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Prince Dadian Games, Pt. V

I recently came across some games of Prince Andrei Dadian of Mingrelia that I hadn't seen in any database.  I had published some of them elsewhere, but wanted to put them all into this series.

This entry only includes one game I never found in a database. The game was published in the BCM Nov. 1897 along with a well-known game Prince Dadian played vs M. Bitcham.  I decided to replicate the entire article below (along with annotations by Rev. Charles E. Ranken): 

 

 

WE wonder how many of our readers know where Mingrelia is. It is a province of Asiatic Russia, lying between the chain of the Caucasus and the Black Sea. It has, we believe, a language of its own, and the Dadian or Prince, we understand, is the titular ruler. Obscure though his country may be, the name of the Prince is known throughout the chess world as that of an original and brilliant player. He has been good enough to send us a selection of his games, which from time to time, as space permits, we shall have much pleasure in publishing. We have also received from a correspondent some account of his Most Serene Highness' life, from which we gather the following particulars. He was born at Zondidi, the capital of Mingrelia, and from infancy displayed an extraordinary liking for various branches of science. His family used to spend the winters at Paris, and from the age of 14 the Prince began to write good French verse, and as an exercise to compose fictitious tales which astonished his Professors. Endowed with a powerful memory, he can recite an immense quantity of poetry; he speaks six modern languages, and his erudition is known throughout Europe. He has played chess from his boyhood, and at Vienna, in 1882, after the banquet which took place at the close of the International Tourney there, he played a blindfold game with such accuracy that the masters who were present applauded him heartily. Nevertheless, on account of his other occupations the Prince rarely plays chess, and is far from having the practice of other masters. His end-games are very beautiful, and will remain as chéf-d'oeuvres in the literature of chess.
The following games will be found worthy specimens of his skill.

 






Pt. I
Pt. II
Pt. III
Pt. IV

Pt. VI
Pt. VII

 

 

Comments


  • 15 months ago

    vaime

    mingrelia is parto of georgia... georgia was occupied by russia at that times...

  • 15 months ago

    MarcGH

    not bad ! not bad at all

  • 15 months ago

    batgirl

    Whoa, Nelson!  When did you get back on chess.com??

  • 15 months ago

    kenytiger

    Man, this Prince Dadian was someone not to mess with. That finish in the last game blew my mind.

  • 15 months ago

    Beginnerkhan

    Thanks good games

  • 15 months ago

    Jeffmon

    Ranken is clearly an objective party, so I couldn't help but find the choice of words amusing. And how people love to take something out of context when it suits their needs...

    Thanks very much for the series, and these games were two of the best.

  • 15 months ago

    batgirl

    By "pre-arranged" Ranken meant that it wasn't haphazard or luck, but part of a thought-out plan, as I'm sure you already knew.  But you're right that rumors do start on conjecture, misunderstanding and prejudicial assumptions which is why they remain rumors and not facts.  I'm glad you spent the time to read Ranken's notes.

  • 15 months ago

    Jeffmon

    From PD vs. MB, move 17:

    "White now has three pieces liable to capture, and, but for this splendid move, which, of course, he had pre-arranged, he must have lost at least one of them."

    This is exactly how rumors are started Yell

  • 15 months ago

    jfrommel

    Just some magnificent games.

    Thank you. The series has been great.

  • 15 months ago

    Crazychessplaya

  • 15 months ago

    ToddMan

    Nice Ending!
  • 15 months ago

    chalaco

    nice games !!!....thx

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