Monday, May 17

Chess by wireless telegraph

We have received the extraordinary news that a game of chess was played recently via wireless telegraph between passengers on two ocean-going steamers, the König Friedrich August and the Principessa Mafalda. We had never thought to live to hear of such a thing. It is truly a testament to the widespread popularity of our pastime that each advance in the field of communications is almost immediately seized upon by chessplayers as yet another means to have a game. First land-based telegraph by wire, later transatlantic cable, and now wireless "radio" have all facilitated near-instantaneous encounters between players miles - and sometimes continents - apart. One can only imagine what the future holds in store.

We give the game score below for its historic value. That the players are not of master strength is of no moment. The circumstances under which it was played warrant its publication.

Passengers on the König Friedrich August (Messers. Gimenez, Ruiz, Clairian, Ocampo, and Seifert) - Passengers on the Princepessa Mafalda (Messers. Roca, Marco, Olivier, Sacerdoti, Osten, and de la Serna)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.c3 Qf6 5.h3 h6 6.d3 Be7 7.Bd5 Bd7 8.b4 a6 9.Be3 Qg6 10.g4 Bf6 11.Qb3 Nge7 12.Nbd2 Nxd5 13.exd5 Ne7 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Ke2 (Diagram)
15...Qh7 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Nh4 c6 18.c4 cxd5 19.cxd5 Rac8 20.a4 Ng6 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.gxf5 Ne7 23.Rhg1+ Kh8 24.f4 Qxf5 25.Raf1 Ng6 26.fxe5 Qh5+ 27.Kd2 fxe5 28.Qd1 Qxd1+ 29.Kxd1 Nf4 (White retains some pressure notwithstanding the exchange of Queens. Black returns the extra pawn to alleviate it a bit.) 30.Bxf4 exf4 31.Rxf4 (Drawn upon Black's proposal.) 1/2 - 1/2 We understand that the increasing distance between the ships made further continuation of the game difficult.

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