5th American Chess Congress (1880) The 5th American Chess Congress was held at the Manhattan Chess Club in New York City, the United States from January 6th to the 31st, 1880. Ten American chess masters and players participated in the nine "double rounds" of the main event. The participants included two-time US Chess Congress winner George Henry Mackenzie, 4th US Chess Congress at Philadelphia (1876) runner-up Max Judd, previous Congress participants James Adams Congdon and Preston Ware, as well as Albert Cohnfeld, Eugene Delmar, James Grundy, Charles Moehle, John Ryan, and Alexander Sellman. Each of the players gained entrance to the masters tournament via a $20 entry fee. Games began promptly at 1 p.m. each day with a break for dinner between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. whereby the games resumed until 11 p.m. Games were adjourned if the players could not reach a conclusion by midnight. The time control for the tournament was fifteen moves an hour, with an increment of whatever time unspent being carried over to the next time control. Sundays were reserved for rest days. I recommend reading Charles Gillsburg's account of the Congress, which he gives in great detail and can be found easily on Google Books. The final of the event saw a tie for first between Mackenzie and Grundy. The Congress rules stipulated in the event of a tie that a playoff match would follow the congress with the grand prize going to the first player to win two games. Mackenzie defeated Grundy handily and claimed the grand prize of $500 and a gold medal to commemorate his victory. Grundy received $300 for second place, while Moehle received $200 for third, Sellman received $100 for fourth, and Judd received $50 for fifth. It was Mackenzie's third and final US Congress victory and cemented his legacy as one of the strongest chess players living and playing in the United States in the 19th century. =1st Mackenzie ** 0½ 10 ½½ ½1 11 11 11 1½ 11 13½ =1st Grundy 1½ ** ½½ 10 1½ 11 1½ 01 11 11 13½ 3rd Moehle 01 ½½ ** 0½ 1½ 10 11 11 11 11 13 4th Sellman ½½ 01 1½ ** 10 1½ 11 0½ 11 11 12½ 5th Judd ½0 0½ 0½ 01 ** ½1 11 11 01 11 11 6th Delmar 00 00 01 0½ ½0 ** 11 11 ½1 11 9½ =7th Ryan 00 0½ 00 00 00 00 ** 11 01 11 5½ =7th Ware 00 10 00 1½ 00 00 00 ** ½1 1½ 5½ 9th Congdon ½0 00 00 00 10 ½0 01 0½ ** 00 3½ 10th Cohnfeld 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0½ 11 ** 2½ Playoff Match: 1st Mackenzie 1 1 2 2nd Grundy 0 0 0 Original collection: Game Collection: New York 1880, by User: suenteus po 147  page 1 of 4; games 1-25 of 92  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. A Cohnfeld vs Mackenzie 0-1 29 1880 5th American Chess Congress D00 Queen's Pawn Game 2. P Ware vs J A Congdon ½-½ 79 1880 5th American Chess Congress A00 Uncommon Opening 3. Sellman vs E Delmar 1-0 49 1880 5th American Chess Congress C77 Ruy Lopez 4. J Grundy vs M Judd ½-½ 95 1880 5th American Chess Congress C77 Ruy Lopez 5. C Moehle vs J S Ryan 1-0 56 1880 5th American Chess Congress C01 French, Exchange 6. J S Ryan vs C Moehle   0-1 50 1880 5th American Chess Congress A84 Dutch 7. Mackenzie vs A Cohnfeld   1-0 45 1880 5th American Chess Congress C41 Philidor Defense 8. M Judd vs J Grundy 0-1 40 1880 5th American Chess Congress C45 Scotch Game 9. E Delmar vs Sellman   ½-½ 66 1880 5th American Chess Congress C13 French 10. J A Congdon vs P Ware 0-1 60 1880 5th American Chess Congress B00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening 11. P Ware vs M Judd 0-1 71 1880 5th American Chess Congress A80 Dutch 12. Sellman vs J A Congdon 1-0 67 1880 5th American Chess Congress B01 Scandinavian 13. J S Ryan vs E Delmar   0-1 45 1880 5th American Chess Congress C42 Petrov Defense 14. J Grundy vs Mackenzie   1-0 46 1880 5th American Chess Congress C77 Ruy Lopez 15. C Moehle vs A Cohnfeld   1-0 52 1880 5th American Chess Congress C29 Vienna Gambit 16. Mackenzie vs J Grundy   ½-½ 37 1880 5th American Chess Congress C01 French, Exchange 17. M Judd vs P Ware 1-0 57 1880 5th American Chess Congress B00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening 18. E Delmar vs J S Ryan   1-0 53 1880 5th American Chess Congress A02 Bird's Opening 19. J A Congdon vs Sellman   0-1 25 1880 5th American Chess Congress C01 French, Exchange 20. A Cohnfeld vs C Moehle   0-1 63 1880 5th American Chess Congress A80 Dutch 21. Sellman vs C Moehle   1-0 50 1880 5th American Chess Congress B40 Sicilian 22. Mackenzie vs P Ware   1-0 58 1880 5th American Chess Congress B00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening 23. M Judd vs A Cohnfeld   1-0 55 1880 5th American Chess Congress C44 King's Pawn Game 24. E Delmar vs J Grundy   0-1 70 1880 5th American Chess Congress C01 French, Exchange 25. J A Congdon vs J S Ryan   0-1 39 1880 5th American Chess Congress C77 Ruy Lopez  page 1 of 4; games 1-25 of 92    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)       There is no kibitzing for this page, yet.   NOTE: You need to pick a username and password to post a reply. 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