Scottish Championship 1890

The seventh Annual Congress was held in the rooms of the Dundee Chess Club, 38, High Street, Dundee, during the week beginning Monday, 14th April. The programme contained:—

I.—Major Tournament: Prizes, 1st, Championship Cup (for one year) and £4 4s.; 2nd, £2 2s.

II.—Minor Tournament: Prizes. 1st, £1, 3s.; 2nd, £2 2s.

III.—Handicap Tournament: Prizes, 1st, £3 3s.; 2nd, £l 11s. 6d.

In the Major Tournament there were ten entrants, viz.:— G. B. Fraser, W. N. Walker, H.T. Baxter, Rev. C. M. Grant, and Patrick Sandeman, Dundee; Sheriff Spens, John Gilchrist, J. D. Chambers, and J. M. Finlayson, Glasgow; and Noel Meares, Edinburgh.

The following are the results of play in the Major Tournament:—

Major Tournament
Scottish Championship
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
 Points
1. W.N. Walker
■
0
½
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
6½
2. Sheriff Spens
1
■
0
1
1
0
½
1
1
1
6½
3. J.D. Chambers
½
1
■
0
0
½
1
1
½
1
5½
4. G.B. Fraser
0
0
1
■
1
1
0
1
1
*
5
5. J. Gilchrist
1
0
1
0
■
0
*
1
1
1
5
6. H.T. Baxter
0
1
½
0
1
■
½
*
1
*
4
7. J.M. Finlayson
0
½
0
1
*
½
■
*
½
1
3½
8. P. Sandeman
0
0
0
0
0
*
*
■
1
1
2
9. N. Meares
0
0
½
0
0
0
½
0
■
½
1½
10. C.M. Grant
0
0
0
*
0
*
0
0
½
■
½

* indicated unplayed games.

Mr. W. N. Walker and Sheriff Spens tied for the championship. It was agreed that the first won game should determine the victor. W.N. Walker won the play-off.

Sheriff Spens (left) and W.N. Walker during the play-off.
 Courtesy of Edinburgh Chess Club

Minor Tournament

In the Minor Tournament there were eight entrants, consisting of Robert Brander, Lossiemouth, and seven Dundee players. The following are the results of play in the Minor Tournament:

   
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Total
1 J.D. Baxter
■
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
7
2 James Moir
0
■
1
1
1
1
1
5
3 Edward Malcolm
0
0
■
1
1
1
1
4
4 Jas. Simpson
0
0
0
■
1
1
1
3
5 P.J. Imandt
0
0
0
0
■
0
1
1
2
6 John Duncan
0
0
0
0
1
■
1
2
7 H.B. Mitchell
0
0
■
0
8 Robert Brander
0
0
0
0
0
0
■
0

John D. Baxter won the first prize, and James Moir the second. Several games were left unplayed in both the Major and Minor Tournaments, as the results could not affect the destination of the prizes.

Handicap Tournament

In the Handicap Tournament there were entrants classed as follows :—

Class I.—G. B. Fraser. J. M. Finlayson, Sheriff Spens, W. N. Walker, P. Sandeman, and J. D. Chambers.

Class II.—H. T. Baxter.

Class III.—Philip Moir, P. P. Fleming, Rev. C. M. Grant, J. D. Baxter, and J. Connor.

Class IV.—John Methven, C. M. Boase, and H. B. Mitchell.

Class V.—Robt. Brander, J. B. Cleghorn, Martinus Thomson, W. G. Thomson, and S. L. Baxter.

Class I. gave to inferior classes respectively the usual odds of Pawn and move, Pawn and two, Knight, and Rook. Proportionate odds were given between other classes. This tournament was conducted on the pairing system, one game being decisive.

Final Pairing: Sheriff Spens v W.N. Walker. Spens and Walker drew and agreed to divide 1st and 2nd prizes.

Annual General Meeting

The annual General Meeting of members was held on Friday. 18th April, at 7-15 p.m. Sheriff Spens presided, and there was a large attendance. The following office bearers were re-appointed for next year: president, Sir VVyndham C. Austruther, Bart. Vice-presidents, Sheriff Spens, Glasgow; W. N. Walker, Dundee; D. M. I.atta, Edinburgh; and John S. Pagan, Auchterarder.

Directors, Peter Fyfe and G. A. Thomson, Glasgow; Rev. Robert Semple, Aberdeen; John Macfie, Edinburgh; John Gilchrist, Glasgow; Rev. C. M. Grant, Dundee; G. P. Galloway, Edinburgh.

John Methven and Dr. A. B. Spence, Dundee; and Christopher Meikle, Edinburgh, were appointed directors in room of John Russell, W. W. Robertson, and James Marshall, who retire.

David Forsyth, 5, Albyn Place, Edinburgh, was reappointed secretary and treasurer. John Methven was appointed assistant secretary in Dundee, and it was remitted to Sheriff Spens and John Gilchrist to appoint an assistant-secretary in Glasgow.

It was resolved to hold next year's Congress in Glasgow, the particular date to be fixed by a sub-committee of Glasgow members, and intimated in the chess columns two months beforehand. The treasurer's estimate of income and expenditure for the year showed an increase of the Association's credit balance in bank.

Note
This was the first time that the championship had not been played in Glasgow or Edinburgh, thanks largely to the efforts of Walker himself, a local Dundee player. Walker won the championship for a second time in 1893 when it was again held in Dundee.

Sources
British Chess Magazine 1890, pp. 184-186.

Alan McGowan

updated 18/11/2022