San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-10-10
A GREAT GAME OF CHESS.
THE YOUNG MAN WHO BEAT THE
PASHA FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Tho Long Bony Fingers Of tho Stranger
Reminded the Turk Of Another and Diff
Ferent Kind Of Contest-There Was but
Ono Man who Could Play Such Chess.
On q summer afternoon, almost fifty
years ago, Sulejmann Pasha, command
er-in-chief Of the Egyptian artillery. sat
at coffee in cafe on the Nile terrace in
Cairo. At tables near him were many
soldiers who had helped him fight the
armies of Sultan Mahmud not many
months before. Several Of them had
been with him in the battle of Nizib,
when he routed the Turkish army under
Hafiz Pasha and Col. Won Moltke, then
in the sultans service. But Sulejmann
Pasha was not thinking Of the soldiers
about him, nor of Hafiz Pasha, nor Col.
Won Moltke, nor tho great battle of Nizib.
His whole attention was concentrated
on chessboard before him.
Sulejmann Pasha was famous chess
player. In the first few weeks after his
return to Cairo he had beaten dozens Of
times Ulema Reschid Aga, formerly the
champion chess player of northern
Egypt. He regarded his reputation as
chess player as somewhat akin to his
reputation as warrior. He considered
chess to be pre-eminently soldiers
game, and never tired of making elabor.
ate comparisons between strategy on the
chess board and strategy on the field of
battle. Every afternoon he met Ulema
Reschid Aga Mt the cafe on the Nile ter.
race and beat him two or three games
On this particular afternoon, almost
fifty years ago. Ulema Reschid Aga was
little late in coming to his Waterloo
and Sulejmann Pasha was having pre-
liminary skirmish with himself while
awaiting his opponents arrival. His
diversion was interrupted by the appear
ance ON the terrace Of long, gaunt
bony young stranger. The stranger
strobe right up to the pasha's table. and
after making half military salute, said
so loudly that every ono on the terrace
could hear:
"Pasha, challenge you to game Of
chess"
All the officers on the terrace sat quite
still and stared at the thin, pale young
man who stood before their great COM
mander. Tho pasha looked him over
curiously:
81 am at your service, !" was his answer,
after long pause. "How high do you
usually play?"
Sometimes for nothing, sometimes for
a great deal You fix the stakes, pasha.'
"Well, hundred ducats will not be
too much"
The stranger nodded and sat down
The lots were cast. The game was be-
gun. All the officers in the cafe left their
coffee to crowd around the players. The
first few moves convinced them that the |
ong. bony fingers Of the stranger had
moved chess men many times before. At
he end of twenty minutes the pasha's
ayes suddenly frightened and he smiled
de had an invincible combination. He
placed his queen before his opponents
lueen. The officers began to grumble,
or they thought their commander had
ost his head. Only Reschid Aga, who
lad in the meantime Joined the crowd Of
pectators, looked happy. He had guessed
lis friends combination, and he. too, was
ure that it was invincible-
He will take the queen" commented
he spectators, anxiously.
Then he will be checkmated In eight
noves," whispered back Reschid Aga
"And IL he doesn't take herr
"He will lose his own" said the ex-
hampton, triumphantly.
The stranger moved a pawn Sulej-
lann took his queen The officers thought
was all up with the gaunt young man
nd started back TO their coffee. They
-ere called back. however. by the first
-ords the pasha's opponent had spoken
nee he sat down 10 the table.
"Pasha, in twelve moves you viii be
heckmated"
The interest Of the pasha's friends be
ame intense They counted each move
IOud- One-two-three-four-andt the
asia vas already hard pressed Five
en-eight-nine-aDd his men |
ere bemmed in on all sides Ten-ths {
asha tried in vain to break the blockade ,
? sacrificing his queen Eleven-be I
rev hack his king into a corner. Twelve {
and the stranger cried cut: Check {
ate
There u-zsa dead silence, and al stared (
tie r.zsEA He tisOaEht hard for ssv-