Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05

Stnhn o Ggo,M eI
FOOT BALL LEADERS 1908 CAUSE OF MUCH CRITICISM CHESS EXPERTS TO GATHER
DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR
NAMENT SOON TO BEGIN.

J The leading topic among local chess en-
| thusiasts now Is the District champion
ship. F. c. Lavender. secretary OF the
Washington Chess Club, announced that
the club is planning an open tournament
to decide who shall be the next holder of
the title, this being caused by the fact
that the latest holder. V. Sournin, has left
! the city.
| 1t may be explained that it has for
long time been the custom for the local
chess championship to pass from one in
| dlVidual to another by means of match
| play, every such contest requiring a chal-
! lenge and the necessary formalites Incl
dent thereto. This method Is eminently
suitable for deciding the championship
of the world or a national championship,
| but in any case it generally results in a
paucity of methods. There was, for in
stance. no contest for the worlds cham
pionship from 1894 unfit 1907; it is about
| twelve years since the lamented Pillsbury
defeated Showalter for the United States
championship. the title being vacant since
/ his death. and there has been no match
| for the District title since 1903.
i The alternative method is to hold annual
! tournaments and thus determine upon
new champion every year, it being under
stood that the same person may win from
!. year to year In some respects tourna-
| ment play is not as satisfactory for this
purpose as match play, as there are i'm
portant distinctions in the two styles, but
1t has the outstanding merit of bringing
the best players together once a year
and on the whole seems preferable for de-
Gliding any local championship. Even so
important an issue as the British cham
pionship is carried out this way. At any
rate it Is now assured that the chess club
will. in the near future. invite entries
| for the event from the District players
and will thereafter decide upon the num-
! Der that shall be allowed to take part.
In the meantime it may be of interest
| to discuss a few of the best known local
experts who may be expected to enter the
| lists. There are at least half a dozen
players now residing in the District, all
| of whom are of championship caliber. and
| a series of games between them and some
others less known to- fame would excite
| more than local interest. One of the ia
vorites would undoubtedly be F. B. Walk
er. FORMER District champion and now
| leading player of the Departmental Chess
! League. The majority of his fellow-play
ers of the league. of whom there are some
| others worthy to be in this select COM
pany. would certainly fancy him against
| all corners. Then there are several strong
! players among the active members OF the
| club, notably w. Fl. Smith, present club
| champion. and E. B. Adams. who tied him
| in the club tourney last spring.
| Another possibility is A. w. Fox.
former Washingtonian, who has attained
international prominence in the chess
| world. 1t is understood that this young
| player is again in residence here this
| winter. He has earned an enviable rec
| ord among high-class opponents of the
| game, both in this country and abroad,
| and, judged by the book, he would be the
| first pick of the talent. His best achieve
ments include the winning of the cham
| pionship of Manhattan Chess Club. New
| York. considered the strongest club in
J the United States, and an appearance
| with the worlds masters in the interna-
| tional tournament at Cambridge Springs.
| Pa, few years ago, wnen he finished in
| the first division.
There are still other very strong play
ers In the city who have not recently
| taken such an active part in the game,
! but who may be induced to emerge from
| their retirement when the allurements Of
| this tourney are presented. Among these
are L. P. Hanna, solicitor of the Navy
! Department. and DR.. Wiley, chief of the
| bureau of chemistry, Department of Ag-
riculture.s The former is no stranger to
| championship honors. having held the
| title a number of years ago. and DR..
Wiley. having satisfactorily settled the
| pure food question, may now find time to
show some of his wel-known prowess
| on the checkered board.
| But whether all the above-named celeb
| rites will come together or not, the
| chess fdnS OF the city are rejoicing IN
| the prospect of seeing before long a bat
tie among the local giants of the game.
Departmental Chess League.
| The deferred game between Smell of
! Navy and Graham of Government Print
ing Office was duly played and enables
the complete result of the first series for
the team championship to be recorded.
Smell continued to be in winning form
and scored the game handily making the
result of the match a draw of two games
each This was a hard blow to the
printers, as it deposed them from first
| place The result of the series. however,
| places the three leading teams in an ex-
| tremely close and interesting position.
| Treasury occupies first place by half
| point only and Interior and G.. P. o. are
| tied for second honors. The continual ton
of the struggle between this trio is await
ed with keen interest. and it is by no
means impossible that one or more Of
| the lower teams may create a surprise
before the contest is over.
| Appended is the standing of the teams
| at the end of the first series, together
with the individual scores above 800 per
| cent: