Der vierte Kongress des Deutschen Schachbundes. Hamburg 1885

[ii]+256 pages with diagrams and tables. Octavo (8 1/4" x 5 1/2") bound in original wrappers. (Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana:5220) First edition.

The fourth meeting of the Deutschen Schachkongresse took place in Hamburg in 1885. It was the fourth master's tournament (Deutschen Schachbund) organized since its inception six year's previously at Leipzig in 1879. As in the previous three editions, the round robin tournament was an international event, pitting German masters against the best of Europe at the time. Germany was represented by its usual field of strong masters, including Wilfried Paulsen, Max Bier, Hermann Von Gottschall, Johannes Von Minckwitz, Fritz Reimann, Emil Schallopp, Arnold Schottlaender, and Siegbert Tarrasch who had won his spot by winning the 1883 Nuremberg Hauptturnier master title. The German masters were joined from Great Britain by Joseph Henry Blackburne, who was the winner of the second Deutschen Schachbund at Berlin in 1881, Henry Edward Bird, Isidor Gunsberg, George Henry Mackenzie, and James Mason. Berthold Englisch, the winner of the first Deutschen Schachbund in Leipzig 1879, along with Johann Nepomuk Berger and Max Weiss came from Austra. Josef Noa travelled from Hungary, and Jean Taubenhaus came from Poland. The eighteen assembled chess masters participated in the single strongest international event of 1885. In spite of the presence of such strong competition, Isidor Gunsberg surprisingly took clear first place with 12 points out of 17 games. Five other players, all of them sure bets at the start of the tournament to win, tied for second place half a point behind Gunsberg. Gunsberg would go on to have impressive results in the latter half of the 1880s, including winning matches against Blackburne and Bird, before challenging Wilhelm Steinitz for the world championship in 1890. Although he would not win the world crown, Gunsberg proved himself here and later that he was one of the best chess players in the world in the 19th century.

Condition:

Spine chipped away, wrappers soiled with edge wear and a 1" by 1/2" chip at back edge, some pages still unopened. A good copy a scarce item in original wrappers.