Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-20
.THEDIPL0MAT'SGAME
Revival Of Popular Interest in the
Intricate Game of Chess.
THE KINGS GAME In THE CABINET.
Some Prominent Men and Women Who Are
Experts.
THE CHAMPION PLAYER OF THE WORLD
WRITTEN FOR THE D1spArcH.l

I
who were playing game of chess in club
house recently. The game had been a long
one and closely fought and black had now
declared that he would be the victor
Three moves were made, but white still
fought hard. Four moves, and he would
not give in. Five moves, and the player Of
black announced:
"Checkmate.
Chess Is getting to be q very popular game.
1t is safe to say that now there are score of
players to every one there was ten years ago.
1t has been estimated that there are 20, 600
players residing in New York CITY and
Brooklyn. Nearly every city in the union
now has chess club. In st. Louis, Chicago.
Philadelphia, Boston, and all the large
| cities there are many prominent amateurs
who can hold their own with any of the pro-
fessionals, and who have won prizes in State
ana national tournaments.
Chess players are, as rule, great think
ers; in fact, to be successful as chess play
er one has to be deep thinker, and to be
able to think ahead, as it were, to forecast
the result of certain moves. A chess plaver
has to plot, scheme and maneuyer all the
time the pieces are before him. Chess has
become popular game in all the colleges
for several years, and so the chess PLAYERS
can count in their ranks many LAWYERS.
clergymen, artists, musicians, scientists.
merchants and, in fact all the better edu.
Gated classes
1t is rather curious coincidence that all
good chess players are musicians, and manv
of them are good lineuists, some of the most
prominent players being able to converse in
two or three languages.
THE LEADING AMATEURS.
Eugene Delmar is considered to be the
best amateur player in the country. He is
connected with one of the leading New York
banks and lives in New York City. He is
a comparatively young man, medium height
and good looking. While he is very fond
Of the game, he does not devote all his time
to it, and particularly objects to being
called chess crank. Mr.. Qelmar has won
the championship of the New York Chess
Club several years in succession. He plays
dashing, brilliant game, said by MANY to
be the most brilliant ga ne PLAYED by any-
one in this country. He has never vet been
beaten in match.
Another player who can hold his own
with any PLAYER in the country is Captain
George H. Mckenzie, of Brooklyn, He
is now In Europe. Captain Mckenzie is a
veteran player. He won the worlds
championship at Frankfort and took the
first prize in the American Chess Congress
three or four times in succession. He has
been the strongest player in America for
more than 20 years.
Russell Sage is very good player. He
makes chess a hobby, and is said to dream
of the chess board when his mind is mot
occupied with Manhattan elevated stock.
After playing with the "puts and calls" on
the stock exchange boards ali day he goes
home and solves problems. He has been
known to write several letters about one
problem. Mr.. Sage is a very good problem
ist, and after having solved them explains
them to his wife. Cyrus Field is another
fair player. Mr.. Field has not distinguished
himself in any brilliane games. but he is
very fond OF solving problems and takes a
great deal of interest in all the tournaments.
Mr.. Field is home man. He likes to plav
a game in the evening with some member Of
his family. 7.'
CHESS IN THE CABINET.
Secretary Of State James G. Blaine is a
very clever chess player. He plays close
careful game, and is particularly fond of
solving problems when the cares of his
office allow him time. Mr.. Emmons Blaine.
who was recently married to Miss Anita
Mccormick, follows his fathers footsteps in
the chess world. He has frequently given
his father good fight on the chess board.
HIS young vile plays little. Mr.. Walker
Blame and James G. Blaine, Jr., are also
fair players.
Secretary of the Treasury William Win.
dom is an enthusiastic PLAYER. He keens
himself well posted on all the games MA we'd
In the tournaments. He plays a close.
quiet game and is hard man to beat
POSTMASTER General Wanamaker is also a |
hrst-class player. Chess is PLAYED a great |
deal at the Union League Club, the New |
York Club and at the Knickerbocker Club. |
At the 81. Nicholas, Kane, the brother of |
the society favorite, Delaney Kane. is
about the best player; He plays a fine
dashlng game, and is particularly fond of |
solving problems. William G. Nye is |
another good player, and Chauncy M. |
Depew is said to be able to hold his own
with good many players of the club. He
makes no boast, though, of being a chess
crank.
Colonel Fellows, the District Attorney of
New York, is very fond OF a good game and
can defend his king with his queen, castles
and pawns as well as he can defend client.
and attack his opponent as brilliantly as he
can prosecute criminal offender in the law
courts. Colonel Fellows is somewhat of a
crank at the game. He never misses a
tournament. He is member of the New
York Chess Club and is very fond of wager
ing bottle of wine or even a few dollars ON
The result of the game.
MUSICIANS GOOD PLAYERS.
Gottschalk, the famous pianist and COM
poser, was very fine chessplayer, and all
prominent musicians are very expert at the 1
Kings game. DR.. Samuel Warren. the
,rganist at Grace Church, is an expert. He
inds great deal of rest and recreation after
! hard days work with his music in a o1iet
.ame of chess. He can beat number Of
rood players. DR.. Arthur Sullivan. who
las composed operas, songs and church
music, is another good PLAYER. Theodore
Thomas, Walter Damrosch. Theodore Toedt
nd A. Il. Messitts, the organist at Trinity
church, play great deal.
Edwin Booth is one of the best nlavers
mong the actors. He is fond of every
anne that requires great deal of brain
York and study. He plays a brilliant
ashing game. Billy Florence will yery
ften leave off telling fish stories and praeti-
al joking to have a game of chess. He
ays the quiet OF the game affords him a
reat rest alter the laborious work of think-
lg out some joke to play on Captain Billy
onoVer. The late john 7. Raymond was
very good problemist. Mr.. and Mrs.
-endal the English actors, enjoy many
anne together. Henry Irving, E. 81.
othern, Augustine DAILY, Joe Jefferson and
rancis Wilson are experts at the game
WOMEN WHO PLAY.
According to Captain Mckenzie, the best
omen plavers are the Misses Worrels of