Surrey County Chess Association, 1884

R:
#2 (3 pr. + 2 sp. pr. + 1 additional pr.) (see notes)

Open to members of the Surrey County Chess Association. Separate mottos for each problem were required. Competitors could only take one of the main prizes. En passant capture as key move was debarred, as well as castling anywhere in the solution.
 
J:
H. J. C. Andrews
 
C:
1884-06-30
 
A:
1 pr. C. Planck (Motto: II)
2 pr. L. P. Rees (Clear the Way)
3 pr. E. J. Winter Wood (Labor Omnia Vincit)
 
pr. best varied problem C. Planck (P)
pr. best uniform problem H. Jacobs (Nihil jucundum est nisi quod reficit varietas)
 
pr. fourth best problem (see notes) E. J. Winter Wood (Besieged)
S:
Croydon Guardian and Surrey County Gazette
1884-05-24, p. [6]: announcement
1884-07-26, p. [2]: first problem published
1884-09-20, p. [6]: last problem published
1884-10-18, p. [6]: judge's report, list of participants with mottos, prize problems 1-3.
1884-11-01, p. [6]: remaining prize problems
 
N:

The two special prizes were for a) the best problem with the greatest number of variations, and b) the best problem exhibiting the greatest uniformity of position and symmetrical arrangements in the mates. An additional prize for the fourth best problem appeared in the report, listed after the main prizes, but as it was given to a competitor who had already won a prize, which was against the announced prize policy, it is difficult to assume it was one of the main prizes. No changes in prize policy have been found, so this 'fourth prize' is here treated as a separate prize.

A solution tourney was announced on 1884-07-19. It was also restricted to members of the Surrey Chess Association.

Sixteen problems were published, although the report states that the number of entries were reduced to fifteen by the unsoundness of problems 10, 12, and 18. As no problem 17 or 18 can be found (either as diagram or as a solution), and only 16 problems are referenced in the report, a misprint is suspected. (Some secondary sources report that 18 problemists competed, but the report only names seven.)


The judge remarked that the inartistic feature, mate by capture, [was] remarkably prevalent in this tourney.

Prizes

1st Prize: C. Planck

#2

2nd Prize: L. P. Rees

#2

3rd Prize: E. J. Winter Wood

#2

Prize (best varied problem): C. Planck

#2

Prize (best uniform problem): H. Jacobs

#2

Prize (fourth best problem): E. J. Winter Wood

#2