Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
DEPARTMENTAL CHESS
TEAMS START SEASON
Champion Interiors Make Fly;
ing Start by Winning Easily,
From G. P. O.

The initial contests of the division A
teams of the Departmental Chess League
took place Wednesday evening last at the
rooms of the Washington Chess Club. GA
10Th street northwest, and in spite OF the
inclement weather there was a good at
tendance and only one absentee among
the players. The lineup of the evening
presented Agriculture against War-NaNy,
while Interior was opposed by Govern
ment Printing Office.
The champion Interiors were on this oc-
casion prined to take the measure of G.
P. o., and the players Of the latter club
signally failed to repeat their opening
triumphs of the Two previous seasons.
when it may be remembered, they on
each occasion administered defeat to the
champions. The Interiors now took am
pie revenge. making a clean sweep. as the
score below shows. Several of the games,
however, were hotly contested, and sucn
a one-sided score was by no means looked
, for until very late i'll the evining. Team
Capt. Walker of the champions was IN
good form on board !. Opening with the
Spanish game. he gave Mccormick no
rest from the outset. The pressure be-
came so great in the middle 2ainc that
the G. z. .. player had to eve up
piece for pawn. AS nigh, be expected.
this proved a sufficient advantage in
Walkers hand to win. although McCor-
mick made a worthy effort to bring about
, a draw.
piano which Pratt defended with great
skill The Interior player gradually
worked up an advantage, and with a
passed pawn for the ending won well
cont tested game.
On board 3 Capt Graham made use of
the center counter debut in reply to
Boykn. This was also well PLAYED
game on botn sides, and the hour was
Iii, SVNoh xy
winner Byler and Burkholder We're the
remaining pair III this match. The G. T.
o. player offer.e the queens cambit,
which Byler declined in the regulation
holder had a good position until. toward
the end. he overlooked an important pawn
move. which gave Byler enough advan-
tase to score the game.
The match between Agriculture anu
War-Navy was unfinished. and it now re-
mains in an interesting position. one
game being scored by each side, the
other two having to be adjourned owing
to the lateness of the hour Board l
of this match furnished the gallery game
of the evening, and 1t was in every sense
worthy of the honor. The contestants
were Sournin. present champion OF the
District of Columbia and participant In
an International masters tourney, repre-
senting War-Navy. and Napoleon, TO-
mer tri-state champion, occupying the
Agriculture side. The latter had first
move. but Sournin chose black open
ing, the Sclian. The spectators were
treated to a high-class exhibition of
chess. both players evolving brilliant
combinations. and although Zapoelon
kept his more experienced opponent quite
busy throughout long session. neither
side could claim any decisive advantage
at the time of adjournment.
On board :. Col. Harvey. who has only
recently returned to the city after
prolonged absence. was lacking In
practice and met defeat at the hands of
Huntington. The contestants at board
were Roberts and Webster. the last
named accepting a Queens gambit, but
without attempting to hold the gan1bit
pawn. A very closely fought game fol-
lowed. which was adjourned in an even
position. The remaining game in this
match was scored by War-Navy. Moore
receiving forfeit from Stephenson. Thus
the match stands at present all square,
with two games still to be decided.