The Time Traveller

After 1930 passed without a match, the series of friendly encounters between the chess players of Belfast and Dublin resumed with the Dublin players travelling north on Saturday 18th April 1931. Below is an edited report on the event from the Belfast News-Letter for the following Monday.

The match resulted in a draw, the score being nine wins each and two drawn games. This was the fifth of a series of annual matches. The first took place in 1926 in Belfast. The teams numbered nineteen each and Dublin won by 11.5 to 7.5. In the following year twenty-six Belfast players travelled to Dublin, and won 14 to 12. In 1928 they again won in Belfast by 12 to 11, but in 1929 they were defeated in Dublin by 13.5 to 7.5. There was no match in 1930. The score is, therefore, even as regards matches, but in the number of won games Dublin has the advantage by 58 to 51.

The Dublin players arrived in Belfast shortly after noon, and were entertained to luncheon in Thompson's Restaurant, Donegall Place, where the match was played. Belfast were without the assistance of Mr. J. J. O'Hanlon, the Irish champion, and one or two other strong players: but on the other hand, Mr. P. Baker, ex-champion of Ireland, Professor Thrift, and a few others who gave a good account of themselves on former occasions, were absent from the Dublin team. In that respect, therefore, the teams were about equally handicapped. Some of the Belfast players, however, were out of practice, as there were not many club matches during the past season. This was especially the case with the Strandtown and C.I.Y.M.S. representatives.

Play began at two o'clock and ended at 5-15, when all but a couple of the games were finished. The unfinished games were adjudicated by the two top-board players. The only incident of note occurred on board 8, where the Belfast player made a present of his queen to his opponent just when the latter was going to resign. The visitors had the white pieces at the even-numbered boards.

 After tea, Mr. S. E. Manderson, the Belfast organiser of the match, on behalf of the Northern players, expressed their pleasure at having the Dublin men amongst them, and referred to the interesting fact which had been brought to his notice that the previous day was Mr. W. Moffat Wilson's 77th birthday. He had taken a good way of celebrating it by coming to Belfast and defeating his opponent at chess.

Mr. Moffat Wilson, on behalf of the Dublin team, thanked their hosts for the fine reception they had given them. They had enjoyed their visit, and he suggested that it was kindness of heart that had made the Belfast players send them hope undefeated.

Mr. R. T. Varian said he wished to add that he knew the North and had been visiting it for 35 years. He had always found the people of the North just the same as he had found them that day, and he hoped they would always remain so.

Mr. H. N. Bowesman, Dublin organiser of the match, also spoke. It was a great thing he said that all parts of Ireland could meet together in the friendly rivalry of sports and games.

M. H. Thomas, president of the Belfast club, expressed the hope that the inter-city match would continue to be a regular fixture as long as any of them were there and after their time also.

The visitors left for Dublin by the 7 o'clock train.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 d6 5.d4 exd4 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Qf3 c5 9.Nf5 Bxf5
Bc6 is the alternative
10.Qxf5 Qd7 11.Qf3 Qg4 12.Qxg4 Nxg4 13.0–0 0–0–0
Black seems to have no completely satisfactory move, but Be7, with Bd8 available after, was better. The text move had behind it the idea of getting up a King side attack, but failed.
14.Bf4 Re8 15.Rfe1 Ne5 16.Bc1 f6
16...f5 was worth consideration.
17.f4 Nf7 18.Be3 c6 19.a3 Re7 20.b4 Rb7 21.Rab1 a6 22.Na4 cxb4 23.axb4 Be7 24.c4 Kc7 25.c5 Rhb8 26.Nb6 Nd8 27.Red1

Threatening cxd6, followed by e5.
27...Nf7 28.Ra1 Rxb6
Ra7 is obviously bad. Black had the choice of giving up the a-pawn or taking the Knight, and he preferred the latter.
29.cxb6+ Kb7 30.Rdc1
Threatening b5 but the King might have been moved here, as Black intended Bd8 in any case.
30...Bd8 31.Ra5 Bxb6 32.Bxb6 Kxb6 33.Rca1 Ra8 34.Kf2 Nd8 35.Ke3 Ne6 36.Rd1 Rd8 37.Rda1 Ra8 38.h4 Nc7 39.g4 Re8 40.Kf3 h6

Adjudicated a win for White. Since White continuing g5 can force a win.
1–0