chess-The Oxford Companion to Chess - First Edition by David Hooper & Kenneth Whyld

MCCUTCmON VARIATION. 640. a line in lhe
TRENCE DxmcE played by John Liftlsay Mcculcheon
( 1857-1905) of Pittsbursh agaimr sENrz in
a simullaneous display at New York in 1885. Aficr
tho usual ontinuation 5 e5 h6 6 B.O Bxc3 7 bxc3
Ne4 8 QB4 whtre h6 atla(king chances on the
kitreisde while Blacl hd prospeclson the olher
id; oI rh€ bdrrd. This aasressrve defcnce.
fashionable around 1905, remains in ur atthotrgh
lcss popular rhan the wtN^wER vAnrArIoN ehich has
similar stralegic characEristics.
h5 Rrs5 2h R\qJ Nf4 27OBNt'ir ]3diNrd5
Rhsl Ncl+ lOK3lB\ea ll R!97+Kfi3 12 Osl
MCDONNELL, ALEXANDER (1798 1835), the
best player in England around 1830. Botn in
Befast, rhe son ol a doctor, he spenl eme yea6 in
lhe Wes! Indies ed laler sorked in London as
secretary of rhe commitiee of wesl Indian MeF
chants. Wiliam Lry$, sho taught McDonnell in
lhe 1820s. soon loutrd thal he @uld.ol sucesfnly
offer odds oI pawn and move to hn pupili but
chauenged io play even Lewis declined, fearing for
bis reputation. From Jutre to Oct. I834 M.Dotrnell
played six match€s against BouRDoN of tbe &5
ganes thar were played McDontrell son ^6; 27. drew
B. and t6t 45 McDonnelt\ tack ^1.Iperience
aEamsr suona oppon€nls was a serious handieP.
On oc@sion his combrna nle pla! couldbebr hanr
and imaginadye, but his openiry Play (based o.
tlwis's teachinas) and his rechnique wcre inferio..
He is described as 'quiet, re$ned. outward,y
inperlu.bable' with 'an insular *me ofae@run .
oujte difieretrl Irom hn eflroven opponenl
ivherers Bourdonnah playeJ tasr and wilh ease,
McDonnell @nantrated at lensti upon tis moves
and rctired from a'Playng sesiotr erhausted,
somerines'*al}jnghhroontheeleaterpartof
the
night in a dreadtul $ate ol exorcmenf. His
@trrenooraries believed thar rhis lone penod ot
(res d kned hb death rrom Bnshas d6eae
The games {ere regarded as lhe 6nest ever played.
They *ere n6t published in England whe.e they
Erea{y stimulaled interest in thc same.
- Uniike his greahival. M.DonneI died weaftnyi
besides ches he was inreresled in political ednomy
on wnich he wrote half a dozen books or
pamphleh. (see Do@LE R(D( s^NtcE.)
BourdonnaiFMcDodnel 2lst march sde 1334 Bhh
1e,le5 2Bc4Bc5 lQe2Nt6 4dlNc6 5dNe7 614
er{4 7d4Bb6 3Bxl4d6 9BdrNg6 10Be304 1lh:l
Re3 12Nd2Qe7 13G00c5 14Kbl6d4 15qd4a5
16NgB Bd7 l7g4h6 13Rd31a4 1935hxe5 20 Bxg5
a3 2lb3Bc6 22Rs4Bl5 23 h4Bi2 24Nxd2R.5 25
:r2 Bcb']llh4hOel+ ll tuel'Riel+ l5Orel
Nkl lb Rh?+ KsR wh € rcngns Alrer inlerior
opening play Black delended ingenious\ and sained m
,d6nra.e lJlar he oul'l hale rcraineJ br 12 . Qf6
Both pl;eR otJooked Lh \ hi'crouldil,reronbyx
Mad)ONNELL, GEORGE ALCOCK ( 1830 99).
f.ish-hom player and atrthor. ln 1854 he was
ordained i. the Angtcan church at Dubli. where
he sened d(l 1857 when he obtai@d a cura.y in
t ndon. In the following 20 yea$ he played in
about a doze. tourn.menis. He achieved two
nolable results: Dundee 186?, lhirdequalwithDE
vEc after NEUMANN and $ErNrz ahead of Buc(
BUTNETandt ndon1872,thirdeqlalwithDeVere
and zuxERoRr after Sreinitz and Blackbume, but
plaed fouth alter a hiangular play-off- MacDonnell
is better rememhered lor his lively chess
colun, undcr the pen-name MaB'in the ,ilBfited
Spottine and Drunatic N.Br and for two
books, ch6s Life and Pi.tur.s (18s3) od rr1?
Knights and Kihss ofches Oa94), both ontaining
picturesquc aaotr.ts oi contemporary playes.
A ge.ial rotr, fond ol @mpany, f l oi an€dotesandimii.tionsofsrAuNt
ddotherleading
playe6. MacDonn.ll, the king\ jester olche$',
s6 pop ar ano.g London PlayeB. II given lo
flighls oI faDcy *hen he 1@t up his pen he was
nevertheless a sif,cere ftend and a nan of
principle. Afie. fulfrIing a ptomise lo pe.iorm a
maniage eremony lor a divorcd church-goer itr
Jan. 1872 he pas dism issed, and sutrered four years
ofhardship before heco d oblain anolhe.curacy.
(In July 1872 when he played in the London
toumanent he adopted rhe p*ndo.yn'Hibel.)
In 1887 he pas gianted a lMtrg at Bisbroote near
Uppingham and then gave up fisrclas competi