Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, 1883 (8th Problem Tourney)

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.

The ladies awards were not described entirely unambiguously: were they separate from the other awards, or were they special awards within the main sections? An answer to a correspondent (1883-08-25) suggests that they may have been considered to be a separate section. There are additional problems with that interpretation, however. (see below)

Problems were published under the name or signature of the competitor. Although no motto had been required, several composer had supplied them, and they were also published with the problem.

31 problems and endgames were published: eight #2, sixteen #3, three #4 and four end-games. (Note: the solving tourney also included non-original problems.) Additionally two problems (one #2 and #3) were published under a female name (Miss May Sweeney), and are assumed to be problem tourney problems; see 1883-12-08).

The judges were requested to vote for best #2, #3, #4 and end-games. In sections a and b, the votes for best problems were tied, and the chess editor decided the winning problem. In sections c and d, votes were unanimous.


The status of M. Sweeney's problems is unclear: no award is documented, even though the problems passed the solving tourney without any adverse observations, and appear to have no competition. If the chess editor awarded them the prizes for best problems by a lady, he did not say so in any of the examined columns. (There seem to be missing columns at Chess Archaology: this issue may need revisiting with a more complete source.)

Find a complete source to settle the remaining question if Miss M. Sweeney was awarded a prize or not.