Introduction
Frederic Lewis, a barrister, provided the funds for the match. He originally proposed that it be a match dedicated to the Evan's Gambit, (Opening Explorer).
"Match.— Bird v. Blackburne. A short match consisting of a series of five games, having been arranged by Mr. F. H. Lewis, who also provides the stakes, was commenced on Monday at the British Chess Club....Originally, Mr. Lewis proposed that all the five games should be Evans Gambits; but Mr. Blackburne thought that in such a contest little scope for originality would be left to the players, and it was agreed to play only two Evans. In both cases the defence won...". (1)
The Terms of the match
According to the "British Chess Magazine" of June 1887:
"I understand that arrangements are now being made for a match between Messrs. Bird and Blackburne, on similar terms to the match now being played between the latter player and Zukertort.
The principal conditions are:
1st. No stakes, but a purse of £25 to be played for, £15 to go to the winner, £10 to the loser.
2nd. The winner of first five games to be victor, draws not to count.
3rd. Time-limit 20 moves per hour.
4th. Play to commence about a fortnight after completion of pending Blackburne-Zukertort match.
It is evident that these short and friendly matches continue to maintain their popularity, and I trust they long may do so, as it is evident that Chess gains thereby" (2)
This suggests that the match was arranged before May 1887, and the purse matched Blackburne - Zukertort (1887) which also had a purse of £25, and a £15/£10 apportionment (£15 is approximately £1,450/$2,420)
MacDonnell mentioned in the "Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News" of 4th June that he was requested to act as stakeholder and umpire.
The match was held in the British Chess Club, 37 King Street, Covent Garden, London, in November 1888.
"A match of five games between Messrs. Bird and Blackburne was commenced at the British Chess Club on Monday. Mr. Bird won the first game, and the remainder were won by Mr. Blackburne, who was therefore victorious by four games to one. The match was arranged by Mr. F. H. Lewis, one of the conditions being that the Evans Gambit should be played once by each player. This was done, and it is noteworthy that the defence won in both cases." (3)
The players:
In 1878, Joseph Blackburne had defeated Henry Bird in a match with a 5-2 score.
Their previous games usually ended in a decisive result, according to the Chessgames database prior to this match their score was: 6 wins to Bird, 11 to Blackburne with two draws. Their last six games in the database before this match included no draws and had five wins for Blackburne. Of course, the database is not complete, but this gives a good impression of two players who enjoyed combat which allowed them to exercise their tactical flair.
Alexander Alekhine later commented on the "English school and style of chess" which he stated was founded by Blackburne, James Mason and Bird:
"Bird, always lay greater stress on a thorough study of each tactical unit of a scheme than on judging the expediency of such a scheme.
That they had good results despite such a primitive conception of chess was due, especially by Blackburne, first to their extraordinary combinatorial talent and, second, to the fact that Wilhelm Steinitz 's epoch-making explanations of the principles of chess strategy were then only beginning to become popular." (4)
In 1886, Blackburne had won tournaments with Bird coming in second place behind him, The BCA Handicap Tournament and the "Criterion" tournament.
Blackburne was now 46 years old, and this match took place during his peak period between 1886 and 1888. In 1887, he played three matches defeating George MacDonnell and then an ailing Johannes Zukertort, (May - June 1887).
Both he and Zukertort then travelled to 5th DSB Congress, Frankfurt (1887), (July - August 1887) where Blackburne came a close second to MacKenzie in a very powerful field.
Within weeks of this strenuous achievement, he was contesting a match with his nearest British rival, Isidor Gunsberg, who had tied for first in 1887 British Championship and would win the title outright in 1888, - Blackburne - Gunsberg (1887), (September - November 1887). It was reported that Blackburne's health had broken down during the match - Morning Post, Monday 17 October 1887, p. 2. and this time he lost, the match concluding +5 -2 =6 in Gunsberg's favour.
London 1887 B.C.A. Masters 6.5/9; Bradford 1888 B.C.A. Masters 10/16
Bird was of master strength but by profession he chose to be an accountant specialising in railway finance. He was 57 years' old, and was in decline from his peak rating in 1875-1880 (5)
By the mid 1880s, Bird was suffering with gout, although still active in tournaments and travelling to give exhibitions. At Vienna (1882) he had been ill with gout for 5 rounds and of his performance at the Second British Chess Association Congress, London 1886, a sympathetic commentator remarked:
"Frequently in tourneys of late years has Mr. Bird, for the first half of the contest, held the foremost place. But then his health fails, gout comes on, and the veteran favourite has a hard struggle for even a low place in the prize list. Of course it would be a very hard thing for Mr. Bird to train for anything, such a sufferer is he from chronic gout." (6)
Bird's recent form had been mediocre. In June 1886, he had lost a match with Gunsberg by 5 games to one, affected by gout his form collapsed. After being a game in the lead he was to lose five games in a row. He had then come fifth the 16th Congress of CCA in Nottingham (August 1886) behind Amos Burn, Emil Schallopp, Isidor Gunsberg and Zukertort, and at the CCA Congress, Stamford (August 1887), Bird shared a disappointing third place with William Pollock and Edmund bad player ID.
In December 1887, Bird was a distant seventh in the Third Congress of the BCA, London (November-December 1887). He showed a return to better form in the Handicap Tournament at Simpson's Divan (March-May 1888) coming second to Gunsberg, only to plunge to ninth at the Fourth Congress of the BCA at Bradford in August 1888.
The match
Mr Lewis seems to have got the type of match he had wanted, highly tactical and with sharp play and combinations. This match was hard fought, with no draws.
Bird had White in the odd-numbered games.
Round
1 2 3 4 5 Total
Bird 1 0 0 0 0 1
Blackburne 0 1 1 1 1 4
Progressive scores:
Round
1 2 3 4 5
Bird 1 1 1 1 1
Blackburne 0 1 2 3 4
<Reflections on the match:>"... some time ago that Mr. F. H. Lewis, with his usual generosity, provided the stakes for the recent match between Bird and Blackburne. This match was commenced on a Monday and closed on the following Friday. A game was played on each of the five days, and the whole affair passed off very quietly and satisfactorily. Bird's play seldom reached the full height of his genius, but Blackburne's play was in many instances superb.
Bird magnanimously said to me a few evenings ago, Blackburne's play against me was very grand. I think it was the finest exhibition of combined force and beauty that I have ever seen on Blackburne's part." And here I may observe that Bird fully agrees with myself and George Mackenzie, that Blackburne's genius for chess would suffice to make half-a-dozen Steinitzes or Zukertorts." (7)
The Games:
Game 1
Bird accepted Blackburne's Evans's Gambit and was two pawns up at one stage. Blackburne did not play accurately enough to maintain an attack. Bird then sacrificed one of his additional pawns and after a blunder by his opponent was then able to force two connected passed pawns through on the Q-side.
This time Blackburne accepted the Evans's Gambit and for most of the game Bird had the initiative in a tense game with both Kings on opposite wings. Bird seemed to be on the verge of breaking through on the Queenside, but eventually blundered and fell into mating net.
Bird chose to defend with an open Sicilian Defence but played the opening very poorly. As a consequence, Blackburne won a Knight for two pawns. Bird defended tenaciously but was slowly ground down losing in 70 moves.
and Bird's King was too slow to escape to a safe refuge on the Queen-side. Blackburne finished off the game quickly.
Blackburne smashed through Bird's King-side and ended the game with a pretty Bishop sacrifice.
Games 2,3 and 5 were submitted to database 2nd March 2017.
Kibitzing
