Problem Tourney of Chess Monthly, 1857

[ath]

I find from the reprint editions of Chess Monthly there the first section of this tourney drew at least 10 sets, and that all except two were found to be faulty. Those two sets were by S. Loyd and 'W. King', one of Loyd's several pseudonyms used in Chess Monthly. I also find that Loyd sent in at least two other sets (Stratagems and Toils, and Dreams of Germany) -- Chess Monthly published the odd problem from these, and they also appear in American Chess-Nuts under Loyd's name.

White notes (in 1913) that no other entrant seems to be known -- so there are at least 6 sets unaccounted for.

Does anyone know if later research has identified any other participants in this early tourney?

[Batgirl]

I couldn't find other participants, but the Scientific American, March 23, 1878 wrote:
CHESS MONTHLY PROBLEM TOURNAMENT OF 1857.
This little tournament was held over a score of years ago, but is still fresh in the minds of our problemists, owing to the number of times the problems have been republished and the tournament referred to. Prizes were offered for the three best sets of three problems, consisting of three four, and five move problems; also prizes for the best suicidal and conditional problems. But as these latter positions were all faulty there was no competition. Among the regular sets but two were found to be correct. Both prizes were therefore awarded to Samuel Loyd for the sets, "Let those laugh who win" and "A la memoire de Szen," one from each set being given on our diagrams of this week.

The two problems given were:
[Event "Chess Monthly"]
[Site "Let those who laugh win"]
[Date "1857"]
[White "Samuel Loyd"]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "6R1/2K5/8/8/5p2/6p1/1Q3Nk1/8 w - - 0 1"]
{White to move and mate in 3}
*

[Event "Chess Monthly"]
[Site "A la memoir de Szen"]
[Date "1857"]
[White "Samuel Loyd"]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "8/7K/8/3RB3/4k3/2P5/4B3/4R3 w - - 0 1"]
{White to move and mate in 3}
*

[garykevinware]

From the 'chapter', The "Chess Monthly" Tourney, from Sam Loyd and His Chess Problems by Alain C. White, http://problem64.beda.cz/silo/sam_loyd_and_his_chess_problems_1913.pdf.
"Fiske neglected nothing that would add to the interest and popularity of his magazine. A problem tourney was held in the very first volume. Unfortunately, the time limit was only two months, so that foreign competitors, in those days of slow transatlantic mails, were practically barred from competing. In fact, the Tourney proved to be mainly an exhibition by Loyd alone! There were ten sets entered, of which eight were faulty. First prize went to Loyd, and second prize to the mysterious Mr. W. King ("ahem!" as Perrin used to say). Of the remaining sets, at least two were also by Loyd, and as only a single entry of a single set not by Loyd was ever published, I have been unable to identify the other competitors."
From looking at http://www.yacpdb.org, the most likely candidate for the one problem, not by Loyd, that was published, is the following one by Eugene Cook.



Eugene Cook Chess Monthly 1857 #5

[Batgirl]

The Alain C. White book is an amazing read, not just for the collection of Loyd's problems but for White's history lessons. Just the part concerning Loyd's association with Willard Fiske is worth the price of admission (if there were one). It also seems reasonable to assume that if White never learned the identities of the other participant, they will probably remain in that state. Thanks Kevin.

[garykevinware]

The name is Gary, and I host Gary's Gems, http://www.chessproblem.net/viewforum.php?f=44.

[ath]

Thanks for kicking off this line of comments!

It also seems reasonable to assume that if White never learned the identities of the other participant, they will probably remain in that state.

Perhaps. White should not be underestimated as a source or researcher, but, I think, he should not be overestimated either. While he was much closer to the sources than we are, he does occasionally provide wrong or incomplete source reference to chess problems that can be fairly easily located in modern reprinted sources -- perhaps more easily accessed now than in his days. And modern access to on-line digitalized sources does provide a lot more additional information than could easily be provided in the years he was active. So ... I will go on hoping that some additional jetsam from 1857 may still be found in some remote corner.

[ath]

... the most likely candidate for the one problem, not by Loyd, that was published, is the following one by Eugene Cook.

Thanks for the suggestion! But I find that it was published, under Cooks usual signature 'E. B. C.' in July, i.e. before the report from the tourney was
published in the October issue, when the mottos were also revealed.

[Batgirl]

White, like anyone, is fallible of course. I was thinking that his biography of Loyd was so rich, that from his association with Loyd and from his own composing interest, he may have more intimate knowledge than the average researcher. Though this certainly doesn't exclude some arcane newspaper or periodical reference.

[Batgirl]

The name is Gary, and I host Gary's Gems, http://www.chessproblem.net/viewforum.php?f=44.

Gary it is!
Sorry for the mistake.

[garykevinware]

... the most likely candidate for the one problem, not by Loyd, that was published, is the following one by Eugene Cook.

Thanks for the suggestion! But I find that it was published, under Cooks usual signature 'E. B. C.' in July, i.e. before the report from the tourney was
published in the October issue, when the mottos were also revealed.

In that case, it could be the following problem by William W. Johnson, as it says in parenthesis, Enigma 4, although it was apparently published in the July 1857 edition of Chess Monthly.



William W. Johnson Chess Monthly July 1857 #5

http://www.yacpdb.org