(: ♗ Bishop Berkeley ♗ :)

<In Adolph Zytogorsky there has passed away a player of considerable eminence, who but adverse circumstances would have achieved a far higher reputation among the masters of the game. His name has been for many years so little before the public that it may be even unknown to the younger generation; yet it is one of those which ought not be altogether forgotten. Mr. Zytogorski died on the 27th of February in the German Hospital, Dalston, at the age of 75. He was one from the numerous band of Polish refugees who, after the ill-starred rising of 1831, overspread the capitals of Western Europe. Like too many of his fellow-exiles, he passed his long life in poverty and obscurity. If Fortune was unkind to Zytogorsky, it is but fair to Fortune to say that he had opportunities of bettering himself which he was too much of Bohemian to turn to account. He is believed to have passed the greater part of the last half-century in England, but was occasionally heard of in Germany. In the earliest volumes of the "Chess Players's Chronicle", 1841-2 a few of his games are recorded; and he contributed a valuable analysis of the problem of Rook and Bishop against Rook, partly reproduced in Staunton's "Handbook". His conclusions on this point, like those of Philidor, were too favourable to the attack; and they were partially corrected by Kling and others. He was, indeed, a master alike of the theory and practise of end-games; he conducted endings, whether of Pawns or Pieces, with the accuracy of a Szen, and published many ingenious positions. In 1843 he played a match with Staunton, then at the height of his strength and reputation, receiving a Pawn and two moves, and won six games right off the reel. Others, who were less successful at these odds, rose in time to be acknowledged first-rates. Staunton suppressed all mention of this match; and, as long as he controlled the Chess organs, nothing more was heard of the winner. George Walker, who was always ready to bring to light whatever merit Staunton sought to obscure, does not mention him in his "Chess Studies" of 1844; a fact which must now remain unexplained. Zytogorsky was befriended by the late Mr. Brien, who succeeded Staunton as Editor of the "Chronicle" in 1854-56; and Brien, after his quarrel with Staunton, published for the first time the particulars of the above match. In those years we find Zytogorsky taking part in various matches and tourneys at Kling's Chess Rooms in New Oxford Street, and at the "Philidorian". In the "Chronicle" for 1855, p. 204, he is described as "a veteran who opposed, in 'auld lang syne', such Chess warriors as Staunton, Buckle, and Perigal in upwards of three thousand games". He won a short match of Brien by the odd game: but in a pool or triangular duel between Brien, Falkbeer, and Zytogorsky, Falkbeer was the victor. Many of his games appear in this series of the "C. P. C.", as well as in the next which followed after an interval in 1859-62; but for the last twenty years we have scarcely met with his name in the public prints. Among his recorded casual games we find several with Harrwitz, both won and lost: a win of Anderssen in 1851, a draw in 1861, but no mention of total scores. Enough has been said, it is hoped, to justify the opinion that Zytogorsky, if he had been in position to assert himself, would unquestionably have taken a high place among the masters of European reputation.> W. W(ayte),

<P.S. You don't see so many guys named Adolph these days. Why is that?>

click for larger view

can be won. The diagram position is won, starting Rb4!, but with the black R at c4 it turns out to be drawn. Bizarre.

Now that is an interesting comment.

"George Walker, who was always ready to bring to light whatever merit Staunton sought to obscure"

I submitted this game in 2022 and after I deleted it to my most practical database.

Unhappy, the game was refused and- now-will hard to me found it again.

If someone people knows the referred game, please be so kind as to submit or archive it here at Kibitzer's corner