Yorkshire Chess History

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1844: Two Matches Between Halifax and Wakefield

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The Chess Player’s Chronicle, vol. V, 1844, page 332, and later vol. VI, 1845, page 55, described two matches between Halifax and Wakefield, played at Crow Wood, the Halifax residence of Frederick William Cronhelm, on Monday 30th September 1844.

It was played over five boards, with three games being played at each board. The winning club was to be the one with the greater number of won games. The report doesn’t mention names of players, but likely candidates would be:

for Halifax, John Henry Brierley, Edward Cronhelm, Frederick William Cronhelm, Neil Macvicar Forbes, and one of Messrs. Allan, Boyd or Hervey;

for Wakefield, Rev. Richard Garvey, William Ledgar Robinson, Edward Shephard, Rev. Edwin Colman Tyson, and one of Messrs. Arthur Shepherd (son of Edward), C Walker, or Wilson.

On two boards Wakefield won by 2 wins to 1 win, and on another two boards Halifax won by 2 wins to 1 win, and on the other board both scored a win and the other game was drawn. Thus the match was drawn

both on game scores: Halifax 7½-7½ Wakefield;

and on board scores: Halifax 2½-2½ Wakefield.

A return match was played at the Wakefield residence of the Rev. Edwin Colman Tyson, on 16th December, 1844.

On this occasion, Halifax won 7 games, Wakefield won 6, and 2 games were drawn.

Halifax won on game scores: Halifax 8-7 Wakefield;

Wakefield won on board scores: Wakefield 3-2 Halifax.

Combining the totals:

Halifax won on game scores: Halifax 15½-14½ Wakefield;

Wakefield won on board scores: Wakefield 5½-4½ Halifax.

Results of individual games between named players would have been nice, but the concept of such matches was so novel at that time that the art of reporting them had not been perfected.

Created

25/04/2012

Last Updated

25/04/2012