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1909 Anglo-American Cable Match
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2026 12:39 pm
by Kevin Marchese
I am looking for assistance on a rather obscure game. Out of the 128 games played in the Anglo-American cable matches from 1896-1911, the only game of which I cannot find any notes or analysis (from the tabloids of the era) is from the 1909 contest on board # 8 between Harry Holmes (GBR) and Samuel Stadelman (USA). The game was a 56-move Queen's Gambit Declined that resulted in a draw.
I have exhausted the usual suspects in the American Chess Bulletin, British Chess Magazine, The Field, Morning Post, and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Thank you in advance for any suggestions or advice.
Re: 1909 Anglo-American Cable Match
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2026 10:33 am
by John Saunders
There is a clue in Hoffer's comment appended to the score of the game in The Field (3 April 1909, page 586): "The game was cautiously played by both players, that is its only feature." The Manchester Evening News, 27 March 1909, mentioned play on each board of the match individually but could only bring itself to expend one word on this game: "even". The Times, 27 March 1909: "Holmes, Michell, and Wahltuch all had slight advantages which should tell in the end games. Of course a great deal depends on the condition of the players on the second day." The Times, 29 March 1909, gave the full score and the following comment in the report: "... Holmes had a fair game with at least a certain draw in hand against Stadelmann[sic]. The latter cabled at 11 o’clock offering the draw, which the Doctor accepted, the position showing no possibilities which would justify further play." Colourless drawn games of this length are rarely singled out for detailed analysis in the press.
For the benefit of other forum members, here is the bare score:
Re: 1909 Anglo-American Cable Match
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2026 3:48 pm
by David McAlister
I cannot help with finding a source with annotations, but I think there are points of interest, worth annotating. See suggested moves for Black on moves 25, 27 and 48.
Re: 1909 Anglo-American Cable Match
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2026 4:47 pm
by Kevin Marchese
John Saunders wrote: ↑Sun Feb 15, 2026 10:33 am
There is a clue in Hoffer's comment appended to the score of the game in The Field (3 April 1909, page 586): "The game was cautiously played by both players, that is its only feature." The Manchester Evening News, 27 March 1909, mentioned play on each board of the match individually but could only bring itself to expend one word on this game: "even". The Times, 27 March 1909: "Holmes, Michell, and Wahltuch all had slight advantages which should tell in the end games. Of course a great deal depends on the condition of the players on the second day." The Times, 29 March 1909, gave the full score and the following comment in the report: "... Holmes had a fair game with at least a certain draw in hand against Stadelmann[sic]. The latter cabled at 11 o’clock offering the draw, which the Doctor accepted, the position showing no possibilities which would justify further play." Colourless drawn games of this length are rarely singled out for detailed analysis in the press.
Thank you for the note. Yes, I have many game-summary sources for the 1909 contest, including the two you mention. There were many less exciting draws throughout the history of the series, but all were annotated at some point. It is curious that Hoffer did not give this game any attention at all. Victor Wahltuch, who participated in this match (as well as the 1910 and 1911 contests), was the editor of a chess column in the
Manchester Weekly Times & Examiner from 1907 to 1922. I had hoped he might have covered the games in this match, but to my knowledge the archives of that newspaper are not available online.
Re: 1909 Anglo-American Cable Match
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2026 4:51 pm
by Kevin Marchese
David McAlister wrote: ↑Sun Feb 15, 2026 3:48 pm
I cannot help with finding a source with annotations, but I think there are points of interest, worth annotating. See suggested moves for Black on moves 25, 27 and 48.
Thank you for the suggestions. My goal at this juncture is to provide only annotations from the newspapers and players of the era, of which there is a clear abundance. If I cannot find anything on this one game, I will likely just include a handful of diagrams at similar junctures of the game as you kindly pointed out.