Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, 1884 (9th Problem Tourney)

R:
a
#2 (1 pr.)
b
#3 (1 pr.)
c
#4 (1 pr.)
d
endgame (1 pr.)
 
No motto requirements were mentioned.
 
J:
Awards by vote by prize-taking solvers. In tied cases, the chess editor would have the deciding vote
 
C:
in time for end of June, 1884, when the solving tourney ended.
 
A:
a: #2 pr. F. B. Phelps
b: #3 pr. E. W. Keeney
c: #4 pr. A. B. Block
d: endgame pr. W. H. Lyons
S:
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette
1884-02-23: first annoucement
1884-03-01: final annoucement
1884-07-26: awards in solving tourney
1884-09-06: votes and awards in problem tourney; one #4 intended as endgame
 
N:

The name of the newspaper, according to the used source, is Cincinnati Commercial, although the column uses the name Commercial Gazette internally. According to the corresponding Chronicling America web page, the name in use from July, 1883 would have been Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, and this title has been used here.

27 problems (eight #2 + eighteen #3 + two #4) and 3 endgames were received. The four problem solving tourney prize winners were asked to vote for the winning problems; one of the judges (also a competing composer) waived his vote.

One endgame solving tourney endgame winner was asked to vote for endgame prize winner, but appears to have waived his vote (he was also a competitor), as the chess editor choose the winning entry.


The winning endgame turns out to be a #3. The winning #4 was said to have been intended for the endgame section: it was not printed among the award-winning problem, but is listed in among the awards.

Prizes

Section: #2

Prize: F. B. Phelps

#2

Section: #3

Prize: E. W. Keeney

#3

Section: #4

Prize: A. B. Block

#4

Section: Endgames

Prize: W. H. Lyons

White to play. What is his best move?