John F. Barry

     First: Stockfish 14.1 is out. According to the site the rating difference between v.14 and v.14.1 is only 17 points, but as we all know, gaining 17 points is better than losing 17 points!

     John F. Barry (December 12, 1873 - April 9, 1940, 66 years old) was a Boston lawyer and a very strong amateur. His best result was a narrow loss to Harry Nelson Pillsbury in a match in 1893 (+4, -5, =1). 

     Barry played in twelve of the thirteen Anglo-American cable matches, missing the 1908 match because his invitation went astray. He played on Boards 2-4 over the years, winning games against Henry Ernest Atkins, Joseph Henry Blackburne, and Horatio Caro. 

     He lost a US championship match to Jackson W. Showalter in 1896 (+2 -7 =4). He also played at Cambridge Springs 1904 and tied with Albert Hodges for 15th place out of 16. 

     His close friends knew he had in failing health for many months, but when he passed away it came as a shock to his many friends. A man of many accomplishments, he was a successful lawyer, a member of the Boston Bar Association, the Law Society of Massachusetts and several other legal organizations. Beginning in 1915 he was chess editor of the Boston Evening Transcript. a daily afternoon newspaper. 

     As a chess player he was widely considered to be one of the strongest in the United States. Chessmetrics estimates his rating to have been in the mid-2500s which put him in the top 25-30 players in the world. On the 1904 rating list (Janowsky (!) was ranked first with a rating of 2776), Barry was in a group that contained players such as Curt von Bardeleben, James Mason and Isidor Gunsberg

     Had Barry not had so many other interests in life he might well have reached an even higher level. Personally, he was described as a man who filled with confidence and he had "the happy faculty of inspiring warm friendships. Soft spoken of voice, but in a way that compelled attention and respect." One person observed that listeners "never tired of hearing the many stories and anecdotes which he used to tell of the chess masters of years gone by, and the world of chess..." 

     For many years he was associated with the Boston Chess Club and he loved to tell about a famous dinner given to Paul Morphy at the Revere House in 1859 on his return from European triumphs. Built around 1680, the Revere House, owned by the legendary Paul Revere 1770-1800, is the oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston. Guests included Oliver Wendell Holmes and several other prominent characters of the day. 

     As a member of the American team which engaged England in a series of cable matches in which he was undefeated for many years, in the very first match in 1896, the score was tied and everything depended upon the result of Barry's game against Samuel Tinsley. Barry established a dangerous passed Pawn...it seemed lost, but eventually queened and Tinsley resigned. Barry recalled the game as one of the greatest thrills of his life. 

     Barry's performance in the following game was not flashy, but it was solid as he defeated one of the best players in the world, the little appreciated Henry Atkins. Henry E. Atkins (1872-1955) was a British master who is best remembered for his unparalleled record of winning the British Championship nine times in eleven attempts. He won every year from 1905 to 1911 and again in 1924 and 1925. 

     For Atkins, who was a schoolmaster, chess was a hobby which he devoted relatively little time to playing in only a handful of international tournaments. He was an extremely gifted player who would likely have become one of the world's leading players had he pursued the game more single-mindedly. Four times during 1902 and 1903 Chessmetrics estimated his rating to be near the 2700 mark placing him sixth in the world. 

     Although the odds favored the US team, before the match started it was generally believed that the selection of Samuel Bampton of Philadelphia as a new member of the team would improve their chances even more based on his all around ability, experience and recent successes. Alas, he lost his game. 

     Barry was probably the happiest man in town after he downed Atkins in their important game. On th eother hand, Edward Hymes was very angry with himself for having drawn five straight games in the matches after he had his opponent on the ropes but let him get away. 

     Showalter, too, was disappointed for letting his opponent get away. For his part, Pillsbury, who was clearly the backbone of the team, was something of a disappointment as his record became +0 -2 =3 in the matches. Pillsbury won a P, but claimed he lost time with his N trying to eliminate one of Blackburne's Bs. As a result Blackburne gained a lead in development and equalized. 

     Frank Marshall was down on 7th board, but in 1900 he was not yet the Frank Marshall that we associate with his name today. Marshall was chagrined that he lost his game (likely a draw) on time. There was some suggestion that the scorekeeper should have shouldered some of the blame because it was his responsibility to keep an eye on the time which he did not in this case.

John F. Barry - Henry E. Atkins

Result: 1-0

Site: Match: USA vs. England

Date: 1900.03.23

Sicilian: Taimanov

[...] 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.♘f3 e6 4.♘xd4 ♘f6 5.♗d3 ♘c6 6.♗e3 d5

6...d6 7.O-O ♗e7 8.♘c3 O-O Paglilla,C (2385)-Sanchez Almeyra,J (2415)/San Sebastian 1991 is equal.

7.exd5 ♘xd5 8.♘xc6 bxc6 9.♗d4 This is white's most active move.

9.♗d2 ♖b8

9...♕b6 10.♘c3 ♗a6 11.♗xa6 ♕xa6 12.♕e2 ♕xe2+ 1/2-1/2 Radulov,I (2495)-Barlov,D (2435)/Vrnjacka Banja 1983

10.O-O ♖xb2 11.♘c3 ♗e7 12.♕g4 O-O 13.♗h6 ♗f6 14.♘e4 Now with 14...Be5 and ...Qd7 black could have obtained anearly decisive advantage. Atanasov,P (2405)-Spiridonov,N (2400)/Varna 1985

9...♕g5 10.O-O ♗d6 The threat is ... Bxh2+ and ...Qxh4+. White's best answer to this threat is 11.g3 11.♗e2 ♕h6 12.g3 e5 13.♗c3 O-O 14.♗f3 ♗b7 15.♖e1 ♖fe8 16.♗d2 ♕e6 17.♘c3 f5 18.♕e2 ♘f6 19.♖ad1

19.♘b5 looks fancy, but actually accomplishes little. 19...♗b8 20.♘d4 ♕c8 21.♕c4+ ♔h8 22.♘b3

19...h6 20.b3 e4 21.♘a4 g5 Just about any reasonable move was better than this which slightly weakens black's K-side. 22.♗c3 ♘d5 23.♗a1 g4 Black is strolling down a path to disaster. 24.♗g2 ♘b6 A tactical error that leaves black lost. Much better was 24...Qg6 25.♕d2 ♘xa4 (25...♗c7 26.♘c5 ♕c8 27.♕xh6 wins)

25...♗f8 26.♕c3 ♖e7 27.♕h8+ ♔f7 28.♗f1 ♕g6 29.♘xb6 axb6 30.a4 white is winning.

26.♕xd6 ♘b6

26...♕xd6 does not solve anything 27.♖xd6 ♘b6 28.♖g6+ ♔f8 29.♖f6+ ♔g8 30.♖xf5 wiht a winning game.

27.♕c5 ♕g6 28.♖d6 ♖e6 29.♖ed1 ♖ae8 30.♖xe6 ♕xe6

30...♖xe6 does not improve anything 31.♖d8+ ♖e8 32.♖xe8+ ♕xe8 33.♕xf5

31.♖d6 ♕e7 32.♖g6+ ♔h7

32...♔f8 is met by 33.♖f6+ ♔g8 34.♕xf5 ♕g7 35.♖g6 ♖e7 36.♗xg7 ♖xg7 37.♕e6+ ♔h8 38.♕f6 e3 39.♕xg7#

33.♕xf5 Black resigned. (33.♕xf5 ♕f6 34.♖xf6+ ♔g7 35.♖e6+ ♔g8 36.♖xe8#)

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