The Detroit times., 1910-12-17

| see the mysterious thinking thing Oh
iron. Newspapers devoted columns OF
space To alleged exposures and de-
malls OF how IL was worked. The hg.
ure was finally destroyed by ire In
1854
Paul Morphy. An American born IN
New Orleans In 1887. is generally Re-
garded as the greatest chess genius
the world has ever seen. He defeated
the greatest masters OF America and
then made triumphal tour Of ell the
chess centers of Europe. Other great
names In chess history are Philidoy.
who Is responsible for the recording
or games, thus leaving to poster1ty the
wonderful schemes OF the greatest
chess minds; Ruy Lopez, the player
who introduced into the game the
casting the king feature; DR.. oman
uel Lasker. the present worlds cham
pion: and Steinitz. who argued that
the moves made by players are their
property and that they should not be
given out to the newspapers but
should be sold at the option Of the
contestants.
Many intensely interesting and
Illuminating anecdotes have sprung
up around the game which is 80 in
timately associated with the pastimes
OF the rulers OF all ages. The one OF
greatest interest to Americans In q
bit OF authentic history related by
fernando del Pulgar, chronicler at
tached TO the court Of Ferdinand and
Isabella, monarchs Of Aragon and Cas-
| tile. fernando writes from the oele-
brated camp before Granada under
date OF February, 1892. saying: III
Cristovol Colon discovers q new world.
as trust he may. II will come from
the pushing OF Pawn at the proper
time Hernando's story Ia substan-
TALLY as follows:
Colombus had impressed the queen
with the possibility OF his scheme of
| discovering new way to India, and
OF the plausibility Of his theory that
the world was round. But in his offer
| TO the court OF Aragon and Castle he
| had specified that he would carry the
Spanish flag into the unknown seas
| only on condition that he be made an
admiral and viceroy over the coun-
tries which he might discover This
| proposition 10 bestow such honors
upon mad Genoese" was contemptu-
ously dismissed by the king, and Col
umbus left the court on his way to
France and England.
Shortly after his departure Ferdi.
nand was engaged In a game OF chess
with Fonseca. one OF his daily victims
AS usual Ferdinand quickly gained
the advantage. Then a discussion of
Columbus proposition arose and
Queen Isabella advanced the argu-
ment that no harm could come Of
promising the title OF admiral and
viceroy to Columbus. for II his ven.
ture proved as foolish as It seemed
there would be no land over which
the Genoese could be viceroy. Fer
dinands attention was taken from the
game momentarily and Fonseca took
advantage OF the royal abstraction to
gain the ascendant. The king, upon
realizing his dilemma, was much net.
tied. fernando, who was watching
the game. suddenly realized that the
kings position was not as desperate
as appeared on the surface. He whis.
| pered TO the queen: IF his Highness
play correctly he wins, and Fonseca
cannot outlive four moves" Isabella
leaned over the kings shoulder and
arrested his arm, saying: do you
not win, my lord?" Ferdinand again
studied the board and a smile dawn.
ed on his face. He saw the new line
or attack Fonseca was checkmated
and the king was now In a hilarious
mood. II was the psychological mo-
ment and the queen asked: Think
you. my lord, there can be wrong In
granting this title TO the Genoese?"
After all, little harm can come
from appointing him admiral OF tho
new seas to be navigated," was the
reply. Hardly had the words been ut.
tered when messenger was riding
madly toward the Spanish border with
a letter for the footsore wanderer
This letter created Christopher Colum.
bus Admiral OF the Ocean-sea." And
thus a game of chess had turned the
tic and America was discovered.