New-York tribune., 1908-03-22
CHESS MATCH IN DOUBT
YANKEES IN THE LEAD.
British ColLegians Likely to Lose the
Rice Trophy.
IRy Telegraph TO The Tribune. ]

Philadeiphis. March I--Bent on winning oacR
the lsures lost by the British chess players IN e
match Of a week ago, the team representing oA-
ford and Cambridge London faced the sextet
representing Columbia. Harvard. Yale Prtnce'on
cornell Brown and Pennsylvania in the eighth OF
the series intercollegiate contests ny caoie ioi
-he Rice trophy to-day When play ceased AZ 90"
O'clock This evening the Americans had the ad-
vantage with a of 2h points to ~ TWO
games remaining unfinished. Thereupon draws
were offered the Brtons on the TWO ooaros
but the latter declined. prefeTring that the ealeS
lie adjudioated by the referee, Waiter fenn snip
lev. OF this city
N- sh;pley would not give his decision the
spot and stated might be week before he
could do So The opinion freely expressed Ry
experts in attendance here tonight that the Amer
Sans will retain their lead after the ad1uoica-
aion. and in that way win the match and the
trophy
Louis ]. Wolf. captain OF the Columbia var
sity team pulled his game out Of a complicated
situation and scored for America as did Z WIFI
Jams of Princeton. who found nav IN the coin-
bin2tion of his opponent. w II. Hughes. OF Penn
sylyania, beaten AT the top board oF n j.
Roughton Of Oxford. X. S. Johnson, or HARVARD
drew his game with b. II. r. Slower. OF Cam
bridge the draw being agreed 10 at the close OF
the match.
The match played from the hall OF the
Houston Club and the inns Of Court Hotel, the
Two places being connected by direct cable Not
q hitch occurred the entire day II was the first
time rha, play on this SIDE has taken place on
the campus of university
Play began shortly after O'Clock in the morn
ing with the sextets paired in the following
Board No Nv. H Hughes. Pennsylvania
rs H J Rouehton. New College, oxford
Board No. IL. J. Wolff, Columbia. VS.. /" IL
linrworth. Trinity College. Cambridge
Board No 3-K- s. Johnson Harvard. VS. b
II r. Slower. Queens College Cambridge
Board No. 4-H. Blumberg, Columbia, VS. II
Lob. Kings College Oxford.
Board No 81 Ash. Pennsylvania, VS.. c. G
woodhouse Pembroke College Cambridge
Board No. SC Williams, Princeton, We r.
Petrie. Ballio1 College. oxford
The Ruy Lopez or Spanish attack, was chosen
hy tie PLAYERS at tire five top boards, but the
variations followed not at all monotonous
At sixth board the Englishmen resorted TO
the Petror Defence
Owing to the absence of r. T. Black, of Cor
pho PLAYED in the recent state tournament, was
called upon fill the vacancy.
Of the Americans who defended the Ruy
Lopez. Hughes and Ash both chose the Berlin
Defence. The former lost some time with his
Queens bishop and retarded his development
somewhat. but Ash obtained satisfactory posi-
rion from book line of play. Johnson de-
Tended with 3 3..P-oRS and his opponent contin-
ued with .he steady attack initiated by the
advance Of the queens pawn square. Wolff
met by the 3--P-QR3 defence and opened
the queens rook hie. but otherwise his adver
sary established good position Biumberg
faced the interesting counter attack of 3..P-B4.
from which Lob built up excellent game
in the PetroN Defence. the sixth board. Will
s1is kings rook pawn the tenth with
effect, and result black knight in
irenched strongly in the Princeton players field
The scores Of the games decided follow: