23 July 1861—1 August 1861

Game	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Wins
Anderssen	1	0	0	1	0	½	1	½	1	4
Kolisch	0	1	1	0	1	½	0	½	0	3

Format: Seven games, the winner of the first four to be declared the victor, draws not counting.
Time Control: 24 moves every two hours.
Purse: £10.

The Match Between Anderssen And Kolisch An unusual interest and activity at present prevail in the chess-playing resorts of the metropolis, owing to an unexpected visit from Herr Anderssen, who arrived in London at the close of last week. We need hardly mention how welcome is his presence in our chess salons, and are happy to be able to add that the stalwart German is just as hearty as he was in 1851, looking scarcely any older, and quite ready and willing as ever to test his skill at any time, for any number of games, and against all comers. Although enjoying very few opportunities for good practice in his favourite game, at Breslau, were he resides, Anderssen has already shown that his play cannot be said to have fallen off, and that when he chooses he can play every whit as well as of yore; in proof of which we need only direct attention to the first game given below. Soon after his arrival Anderssen played a few smart off-hand games with Mr Lowenthal, and with Mr Kolisch, with varying success; but as these parties were confessedly rather “skittling” and unsteady, a short match was soon arranged by the ever-zealous and spirited London Chess Club, between Anderssen and the well-known practitioner Kolisch, who has now been resident some time on London. The match was commenced on Tuesday last, the terms being simply that the games should take place daily, commencing at one o’clock, in the rooms of the London Chess Club, at Purcell’s, in Cornhill, and that the first winner of four games should be declared victor, and entitled to a prize of 10l., subscribed by the club. The well-known prowess of both players has invested this trial of skill with the highest interest, which the admirable boldness and accuracy of the play on both sides, in the very first game of the match, has tended no little to enhance. Mr Anderssen, we hear, remains in London till next Saturday, and if the match at the London Chess Club be concluded sufficiently soon to allow of it, a return match between the same players, for the first three games, will probably come off at Mr Ries’ great chess divan, in the Strand. At the time of our going to press, the score gives to Mr Anderssen 2, Mr Kolisch 2.

Herr Anderssen’s Arrival In London. Our readers will perceive, with no small pleasure, that this distinguished German master has arrived in London, intending to remain here for a fortnight. Herr Anderssen has already visited the various Chess Clubs in the metropolis, and he is now engaged in a match with Herr Kolisch, at the London Chess Club, whose members, we are bound to say, never lose an opportunity of providing attraction at their rooms. The Committee, with that spirit and liberality which distinguish their management of the affairs of the Club, have offered a handsome prize to the winner. The match will consist of seven games, the winner of the first four to be declared the victor. By bringing about this interesting contest, the Committee of the London Chess Club will render a great service to Chess players, as the result of the encounter will satisfactorily establish how far Mr. Kolisch can lay claim to the high position which he has hitherto occupied. This is the first set match in which he has ever engaged in this country with a player of first-rate reputation.

The Match. The first game was played on Tuesday, and was won by Herr Anderssen. This is one of the most remarkable and interesting games which we have had the pleasure of examining for some time. It exhibits, in a remarkable degree, the distinguishing characteristics of both players. While the play of the German master is full of dash and spirit, vigour and originality, constantly pushing forward to the attack, that of Herr Kolisch is deliberate, cautious, and profound. The fortunes of the players during the game were constantly varying. Now Kolisch had the advantage—now Anderssen; and over and over again victory trembled so evenly in the balance that it was impossible to predict to which side it would eventually fall. It was a hardly contested battle, no error of any importance having been committed by either player. The two succeeding games were won by Herr Kolisch. It was admitted on all hands that these games were far inferior to the first.

An additional feature of interest in this match was the introduction of a limitation of time for the moves. Each player was allowed two hours for four-and-twenty moves. The time was marked by a sand-glass. This plan appeared to work well, and we hope to see it generally adopted on all future important occasions. If this should come to pass, the London Chess Club will be able to claim the honour of having added a new and most beneficial law to the code of Chess.

The members of the London Chess Club will dine together on Tuesday next, at the Ship Hotel, Greenwich; Herr Anderssen, Herr Kolisch, M. de St. Amant, and Mr. Loewenthal, are among the invited guests.

Herr Andersssen has paid a visit to the St. James’s Chess Club, and engaged in play with the President. Herr Anderssen scored the odd game, winning two to Mr. Loewenthal’s one. In a second encounter Mr. Loewenthal proved the victor. Mr. A. has also played at the Divan, with Mr. Burden and other Amateurs. We shall duly report his movements in our next.

Match Between Herr Kolisch And Herr Anderssen. An interesting match is being contested at the London Chess Club, Cornhill, between Kolisch, the brilliant aspirant for the throne of Paul Morphy, and the veteran Anderssen, the first player in Germany, who has come to spend his vacation in London; resting awhile from his labours as mathematical professor in the college of Breslau. Immediately on his arrival, the London Club, with their usual energy, got up this match, of which he who scores four games is to be proclaimed winner. The London Club have long deprecated the abuse of the unlimited time allowed on moves, and have resolved on this occasion to try an experiment as to shortening that time; and the new plan so far works admirably, subject, of course, to such modifications as may be suggested by experience. Each player is bound to play twenty-four moves in two hours; that is, averaging five minutes on the move, twelve double moves thus to be completed in the two hours. He may expend this time as he chooses, so all the time he gains on moves played quickly goes to his general credit. An hour glass is devoted to each combatant, and every minute he expends scored to his debit. This novel plan imposes some trouble on the judges of the lists, as some one experienced player has to undertake marking the time. The combatants, of course, have thus the five minutes’ average of time allowed for their move, and study the game during the same average time allowed the opponent. We had the pleasure of looking over the first game played on this plan Tuesday last, and found it promising, as to at least introducing some principle of cutting down the dreary space consumed by players, and the utter ruin of real chess. This game lasted close upon the full time allowed, forty-three moves having consumed nearly seven hours, the reserve of M Kolisch being very small indeed. The game is a magnificent specimen of chess, especially in the latter part, when the veteran Anderssen came out in great force, and his rival was at length fain to give up. The London Club will have the honour to give a dinner at Greenwich next week to Messrs Kolisch, Anderssen, and Lowenthal.

Match between Messrs. Anderssen and Kolisch Under the patronage of the London Chess Club a short contest, determinable by either party winning four games, has been arranged between the above noted players, and began on Tuesday. Up to the time when we write six games have been played, Mr. Anderssen winning two, Mr. Kolisch winning three, and the sixth being drawn.

First game of match between Herr Kolisch and Herr Anderssen, played at London Chess Club, July 23, 1861.

Second game of match between Anderssen and Kolisch, played in London Club, Cornhill, July 24.

Third game of match between Messrs Kolisch and Anderssen, played in London Club, July 25.

Fourth game of the match between Herr Kolisch and Herr Anderssen, played in London Club, July 26.

Fifth game of match between Messrs Kolisch and Anderssen, played at the London Club, July 27.

Sixth game of match between Anderssen and Kolisch, played in London Club, July 29.

Seventh game of match between Messrs Kolisch and Anderssen, played in London Club, July 30. Match to be won by the player first scoring four games.

Dinner Of The London Chess Club.—The members of the London Chess Club met at a friendly dinner, at the Ship Hotel, Greenwich, on Tuesday last. The chair was occupied on the occasion by Mr A. Mongredien, the President; while the vice-chair was taken by Mr. Alfred Jones. Among the leading members of the Club present we observed Mr. George Medley, the Hon. Secretary of the Club; Mr. Henry Waite, the Treasurer; Messrs. Slous, Mark, Goffey, Hennell, Gandell, Schröder, &c. Messrs. Anderssen, Kolisch, and Loewenthal were also present as the guests of the Club. Among the toasts proposed was that of “The Visitors”—Messrs. Anderssen, Kolisch, and Loewenthal, given by the President, and responded to by Messrs. Anderssen and Loewenthal. The dinner was of the most sumptuous description, and the evening passed off in the most harmonious manner, owing, in no small degree, to the genial urbanity displayed by the Chairman.

