The Portland daily press., 1899-02-04

tripred in this way. The Russian ofie'el
valuable piece with the probability {
check in the next move after wtict
Tschigorin was TO make several brilliant
moves and drive his oppontent 10 furse=
mate. But Burrii'e refused the teinrtir 6
| offer. That spoiled all of Tschignri =
calculations and lost him the game
Tschlgorin Is one Of the few men who can
play several simultaneous games bill; d.
fold.
Blsckburne. the Englishman. Is mild
and phlegmatie but his EXPRESSION is
marked with self esteem, and he can use
biting sarcasm with effect. lie IL a greHt
smoker, and his favortite pose when play
ing Is TO SIT back in his chair. pulling
away, with his legs crossed, but with his
ewes glued TO the board. When he is
making up some intricate combination,
his face becomes slightly suffused and
his eyes assume far away look. lie also
is an expert at the blindfold game.
Showalter. the Kentuckian, whose wife
is also u brilliant player. is distinguished
| chiefly by "a tremendously big pair Of
blond mustaohes and a frank, open conn
tenance, When playing, he always re-
mains digniaei and gentlemanly during
the contest, as is the wont Of men from
his state, and, like them, ha Is a good
Judge Of cigars and whisky.
Harry n. Pillsbury, the young Ameri
can champion. when engaged in playing
chess preserves the cool, iesolute manner
which ordinarily characterizes him. No
matter how great tho issue at stake he re-
mains calm, always paying great atter-
ton to the board, often sitting with one
elbow on the table, leaning on his hand.
He is a profound student of chess, as well
as great checker player, his two years
in the personal conductorship Of an su
tomaton giving him a remarkable insight
into every kind of play. His style is
painstaking and solid, and he never risks
game for the sake Of making n series CT
brilliant moves. On his present tour
throughout the United States he has
proved his ability in playing many stimuli
taneous games against good opponents,
and also as strong biindfold antagonist
An interesting feature of a chess match
TO any one VIII o attends one for the first
time is the plan used for keeping the time
of the players In their moves. Before
match an agreement is always made that
certain number of moves shall be made
per hour by the players, usually either 10
or 20. To guard against their overstep-
ping the limi two clocks are provided.
They are pendulum clocks and are both
precisely alike, being about three inches
high. They are fastened on a lozenge
shaped piece Of wood about ten inches
long in such position that when the
wooden stand is tipped in each direction
first one clock and then the other is on a
perpendicular base and Immediately
5 tarts ticking off the seconds, When the
| game b, gins, the clock timing the white
| is sta tea. and as soon us he makes a
move he tips IL up, thus stopping 1t and
| sta rting his opponents timepiece, and so
| on thr oughout the game.
AS only "a comparatively few spectators
can see the game over the shoulders of
the players in u tournament II is thu gen
era custom to have large black boards
ri aced on the wall near the contestants,
on VIII ich the attendant marks the moves
as they arc made.
LEO ETHERING TON.