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North of Ireland (Belfast) chess Congress,
masters’ competition.

The proceedings opened at the Central Hall, Rosemary Street, Belfast, on Monday, with an admirable address from Dr. Barnett, who wished the players a happy and harmonious time and extended to them a hearty welcome.

No.1.  Bird against Blackburne offered an Evans Gambit.  This game was the only one played without clocks; both players seemed at ease, and glad to be free from the formality and encumbrance of time regulators and it is a happy omen that it proved one of the most interesting in the programme: 

The following is the complete list of the masters’ games: 

J. H. Blackburne, H. E. Bird, T. J. Lee, and J. Mason

1 Bird        Blackburne Evans declined      64 moves Drawn
2 Lee         Mason      Petroff             75   "   Mason
3 Bird        Lee        Queens Pawn counter 47   "   Drawn
4 Blackburne  Mason      Vienna              44   "   Blackburne
5 Lee         Blackburne Kt KB3 PQ4          48   "   Blackburne
6 Mason       Bird       kp and QP           62   "   Mason
7 Blackburne  Bird       Ruy Lopez Kt Q5     47   "   Bird
8 Mason       Lee        kp and QP           18   "   Drawn
9 Lee         Bird       PQ4                 37   "   Bird
10 Mason      Blackburne Ruy Lopez           28   "   Draw
11 Blackburne Lee        Ruy Lopez           43   "   Blackburne
12 Bird       Mason      Two Knights Def     38   "   Mason
13 Lee        Mason      Kt KB3 PKB4         35   "   Mason
14 Bird       Blackburne kp1 KPB2            42   "   Draw
15 Bird       Lee        kp one              73   "   Draw
16 Blackburne Mason      Giuoco Piano        30   "   Draw
17 Mason      Bird       Sicilian            27   "   Bird
18 Lee        Blackburne Four Kts            20   "   Draw

No.1 is the best and most instructive; No.17 was the most lively and entertaining.  Of the eight draws, two are legitimate, the other six being unworthy the name of games.

That Lee when out of the running, directed a care and energy against Bird which he did not against Blackburne and Mason will be readily observable by a comparison of the games, especially No. 9, 15, and 18; in the last he indeed made no attempt to win at all, and a draw is the utmost he seems ever to have hoped for in the other.

In the final score Bird, Blackburne and Mason were even in their play, but Bird only scored 2 out of 3 with Lee, whilst the others gained 2 1/2 out of 3 against him, this difference of half a game placed Bird third only.

The two last games, the 17th and 18th, were finished about the same time; thus, when Bird had won from Mason (doing his best in a game which in no way effected his position) Blackburne and Lee agreed to draw, which was a disappointment to the spectators, and of course, to Bird, who was entitled to, and would have liked to have seen the game played out.