Eighth game of match between Kolisch and Anderssen, played in London Club, July 31.

The match between these two great players was brought to a close on Thursday, their ninth day of battle in the London Club. Each party having won three games, and two games being drawn, the interest excited was extreme. The crowning game was a masterpiece of play on the part of the Prussian. Kolisch got a cramped opening, lost time in developing his pieces, and was nervous, we fancied, throughout. His experienced opponent, whose nerves are about as sensitive as steel, broke into Kolisch’s encampment with a grand dash, carried all before him with a real master hand, and was proclaimed winner of the game and match on finally announcing a forced Mate in fives moves, which could not be averted. So Anderssen won four games to three, and the result being so close, we may well say our brilliant Kolisch loses the match, but heeps his chess honours. To fight such a battle against the acknowledged first player in Europe, which we have long pronounced Anderssen to be in these columns, is no mean triumph for a young gentleman of two-and-twenty.

Ninth and last game of match between Kolisch and Anderssen, played in London Club, Cornhill, August 1. The parties being three and three, this game was to decide the match.

Match At The London Chess Club.—This match was concluded on Thursday, the 1st instant, the victory falling to Herr Anderssen. Final score;—Herr Anderssen, 4; Herr Kolisch, 3; drawn, 2. The contest excited immense interest throughout, and particularly near the close, when each combatant had won three games. The rooms were well attended on each day by members and visitors, who followed the moves with the greatest interest and attention. As we have previously stated, it was not merely a question whether Mr. Anderssen or Mr. Kolisch was the better player, but the result was looked forward to as a gauge of Mr. Kolisch’s ability to contend with Mr. Morphy. Whether, in this contest, Mr. Kolisch exhibited such an amount of skill and ability, as would warrant the hope of his being successful against the American player, we must leave those who witnessed and perused the games to determine. We must say, however, that both gentlemen exerted themselves to the utmost of their ability to play their best. At the conclusion of the match, Herr Anderssen was warmly congratulated, and Herr Kolisch was much complimented on the able manner in which he conducted the contest. The games, taken collectively, are the most interesting we have seen for some time.

Match Between Messrs. Anderssen And Kolisch. The joust between these distinguished players has terminated—Mr. Anderssen winning four games, his opponent three, and two having been drawn. The result is not satisfactory. We are glad, of course, to obtain even a few games contested by such masters, but it is not by a few games that the superiority of either can be fairly established, and that really was what we wanted to see. If Mr. Anderssen or Mr. Kolisch had won the first four games without his opponent scoring one, that fact, in the absence of any remarkable disparity in the skill displayed by the two combatants, would not have sufficed to prove that the victor was a better player,—teste a dozen instances where the winner of the first few games has afterwards been signally defeated,—à fortiori, the difference of a single game between them ought not to be considered to have settled the question. Our own opinion is that Mr. Anderssen in his best day attained a much higher eminence than Mr. Kolisch has ever reached; but we cannot admit that the result of the present brief encounter proves that he is a stronger player at this time. Let another match be arranged between them of some forty or fifty games. Mr. Anderssen may not be able to play it here, but Mr. Kolisch can easily go to Breslau; and when that fair trial has taken place it will not be difficult to pronounce definitively upon their relative capabilities. Till then, we take leave to reserve judgment.

