Evening star., 1912-09-29
.LASKER OUT OF IT
Makes Too Absurd Conditions
for Entry
IN N. Y.-HAVANA TOURNEY
Letters Being Received From Dis.
gruntled Masters Who Have
Not Been Invited. 4

The total prize fund of the last inter
national tournament held in this country,
Cambridge Springs. 1904. was So.535: that
OF the Hastings tourney. in 1876. 81 S2J:
that of Nuremberg. in 1896. s.. 13a: that Of
London. in 1Sa9. $3.50: that OF Paris, in
1900. $3.50. The largest single prize won
in any of these events was SI.2JO. In all
of them DIR. Lasker, then chess champion
OF the world. was a contestant.
These figures will be of interest in con-
sidering the terms of his acceptance.
which Lasker has forwarded to Leopold
Hoffer. referee for the New York-Havana
tournament. Here they are. in substance:
1st. $500. exclusive of any prizes which
he might win. of which $1,000 is for ex-
penses truly the cost of living is fright
full these days and $1,000 as slight
honorafium: I'd. the withdrawal OF tho
championship feature OF the tournament:
3D. the elimination of Capablanca unless
he will make public apology for having
said that Lasker's terms for their pro-
posed match were unfair
These modest demands recall the sad
perplexity which darkened the declining
days of SteinitZ, once. like Lasker chess
cha ,npion of the world. After years of
deep deliberation this master had deter
mined that the four greatest minds OF all
time were SteinitZ. Alexander, Caesar and
Napoleon. but he never could decide their
proper order of ma aanitude. About the
mrs; there was no doubt. but whether
Caesar should come second, Alexander
third and Napoleon fourth. or Alexander
second, Napoleon third and Caesar
fourth. or Napoleon second. Caesar third
and Alexander fourth, was a question
which distracted Steintz beyond endur-
ance, and was perhaps no small factor
IN the final overthrow Of his intellect
Unfortunate but expected are the let
ters OF complaint now beginning to pour
in on the managers OF the New York
Havana tournament from unlimited mas
ters-chessmasters are like artists. sing
ers and actors. each thinks that he is
the best in the business--but among these
appeals there Is one healthy exception TO
the usual Observation-Disclosures note
Charles Jaffe. the pride Of the East Side.
boldly challenges Capablanca TO a short
match that he may prove his worthiness
to be numbered among the elect What
is more. Capablanca. in the true spirit OF
chivairy. has accepted this challenge and
will play at any time provided some
chess club will put up very moderate
purse. Nor might such a match prove
one-sided. for Jaffe nlays "A brilliant
game at times. and is particularly strong
at match play. where he has ample time
to rest between games. Living by his
wits at the Cafe Cosmopolitan and the
Rice Gambit Club. he can scarcely ever
afford the luxury of square meal, for
as soon as he wins quarter at chess
he loses il at pinochle. Naturally his
powers of endurance are not great, and
the long. hard grind Of a tourna ment
plays havoc with lis game in the final
rounds. However. should he get into the
New York-Havana tournament and he
able to train for q few weeks beforehand
on three full meals a day. Jafe would
make a very creditable showing As
Frank Marshall is. so far. the only Amer
lean invited. 1t is to be hoped that Jaffe
will make good against the terrible Gu
ban.
Marshall seems to have evened up old
scores against Janowski in a ten-game
exhibition encounter at Biarritz. After
dropping the second game he Won the
next five. Both players announced be-
fOrehand that this clash was not a
match. Therefore. when the scores come
to hand some lively openings will. no
doubt It, shown.
The following game will show what
Jaffe is capable OF upon occasion: