The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-01
SILENT ONES ARE HERE.
The Kansas Chess Association Is in
Session at Topeka.

The fourth annual cover the board
meeting of the Kansas Chess associa-
ton is in session at the parlors of the
National hotel, where they viii complete
their tournament next Saturday even
ing.
There are 81 mem bers of the associa-
ton scattered nearly all over the STATE,
about half of the number being present
al the meeting in this city, while a doz-
en- more are conducting games by mail.
Two meetings viii be held each day
and last until each member has played
one game with every other member of
the association, when the one who has
won the greatest number of games will
be awarded the silver trophy loving cup
owned by the club and possessed by the
member making the best score at their
annual tournament. The player making
the best score at the annual meeting is
the owner of the cup for the ensuing
year when ne must defend his rights
by again winning. or the cup is passed
on to the next successful contestant.
The loving cup trophy is made of sill
yer and IS about ten inches high with a
silver pedestal which about doubles the
height. The trophy is in the form of
an immense castle with a chess board
in each corner of the handles. About the
base of the castle trophy are twelve
shields where the names of the yearly
champions are to be engraved. At pres
ent but two of these shields bear in
scriptions, j. V. Humphrey of Junction
City, having won the cup at the first
tournament, and lost it last yeaEs to 4.
l.. Wagenseller, of the same city.
There is little that layman can see
in a chess tournament of an exciting
nature. One might as well attend a
deaf and dumb social as far as enter
tainment is concerned for the players sit
about looking grave and with not a
word to say
There may be some neck and neck fin
lsheS and perhaps some mighty exciting
situations to one who understands the
moves. but to one who does NOT under
stand the game it is ali the same. There
is no roofing permitted, applause is ia
boOed and low conversation in the
room brings frown from a half dozen
players.
The way that the game is being played
at the present tournament it seems
good deal like conducting a mercantile
business of some sort Besides the play
er each table requires a bookkeeper
Who keeps an account of every move
made and balances his books after each
play. Then there is a general factOtum
who in this case is II. @. Lariner, who
seems to be a sort Of a referee, settling
disputes, arranging the men as partners,
choosing the colOIS of the men the play
- --i-- - 49, -
supervisor Of the affair
Several different grades of chessnen
are used i'm this tournament, some Of
them little bits of fellows made from
ivory and brilliantly colored while 9TH
els are of different grades of wood. But
the really "sWagger' set at the tOurna-
ment this year is d three piece set own
ed by ii. @. Larimer This set of chess
men must have history if it was only
known. They are made from the high
est grade Of ivory, are made in three
pieces and carved with Chinese charac-
tiers. At a sale of unclaimed freight a
year or so ago a lower Kansas avenue
junk dealer purchased a queer appear
ing bundle which looked as though it
might be most anything and its appear
ance was anything but deceptive. Tt
proved TO be bundle of curlos sent
by a soldier bow in the Philippines TO
some one the states. The tag had be-
come lost and there was no way to es-
tablish the identity of the owner ex-
CepUng by picture of a youth IN sol
dier uniform MI LaFimer heard of the
chess men ard purchased them Of the
junk dealer, paying him $3.50 for a set
of men said by competent judges 10 ne
worth $50.
Beside this set of ivory men from the
Philippines Mr.. LsTimer has two other
sets in the play Of more than usual in
terest. One of them is a set of German
chess loaded with some heavy substance
which makes 1t impossible for them to
[
upright under all circumstances The
ether set was brought over from Eng
/ land, and is made from English box
wood and is considered of royal line
age.
DR.. Emanuel Laslzer. the champion
/ chess player of the world, is to lecture,
and give an exhibition of chess playing
at Security han this afternoon and ev-
eping.
Those who We're present today and
, TAKING mart tournament ETRe
G. w Baldwin. Osborne; NJ. e. Smith,
Osborne; Fl. ". Wilson. Abilene j. +.
Campbell. Abilene; o. c. Brett, Hum
/ boldt; William Rath. Humboldt: G b.
Hoffman, Enterprise; H D. Thompson,
Junction City; A. J.. Wagenseller. june
ton City; W. H. Moore. w. M. Harvey,
J. G. Waters, II. T. Wright. " Il.
G.. NJ. Sherrard. Atchison; John II.
Gentry, Minneapolis. a. NJ. Harvey. Geo
"a EVhitcomb, John E Frost, s. T.
Howe, H. G. Larieeer. II. W. Cralgs
Frank Jacques. Topeka.