Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-15
THE BELAIR HEIGHTS PEoPERr'
THE GREAT CHESS CONTEST.
Lasker and ShowaIter, the Chess Giants,
Meet.

Lasker and showaIter, the Chess Giants,
Meet.
contest of more widespread interest to the
wo.ld OF chess players than any that has been
held since the days of Morpby, king of chess, ~
is being played at kokomo. Ind. The match is
for q, 600 a side, between Herr Emanuel Las
ker Of Berlin. who holds the English champion
ship and that of half a dozen other European
countries as well, and Jackson ". Showalter of
Georgetown. ky., who has won the champion
ship of the American Chess Association three
times in succession with the loss Of but one
game. The match is to be ten up (draws not
coun:ing). time limit fifteen moves per hour,
purse $4,000 and the title of chess champion of
America
The contest is under the auspices of the Ko-
komo Chess Clab. 1t is expected that it will
las. from four to six weeks.
The match was to have began a week ago,
and Herr Lasker arrived in kohomo at that
time from New Orleans. Showalter did not ap-
pear, however. the serious Illness of his wife
being advanced IA the reason. 1t has since
been hlrted that another reason was the Amer
lean champions inability TO meet the financial
conditions. True or false. number of chess
clubs. Cincinnati and Galveston. Tex. leading,
have interested themselves III Showalters be-
half. and all arrangements have been satisfac-
LAsKER's WONDERFUL CAREER.
Herr Lasker is young man, small of stature,
with Hebraic cast of counte nance and moth
ing in his makeup to mark him the student
professor OF abstruse mathematics, which
he Il. He was born in Berlin twenty-three
years ago and won some distinction at chess at
the early age CT twelve years. He is gredu-
ate OF the Berlin and Heidelberg Universities
and since coming to America in October of last
wear has divided his time between chess and
lecturing on mathematics. He has just COM
pleted a course OF twelve lectures at the Tulane
University, New Orleans, on The Theory of
Lineal Diferential Equations" and he will
shortly accept the chair Of mathematics IN that
institution. At the age of nineteen he began to
attract the attention of European chess play
ers, meeting the strongest players of the Berlin
Chess Club, an6subsequently vanquishing the
chess masters OF Germany in individual
matches.
In 1891 he met such English players as Black
burne. Mason, Bird and Gunsberg winning
with ease the English championship. Herr
Lasker came to the United States on invitation
of the Manhattan Chess Club of New York, and
the best players of the east fell easy prey to
his brilliant genius. He was tried with class
games. open games, waiting games. ancient
style, modern style. irregular openings, hack
neyed openings and what not, but he seemed
double-armed at every point. and was never
stopped until he met Showaiter in an exhibition
game ut the Indiana state chess tourney, held
at Losauspors last December
Here the play ''broke even," the score stand
ing:
Lasker-Won /, lost I. DRAWN 1.
Showalter-Won l. lost /, drawn l.
Since that time arrangements have been
making for the match which is now in pro-
gress, and which, while finally determining
the American championship, nominally deter
mines the European championship as well.
LAsKER's OPPONENT.
Lasker's opponent, Jackson W. Showalter. is
native OF Minerva, Ky. lie is thirty-four
years old, and he did not begin to play chess
until nine years ago. He came into prominence
by winning the Kentucky championship, and
crowned successful career by his wonderful
plays in the United States Chess Club contests
winning, as has been said. in three successive
Journeys. with the loss of but one game. This
| feat has been accomplished By no American
chess player living, and is equaled only by the
great Morphy.
Showalser subsequently met and defeated
Max Judd OF s.. Louis, the new consul to
Vienna, and the great LipschUetz. number
of chess players OF state prominence are at
kokomo to witness the contest. and chess mas
tiers OF this country ard Canada will drop in
during its progress.