3 38.Kxd3 c5 39.Ke4 c4 40.Kd4 Ke6 41.Ke4 
White here offered a draw, which Black declined, and made the following losing move.  The position seems to be in Black’s favor, but it would take exhaustive analysis to prove that he could force a win.
41...c3 42. Kd3 Ke5 43. f3 Kd5 44. Kxc3 Ke5 
And after a few moves Black resigned.
1-0. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1915.05.20
Thomas,H — Dixon Addey,RG
(2)
C10/14
French: Rubinstein (Capablanca)
1915
IRE Belfast (Irish Championship Preliminary Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bd3 Be7 6.Nf3 Ngf6 7.Nxf6+ Bxf6 8.0-0 0-0 9.c3 e5 
9...c5 would have been better, as White could now have gained a pawn by 10.dxe5 Bxe5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Bxh7.
10.Qc2 g6 11.Re1 
White could have got a slight advantage in development by 11.dxe5 Nxe5 (if 11...Bxe5 12.Bg5) 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.Bh6, followed by Rad1 [in fact this line loses a pawn to ...Bxh2+ - DMcA.]
11...exd4 12.cxd4 Bg7 13.Bf4 c6 14.Bd6 Re8 15.Rxe8+ Qxe8 16.Re1 Qd8 17.Be7 Qc7 18.Qb3 Nb6 19.Ng5 Nd5 20.Ba3 Bd7 21.Bc4 Re8 22.Rxe8+ Bxe8 23.Bxd5 cxd5 24.Qe3 Bb5 25.h3 h6 26.Nf3 Kh7 27.Bb4 Qc4 28.a3 Qe2 29.Bc3 Bf8 30.Qxe2 Bxe2 31.Nd2 Kg7 32.f3 f5 33.Kf2 Bb5 34.g3 Kf6 35.f4 g5 36.Kg2 g4 37.h4 Ke6 38.Kf2 Kd7 39.Ke3 Kc6 40.Kf2 b6 41.b4 
Although two bishops are stronger than bishop and knight, it would probably have been impossible for Black to force a win if White had kept the queenside pawns unmoved. 
41...Ba4 42.Ke2 Bc2 43.Nf1 Kb5 44.Kd2 Be4 45.Ne3 
It does not seem that 45.Kc1 would have been any better, as Black could have played 45...Kc4.
45...Ka4 46.Bb2 a5 47.bxa5 bxa5 48.Kc3 Bxa3 49.Bxa3 Kxa3 50.Nf1 Ka4 51.Nd2 Kb5 52.Nb3 a4 53.Nc5 a3 54.Kb3 a2 55.Kxa2 Kc4 56.Ne6 Kd3 57.Kb2 Ke3 58.Kc3 Kf2 59.Ng5 Bg2 60.Nf7 h5 61.Nd6 Kxg3 62.Nxf5+ Kxf4 63.Ng7 Kg3 64.Nf5+ Kh3 65.Kd2 Be4 0-1. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1915.05.27
Dixon Addey,RG — Thomas,H
(3)
A46/02
Indian: Knights
1915
IRE Belfast (Irish Championship Preliminary Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.e3 Nbd7 5.Be2 e5 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.b3 
White has not made the most of the opening and this move is distinctly bad; 7.0-0 should have been played.
7...Bb4 8.Bb2 
Another weak move.  After the next move Black would have gained a pawn, and in many variations a piece by playing 9...f5 10.Qc4! Qe7 11.a3 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Bxa3.
8...Ne4 9.Qd3 Bxf3 10.gxf3 Bxc3+ 11.Bxc3 Nxc3 12.Qxc3 c6 13.0-0-0 Qc7 14.Rhg1 g6 15.f4 0-0-0 16.Bc4 Rhf8 17.f5 
White has got out of his difficulties fairly well, and by this move can dispose of his doubled pawn.  If 17.gxf5 White regains the pawn by 18.Rg7.
17...Kb8 18.Kb1 Nb6 19.Rxd8+ Rxd8 20.Bd3 Nd5 21.Qb2 Nb4 22.Be4 Qd6 23.a3 Na6 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.Rg5 f5 26.Bg2 Nc7 27.e4 Qf6 28.Rg3 Ne6 29.exf5 gxf5 30.Re3 Nd4 31.Ka2 e4 32.Qc3 Qg5 33.Bf1 Qf4 
Black has played the last ten moves very cleverly, and now forces the gain of a pawn.
34.Qd2 Qxh2 35.Rg3 Qh4 36.Rg6 
Now 36...Nxb3 would have ended the struggle at once.
36...Qe7 37.Qf4+ Ka8 38.Kb2 Rf8 39.Bc4 a6 40.a4 Nf3 41.Re6 Qd7 42.Ka2 Qd2 43.Qc7 Qxc2+ 44.Ka3 Qc1+ 45.Kb4 Qd2+ 46.Kc5 a5 47.Bb5 Qd4# 0-1. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1915.06.03
Thomas,H — Dixon Addey,RG
(4)
C10/11
French: Rubinstein
1915
IRE Belfast (Irish Championship Preliminary Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bd3 b6 
Rubinstein introduced this system of development in the French Defense, but plays it at a later stage.
6.Nf3 Bb7 7.Bf4 Ngf6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Nxf6+ Nxf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Rad1 h6 
White has now the superior position, but instead of this move Black should have played 11...Nd5 followed by ...Nb4 in order to get rid of the troublesome bishop. [But what about 12.Qe4 g6 13.Bh6 and if 13...Re8 14.c4 winning a piece? – DMcA]
12.Rfe1 
White should have played 12.c4 in order to prevent the maneuver indicated above.
