Scottish Championship 1899

 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Total
1. D.Y. Mills, Edinburgh
1
0
1
1
1
½
1
2. W. Black, Glasgow
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
5
3. Dr R.C. Macdonald, Foyers
1
0
½
0
1
1
1
4. Sheriff W.C. Spens, Glasgow
0
0
½
0
1
1
1
5. H.L. Forbes, Perth
0
0
1
1
½
0
1
6. J. Finlayson, Glasgow
0
0
0
0
½
1
1
7. A. B. Law, Glasgow
½
1
0
0
1
0
0
8. D. Lindsay, Stirling
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1

[A.B. Law was Andrew Bonar Law, future MP and Prime Minister.]

The annual tournament of the Scottish Chess Association commenced on Good Friday, 31st March, at the Station Hotel, Stirling, and proved to be an agreeable and successful meeting. Additional interest was given to the proceedings by the presence of Mr I. Gunsberg, and although most of the players, being engrossed with their own games in the Tournament, were not able to take full advantage of his visit, still Mr Gunsberg played 25 games or so simultaneously, and only lost one.

Eight competitors entered for the Major Tournament, the winner being considered the Champion of Scotland. Ten entered for the Minor Tournament, and sixteen for the handicap.

The outstanding feature of the play as regards the Major Tournament was probably the ridiculous blunders of all the players, almost without exception, and although all's well that ends well - that is that in spite of blundering the best man has won - it might easily have been otherwise.

Mr Mills is too well known to British chess to require any description here. He has been the amateur champion of England, has played in the three last cable matches with America, and has now been champion of Scotland eight times. [sic: this was his seventh victory. AMcG] Scotchmen have therefore the consolation that if their champion be an Englishman he is also a distinguished chess player.

The competition for the championship, however, will never be quite satisfactory until all the principal players of Scotland take part in it, and it seems impossible to arrange this. It would be interesting to see a tournament including names that were notably absent on this occasion, such as Messrs. W.N. Walker, John Court, John Russell, J.R. Longwill, and G.B. Fraser...

At the business meeting of the Association, the secretary and treasurer submitted their reports, the latter shewing [sic] a credit balance of about £70. The retiring president, Mr Richardson, of Stirling, was accorded a particularly cordial vote of thanks for the interest which he has taken in the Association, and for his liberality in presenting the very handsome cup for competition among the Scottish clubs, and which has just been won by the Dundee club.

It was fixed that the Congress should meet next year in Dundee, and the Rev C.M. Grant, of that city, was elected president for the year.
Source: BCM 1899, pages 200/1

Sheriff W.C. Spens - D.Y. Mills
Scottish Championship, 1899

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 Be7 5.Nc3 b6 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.a3 0-0 8.0-0 Ne4 9.Ne2 Qe8 10.Ng3 d6 11.b3 Nd7 12.Nd2 Nef6 13.d5 exd5 14.Nxf5 dxc4 15.Bxc4+ d5 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.Bd3 Nc5 18.Nf3 Nfe4 19.b4 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 a5 21.b5 Nc5 22.Qc3 Rxf3 23.gxf3 Qg5+ 24.Kh1 d4 25.exd4 Qh5 26.Qc4+ Bd5 27.Qxd5+ Qxd5 28.dxc5 Qxf3+ 29.Kg1 Re8 0-1

The Minor Tournament was won by Mr H.J.M. Thoms of Dundee Chess Club with 6 points, ahead of Mr A.U. Gray, Stirling, with 5½ points.The other participants were Mr J. Connor, Garelochhead, Mr R. Macaulay, Edinburgh, Mr J.H. Morton, Cambuslang, Dr Wyse, Falkirk, Mr Geo. Owen, Stirling, Mr J.F. Sinclair, Stirling, Mr C.S. Cooper, Edinburgh. Mr W. Lawson retired from the tournament.

Source
British Chess Magazine 1899, pp 200-202.
The Scotsman, Wednesday, 5 April 1899, page 11 (game).

Alan McGowan

updated 5/6/2020