Der Sechste Kongress des Deutschen Schachbundes. Breslau 1889

[viii ad]+287+[1 ad] pages with frontispiece, tables and diagrams. Octavo (8 1/4" x 6") rebound with original wrappers tipped to front and back boards. (Bibliotheek Bibliotheca van der Linde-Niemeijeriana: 5229) First edition.

The 6th Deutscher Schachkongress took place in Breslau in 1889. It included the 6th Meisterturnier (master's tournament) organized by the Deutscher Schachbund (DSB) since its first in Leipzig (1879). As in the previous four editions the round robin tournament was an international event, pitting German masters against the best of Europe at the time. Germany was represented by its usual field of strong masters, including Louis Paulsen, Siegbert Tarrasch, Alexander Fritz, Max Harmonist, Johannes Metger, Jacques Mieses, Emil Schallopp, Curt von Bardeleben, Johannes von Minckwitz, and Johann Bauer who had won his spot by winning the Frankfurt Hauptturnier (1887) master title. The German masters were joined from Great Britain by Joseph Henry Blackburne, who was the winner of DSB's 2nd Meisterturnier in Berlin (1881), Amos Burn, George Hatfeild Gossip, Isidor Gunsberg, and James Mason. The field was completed by Semion Alapin and Emmanuel Schiffers from Russia, and Johann Berger from Austria.

The eighteen masters participated in one of the strongest international events of 1889 (and many would make their way over to the United States to participate in the New York international tournament later in the year). The event was significant in signalling the arrival of Tarrasch as one of the top players. Tarrasch won clear first, undefeated with +9 at the final, a whole point and half ahead of second place Burn. Tarrasch's play was soon considered a school of thought that would antagonize both the methods of Wilhelm Steinitz as well as the school of chess thought represented later by the play of Emanuel Lasker. Here, Tarrasch dominated with his so-called 'correct play', and he won international tournaments of merit up through the turn of the century. It was the first of three Meisterturniers he would win at the Deutscher Schachkongress, a feat only to be matched by Carl Schlechter later. The Breslau Hauptturnier (1889) was won by Emanuel Lasker two and half points ahead of the second place finishers.

Condition:

Rebound with original wrappers laid on front and back, corners bumped else a very good copy.