"A sigh of relief escaped me, as I stepped into the cars; for I was leaving behind the heat, dust, noise and confusion of a large city. As I had neither book nor paper to interest me, I drew from my pocket, my faithful companion, one of Appleton's Travelling Chess Boards, and was soon oblivious to all around me, in endeavoring to solve a problem given me by my friend, Ned Hawkin, who had challenged me to send him the solution. As I now remember, the following was the position of the pieces:
Sam Loyd American Union January 1859 #3
"I was then, as now, but a tyro in chess, so it is no wonder, that after half-an-hour's labor, fruitlessly bestowed, I gave it up with the ejaculation, 'I'll bet a box of cigars, it's faulty!'
" 'I take that bet,' exclaimed a man close to my right. I was startled to hear myself thus responded to, but I handed him the board, at the same time endeavoring, in vain, to see his features. He merely kept the board long enough to glance at the position, and then, after running through the solution with ease, remarked with a low laugh."
" 'It is hardly fair to take advantage of your wager, so I will give you the same chance at a problem of mine.' Saying which, he removed the White King from h4 to b1. 'Mate in three,' continued the stranger, as he returned me the board. I do not know how long I studied the position. The train stopped; the mysterious unknown had disappeared, leaving me indebted to him two boxes of cigars!, and that to a person whose face I had never seen, and whose name I did not know."
Sam Loyd American Union January 1859 #3
"I had no time to search for him, however, for I was compelled to hurry to my steamer. Seated in the spacious cabin, and thinking of my curious adventure, I soliloquised thus: 'Why cannot I compose a chess problem? It appeared very easy to that Unknown; well, at least I can try, as the pork said to the frying pan.' Acting upon this suggestion, I went to work, and after laboring an hour or so, I constructed what I considered a very fair problem for a beginner. As I was arranging the position, I said aloud (with conceit):"
"I'll bet another box of cigars that the Unknown couldn't solve this as quickly as he did Ned's."
" 'Done!', exclaimed the same voice, as the stranger seated himself by me, and took the board from my hands."
Sam Loyd American Union January 1859 #3
"He played the solution through correctly, almost instantly, and then, with a low chuckle, remarked: 'I will give you one more opportunity at a problem of mine,' and he rearranged the men."
Sam Loyd American Union January 1859 #3
"Imagine my surprise! He had set up my own problem, but had changed the colors!"
" 'Now,' continued the Unknown, 'I hope you have learned to appreciate this sentiment of Byron's:"
" ' "Most men, till by losing rendered sager,
Will back their own opinion with a wager!" '
"And with a low bow, he left the cabin, to my chagrin and perplexity."
12 points for sending me a complete variation to each problem, at garykevinware@yahoo.com , by next Wednesday.