The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-06
CHESS AS A PROFESSION.
VIEW ED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF
WOMAN PLAYER.

Hard on the Nerves of some Women.
The Game Requires Time, Patience
and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Famous
Players.
New York. Feb Al do not say that l
am the champion woman chess-pIayer of
the world. But as l have never been really
beaten in a fair and square game, l think
that 1 can lay some claim 10 being an au-
thority on chess.
! have played several times at an eHor-
nous disadvantage, and have come out
pretty we'll so when I say that chess-play-
ing as a profession for women is posi-
biiity, can be believed.
They say that chess-player must begin
to learn to play chess a long time before
he is born. That means that you must have
a fair endowment of intellect and certain
amount of good commOn-sense- With these
two qualities supplied there is no reason
why you cannot play this, the most intel
lectuel game in the world.
l did not learn TO play chess until after 1
was married. My husband was profess
sional chess player and. because took an
interest in the game, he taught me how to
play. We have what Northerners would
consider a very nice stock farm near
Georgetown, KY. and when tired with the
outdoor life or when the weather was bad,
found it very pleasant to play chess in the
house.
A great many women who begin to learn
to play chess find it hard on their nerves.
They say it tires them. and have known
women to become hysterical over the
game, and give it up IN despair before they
had learned the secret of the moves.
did not have that experience. ] liked
to notice the progress of the 'pawns" and
to learn the different directions in which
the knights" and bishops started forth
on their career of triumph. The kings"
and queens and their troubles fascinated
me, and l could not see the possibilities
of the castle" long before l knew how
TO clear way for it.
My first big game was with my husband.
He agreed that at a certain time l should
play match game with him; he was to
be blindfolded and l was to use both of
my eyes. OF course 1 had to call the
moves. but we played the game, and when
tell you that I won you can imagine that
was very well pleased with my progress
at chess
To-day although he has been a cham
pion for long time, can still beat him.
but he has TO make certain concessions.
If he takes off one of his pawns and gives
me two moves at the start can generally
catch his king at the close of the game.
There is no woman living who can beat
I.
for the men-well, the annual champion
ship games in which he plays decide that
and the world knows the rest.
Last summer l had the greatest disap
| pointment of my life. Twenty women,
| representatives of the different chess clubs
| all over the world met at the Hotel Cecil,
! i'm London, for chess tournament. l
| could not go because 1 could not leave my
! baby. Mrs. WorreI. Americas representa-
| tive, came out fourth.
Previous to that l met Mrs Worrell for
a series of match games They stopped
! three TO two in my favor, and one drag
| game. In the middle of the next game
we were interrupted on account of sick
ness at home. l have not played since.
| am a very slow player. I like TO play
| only fifteen or twenty moves an hour,
which means a thought of three or fom
minutes on each move.
Using this rate of speed, I played =
match game with Mr.. Reil Buz. late a
director in the Manhattan Chess Club, or
New York. and now of the German army.
I won the match, five games up, five TO
three al the finish.
also played a match game with Mr.
Z. Lasker, champion of the world, four
years ago, in which beat him five games
He took off a knight, giving me, of
course, some odds and himself a handi-
cap.
1 won a single game on even terms
with Mr.. n. Jasnogrodsky, who is
famous chess player. l also won game
from Louis Schmidt, the violinist and
chess player.
If were to advise woman to take up
a game l should recommend chess be-
cause it develops the mind and interests
her at the same time. The only requisites
are. as l said before a good mind and
common sense, and to this must be added
good physical health With baby the
matter of hours isn't always TO be regu-
| lated and so. temporarily, 1 have given
up chess playing, but / shall take it up
again
Am / open for match games Yes and
no. | want to play again, and l am ready
to receive any challenge. I do not play
for money, and perhaps on that account
| cannot be called professional" but
l am a woman chess PLAYER and l would
like to play any woman in the world.
Nellie Marshall Showaltar