Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-10-04
A CHESS CLUB
Organized in This City By Lovers Of
the Game,
Meets This Afternoon to Elect Per-
manent officers - The Member
ship Largely Made Up OF Mem
bers of the Arion Society-The
History Of the Game.


been slowly growing in IaVor IN THIS
CITY A chess club has just been or
ganized BY prominent members OF the
Ar:on Society and numbers about TWEEN
~ ardent admirers of the game.
Alta meeting Of this club temporary
organization was perfected by electlng
Mr. James P. Adams, chairman; and
Fred Colmar secretary, and plans for
the fall and winter campaign were dis
cussed. The roster Of this cub, when
has been christened the Arion Chess
Club contains the names of the follow
ing gentlemen: Prof. C. A. Schaeter
Hugo l.. Loos. Jacques Front, John A.
Hess. E. H. Vaas. Adam J. Yahn, Louis
c. Stifel. Charles z. Schambra, Sher-
if A. A. Franzheim, Oswald I. Schrei-
Der. Edward w. Stife., Harry W.
Schambra. James P. Adams, c. w. wei
". George E. Welty, Charles A. Bowers,
Edward B. Franzhe!m, DR.. o. W. Bur
datts. Louis Weibel and Fred Colmar.
The club VII meet this afternoon at
O'Clock at Arion Hall 10 elect permanent
officers and arrange a schedule.
The origin Of chess is the subject Of
an almost hopeless controversy. II has
been claimed by writer's and by legends
for China, India, Persia, and recently
with some show Of reason, by a Spanish
archaeologist for Egypt. Traces OF the
game extend far back in the world s.
history. Arabs introduced the game
into western Europe in the Sth century
and il was known among the cultured
classes before the crusade of 1898. The
earliest reference 10 the game in liter
AZURE was made by Jacobus de Cessalis,
a preaching friar, in 1900. This work
found its way by a translation into En-
glish from the French in 1876. The
game as now played dates from the
middle Of the 18th century. A number
of works were published on chess by
Spanish and Portuguese writers in the
18th century. Paoli BOi, a native Of
Italy. was at that time the most scien-
tifc player, and finding no worthy op-
pOnent in his own country, made 4
heightened tour through the then most
civilized part of Europe. He encounter
ed and defeated every master OF the
game. including the inyinc!ble Ruy LO-
PEI. His genius. added 10 a proposes
ing appearance and courteous demeanor,
gained for him general admiration.
The early Italian school, which extend
ed from about 1850 70 1920, IS identified
with the names Of Po,erio $500 and ais
followers. Sa,vio. Greco, ct al. Al the
time OF the Thirty Years War the study
OF chess was somewhat neglected and
there are no writers Of note until the
18th century. AT this time, however,
two powerful. and to some extent rival,
schools sprang up. One confined itself
to the study Of opening and end games,
while the other turned its attention 10
the middle game, what is now known as
play for position. Both schools were Of
practical benefit TO the student.
Writers Ike Sarratt COchrane. Lew
IS and Walker were doing their best to
popularize the game, and they succeed
ed in giving it footing in Great Brit
ain which it has never since lost. The
study of chess became general through
out northern Europe; in France the
various noted writers and students of
the game earned for the Partisan school
a very high reputation. In Germany,
then as now, chief attention was given
to theory; there were no very brilliant
players. but the analytical work OF Bill
guer and Won der Lasa still remains
the standard. England, however, con-
tinued to maintain its supremacy, al
tracing the attention OF the European
players, causing Howard Stanton ID
settle in London, who afterwards de-
feated ST. Amant, the French cham
piOn, causing him TO be regarded as the
leading player of the world. Up to this
time America had produced no player
of more than local eminence; but at the
congress held in New York in 1858. the
first prize in the chief tournament was
Won by q youth of twenty-One. Paul
MOrphy. of New Orleans. This PLAYER
from the age of ten had shown a re-
markable aptitude for the game. and is
admitted to be lie greatest chess genius
that has yet appeared After repeated
victories he journeyed to Europe. de-
feating the strongest players Of London
and Paris in turn. After his visit 70
Europe he abandoned the game to fol-
low his profession. He only partially
recovered from an attack on insanity,
and died at the age of forty-seven.
knowledge Of the game of late years
was impaired to the public by weekly
and monthly magazines. causing public
interest to grow with great rapidity. In
England the game has attained a de-
gree Of dignity and importance. Every
town or village has at least one club. |
London having twenty, while other i'm
portant cities in England have from
five upwards. The British Chess Asso-
citation may fairly claim TO represent
national chess, having London as the
center, governed by eminent players
throughout the kingdom. In France
there are few clubs, while Germany is
a great country for chess. The French
government has manifested interest in
the game by offering prizes in national
tournaments. Austria and Italy have
also a number Of chess club, the latter
country being able TO show a club for
each town, being members of the nation
al association.
The United States is, as may be sup
posed, far in advance of all other coun-
tries. Besides numerous city clubs New
York alone has nine cubs; there are
nine State associations and a recently
organized federation Of University
cubs In Canada the game has gained
entrance into the public schools: there
are clubs in nearly every town and
national association. Australia has sew
eral associations, which held nationa!
tournament with great success.
The game Of chess is the subject of a
most extensive literature, and its study
has become rather that Of a science than