East Switzerland Chess Tournaments (1842 - 1887)
   
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1842 One of the club's younger members, Johann Escher (junior), founds a second chess club on the «Waag« (Guild). The new club is headed up by a president and a secretary.
1845 The two clubs headed up by Escher senior and Escher junior merge, retaining the name «Schachgesellschaft Zürich.»
1847 The chess players of the Lesegesellschaft Basel are challenged to a correspondence match. After six and a half months and 30 moves, Zurich succumbs to its rivals. The rematch also ends in victory for the Basle players on November 28, 1848.
1848 A series of matches against the newly founded Winterthur Chess Club begins. Zurich wins 22:10 (plus 6 draws) at Baltenswil. Two further competitions follow in 1850 and 1851.
1857 The Zurich players travel to Winterthur on the newly built railroad, but a heavy defeat (11:22) awaits them upon arrival. The return visit the following year also sees the Zurich society defeated at the hands of their «younger sister.»
1864 A three-man delegation from Basel, headed up by Albert Merian, makes a surprise visit to the Chess Club. Merian makes a particular impression among the Zurich players, in part by playing a match «blindfolded».
1865 The Saint Gall Chess Club is beaten in a correspondence game in 23 moves.
1867 The club rules appear in print for the first time in a document published by Orell and Füssli. Image on the right
1868 A correspondence match between some of the Zurich players and the keen chess players of the Vogel family from the canton of Glarus ends in defeat.
1868 The Zurich Chess Club hosts the First East Switzerland Chess Tournament at the casino in Winterthur. Sixteen players from the Chess Club engage in the battle of wits and record 41 wins, 30 defeats and three draws.
1869 Zurich, the pioneer of the Swiss chess movement, organizes the Second East Switzerland Chess Tournament at the Künstlergütli (approximately where the university refectory stands today). Chess fans from Saint Gall, Winterthur, Glarus, and Basle take part in the one-day competition.
1870 Two women apply for membership. They are informed that for the time being there are no plans to change the club rules to allow women entry.
1871 The Fourth East Switzerland Chess Tournament takes place at the Künstlergütli, with 37 players from Zurich, Saint Gall, Winterthur, Thurgau, Berne, and Basle taking part.
1872 A correspondence match started in 1870 against Saint Gall (under the leadership of problem expert Albert Oberhänsli) ends in defeat.
1876 The Seventh East Switzerland Chess Tournament takes place in the legendary «Baugarten,» accompanied by torrential rain.
1879 A total of 41 players from Zurich, Saint Gall, Winterthur, Lucerne, Wil, and Schaffhausen take part in the Tenth East Switzerland Chess Tournament at the Künstlergütli, the last in the series.
 
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