... The Zukertort family was expelled in 1855 out of Poland by the occupying Tsarist regime and ended going to Breslau in Prussia (now Wroclaw).

Following the emigration, his parents Germanised their surname from Cukiertort to Zukertort (a literal translation would be “Sugar Cake” or “Sugar Tart”). <Jan Herman Cukiertort therefore became Johannes Hermann Zukertort when he was 13 in 1855.>

Source: (10) Zukertort Background - http://www.polishheritage.co.uk/ind...

click for larger view

Checkmate in 7 moves with white to play and checkmate in 7 moves with Black to play.

The printed solution. https://www.redhotpawn.com/imgu/blo...

Must have been a bad dream, the solution with Black is cooked. There is a mate in 5.

I only have the bare clippings in the book I took I took them from, no dates, not even sure which publication, (possibly they could be found online.) perhaps the Glasgow Herald or Scotsman.

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<[Bkgd]>

This topic came up in the Bistro, prompted by <Sally>'s cross-post of the above (dream problem):

Biographer Bistro (kibitz #24390)

Biographer Bistro (kibitz #24444)

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<[Zukertort problem book]>

Zukertort published a book on chess problems

<Sammlung der auserlesensten Schach-Aufgaben: Studien und Partiestellungen>

which translates thusly:

<Collection of the choicest chess problems: studies and. batch positions>

or sometimes as:

<Collection of the most exquisite chess problems: studies and game positions>

(yes, I've seen this version, Google translate can be a bit finicky at times)

It's available here:

https://books.google.com/books?id=P...

<[A mini-review of the review (part 1)]>

I suppose the start of the controversy dates from the <Schachzeitung N1 (Jan 1869) p8> book review by __tz (certainly Minckwitz, the periodical's editor).

https://books.google.com/books?id=9...

It's in German, of course, so I'll just post a couple of excerpts in translation.

First, apparently Minckwitz was set off back in 1867 by Zukertort, since he opens his critique with this:

<Collection of the most exquisite chess problems, studies and game positions.

Edited by J. H. ZUKERTORT.

A little work with the above title has recently appeared in the publishing house of Julius Springer, Berlin.

The author cannot expect anything else if we proceed a little sharply, and may he remember the words with which he introduced his short “polemic” (p. 322 of the Neue Berliner Schachzeitung from 1867). We must only be guided by the intention to praise the good in a strictly just and impartial manner for the benefit of the game of chess and chess friends, but to blame and refute the bad. >

He then proceeds to question the book's merits in comparison to the works of Lange and Bridport.

<
Perhaps no one had the proper confidence in themselves, after the publication of the masterworks in question, to present the public with another treatment that dealt with the problem, since it is not easy to create something better. ...

Whether [Zukertort] solved this problem or whether it remained unsolvable because Herr Zukertort chose a field for literary activity that was actually foreign to him, we will leave it to the chess friends to judge after they have considered the following lines. >

Minckwitz next questions the selection of composers choosen by Zukertort, as well as the criteria used for the problem selection, as well of omissions.

<Let us now consider the "chosen" problems included in the book. That's where the word "chosen" catches our eye. Now the problems may well be chosen, but whether good or bad ones are chosen? We probably don't claim too much when we say that the selection cannot be called at least a dignified one. And the collection should include the best products of all time!! Then the reader is struck by the highly unjust distribution of the material.>

As I said I only have loose clippings for this one.

Have to take four to five days off looking at the scrap books. Ch4 are doing a piece on chess at the Edinburgh club. I'm involved (I was volunteered by someone.)

Not 100% clear what is going on, something about two celebs get coached (by me?) and then on Thursday they play each other as part of a game show. (I'm also to be the arbiter for the game - I wonder if I'll get paid.)

<jnpope>'s find from the scrapbook

https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/d...

actually is demarcated as

<Glasgow Weekly Herald - 1873-02-15>

(and includes several games from a Zukertort blindfold simul 1873-01-25)

Now, the composition is just given as a board diagram with the title <A Chess Dream>.

<[Minckwitz's treatment of Zukertort (composer)]>

Perhaps the most brutal section:

<But the best thing is that Mr. Zukertort also picked up two of his own problems, as far as we know, the only two that he made. (Listen! Listen!) You don't know whether to laugh or cry at this: do these two also belong to the "best problems of all time?" We're probably doing Herr Zukertort a favor if we print them out here again:

<J. H. ZUKERTORT.

click for larger view

Mat in fünf Zügen.>

<J. H. ZUKERTORT.

click for larger view

Mat in sieben Zügen.>

Such tasks (sic!) a reasonably skilful compositor can easily do a dozen a day! A dozen books like this are produced every month! >

Twice dangerously wounded, and once left for dead upon the field, he is entitled to wear seven medals, besides the order of the Red Eagle and the Iron Cross. At Gravelotte, every officer in the regiment was either killed or wounded, and the regiment were exposed from five to six hours to the enemy’s fire, without being able to return a shot. They went into action upwards of 1,800 strong, and came out under 400!

