Founding of the Canadian Chess Association

From the Canadian Illustrated News, 5 October 1872:

We are happy to be able to announce the complete success of the first Canadian Chess Congress which met on the 24th ultimo (i.e., September) in the City Hall, Hamilton, Ont., in response to a circular previously sent far and wide throughout the Dominion.

Veterans, whose only previous acquaintance had been through the post, by telegraph, with mysterious initials of the press which headed their games or problems, had now an opportunity, for the first time, of meeting over the board in friendly rivalry, and fighting their battles over again.

Formalities were, for the most part, dispensed with; the freemasonry which characterizes the lovers of the royal game making introduction easy.

The meeting was opened by J. Taylor, Esq., moving, seconded by F.T. Jones, that T.M. Taylor Esq., President of the Hamilton Chess Club, take the chair, and that Dr. Ryall act as Secretary.

The chairman with a few appropriate remarks welcomed the visitors to the city, and urged the unity of action in forming laws and regulations for an association.

In the discussion which followed the following gentlemen were unanimously elected officers:

  • Prof. Cherriman, of Toronto, President
  • Prof. H.A. Howe, of Montreal, 1st Vice-President
  • Prof. James De Mille, of Halifax, N.S., 2nd Vice-President
  • Dr. Allen M. King, of St John, N.B., 3rd Vice-President
  • Dr. Ryall, of Hamilton, Secretary-Treasurer


Prof. John Cherriman                Dr. Isaac Ryall

Two committees were then chosen, the one to frame a constitution and to be a permanent committee of the association; the other to draw up rules for the government of games by telegraph: the former consisting of Messrs. F.T. Jones, of Toronto, R.H. Ramsay, Cobourg, J. Henderson, St. Liboire, P.Q., Jas. Taylor, Belleville, F.C.N. Robertson, Hamilton, and John White, of Montreal; for the latter the following were named: Messrs. J.A. Russell, Dr. Ryall, W. Mackay, J. Young, and D.J. Wallace.

It was decided to send a pamphlet containing the laws so framed to the principal clubs and players, and as the assemblage seemed nearly unanimous in all its decisions, they will, no doubt, be generally recognized.

The impromptu tourney, begun in Hamilton, was not finished for want of time. Some well-contested games were played, however:

[Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1982.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "another amateur"] [Black "Henderson, John"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C55"] [PlyCount "42"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bc5 5. O-O O-O 6. Na4 Bb6 7. Nxb6 axb6 8. d3 Na5 9. Nxe5 d6 10. Nf3 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. Qe1 Qd7 13. e5 Rae8 14. Bf4 Bxf3 15. gxf3 Qxh3 16. Qd2 Nh5 17. exd6 Re2 18. Qc1 Rxc2 19. Qe3 Nxc4 20. Qe4 Nxd6 21. Qe5 Qxf3 {London Daily Advertiser, 6 November 1872 } 0-1 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Jones, F.T.."] [Black "White, John"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C15"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] [SourceTitle "Daily Globe 04/10/1872"] [SourceDate "2009.02.08"] [SourceVersionDate "2009.02.08"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bxe4 dxe4 8. Nge2 Qh4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. Nxc3 a6 11. g3 Qe7 12. Nxe4 h6 13. Qg4 Qf8 14. Nc5 Ne7 15. Qe4 c6 16. Qd3 Nd5 17. Ne4 Nxe3 18. Nd6+ Kd7 19. fxe3 f6 20. Qb3 Kc7 21. c4 b5 22. cxb5 axb5 23. Rac1 Kb6 24. Rxc6+ Kxc6 25. Qxb5+ Kc7 26. Rc1+ Kd8 27. Qb6+ Ke7 28. Rc7+ Bd7 29. Rxd7+ Kxd7 30. Qb7+ Kd8 31. Qxa8+ Kc7 32. Qb7+ Kd8 33. Qc8+ Ke7 34. Qc7# {Toronto Daily Globe, 4 Ocotober 1872} 1-0 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Judd, William H."] [Black "Jones, F.T.."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C45"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] [SourceTitle "Daily Globe 04/10/1872"] [SourceDate "2009.02.08"] [SourceVersionDate "2009.02.08"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bd3 Ne7 7. a3 O-O 8. O-O Ng6 9. c3 d5 10. b4 Bd6 11. f4 dxe4 12. Bxe4 Ba6 13. Rf2 Bc5 14. Qf3 Bxf2+ 15. Kxf2 Qh4+ 16. g3 Qxh2+ 17. Qg2 Qxg2+ 18. Kxg2 Rfe8 19. Bxc6 Re2+ 20. Kf3 Rd8 21. b5 Bxb5 22. Bxb5 Re1 23. Bd2 Rxd2 24. Nxd2 Rxa1 25. a4 Ra3 26. Nb1 Rb3 27. Bd3 c5 28. Ke4 c4 29. Nd2 Rxc3 30. Nxc4 Ne7 31. f5 Nxf5 {"wins," Canadian Illustrated News, 26 October 1872} 0-1 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1972.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Mackay, W.F.."] [Black "Wallace, D.J.."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C56"] [PlyCount "43"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. c3 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 Bb6 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 g5 11. Nxg5 hxg5 12. Bxg5 Bxd4 13. Nd5 Re8 14. Qf3 Ne5 15. Nxf6+ Kf8 16. Qh5 Bg4 17. Qh6+ Ke7 18. Nxg4+ Kd7 19. Nxe5+ Bxe5 20. Qh3+ Kc6 21. Bd5+ Kc5 22. Qa3+ {Toronto Mail, 7 October 1872; Canadian Illustrated News, 16 November 1872} 1-0 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Russell, J.A.."] [Black "Balfour"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C51"] [PlyCount "39"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] [SourceTitle "Daily Globe 12/10/1872"] [SourceDate "2009.02.08"] [SourceVersionDate "2009.02.08"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O Nf6 8. cxd4 Nxe4 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10. Re1+ Ne7 11. Ng5 O-O 12. Qh5 h6 13. Nxf7 Rxf7 14. Qxf7+ Kh8 15. Rxe7 Qg8 16. Re8 Qxe8 17. Qxe8+ Kh7 18. Qg8+ Kg6 19. Qf7+ Kh7 20. Bb2 {Toronto Daily Globe, 12 Ocotober 1872} 1-0 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Russell, J.A.."] [Black "White, John"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C02"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] [SourceTitle "Daily Globe 18/10/1872"] [SourceDate "2009.02.08"] [SourceVersionDate "2009.02.08"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Na3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Bd7 9. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 10. Qd2 Qxd2+ 11. Nxd2 Nxd4 12. O-O-O Ne7 13. Ndb1 Ndc6 14. Nb5 Kd8 15. Nd6 Rf8 16. f4 Rb8 (16... Ng6 17. g3 Rb8 18. Nc3 a6 19. Be2 Ke7 {(Transposing)} 20. Bh5 Ngxe5 {"wins" is the move order given in the Canadian Illustrated News, 12 October 1872. As John White was its editor this is likely more correct than the Toronto publication.}) 17. Nc3 a6 18. Be2 Ng6 19. g3 Ke7 20. Bh5 Ngxe5 21. Rhe1 Kxd6 22. fxe5+ Ke7 23. Bg4 b5 24. a3 b4 25. axb4 Nxb4 26. Re2 Rfc8 27. Kb1 a5 28. Na2 Nxa2 29. Kxa2 a4 30. Re3 Rc2 31. Rb1 Bb5 32. Bd1 Rxh2 {Toronto Daily Globe, 18 October 1872} 0-1 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Ryall, Isaac"] [Black "Henderson, John"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C02"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] [SourceTitle "Daily Globe 12/10/1872"] [SourceDate "2009.02.08"] [SourceVersionDate "2009.02.08"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bc5 6. Be3 Bxd4 7. Bxd4 Nc6 8. Bb5 Nge7 9. O-O O-O 10. Bc3 Ng6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. f4 f5 13. Kh1 c5 14. b3 d4 15. Bb2 Qh4 16. g3 Qh3 17. Kg1 Bb7 18. Rf2 h5 19. Qf1 Qg4 20. Qe2 Qh3 21. Nd2 h4 22. Qh5 Nxf4 23. gxf4 Rf7 24. Nf3 g6 25. Qxh4 Rh7 26. Qxh3 Rxh3 27. Ng5 Rh4 28. Nxe6 Rg4+ 29. Kf1 Ba6+ 30. Ke1 d3 31. c4 Kf7 32. Nc7 Rd8 33. Nxa6 d2+ 34. Rxd2 Rg1+ 35. Kf2 Rxd2+ 36. Kxg1 Rxb2 37. Nxc5 a5 38. a3 g5 39. e6+ Ke7 40. fxg5 Kd6 41. g6 Re2 42. g7 {Toronto Daily Globe, 12 Ocotober 1872; Canadian Illustrated News, 5 July 1873} 1-0 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Taylor, W.T.."] [Black "Jones, F.T.."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C44"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. O-O d6 6. c3 Bg4 7. Qb3 Bxf3 8. gxf3 Ne5 9. cxd4 Bxd4 10. Nd2 Bb6 11. f4 Nxc4 12. Nxc4 Qf6 13. Qa4+ Kf8 14. e5 Qg6+ 15. Kh1 Re8 16. b3 Nh6 17. f3 Bd4 18. Ba3 Bc5 19. Bxc5 dxc5 20. Rad1 a6 21. Qd7 b5 22. Ne3 Qe6 23. Qxc7 g6 24. Qxc5+ Kg7 25. Rg1 Rc8 26. Qa3 Rhd8 27. Qb2 Kf8 28. Rge1 Qh3 29. Qe2 Re8 30. Rd6 Nf5 31. Nxf5 Qxf5 32. Rf6 Qxf6 33. exf6 Rxe2 34. Rxe2 Rc6 35. Kg2 Rxf6 36. Kg3 Re6 37. Rxe6 fxe6 38. Kg4 Kg7 39. b4 Kf6 40. h4 h6 41. a3 h5+ 42. Kg3 Kf5 43. Kh3 Kxf4 {"wins," Canadian Illustrated News, 19 October 1872} 44. Kg2 g5 45. hxg5 Kxg5 46. Kh3 Kf4 47. Kg2 e5 48. Kf2 h4 49. Kg2 Ke3 50. Kh3 Kxf3 51. Kxh4 e4 {Toronto Mail, 14 October 1872} 0-1 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Wallace, D.J.."] [Black "Ryall, I."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bc4 d5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. O-O Nc5 8. c3 Nxb3 9. Qxb3 Be6 10. d4 b6 11. Ne5 Bd6 12. Qb5+ Nd7 13. f4 Qf6 14. Nxd7 Bxd7 15. Qxd5 O-O 16. Nd2 Be6 17. Qf3 Rad8 18. Ne4 Qf5 19. Ng3 Qb5 20. f5 Bd5 21. Qg4 Bxg3 22. Qxg3 Kh8 23. f6 gxf6 24. Qf4 Qe2 25. Qxf6+ Kg8 26. Qg5+ Kh8 27. Bf4 f6 28. Rf2 Qxf2+ 29. Kxf2 fxg5 30. Re1 Rxf4+ {Toronto Mail, 22 October 1872} 0-1 [Event "CCA ch 1st"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "1872.09.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Young, J.."] [Black "Jackson, G.E.."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C40"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "1872.09.??"] [EventCountry "CAN"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. exd5 Bd6 5. Bc4 Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 7. d3 O-O 8. O-O Nfd7 9. g4 Bg6 10. Ng5 Qe7 11. Nce4 h6 12. Nxd6 cxd6 13. Ne4 f5 14. Ng3 f4 15. Ne4 f3 16. Kh2 Nf6 17. Rg1 Nxe4 18. dxe4 Bxe4 19. c3 Bg6 20. Rg3 e4 21. Be3 Nd7 22. Qd2 Ne5 23. Bb3 Qf6 24. Rag1 Qh4 25. Bf4 Rae8 26. Bxe5 Rxe5 27. c4 b6 28. Qe3 Qg5 29. Re1 Qxe3 30. Rxe3 Rc8 31. a4 Kh7 32. Ba2 Bf7 33. b3 a5 34. Bb1 Rce8 35. h4 R8e7 36. Rexf3 Kg8 37. Re3 Be8 38. f3 exf3 39. Rexf3 Re2+ 40. Rg2 R2e3 41. Rgf2 Rxf3 42. Rxf3 Bd7 43. Kh3 h5 44. Bf5 Bxf5 45. gxf5 Re5 46. Kg3 Kf7 {"And after a few more moves the game was abandoned as drawn." Toronto Mail, 7 October 1872; Canadian Illustrated News, 2 November 1872} 1/2-1/2