Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30
LITTLE KNOWNCHE
Many Tournaments Conducted
by Correspondence. 4
GAMES LAST LONG TIME.
Sometimes Takes Three Days to
Make One Move-Many
Players Here.

IN tnis age or advertising, IL may seem
strange TO the uninitiated that the most
important department OF chess play,
viewed from its effects upon the theory
and practice of the openings, is the least
exploited. Thousands OF chess players.
profound and able opponents Of the game.
are this day. in this country, engaged in
great tournaments. Of which the chess
public at large is in complete ignorance
Games are now being PLAYED upon the
outcome OF which may depend the life OF
the Oldest and most honored eambit that
ever worried an analyst. and the names
of the masters engaged i'm these contests
are. for the greater part. unknown even
in the chess clubs. These modest toilers
are the correspondence players. and the
reason their games have such value Is
obvious. The time limit in the ordinary
correspondence tourney Is three days per
move. All elements OF chance are thus
eliminated-no noise. no excitement. no
hurry al in an over-the-board contest
and correct lines of play must almost in
evitably be victorious. A trap which
might snare a Lasker with five minutes
to answer would be discovered by much
weaker player in three days study.
OF course this kind OF play appeals only
to the most studiously inclined, or to
players living in rural communities.
where over-the-board antagonists are
wanting, or to those in the larger cities.
whose time for the game is so broken up
by the duties OF life that they cannot
spare the two or three hours which
visit to a chess club would entail
Washington Is particularly strong in
correspondence players. most OF whom
are not members of any of the local
clubs Among the more prominent Of
these the may be mentioned the names of
Mr.. Glasscock. c. Fl. Stephenson.
w. r. Pratt. l. Prender and A. III.
L,eathermann. Mr.. c. III. Stephenson is
one of the national masters at this style
the pawn" tourney and the Pennsyl-
vania state tourney. He is also playing
in the American chess bulletin tourney.
Instituted to test the soundness of the
Speilmann defense" TO the kings gam
bit.
1t is not at all unusual for CORE
spondence tourney I'd last three or even
four years. For instance, in the Pennsyl-
vanfa state tourney there were originally
ITO players. These were divided into eleven
sections Of ten men each. The two leaders
In each section qualified for the final
round, which started February last Now
when Mr.. Stephenson OF this city plays
DR.. Lovcgrove of San Francisco the game
may easily go on for six or seven hun
bred days and not be long game at
that. However, each player must keep
four or five games going at one time, and
as fast as his games are finished start
new games with others, who have also
concluded game or SO, and in this way
the Journeys are kept out OF the life
sentence class.
Clubs very often play matches by cor
-espondence, the members consulting over
the moves, and some Of the smaller
No i1l of -
contest and have victories to their credit
over their larger and stronger rivals.
Today's selection OF games is taken
from c. III. Stephenson's collection Of corr
respondence scores, and We shall publish
fore of these long range" battles from
time to time. as no more instructive ex-
amples of the royal game can be found.