The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-03
CHESS CONTEST Is ON
Seattle and San Francisco
Champions Are Playing.
HOME CLUBS PROSPECTS GOOD
Two Sets OF Players Carry. ON the
Struggle Over the wire-Moves
Up to Early Morn.

The great chess contest between the
Seattle Chess Club and the chess players
OF the Mechanics Institute OF San Fran
cisco is now ia full swing at the time
of going 10 press. and the Seattle men
seem TO be holding their own. The rooms
Of the Washington Club, where the Sc
attic champions were stationed and 10
which a Postal wire had been stretched
TO carry the moves over the 900 miles in
tervening between the two sets of contest
ants, was crowded with eager lookers-on.
Three games were In progress simultan-
eously, and the profound thought on the
faces of the captains OF the tables ana
their advisors was in strong contrast TO
the nervous excitement displayed by the
spectators. At times nothing was heard
but the sound of the ticker transmitting
new move on the part of the players 900
miles away. Then. as the announcement
was made there would be buzz OF ques-
tons and comparisons around table In
one Of the larger rooms where, on three
extra boards, the crowd OF visitors were
keeping account OF the games.
Playing began promptly at $50. but pro-
crossed slowly at first owing to some
trouble with the San Francisco end Of the
wire. About s O'Clock a remedy was
found and the reports came in more rap
Idly keeping up very lively thinking
in the minds of those who tried to follow
The tables were manned as follows:
San Francisco-Table No. 1.-Captain,
Lovegrove. counselors. Samuels and Sal
Ivan.
Table No. Captain, Hendricks; coun-
selors. Franklin and Thompson.
Table No. 3.-Captain. Howe: counselors.
Palmer and OFT.
Bagley; counselors. r. W. Barto and
Frank A. Steele
Table No. Captain. W. A. Dickey:
counselors. L. Jaffe and A. NJ. Cadien.
Table No. 3.-Captain, Griffith Davies:
counselors, Mitchell Gillian and A. c..
Jones.
San Francisco. with courtesy that was
thoroughly appreciated by Seattle. gave
her opponent the first move on tables I
and 8, accepting for herself the first move
on table No. . AS the clerks of the tick
er proceeded with the calling off the
moves and the games developed. there
was much interest in specializing as to
what was coming, and disputes as to what
would be the next move were at times
lively, but were effectually settled by the
man from the ticker. who often showed
that no one had prophesied quite cor
rectly.
At table A the game began with Zuker-
torts opening. Until move Il Seattle
appeared to have the best of ii, but San
Francisco moves kt-k6, threatening
kR. which forces an exchange by which
Seattle lost 4 for Kt and seems to lose
her advantage
At table the beginning was with the
Ruy Lopez, by San Francisco. Seattle
was hard pushed from the start having
the best player on the coast against her,
but she held her own up to move q. when
by an error Seattle sacrif@ed r, hoping
10 make a draw, but this move seems
to have lost the game for Seattle.
AT table c the game began with what
is called the Ruyl opening. The Seattle
players made a mistake IN move IA and
lost pawn. which put them in a cramp-
ed position. But on the twenty-first move
Davies made a move which San Francis
co questioned. though ii later withdrew
the objection. But Seattle's answering
move placed the home players in a po.,-
ton TO be sure winner, and IL was plain
San Francisco had made a mistake.
probably the result of an error In the
transmission of the move by wire. Seat
tie Immediately sent word that San
Francisco could take the move back. IT
was not necessary TO do this. but it was
decided that it was the only way TO play
chess. and the home players regarded il
as a matter of honor.