12...Nh5 
A useless move to which 13.Be5 would probably have been the best reply, and if then 13...f6 14.Ng5.
13.Bc1 Nf6 14.c4 Kh8 15.Bb1 Qe8 16.Ne5 Ng8 
Black is much embarrassed for a continuation, but this is probably as good as anything else.
17.Qg4 
This move is likely good enough, but it seems that 17.Qd3 Nf6 (if 17...f5 18.d5 exd5 19.exd5) 18.Ng4 would have left Black almost without resource.
17...Bf6 18.Rd3 
If 18.Re3 the mistake which occurred next move would not have been possible.
18...Bxe5 19.Rxe5 
An unfortunate oversight.  White could still have won had he played 19.dxe5.  Black’s only valid reply was 19...f5 20.exf6 Rxf6 21.Rde3 Rd8! 22.f4 followed by f5 winning at least a pawn.
19...f5 20.Qh3 Be4 21.d5 Bxd3 22.Rxe6 Bxb1 0-1. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1915.06.10
    The News-Letter for 6th May had given this thumb-nail sketch of the challenger:
    Mr Dixon Addey belongs to Castlebar and is undoubtedly the best chess player in the West of Ireland.  He has competed four times in the British Chess Federation tournaments.  The first time was in 1909, when he entered the first class, but, not being accustomed to tourney play, he did not make as good a score as his play deserved.  In 1910 he competed in the first class at Oxford, making a better score.  In 1912 he played in the first class at Richmond and tied for third prize.  Last year he competed at Chester in the major open tournament, and tied for fourth place.
    Dixon Addey should have been a formidable opponent for O’Hanlon.  In that 1914 Major Open, he had finished ahead of the Irish champion, who was only eleventh, and won their individual encounter.  The winner, incidentally, was George Shories with an impressive 10½ out of 11.
    The Championship was to be decided by a five-game match.  It was held in O’Hanlon’s hometown, Portadown, at the Young Men’s Institute, commencing on the 24th May.  Unfortunately, the challenger seemed in very poor form and in the first two games was unable to survive the opening.  Dixon Addey had played the opening rather carelessly in the last three games of the earlier match with Thomas, without being fully punished.  O’Hanlon, however, was not so generous, playing very energetically against any inaccuracy in the opening moves.
O’Hanlon,JJ — Dixon Addey,RG
(1)
D07/03
Queen’s Gambit: Chigorin
1915
IRE Portadown (Irish Championship Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 
A defense often played with success by the late Russian master, Chigorin.  The idea is to follow, if possible, by e5.
3.Nf3 Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3 Nf6 
This move is the cause of the ultimate loss of the game.  In the same position against Lasker, Chigorin played 6...e6 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.Bxc3.  [Lasker–Chigorin, Hastings 1895, actually reached the position after White’s ninth move by the following move order: 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bg4 3.c4 Bxf3 4.gxf3 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.e3 Bb4 7.cxd5 Qxd5 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 – DMcA]
7.Nc3 Qd8 8.d5 Ne5 9.f4 Ned7 10.Qb3 Nc5 
This move loses a piece.  10...Rb8, or 10...Nb6, is also unsatisfactory.  In reply to the former White plays 11.e4, and to the latter 11.a4 a5 12.Bb5.
11.Qb5+ Nfd7 12.b4 c6 13.Qe2 
The best move.  Other lines of play would also have won, but this gives Black no chance.
13...Na6 14.dxc6 Rc8 15.cxd7+ Qxd7 16.Qb2 
Threatening Bb5.
16...Nxb4 17.Qxb4 a6 18.Qb3 Qc6 19.Qa4 b5 20.Nxb5 Kd8 
If 20...Qxh1, White by 21.Nd6 drives Black into a mating position.
21.Bd2 axb5 22.Ba5+ Rc7 23.Bxc7+ Kxc7 24.Qa7+ Kc8 25.Bh3+ e6 26.0-0 Bc5 27.Rac1 1-0. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1915.06.17
Dixon Addey,RG — O’Hanlon,JJ
(2)
C65/01
Spanish: Berlin
1915
IRE Portadown (Irish Championship Match)
Annotations by O’Hanlon.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 Ne4 6.Bxc6 
The only correct move is 6.0-0, and at the next move Qxd4 would have been better.  White practically loses the game by his faulty opening.
6...dxc6 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.c3 0-0 9.0-0 f6 10.Bf4 g5 11.Re1 
If the bishop moves Black wins at least a pawn, and if 11.Qd3 Qd5 or 11...Bf5 also wins.
11...Nxf2 12.Kxf2 fxe5 13.Rxe5 Rxf4+ 14.Ke1 Bxd4 15.cxd4 Rxd4 16.Qh5 Bg4 17.Rxg5+ 
Of course 17.Qxg5 would have prolonged the game; but as White had a lost game in any case, he good-naturedly took with the rook in order to save his opponent further trouble. 
17...Kh8 18.Rxg4 Qe7+ 19.Kf2 Rf8+ 20.Kg3 Rd3# 0-1. 
Belfast News-Letter, 1915.06.24
    In the third, and what turned out to be the final, game the challenger adopted Philidor’s Defence.  He made an oversight at an early stage by which he lost a piece for a pawn.  After playing a few more moves he resigned, as his position was hopeless.  O’Hanlon had retained his title in most convincing fashion.  In two ICU Championships he had played ten games, winning nine and only losing one.
© David McAlister 1999

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