Chess in 1883
by Bill Wall
In 1883, a play was published called MATE by Charles Jolliet.
In 1883, the first International Problem Tourney for Ladies was won by Frideswide Beechey.
In 1883, the first Forsyth notation for giving positions was used in the Glasgow Weekly Herald.
In 1883, Chess Blossoms was written by Frideswide Beechly Rowland.
The first mechanical chess clock (tumbling stop clock) was invented by Thomas Bright Wilson (1843-1915) of Manchester, England in 1883, with advice from Joseph Henry Blackburne .
On April 26, 1883, the London International Tournament began. It was the first tourney in which double-headed chess clocks were used. Time control was 15 moves in two hours, and if you failed to make the time limit, you forfeited the game. The time piece consisted of two balanced clocks on a seesaw beam so that when one was tilted, it stopped and the other started. The tumbling-clock was manufactured by Fattonini & Sons of Bradford, England.
On May 5, 1883, Rudolph Spielmann was born in Vienna. He was Nordic champion in 1919 and German champion in 1927.
On May 10, 1883, Heinrich von Hennig was born in Germany. He was a Prussian Read Admiral/ Commodore and commanded a U-boat in World War I. He was a strong chess amateur.
On May 19, 1883, Walter Henneberger was born in Ennenda, Switzerland. He was a Swiss chess master.
On June 23, 1883, Zukertort took 1st at the London International (22 wins, 4 losses). Steinitz took 2nd (19 wins, 7 losses).
On Aug 31, 1883, Zoltan von Balla was born in Budapest. He was Hungarian champion in 1906 and 1911.
On Aug 27, 1883, Brian Harley was born in Saffron Walden, England. He was a chess composer.
On Dec 12, 1883, Harlow Bussey Daly was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He won the Maine State Championship nine times, including seven consecutive from 1959 to 1965, then in 1969 and again in 1970. He was New England champion in 1908. He won the Boston chess championship in 1914, 1934, 1937, and 1947. He won the Massachusetts championship in 1940 and 1942.
On Dec 26, 1883, Carl Ahues was born in Bremen. He was German champion in 1929.