| Wallace - Esling (1895) |
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Melbourne, Australia (8 June-11 July 1895)
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Score
———————————————————————————————————————————————
Wallace ½ 1 1 1 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 0 1 0 0 ½ 1 7½
Esling ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 1 ½ 0 5½
———————————————————————————————————————————————
Format: The winner of the first seven games, first three draws not counting, is the victor.
Time Control: 15 moves per hour.
Stakes: £25 each side.
Introduction
In 1895, Frederick Karl Esling (recognised as the first Australian chess champion) challenged Albert Edward Wallace (who was the reigning Australian chess champion) to a match for the title. It was played in Melbourne between 8 June and 11 July, and aroused great interest at the time. Wallace narrowly won, winning seven games and losing five, with four draws. "The deposits to bind this match having been placed in the hands of the stakeholder and referee, Mr. Burns, and all the preliminary arrangements completed, the match will commence on Saturday, the 8th inst., at 2 p.m. A suitable room has been secured at the Athenaeum, Collins-street, for the accommodation of the players, and another large room adjoining, in which the course of the play can be followed on a duplicate board by the members of the club, and such visitors as shall be entitled to the entree. Play will be continued on three days in each week at afternoon and evening sittings till the conclusion of the match. The conditions are similar to those in the last match for the Australian championship between Messrs. Crane and Wallace. The stakes are £25 a side.
The player who first scores seven games is to be declared the winner. The time limit is 15 moves an hour, and after three games have been drawn other draws are to count half a game to each player. The match is exciting considerable interest not only in the colonies, but in England and America, and the leading chess columns there have made arrangements for obtaining copies of the games at the earliest date."(1) Notes
The next so-called Australian Championship match was Wallace - Hodgson (1896). Source
(1) Melbourne Leader, 8 Jun 1895, p. 34
Credit
Original collection: Game Collection: 1895 Wallace-Esling Australian Championship by User: optimal play.
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| page 1 of 1; 16 games |
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| Mar-28-16 | | optimal play: <<<<THE COMING CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH.> Esling v Wallace>
All the preliminary arrangements relating to this match have now been completed. The conditions of play, etc., have been signed by both parties, and play will commence on Saturday the 8th inst., at 2p.m., at the new rooms of the Melbourne Chess Club, in the Athenaeum, Collins street. Thereafter the match is to be continued on each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 2 p.m. till 5.15 p.m., and from 7.45 p.m. till 11.15 p.m. The players will also meet on Saturday afternoon from 2 p.m. till 5.15 p.m. The committee of the Melbourne Chess Club have arranged to place duplicate boards in a room apart from the players, so that members and visitors may have an opportunity of inspecting the games in progress. Since the defeat of Mr Crane, the ex-champion of Australia, by Mr Wallace, the present holder, it has been the desire of Australian chess players generally that Mr Esling should challenge Mr Wallace, as it was felt that until a trial of strength took place between these players, the latter could only be champion in name. For many months past efforts have been made to overcome the many difficulties which lay in the way, and it is greatly in the interests of Australian chess that these efforts should have proved successful. Our sympathies naturally lean towards the Victorian player, but this, notwithstanding, we shall heartily and ungrudgingly offer our congratulations to Mr Wallace should he prove his right to retain the title of Chess Champion of the Australian colonies.> - Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic.) Sat 8 Jun 1895 Page 13> |
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| Mar-28-16 | | optimal play: <<<<Chess Championship.> Wallace v Esling.>
The great chess battle so anxiously looked forward to by all players commenced at the Athenaeum on Saturday last (8th June), the champion of Australia, Mr. Wallace, meeting the champion of Victoria, Mr. Esling. The weapons for a chess duel are very simple. A big board, 2 feet square, and men, a tell-tale clock, and an umpire. In one of the small rooms of the Athenaeum these things were found ready at 2 o'clock, and at that time Sir Hartley Williams, the president of the Melbourne Chess Club, having made the first move and given the word "go," play commenced. The principal condition of the match is that 15 moves must be made within the hour. They can be divided just as the player thinks fit. For example, he can make 10 moves in five minutes, and extend the other five over the remainder of his hour, and so on. The tell-tale clock has two dials, or rather there are two separate pendulum clocks fastened together in a V-shaped case, working on a pivot at the base of the letter. The player whose move it is has his clock going against him, the column of the V containing it standing upright. When he has made his move he presses his end of the V downwards, thus bringing his opponent's clock into a vertical position, a movement which starts it going and stops his own. The two champions are very disappointing outwardly. They are quite young men, without any of the legendary characteristics one has