He was better than Bird the entire game even though he practically didn't play the any "best moves", only "good moves".

But at 43... Qe4+, he gave away all of his advantage and Houdini calls it a draw.

It was put up and judged by the proprietor of the Café International, New York.

"This spirited offer should have a marked influence in protecting us from the wearying round of French, Sicilian and irregular openings."

The Opening was a French!

But according to Chernev (in Wonders and Curiosities of Chess) states:

<The first tournament game ...>

Note that he say *tournament* game, not *match* game.

He gives this same game, but isn't this a match game (and not one of the games from the Centennial NY (1876) tournament).

I've seen it mentioned on numerous occasions that this was the first brilliancy prize. Hooper & Whyld is a good source.

It did without doubt receive a brilliancy prize and it was played in the 1876 tournament.

Tim Harding in "Eminent Victorian Chess Players" page 120 mentions it won the brilliancy prize adding a that a certain Mr Arthur Jackson wrote to the 'Field' complaining Bird accomplishments are being ignore by Steinitz, the then 'Field' columnist.

Steinitz replied that four years previously when he took over the 'Field' Bird had expressed a wish not to see his name in the 'Field'.

(Get it? "First" stops?!)

I'd like to get the refs to the Steinitz-Jackson exchange in <The Field>, it would make for interesting reading, and is a wrinkle I hadn't been aware of.

Wonder if Renette discusses this in his book?

As far as my post - part of it was to mention Chernev, another part was to get Lieder's name out there (and a nod to Soltis' work - another good 'un).

But an even more important part was to gently scold <CG> for its labeling of the game:

<
[Event "New York m"]
[Site "New York m"]
>

which definitely suggests the game was from a match.

That got me wondering, since it's possible the first brilliancy could have been awarded during a match, even if the usage of the term would be at odds with convention. But it's not the case, luckily, as it was indeed a tournament game.

And so, in the end, it's just another mislabeled individual game, floating in the great big <CG>, er, "salad" bowl.

Yes, a good addition is to actually name of the person who came up with the idea of introducing a brilliancy prize.

<

Chess in New York.

The Café International, No. 699 Broadway, is fast becoming as noted a chess resort as Simpson's Divan in London. We learn from the Turf, Field and Farm that at this first class restaurant, a unique reading room, where 300 newspapers from all parts of the world, are kept on file, a chess room with twenty-eight tables and a library of 400 chess books, make <Mr. Leiders, the energetic proprietor>, deserving of the greatest success. Every distinguished chesser visiting New York is sure to visit this elegant establishment. The contest for the champion cup at the New York Chess Club is still progressing, with Mr. Limbeck leading.

<<>>>

https://books.google.com/books?id=8... (May 1877)

Mr. Lieders is actually Mr. Siegfried Lieders, as we learn from the inimitable <batgirl> (I'm buttering her up both because she is good, and because I'm copying three of her paragraphs here):

<
Siegfried Lieders was only 21 when he moved from Germany to New York in 1854. In the 1860s he became the proprietor of the Café Europa, located at 12-14 Division street, NYC, which opened rooms specifically for chess and which the "Dubuque Chess Journal" noted being "at that time the principal rendezvous for the chess talent of the metropolis." In the 1870s he opened the chess-famous Café International.

He moved to Rochester, NY in 1878 where he managed the recently built Bartholomay Cottage Hotel, owned by the wealthy German brewery magnate, Henry Bartholomay, until 1886 when he moved to Detroit, managing the Hotel Benedict on the corner of Randolf and Larned streets until he leased it in 1892 and renamed it the Hotel Lieders. Lieders died on April 4, 1893.

The "Clipper" itself on Nov. 4, 1876 revealed that this tournament, called "The Clipper Free Centennial Tourney" and lasted from Sept. 20th to Oct. 18th, was won by James Mason with 16 wins, for which he received $100. Eugene Delmar, who came in second with 15 wins and one draw, earned himself $50. H.E. Bird won 15 games (and presumably lost one) and $25. At this point there were 7 nominations for the "Lieders Cup." When finally voted upon, Bird won that brilliancy prize unanimously. >

Siegfried Lieders!

"....Every distinguished chesser."

Analysis by Stockfish 260819 64 POPCNT:

∓ (-1.37): 29...Bxd4 30.cxd4 Nxd4 31.Qf4 Rxe5 32.Kh3 Rxe1 33.Qxc7 Rxa1 34.Ne3 Ra3 35.Kg2 Rd3 36.Nf1 Rf8 37.Qxa7 Ne6 38.a6 Nf4+ 39.Kh2 Rh3+ 40.Kg1 Ra3 41.Ne3 g6 42.Qc5 Rxa6 43.Qd6 Ra7 44.Nf5 gxf5 45.Qxf4 Kh7 46.Qd6 Raf7 47.Qxc6 fxg4 48.Qxd5 Rf4 49.Qd7+ Kg6 50.Qe6+ Kg7

<39. ...,Qb8+ is not compulsory. Black has a better line: 39. ...,Kh7. 40.Ne5,Qc8. > Best chance for black was 42....Qa1!

Analysis by Stockfish 260819 64 POPCNT: