Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-22
CHESS LEAGUE Of
DEPARTMENTS CLERKS
Opening Matches in Team
Championship COMPETE
tons Interesting.

The opening matches of the season in
the Departmental Chess League team
championship series provided an unusual
number of stubborn contests. Agricui-
ture A had it's full strength out against
Navy, the latter being strongly repre-
scented also, and the chief interest was
centered in their meeting. The result of
the match, however, is hardly a fair
criterion of the relative strength Of the
teams, as the play was closer than the
score indicates. Huntington was in his
best vein and, having the white pieces,
disposed of Webster before the latter
could fairly get in his stride. Navy had
in the meantime sustained another dis
aster when Harrison, their new man,
succumbed to Stephenson. Many strong
players, however. have lost the first
game in tournament play, so that the
formers true form has yet to be seen.
Smell and Napoleon figured in the most
stubbornly contested game of the evening.
The first named had the move and Of
fered the queens gambit, which Napoleon
met with the counter gambit of =. P-k4.
After upward Of two hours hard play
the position was reduced to knight and
pawns against bishop and pawns. Smell
now made a surprising move that cap
tured Zapoleon's piece at the expense OF
two pawns, but this eventually proved to
be his undoing, as after protracted Ses-
sion of end play the game ended in win
for Napoleon, and subsequent analysis OF
the ending proved the correctness of the
play.
With the result of the match beyond
doubt the other unfinished game, Roberts
agreement, although Molkow had the
advantage of pawn with good posi-
ton. Thus the match ended 312 to y in
favor of Agriculture.
The contest between Treasury and
Agriculture 3 is not at present far
enough advanced to report. Board 1 was
occupied by Halstead and Hitchcock, the
latter playing a very careful and accu-
rate defense to the Treasury captain
attack. The game had to be adjourned
with Halstead showing disposition to
be rather venturesome in trying 10 1orce
win out of a drawn position.
History repeated itself in the match
between Interior and Government PRINT
ing Office on Wednesday,. 1t may be
remembered, as stated in last Sundays
notes, that the printers upset all caicu-
lat.ons last year by defeating the cham
pion Interiors in the first match OF the
season. They again furnished almost as
great sensation, since they have
sure draw in hand with the game between
Thorp and Graham yet to be played II
the latter can win or draw this game
the match w II, of course, go to his side
The surprise of the evening was NC
Cormick's win from Walker. The last
named is considered by many to be the
best player in the District, and he went
through last seasons team contests with
out a single loss or even a draw regis
tered against him. MCCORMACK per-
Torrance was, therefore, brilliant piece
of work, especially as 1t was achieved
by superior chess and not as the result
of any acc dental play. The other winner
for the Printers was Arends, on board z,
who gave a first-class exhibition of the
game in defeating Boykin. The only
winner for Interior was Pratt, who &C
counted for Kistler.
The standing of the teams and indi-
vidual scores to date will be given in
next Sundays Star.