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Chess 24 Mar 1912, Sun The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com
The following two games were played in the recent Pennsylvania State Championship Tournament. The French Defense in the preliminary round and the King's Gambit in the play-off. The time limit of 30 moves an hour was too fast for strictly first class chess. As will be seen in both games. Sharp obtained a decided advantage. He should easily have won the first game, but had to make his thirtieth move in less than one minute, and, therefore, missed an easy win.
Notes:
(a) We believe that the more conservative move of B-K2 is stronger.
(b) White has the choice of several attacks at this juncture. The strength of the present attack, so far as we are aware, was pointed out to us some years ago in the Manhattan-Franklin Match, where Julius Finn played White against the Editor of this column. Finn claimed that Q-K2ch, followed by the exchange of Queens, gave White a powerful game, and we are inclined to agree with him. The game played in the match mentioned resulted in a draw, although White maintained the upper hand all the way through, Black only being able to equalize the position after hard fighting.
(c) In this move and White's opportunity of doubling his Rooks on the King's file lies the strength of the White game. On a casual examination, the game would be pronounced equal, but on a more careful study, Black will be found always to be under pressure and considerable care must be used in developing his game or his position will collapse.
(d) This move was made, as explained above, on the pressure of the time limit, the rules requiring 30 moves to the hour. BxP would have won easily.
Sydney Thomas Sharp (white) vs. Stasch Mlotkowski (black)
French Defense: Exchange Variation
Submitted to chessgames.com on 04/13/2025
This game decided the championship, Mlotkowski winning first prize and Sharp taking second. Again Sharp was most unfortunate, having secured a decided advantage, he lost the game on the time limit. We are not certain whether he was under the impression at the time that the time was 25 moves an hour or whether in hastily putting down his moves he had made a miscount. In any event, after finishing his 27th move, he was one minute over the hour, and consequently resigned.
Black forfeited the game on time limit.
Stasch Mlotkowski (white) vs. Sidney Thomas Sharp (black)
King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation
Submitted to chessgames.com on 04/13/2025
