Category: Star Article

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The Establishment of the 2nd Ballarat Chess Club in 1865

The Ballarat Star, Saturday 25 February 1865

A CHESS CLUB,
SIR, It is a remarkable fact that although we have in Ballarat clubs and societies of almost every description, we do not possess, and (so far as I am aware) never have possessed a chess club. There are probably four or five hundred chess players in the town, many of whom would be delighted to have the opportunity of enjoying a quiet game; and there are doubtless many others who would gladly learn  it, if facilities offered for their doing so. With a view to test public feeling on the matter it is proposed to hold a meeting to discuss the subject, of which notice is given in your advertising columns. Trusting so on to commence (at the club) as I now end,

I am, sir,

24th February.                    KINGS PAWN TWO MOVES.

The Ballarat Star, Wednesday 1 March 1865

A meeting of gentlemen interested in the formation of a chess club was held on Tuesday evening in the Mechanics’ Institute, Mr P. O’Connor in the chair. The formation of such a club was decided upon, and it was resolved that it should also embrace draught playing, and be called the Ballarat Chess and Draught Club. A sub-committee was formed for the purpose of drawing up rules and communicating with the committee of the Institute for the purpose of obtaining a room for the use of the members. The committee will bring up its report on Saturday evening, when a general meeting of the club will be held. Thirty members are already enrolled.

The Ballarat Star, Tuesday 7 March 1865

A general meeting of the Ballarat Chess and Draft Club was held on Saturday, when the rules, as prepared by the sub-committee, were amended and adopted. Mr Daniel O’Conner was elected president, Dr Richardson vice-president, and Mr C.Fisher honorary secretary and treasurer. A committee was then chosen, consisting of Messrs Bolton, Kemp, Marshall, and Pennell. The club will meet every Thursday and Saturday, in one of the classrooms of the Mechanics’ Institute, at 7.30 p.m.

The subscription for members of the Institute is to be 2s 6d per quarter, and non-members 5s, with an entrance fee of 2s 6d. About 35 names have already been handed in.

The Ballarat Star, Friday 10 March 1865

The members of the Ballarat Chess and Draught Club met on Thursday evening, in the Hall of the Mechanics’ Institute, and played a number of games. The club has already nearly forty members enrolled, and that number bids fair to be speedily increased.

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The Ballarat Handicap Chess Tournament 1866-‘67

As far as I know, this is one of the first chess tournament held in Australia, albeit restricted to players from Ballarat. It probably was the longest ever played, lasting over a period of no less than 8 months (i.e. September 1866-April 1867), and ending in a beautifully reported controversy.    

Amongst the players was the winner Charles M. Fisher, one of the strongest players in the ‘colony’ of Victoria. A database of 47 of his games can be found on the internet: https://www.chessgames.com/player/charles_marshall_fisher.html. They are amongst the oldest recorded games of Australia.

The old newspaper reports include beautiful and flowery descriptions of the chess-scene in Ballarat, more than 150 years ago.

Bas van Riel

“The Ballarat Star”  dated 17 Sept 1866

The chess tournament has at length been finally arranged, under the most favorable auspices, and it has been decided by the committee that play shall commence on the evening of Tuesday, 11th September, at the Mechanics’ Institute. Fourteen days will be allowed for the first set of matches to be played off, and it is hoped members will not exceed that time, as by doing so the tournament will be protracted and the other competitors will be delayed from commencing the second series of matches. It has been arranged for the winners in the first set to play for the first, second and third prizes.
The committee, with the view of equalizing the play, has taken great pains to discover the relative strength of the respective players, so that neither should have any undue advantage, and has accordingly divided them into four classes- the first class giving the second a pawn and move, the third a pawn and two moves, and the fourth class a knight.

The following is the list of entries, together with their classification:-

First Class – Messrs J.M.Connell, C.Fisher, and A.G.M’Combe.

Second Class – Messrs W.H.Batten, R.Bristow, H.Deveril, T.W.Gaggin, J.A.Harvey, W.Hogarth, R.S.Mitchell, A.Mongredien, D.O’Connor, J.B.Partridge, F.W.Tatham, and C.M.Watson

Third Class – Messrs Davey, Kennedy, H.M.Pascoe and J.Taylor

Fourth Class – Messrs J.Campbell, J.P.Fennings, G.Fisher, J.Holdes, and J.A.Wilson.

The players have been paired as follows by lot:-

Batten – Holdes 0-1
Bristow-Gaggin
Campbell-M’Combe
Connell-Taylor 1-0
Davey-Partridge 1-0
Deveril-O’Connor 1-0

Fennings-Hogarth
C.Fisher-Pascoe
G.Fisher-Harvey 0-1
Kennedy-Mitchell
Mongredien-Tatham 0.5-0.5
Watson-Wilson 0.5-0.5

“The Ballarat Star” dated 25th September 1866.

The chess tournament, since its commencement has progressed favorably, and the chess-room is almost every evening crowded with players. Already no less than nine games have been played off, and more would probably have been concluded were it not that many of the competitors refrain from playing to the last moment, in order to make themselves proficient in the openings. The following is the list of the games already finished:-  (see Part 1, BvR).

We give in detail the game played by Messrs O’Connor (white) and Deveril (black):-
(The comments in the game about some moves were actually made by the original reporter in 1866! BvR)

The Star offices on Sturt St. Ballarat