Chess is a scientific game and its literature ought to be placed on the basis of the strictest truthfulness, which is the foundation of all scientific research. W._Steinitz

The Blackburne-Steinitz Match,
London 1876
Researched by Nick Pope

Prologue

MATCH BETWEEN MESSRS BLACKBURNE AND STEINITZ.
    The preliminaries of this match have been settled, and the contest will commence on Thursday, the 17 inst., at the rooms of the West-end Chess Club, 8, New Coventry-street, W., where all the games will be played three times a week, namely, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The first winner of seven games, exclusive of draws, is to be declared victor. We shall publish the detailed conditions in our next number.
The Field, London, 1876.02.05
:
CONDITIONS OF THE MATCH BETWEEN MESSRS
BLACKBURNE AND STEINITZ.
    Messrs Blackburne and Steinitz have agreed to play a chess match on the following conditions:
    (1) The stakes in the match shall be £60 a side, and either player who first scores seven games, exclusive of draws, shall be declared the victor, and be entitled to receive the stakes of both sides.
    (2) Each player shall deposit his stake of £60 with Mr. J. H. Walsh, the chief editor of The Field newspaper, at least one day previous to the commencement of the match.
    (3) The rooms of the West-end Chess Club, No. 8, New Coventry-street, W., shall be the place of meeting throughout the contest for the purpose of play. The first game shall commence on Thursday, the 17th inst., at 2 p.m., and play shall proceed on every subsequent Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday, at the same time, until the conclusion of the match. After four hours’ play either party may claim an adjournment for an hour. After eight hours’ play the game shall be adjourned to the next day, Sundays excepted.
    (4) Each player shall be allowed two hours for making his first series of thirty moves, and an hour for every subsequent fifteen moves, and the time gained in each series of moves shall be counted to the credit of the next series. This time limit shall be regulated by sandglasses, and either player exceeding it by five minutes shall forfeit the game.
    (5) The sandglass of a player who does not appear within half an hour of the time appointed for the commencement of a new game, or punctually in order to continue an adjourned game, shall be set running by the opponent, and the time thus wasted shall be counted as consumed by the absent player, who shall forfeit the game if his time limit is exceeded.
    (6) The games shall be played in accordance with the laws of the British Chess Association, with the exception that if either player repeat the same move or series of moves six times in succession, the opponent may claim a drawn game.
The Field, London, 1876.02.12
    The Match between Messrs Blackburne and Steinitz. -- It has been agreed by Messrs Blackburne and Steinitz that their right of publication of the games shall be consigned to The Field exclusively, and that the annotations appended to the games shall be signed by both players before publication.
The Field, London, 1876.02.12

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