always associated with great chess players. Mr. Wallace would be taken for a youthful Lord Hopetoun at the period when our late Governor grew his moustache. Sometimes after he has made a move he will rise quickly from the table and walk about the room, looking at the pictures, or will fill his pipe. Again, when contemplating the battle-field he has a habit of folding his arms and rocking himself to and fro; suddenly he will stop and close his eyes for some minutes. When he has decided on a move he makes it in a most decisive manner, lifting the piece and placing it again with a thump. He is a nervous man, and has the lithe pointed fingers of the artist. Mr. Esling is not as restless as his opponent. The only outward sign of the working of his brain is an almost incessant twirl of his moustache. He smokes his cigar methodically from start to finish, without once letting it go out. Mr. Wallace had to relight his pipe once or twice. Silence is imperative, and no sound is heard in the room but the ticking of the clock, the occasional striking of a match, or a subdued cough. The two young men sitting at the table are in marked contrast to the dozen or so grizzly, spectacled, massive-headed onlookers around, amongst whom is Sir Hartley Williams, sitting close to the combatants, watching the play so intently that for hours he hardly once changed his position, and never lit the cigar he held in his hand. In a long room full of smoke upstairs there are a dozen tables, each with its two players and their admirers — in football, barrackers. At a board in the centre of the room the play of the champions below is being followed, each change in the game being brought by a messenger on a slip of paper as soon as made. The position of the champions is thoroughly discussed by those standing round, and schemes suggested apparently advantageous to either side until demonstrated by others how they could be effectively met.> - The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.) Tue 18 Jun 1895 Page 2> |
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| Apr-01-16 | | optimal play: Final Match Schedule
Saturday June 8 Day 1
opening ceremony
1st game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 0.0 - 0.0 Esling
Sunday June 9 rest day
no play
Wallace 0.0 - 0.0 Esling
Monday June 10 Day 2
1st game resumed & concluded
Wallace 0.5 - 0.5 Esling
Tuesday June 11 rest day
no play
Wallace 0.5 - 0.5 Esling
Wednesday June 12 Day 3
2nd game commenced & concluded
3rd game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 1.5 - 0.5 Esling
Thursday June 13 Day 4
3rd game resumed & concluded
4th game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 2.5 - 0.5 Esling
Friday June 14 rest day
no play
Wallace 2.5 - 0.5 Esling
Saturday June 15 Day 5
4th game resumed & concluded
Wallace 3.5 - 0.5 Esling
Sunday June 16 rest day
no play
Wallace 3.5 - 0.5 Esling
Monday June 17 Day 6
5th game commenced & concluded
Wallace 4.0 - 1.0 Esling
Tuesday June 18 rest day
no play
Wallace 4.0 - 1.0 Esling
Wednesday June 19 Day 7
6th game commenced & concluded
7th game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 4.0 - 2.0 Esling
Thursday June 20 rest day
no play
Wallace 4.0 - 2.0 Esling
Friday June 21 rest day
no play
Wallace 4.0 - 2.0 Esling
Saturday June 22 Day 8
7th game resumed & concluded
Wallace 4.0 - 3.0 Esling
Sunday June 23 rest day
no play
Wallace 4.0 - 3.0 Esling
Monday June 24 Day 9
8th game commenced & concluded
9th game commenced & concluded
Wallace 5.5 - 3.5 Esling
Tuesday June 25 rest day
no play
Wallace 5.5 - 3.5 Esling
Wednesday June 26 Day 10
10th game commenced & concluded
11th game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 6.5 - 3.5 Esling
Thursday June 27 Day 11
11th game resumed & concluded
12th game commenced & concluded
Wallace 7.5 - 4.5 Esling
Friday June 28 rest day
no play
Wallace 7.5 - 4.5 Esling
Saturday June 29 Day 12
13th game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 7.5 - 4.5 Esling
Sunday June 30 rest day
no play
Wallace 7.5 - 4.5 Esling
Monday July 1 Day 13
13th game resumed & concluded
14th game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 7.5 - 5.5 Esling
Tuesday July 2 rest day
no play
Wallace 7.5 - 5.5 Esling
Wednesday July 3 Day 14
14th game resumed & concluded
15th game commenced & concluded
16th game commenced & adjourned
Wallace 8.0 - 7.0 Esling
Thursday July 4 Day 15
16th game resumed & concluded
Wallace 9.0 - 7.0 Esling |
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Nov-30-18
 | | offramp: User: optimal play has done a stupendous job on this match. And it is not just the comprehensive introduction. If you look at each game you'll see large articles about the match from contemporary newspapers. The whole lot put together amounts to an all-encompassing oeuvre of considerable size, like a book, and it is given here for free to users of <chessgames.com>. I was playing through the games but then the WC match started and I was side-tracked, so I am starting again. The games so far have been very good.
Once again, many thanks to <Optimal Play>. |
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| Dec-01-18 | | optimal play: My pleasure <offramp>. It's doing this sort of thing which I most enjoy at Chessgames. This is what the site's all about.
I'm happy if I've been able to make a small contribution in this way, although of course I acknowledge there are many others who have done a great deal more in making Chessgames what it is. I've benefited a lot from other people's work on this site so I'm pleased to be able to give a little bit back. I hope you and others will enjoy playing through this historical match and the other matches and tournaments I've compiled. |
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