Messrs. Anderssen And Kolisch’s Match.—M. St. Amant, publishes the following sketch in the Sport:—“During a late visit to London, towards the end of July, we witnessed at the City Chess Club a very interesting match between M. Kolisch and M. Anderssen. The latter gentleman, Professor of Mathematics in the University of Breslau, had availed himself of his yearly vacation to make a trip to London in order to try his strength with M. Kolisch, who had become the terror of chess-players on the banks of the Thames, and whom the laurels of the admirable Morphy also prevent from sleeping. These able players, both Germans, began by a skirmish of four games, the honours of which were equally divided, and then, in order to decide a more serious match, the prize for which (10 guineas) was subscribed by the members of the club, they began a series of games, in which he who should first gain four was to be declared the victor. After various alternations of loss and gain, as well as drawn games, though only one game was played each day, beginning at noon precisely, the score on the 1st inst. showed the following result:— Two drawn games, three games won by M. Kolisch, and four by M. Anderssen, who was consequently declared the winner. Though Kolisch was beaten by losing the last game (which ended by an announced checkmate in five moves), he is young, and has plenty of time to take his revenge against the veteran Anderssen, who this time bravely came to challenge him, and displayed great skill, especially in the two concluding games, which he gained rapidly, having previously appeared somewhat inferior to this antagonist. The games played were certainly fine ones, though often disparaged by mistakes unworthy of such able champions, and they also showed a feeling of mutual apprehension. What particularly pleased us in this match was an innovation, a real progress, without which it is no longer possible to undertake a serious struggle. This innovation, which we have always advocated in the Palamède, and still more recently in the Sport, consists in fixing a maximum of time for the moves; for it is necessary that a game should not be interminable, and that the conditions should be equal for both parties, which they were not when one of the players was allowed by intentional slowness to weary out the patience and faculties of his antagonist. As long ago as 1836 (see Palamède, t. 1, p. 189), we ourselves were authorised to propose to the English, in the name of Deschapelles (our illustrious and regretted master), on the occasion of his challenge, to establish a measure of time. The practical means of execution selected was the hourglass of old Saturn, which we borrowed from the mythological deity to recommend it for adoption by our insular neighbours, who take for their device, ‘Time is money.’ A quarter of a century has elapsed before our idea had prevailed, simple and excellent as it is. The London Chess Club has now adopted the emblem of the fabled god, and we found Kolisch and Anderssen separated by two gigantic clypsedras [sic; clepsydras], or rather sand-glasses, each made to measure the space of two hours. While the sand is running through, the player is bound to make twenty-four moves, which gives an average of five minutes for each; but the player is at liberty to give more or less time to any move he pleases, provided the twenty-four moves are made in 120 minutes. We are happy to state that this first trial was most satisfactory. The two antagonists, though a little moved at first on account of this sword of Damocles suspended over their combinations, soon got used to it, and not the slightest inconvenience was experienced. Seeing that a great many moves, especially at the opening, may be played rapidly, as much as half an hour, or even an hour, may be taken for a decisive move at the close. In the match we have just witnessed, the shortest game took two hours and the longest seven.”

A few remarks on this highly interesting trial of skill may be acceptable to some of our readers. Although Kolisch was defeated, the match was so closely contested (4 to 3, with 2 draws), that the score cannot be taken as deciding the relative powers of the two players. Undoubtedly a match of at least twenty-one games is necessary to enable us to form a judgment as to skill, from the number of the games lost and won on each side. Judging from the games themselves, however, we are inclined to consider Anderssen at present decidedly the more finished and accomplished player. This is quite natural, and incident to an experience longer by some twenty years than that of Mr Kolisch. As, however, the latter is yet quite a young player (of only twenty-three years of age we believe), there is every probability that a continuance of play with such a master as Anderssen would render him at least equal to his late victor. Mr Kolisch’s play evidences great confidence, keen research, and immense tenacity, but is inferior in discipline, systematic connection, and caution to that of Anderssen. We may observer that the last-mentioned player is acknowledgedly the quicker, and that the admirable time-limitation used in this match (twenty moves to two hours) is said to have told rather against Mr Kolisch, who may nevertheless play as readily as his opponent did when he has had half his experience. On the whole the late match has produced very instructive, excellent, and valuable games, and has clearly proved, were there only the first and fourth games, that the German master is in the full possession of his very best play whenever he chooses to exert himself, and that he had full need of it against such a formidable antagonist.