It was in 1846 that the 22-year old Randolph, after having just finished his collegiate studies, became known. At that time he played against Charles Vezin, the subject of the previous post.
Randolph was known for his positional play characterized by patient and thorough analysis.
In 1847, along with another Philadelphia player of renown, Benjamin Tilghman, he organized the correspondence match against Boston in which the previous post’s game was played.
In 1856 he participated in a correspondence match against New York which was won by Philadelphia. Then in the fall of 1858 he took an active part in a telegraph match against New York. After this match Randolph stopped playing competitive chess, probably for health reasons, but continued to follow the game.
At the time of his death the London Times claimed that Randolph was one of the three greatest players in the world. How and why they made that statement is unknown. There is little information available on Randolph and I could locate only two of his games.
Randolph was not only a recognized master player, but a well regarded member of Philadelphia society who was known for his intelligence, gentle manner and modest character.
He was the grandson of the “father of American surgery” Dr. Philip S. Physick, and son of Dr. Physick’s daughter Sally and her husband Dr. Jacob Randolph.
Dr. Philip S. Physick purchased Laurel Hill Mansion in Pgiladelphia in 1828 to use as a summer retreat and later bequeathed the house to his daughter Sally Randolph in 1837, when it became known as the Randolph Mansion.
The chessplayer Philip Randolph, who died in the mansion, was its last resident. He never married and was buried at Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia. The newspaper death notice stated that relatives and male friends were invited to attend the funeral at his mother’s residence.
After he died his widowed mother, Sally, sold the mansion to the city of Philadelphia. In 1870, the city demolished its barn, outbuildings, and farmhouse, yet the mansion now known as Laurel Hill Mansion still stands.
Philip Randolph–Charles Vezin1–0C39PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA USA1847Stockfish 16
C39: King's Gambit Accepted 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.f3
This is the most popular, the main alternative being 3.Bc4. Black had two main
approaches:1) attempt to hold the P with ...g5 and 2) return the P in order to
facilitate his development. g5 The Classical Variation arises
after 3.Nf3 g5. White's main choices are 4.h4 and 4.Bc4 3...f6 4.c4 d5 5.exd5 d6 6.d4 h5 7.0-0 h4 8.e1+ xe1 9.xe1+ 4.h4 4.c4 g4 An
alternative is 4...Bg7 5.0-0 gxf3 6.xf3 f6 Here white usually plays 7...
e5 although 7.d3 is super-solid. 4...g4 5.e5 5.Ng5 (the Allgaier Gambit)
intending 5...h6 6.Nxf7 id very rsky amd is considered risky and unsound. The
text is the Kieseritzky Gambit which is considered the main line; it was
popularized by Lionel Kieseritzky in the 1840s and used by Wilhelm Steinitz
and much later Spassky used it to beat Fischer. h5 The main alternative is 5.
..Nf6, but the text is satisfactory. 6.c4 h6 Black can satisfactorily
defend the P with 6...Rh7, but the text move is also good. 7.d4 d6 White
should now simply retreat with 8.Nd3 which results in equal chances. Instead,
he embarks on a risky and unsoumd sacrifice, but one which also has some
potential. 8.xf7 xf7 9.xf7+ 9.xf4 is about as good. e7 White has
two playable moves: 10.Bxf7+ followed bu O-O and 10.Nc3 followed by Nd5. In
either case black holds the advantage. 9...xf7 10.xf4 h6 11.0-0
Black's K is exposed, but white does not have anu way of getting at it, so
black has the better position. g7 He could also have exchanged the Bs first.
12.c3 Perhaps defending the h-Pawn with 12.Qe1 would have been just a bit
safer. e6 12...xh4 There was no reason to have avoided this. After 13.g3 d8 black has simply picked up a free P. 13.d5 f7 13...xf4 allows
white to equalize after 14.xf4 f7 15.d4+ g8 16.e5 dxe5 He must play
this. 17.xe5 d7 18.f5 with equal chances that could lead to a draw if
the players are willing... e7 19.e4 d8 20.f4 e7 with a repitition. 14.d4+ g8 15.e5 This position contains a trap if black is careless. dxe5 15...xh4 16.xh6 xh6 17.f4 h7 18.e6 If the B moves white mates on f8 e7 19.e4 19.exf7+ is less effective. xf7 20.h6 h7 21.e6+ xe6 22.dxe6 c6 23.d5 White is clearly better, but 19.Ne4 is even stronger. 19...g6 20.f6+ h8 21.g5 g7 22.ae1 and white is winning. 16.xe5 h7 17.e4 This threatens to win with Nf6+. g7 This is a blunder that
should have lost at once. 17...d7 is the correct defense after which
black holds on to his advantage. For example... 18.ae1 g6 White has no
effective continuation. 18.g5 After this white has equalized, but he has
missed a golden opportunity. 18.xg7 xg7 19.f6+ h8 20.f4 g6 21.e5 f8 22.f5 Black has no option but to play xf6 23.xf6+ g7 24.xf7 xf7 25.xf7 and white is winning. 18...xe5 ...and loses. 18...xd5 is a completely different story; the position is completely equal. 19.f2 Better than trading Qs xe5 Threatening ...Bd4 20.ad1 Black is now
compelled to surrender his Q, but after c6 20...xa2 21.f5 f8 22.xh7 g7 23.xh5 mates in 4 e8 24.fe1+ e5 25.xe5+ f8 26.h8+ g8 27.h6# 21.xd5 xd5 22.xh7 d4 23.f6+ g7 24.xd5 xf2+ 25.xf2 e8 26.xc7 e7 27.d5 g3 28.f5 e1+ 29.f1 e4 a draw would be a reasonable
conclusion. 19.e4 g7 20.xf7 xf7 21.xf7 xf7 White is down two
pieces, but black's extra material is useless. 22.h7+ Taking the B would
also win. e8 The K has no hiding place and all his pieces are just
bystanders. 23.g8+ e7 24.e6+ f8 25.f1+ g7 26.f7+ Black resigned.
It's mate in 2 1–0
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