Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-29


 EDWARD HYMEs. EDWARD EIDAIRE. tions us the best players among many thou sands of young Americans at four of our great institutions of learning-Yale, Har- ward, Princeton and Columbia--and their regular annual tournament cannot fail to awaken great interest in a game that men tally develops every man who studies it faithfully.
 If there were need of any argument as to the worth of chess, it would only be neces- sary to give the names of the legions of warriors. taeeicians, mathematicians and statesmen who have been its ardent devo- tees during the 2, 900 years of its existence. Homer says the game was played at the siege of Troy, when the GreciRn chiefs had a great deal of time on their hands waiting for a chance to restore beautiful Helen to the throne. Tamerlane, the Tartar con queror, who marked his path by pyramids of human skulls, was as fond of chess as he was of war. Charles and King John both continued to play the game when af- fairs of state even demanded their immedf- ate attention
 Philip II of Spain. Henry " of France, Charles V, Pope Leo x, Charles XII of Sweden, Charlemagne. Napoleon, Richelieu, Marshal Sake and numerous other notable characters in history found amusement and profitable mental exercise in the royal game, which excels all other games invent. ed by man in intricacy, absorbing interest and infinite variety of combinations.
 The contestants in the intercollegiate tournament arc the following named:
 columbia-E. Hymes, e6, and E. Lihaire. -a4 substitutes, F. II. Bowman, 9t, and E. E. Mitch ell. 97.
 Harvard-L. B. schocnfeld, s6. and T. spald. ing, p5; substitutes, E. GoldmArk. ss; w. [. Van kleeck and James Hewins, 96
 Princeton-B. R. Ewing, 94. and E. P. Rob erts, '9l; substitutes, F. F. Stewart. 95s R. L. Beecher, 97, and W. V. Belden, TSL
 Yale-R. L. Ross, od, and A. E. skinner, P6 substitutes, II. A Bryant and J. w. Naples
 The Challenge cup, valued at $500 and donated by n few of the alumni of each col lege, was first battled for at Christmas time 1893, and was won by the Columbia repre sentatives, Edward Hymes and Edward Libaire, who were called upon to defend the trophy during the present tournament In last seasons struggle Hymes won six straight games out of six played. He comes from family of chess players, and six years ago as. the champion of the Labour- donnais club he defeated J. H. Todd of the Columbia Chess club and won the cham pionship of the college. m honor he has re tained with but little difficulty since.
 Hymes has played as many as five simul, taneous blindfold games with the best ex- perts in the college, and outside of college circles has defeated Jacobi and played drawn games with such noted experts as Haughton D. Stubbs and J. H. Blackburne. Hymes is also checker player of decided merit and is champion of New Jersey. His home is in Newark, N. J.
 Edward Libaire, Columbia's other cup winner, is a New York boy, aI years of age. He is not an experienced player. but he managed to win three out of six games he contested last year. Of the Yale repre- sentatives in the present tournament A. E. Skinner is a veteran He played last sea son and won two gamesr He is an Ottawa (Kan.) boy. R. l.. Ross, the other Yale man, is a newcomer in chess and resides at New burg, N. |. Ballou, the Harvard expert. who succeeded in winning the creditable number of five games in the first tournR- ment, is not in the current match. Har- wards representatives are bothnew men.
 Boyd R. Ewing, the Princetonian who won 21S games in the first match, is again one of the Tigers team. Roberts is a new star in the Princeton chess Armament. In the tournaments @ medal is given to each