Lasker in Bristol (1898)

The Clifton Chronicle and Directory, Wednesday 30 November 1898: "Mr. Emanuel Lasker, the chess champion of the world, gave a display of his skill on Friday evening in simultaneous play, under the auspices of the Bristol and Clifton Chess Club at the Assembly Room of the Imperial Hotel, Clifton. Commencing at 6.45 p.m., his first win was registered at eight o'clock, soon followed by a second, after which the pace slowed somewhat. At most of the boards the play was very careful, but at one a spirit of carelessness seemed to seize both players, and the Clifton player, after losing a piece very early in the game, gained it back by an oversight on the part of the champion's next move. This was followed by further slips on each side, so that the ultimate result of the game was for a long time in the balance; but the champion emerged with a Knight and two pawns against a Rook and one pawn, and the game ended in a draw in a few moves. Towards the end, however, Mr. Lasker seemed to tire considerably. When the play was brought to a conclusion by the lateness of the hour it was found that two members of the Bristol and Clifton Club, Messrs. H. Brynes and W. W. Gibberd, had been fortunate enough to secure wins from their redoubtable opponent, and the game with Mr. Hutchins remaining unfinished in a very level state Mr. Lasker agreed to a draw. The final result was 18 wins to the champion, 2 draws, 2 games unfinished, and 2 losses.

Emanuel Lasker

"The second exhibition was given on Saturday. The players opposed to Mr. Lasker on this occasion were collectively a stronger team than those whom he encountered the evening before, and he seemed to realise this fact, playing with greater care and deliberation than at the previous performance. The first win was recorded at nine o'clock and the second at 9.45 p.m., and at the call of time, at 10.45, only eight games, all wins for the single player, were actually finished, though in several others the champion held such an advantage that there was no difficulty in these being adjudicated in his favour as won, and the final score was given as 16 wins to Lasker, one draw, one lost, and eight unfinished."