The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-01
and LASKER.
How the Chess Giants Look as
They Play Together.
THE CHAMPIONS MASSIVE HEAD.

Rhiegmatio Evon When Threatened with
Observation-Disclosures Looks Like a Divinity
Student-The Funercal Silence, the To-
baooo Smoke and tho Small Attendance.
Two monarchs of the royal game of chess
& r--William SteinitZ, the red bearded veteran
s who has ruled as king of all players fol
over quarter of century, and Emanuel
Lasker, the STRIPPING prince of the game,
who has just won his spurs and is reaching
Tor the crown that has so long decked Stein
it's brow-sit before chess table. with
their men marshaled for the fray. The
room is filled with Il small but enthusiastic
band of interested spectators. Two tiny
clocks set at 12 and joined together upon the
teeter principle, so that when one is up the
other is down. are silent beside them.
The hands of Second Hodges watch point
to the hour of B. The tiny clock toward
Lasker is up and ticking. Steintz's clock
Is down and silent. The game has begun,
and it is Lasker's move. The spectators
crane their necks, watching the board with
eager eyes. Funeral silence rcigns. When
the white pawn goes 10 kings 4, the spec
tators exchange significant Chances. Iaskei
is again trying the Ruy Lopez, the opening
that won for him the first game in the
match. Lasker pulls down his clock, stop
ping it, and the hands of the champions
clock begin to move. 1t is his turn to play
and the black pawn quickly goes to kings
4. For a few minutes the little clocks &c
up and down quite rapidly, and the first
half dozen moves are made in as many min.
utes. AT least - moves must be made an
hour by each player, ana precious time that
will be needed later is saved by rapid NOV.
ing at first.
AS he sits Mt the table Steinitzs striking
physical characteristic is his massive head,
with its great red beard and auburn hair
sprinkled with faint traces of gray In
strange contrast is the small body beneath,
with its short, frail, slender legs that are
the constant prey of rheumatism lie is
never without his crlitch or cane Both are
held between his neither limbs. and one leg
is thrown across the crutch. His arms rest
upon the table, the hands claspcd or lying;
quietly one upon the other Occasionally
he twiddles his thumbs when the situation
is threatening, but his general attitude is
cool, collected, phlegmatic 40 matter ii his
unerring eye 1iscerns chcckmate three
moves away. 81. wears n rundown collar
and Il black how tie, and IA snowy handl.cr-
chief neatly folded peeps from his coat
pocket.
He occasionally looks about tho room or
drinks from glasses containing water and
ginger ale, but no matter where his eyes
are the board and its men are ever before
his mind. If the situation calls for IL most
careful move, he stolidly sti.,'ia the board
for II Quarter Of an hour ori rr, REGARDLESS
OF the relentless tickin. al hi, Tiny clock,
before he decides whit TO do Cncr the
proper play is selected, he lcach;- fn. thc
piece and draws back without lOuchiuL ii
twice or thrice before he finally lil.s il
from the hoard. The move made, lic starts
4, ,r.., :. y. 4.
dons his enormous hat, and supported by
crntch aud cane moves about ;he room
greeting friends with CHEEKY smile a faint
whisper and a cordial grip of The hand He
is back ut the table ready for play, how
ever, I'll instant after Lasker moves At
times he does not remove his hat, ard ut
others he thrusts his right arm through his
crutch and rests upon it,
I.asler, sitting opposite. looks like di-
vinity student His face Is siugularly pal
lid, with the blue tint Of :, closely shaven
heavy beard showing through the skin near
his ears. He has round, bulctlike head,
with black hair closely cut and devoid of
parting. On the back Of his neck two sears
form :. perfect Greek cross. lis Roman
nose is surmountcd by glasses, and the
most cursory glance detects his Hebrew an
ice5try. He wears link cuffs without cuff
buttons. and Il bright jewel CLEANS in the
folds OF his blue fourth hand tie
His hands are small, white ana well
formed, and his favoritc position when
studying the board is leaning his elbows on
the table and resting his face in both hands
Minute after minute he sits like II statue.
motionless, silent, apparently ifcless, cx-
cept for the nervous twitching of his eye
lids. He is terribly in earnest and is play
rQSa