He has obtained the degree of M.D. at Breslau, in 1865, having chiefly devoted his attention to chemistry under Professor Bunsen at Heidelberg, and physiology, at Berlin, under Professor Virchow. Herr Zukertort is now on the staff of Prince Bismarck’s private organ, the Alleemeine Zeitung, and is the chief editor of a political journal which receives officios from the Government Berlin.

Besides this, he is the first theorist of the modern school of chess, and author of “The Grosses Schach-Handbuch” (the value of which is evidenced by its having reached second edition one year after publication), and a Leitfaden; and, further, he was for several years the editor the Neue Berliner Schaeh Zeitung.

In blindfold chess, Herr Zukertort is able to summon at will a perfect and distinct mental photograph of any game in which he is engaged, with the sixty-four squares of the board and every piece and pawn place, and can dismiss that mind-picture for any other when pleases.

Zukertort arrived in Norwich on Thursday 12th September 1872 and gave simultaneous and blindfolded exhibitions.

The interest excited in Norwich by the visit of this marvellous chess player and remarkable man will justify the appearance in our columns of some biographical particulars. J. H. Zukertort was born in Lubin in 1842, and he is just thirty years of age. He is of mixed Prussian and Polish descent, his mother being Baroness Krzyzanowska. One sister is married to Baron Marczewski, now in Russia, but formerly in the French service, who saved the life of the Earl of Cardigan at Balaklava with the Chasseurs d’ Afrique. The Baron now holds the watch, which the gallant earl presented to him as an acknowledgement. Herr Zukertort’s family has not his chess gifts. His father plays draughts, but not chess; his mother only a Rook player, and the subject of this notice can render his sisters the odds of the Queen. This is noteworthy because the family of Louis Paulsen (his father, brother, and sister) all played finely; and Morphy’s uncle and father were also accomplished, amateurs.

Herr Zukertort is a good linguist, being well acquainted with English, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Russian, and having also some knowledge of Turkish, Arabic, Sanskrit &c. In his youth he was an unwearied reader, constantly devoting whole nights to the acquirement of literary information. He is familiar with English history and with the best English classics - especially with Shakespeare. Such is the energy of his character that he learnt one language to read Dante, another to read Cervantes, and a third, Sanskrit to trace the origin of chess.

In theology and kindred subjects, his reading would put many ecclesiastics to the blush. He is thoroughly up (to use an expressive word for which there no exact equivalent) in Dr. Bateman’s obscure subject “Aphasia” from hospital experience and from discussion with the first German authority, but contends that “Alogomneia”, not “Aphasia”, is the true scientific term.

Upon philology and the derivation of words and phrases be has contributed extensively. He takes a deep interest in all questions of social science and has written on prison discipline. He also an original thinker of some of the problems that perplex humanity. Herr Zukertort is beside an accomplished swordsman, the best domino player in Berlin, one of the beat whist players living, and so good a pistol shot that at fifteen paces he is morally certain to hit the ace of hearts. A man, said the profound Bacon, may be young in years but old in hours.

Amid a catalogue of such varied accomplishments, Herr Zukertort has found time to play 6,000 games obese with Anderssen alone, and from a Rook player to a first-rate in a few years!

https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.ph...

Any player who draws world champion should be considered as CO-CHAMPION BUT NOT THE CHAMPION. In reality the lineal world champions should start from Anderssen, because of the major intnerational tournament he won in London in 1851 where he pretty much destroyed all the competition.

1. Adolf Anderssen 1851 - 1858, 1860 - 1865, 1868 - 1871 (23 years on top) Won all matches against Zukertort, except for the 1865 and 1871 match, Steinitz defeated Anderssen in 1866 but Anderssen was not the champ. Co Champions: Paulson drew Anderessen in 1860 match, 5 to 5, one draw, Kolisch did it in 1862 match, 3 to 3 with 2 draws. Anderssen also drew Daniel Harrwitz in 1848 match, 5 to 5, this could be considered the first world championship match since at least 10 serious games were played! In 1860 he drew 11 game match vs Harrwitz. In 1861 he won 9 game match vs Harrwitz. In 1862 he drew 8 game match vs Paulson! In 1864 he also drew Suhle, 3 to 3 with 2 draws. He lost a match in 1865 to Zukertort, regained the title in 1868. Since 1848 match was very competitive and Anderssen defeated everybody who met him, he should be considered the best player of his time.

2. Paul Charles Morphy 1858 - 1860
(technically, in reality: 1857 - 1884)

....NY Tribune Jan 19, 1886 which quotes Zukertort about it and said that he collapsed when he stopped taking aconite....>

If they did that, which of them would defend the title?