New-York tribune., 1920-11-05
Chess Wizard.
9, Uses City as
Board ON a Bet
Polish Boy Lays Wager He
Will Find Way From East
Side TO Hotel Pcnnsylva-
MIA Without Asking Aid
Lad Longs for Bicycle
Congestion and Traffic in
the Streets Fail to Curb
His Desire for a Spin

Samuel Rzeszewski, the nine-year-o1d
chess champion, will match his wits
against the map Of New York City to-
day His problem will be to get home
without q guide from the lower East
Side to the Hotel Pennsylvania, where
he is staying with his father and
mother, preliminary to chess playing
tour Of the country.
Max Rosenthal, cousin of the
Polish prodigy, started che game yes
terday, when he bet young Samuel ne
could not find his way from Fifth Ave
nue. and Twenty-eighth Street to the
Hotel. Samuel won in walk-over It
was worth So to him.
Another Wager to Win
Rosenthal, however, had not learne d
his lesson yet. He is just getting ac-
quainted with this -year-old cousin.
"Ill lay you 5 tc you can't find
your way back to this hotel from nv
ofFce," he suggested.
Instantly the boys face took on the
alert, hard look that comes with in
tense concentration. moment be-
fore he had been a flushed, laughing,
youngster, wrestling with his father.
His cheeks are round and fair, his
eyes round and blue, just like those of
thousands Of American boys who have
r chance to grow up to be President,
hut can't play chess. When he begins
10 think hard, however, his lips part,
his eyes narrow, hard lines run I'D and
down his forehead and the childish
ness vanshes.
He fixed his cousin Max with shrewd
eyes. He chartered q string of ques-
laughter and translated.
"Ie rJants me to buy him bicvcle
t. ride to my Office" he said. "He
says he'll lake me up II I'll so in the
streetcar and let him follow on a
bicycle. told him it was impossible
10 ride bicycles on account Of the
traffic"
Chess Wizard Lays Bet
Then the bargaining was renewed.
The boys hands flew out in impatient
gestures, his voice rose in shrsll de-
mands, his eyes flashing, and present
GUONt t4lt luliIQIl one uSdIu MS
words in broken English:
Tain dollar!"
That is how the wager stands to-day.
the boy from the hotel to his office,
at 262 East Broadway. The route was
definitely determined upon Samue!
rejecting the suggestion Of subway or
elevated, and insisting on the street
car. They viii go down Seventh Ave
nue to Fourteenth Street, transfer to
the street car which goes to the Will
lamsburg Bridge, and rom there wcnd
their way through the maze Of East
Side streets to the office. Samuel
promises to escort his cousin back to
the MOTEL without asking directions
from any one.
The zen dollars is in my pockets
already" he concluded
The problem of bicycle threatens
the peace OF the Rzeszewski family.
however The boy, who has solved
every problem Of the chees board
thinks he can thread his way through
New York crowds.
The only solution Of the problem last
night seemed to be in Cousin Max
promise to find them home in one o.
the suburbs, where the boy can ride a
plcycIe IN safety
Family TO Stay Year
The Rzeszewski family plan to re-
main in this country at least year
and Cousin Max is roofing for America
Tor Samuel permanently.
Il want the boy to grow up in g
country where he can have d good edu-
cation" he said. cover in Poland
things are very unsettled, and believe
he would be better off here. The
ather is q wcll-to-da line merchant
IN Ozorkov. Business Is bad over
there, too. They may decide to remain
here permanently"
Samuel has never been to school, but
has been instructed by private
tutor. He is said to be clever in his
studies, but to show no marked apti
tude for anything except chess.