Thursday, August 1

Dutch Championship: Dr. Esser is new Champion; defeats Loman to capture title

Dr. Johannes Esser is the new Dutch Chess Champion after defeating defending titleholder Rudolf Loman by a score of 3 1/2 - 1/2 in a play-off match held at Amsterdam from the 18th to the 22nd ult.  Dr. Esser took the first three games running and drew the fourth, making further play in the scheduled six-game contest unnecessary.  The new Champion, a surgeon by profession, previously took top honors at the Haarlem tourney 0f 1908, and won a short series against Janowski in 1910 by the score of two victories to one.  Loman, winner of last year's Dutch Championship event at Delft, appeared quite out of form in the play-off, committing several costly oversights.

We present below the games of the match:

In the opening contest, a Queen's Gambit, Loman's 24...Qc5? allowed the opposing Queen unchallenged access to the Black King-side after 25.Qxh6, with fatal consequences.

    


The second game saw another oversight by the defending Champion, 25.Ba4?


In the third contest, Loman, in desperate need of victory, gained the exchange through strong endgame play but later somehow went astray, finally being forced to surrender at the 69th move.


In the final encounter Dr. Esser, needing only a draw to win the match and claim the Champion's title, accepted terms of peace from a position of strength. 


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