The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-15

~ ara ELLSWORTH Stevens local
clheSs expert, who Is developing
YihtbreSt IN game among the
voting people here, has, through a
letter to A. Ray Mapel, another
local chess fan and newspaperman
suggested q match between two
local teams. who will In turn play
. match with a team in Clarks-
burg or Wheeling by telegraph or
telephone. should the players not
be able to assemble in one place.
y Is figured that It would cost
about SO an hour TO play game
ofi chess by telephone with Wheel.
dng with the rates prevailing aftct
$3.50 p. m.
The match would be played by
calling to moves over the wires.
For instance the man playing No.
i board In o four board match on
the Wheeling end might says
WHEELING 10. / moves kings
pawn to kings pawn four and
the relative move in Fairmont
would befsent back over the tele.
phone II would require one man
81 the telephone at each end OF
the line constantly to check the
plays and call them.
a. Hlrstt Of Belaire. Ohio, has
been trying for some time to ar
tango q series OF chess matches by
radio and It Is possible that In the
near future a match may be ar.
fall Ded with q Fairmont team.
Mr. Stevens Is a great follower
81 the chess game and has all
n1anner OF books on chess. He was
esponsible for the recent visit Of
\ FfNek Marshall, United States
shass champion, to this city.
There has been a great amount of
interest IN tho game locally since
that time, especially among the
high school students.
In his letter to Mr.. ATapel,
thanking him for his articles on
chess appearing in The West vir-
ginisn and for the good they have
done IN creating interest In the
Fame. Mr.. Stevens tells some IN.
tetesting facts about chess.
He tells the following anecdote
foundi in one Of his books on
chess:
Two Persians had engaged IN
such deep play that the whole for
tune OF one Of them had been
gained by his opponent. He who
played the white was the ruined
man, and, made desperate By a.s
loss. offered his favorlte wife as
his last stake. The game was car
ried on until he would have been
eheck-mated by his adversary's
next move. The lady, who had OBJ
served the game from a window
above, cried out to her husband,
ii a voice Of despair to sacrifice
Z his castle and save his wife"
2 It Is interesting to noto,"' says
w. Stevens, that when Caxton
brought his printing press into
England at Westminster in 1471.
me first book printed was The
Game and Plays OF the Chess {"
ar. Stevens has in his posses
sion a facsimile OF this book. and
also an original copy OF Rui In
peg book. on chess published in
yenice9in 1854.
Fronia chess volume published
r. 1862 comes the following little
verse:
FHhen thou with study deep hast
- toyl'd
And overdulled the brainc,
Then use this game which will
M refresh
Thy wits and 1t againe
But scorne thou or at cards or
dice
Thenights and days to spend,
As many which by them obtatne
Flat beggary in the end.
Resides the blasphemies and other
oaths
That losers often use
Which ugly vice might all men
make
Both cards and dice refuse"
One author on chess says:
I'VE will venture to assert that
after mathematics, logic, arithme-
tic and one or two other sciences,
We are not acquainted with any
thing that more strengthens the
mind that chess. Were It possible
to know that two men were Of ex-
acly. equal powers, natural and
! .