Evening star., 1933-04-30
ARL A. HESSE, q former cham
pion of the Capital City Chess
- Club, has forwarded. through

4 pion Of the Capital City Chess
4 Club, has forwarded, through
George E. Bishop, president Of
the District Chess League, a challenge
to James w. Byler to play match fol-
the match championship Of the District
under rules, conditions and auspices OF
the District league.
Bishop appointed a committee, con-
sisting Of w. H. Mutchler, John Roberts
and r. M wilkins, to consider the
challenge and make necessary arrange
ments. On being informed of the chal-
lenge, Byler told the committee that
in his opinion, the District league has
no jurisdiction over the match cham
pionship title, since he acquired said
title by independent agreement Of lead
ing local players in o series OF elimina-
ticn matches before the league was In
existence. He states he Is willing to
accept Hesse's challenge. however, pro-
vided the latter Is willing to provide
suitable stakes Carl Hesse says he Will
take no further action until the stand
ing of the league in the matter Is
definitely ascertained. The league also
is not taking any action.
THE chess editor of The Star was In
i position to know the action
taken in District chess AZ that
time. In 1927 he won the District title
in an open tournament, which title had
b:en relinquished by I. S. Turnover. 1t
was again contested for in 1880, and
Walker again won l. S. Turover pre-
sented a cup in the 1880 tourney, to be
held by the winner interchangeable
until won in the next tourney. three
wins in succession being necessary be-
fore the cup becomes the permanent
possession Of the holder. This tourna.
ment was played under the auspices OF
the Wash 'ngton Chess Federation, F. T.
Parsons being chairman OF the ChesS
Committee.
In 1881 a District championship tour
ney was held under the auspices OF the
District Of Columbia Chess League. to
which name the Washington Chess Fed
Grafton had been changed, and Walker
won.
The tournaments Of 1927. 1890 and
1881 involved the complete District title.
The rules governing the tourney OF 1881
provided: THE purpose of this tourney
shall be to determine the champion
chess player of the District Of Columbia
for 1881 and (or) until the champion
ship title shall be lost through match
or tourney play or under whatever con-
ditions may be established by the Dis
trict of Columbia Chess League" The
rules were silent as to the I. S. Turover
cup, and appeared to be contrary to
the terms OF that donation, already
played for twice.
At the close of the 1881 tourney. a
one-round tourney of recen: prize win
ners in tournaments at the Capital City
Chess Club was proposed. This was
changed to knockout tournament. the
winner to play Walker for the title OF
District match champion. The papers
stated that this elimination tournament
was arranged for by Bettinger, Bishop,
Byler and Knapp. Bettinger. Bishop
and Kalmback were three members OF
the committee which drew up the 1881
tourney rules.
WALKER was not present when the
w tourney was arranged. nor con-
suited in advance, and he re-
uuested through The Star that the
league provide rules for the contests:
To this A. Y Hesse, then president OF
the District of Columbia Chess League,
wrote a letter stating in effect that the
league had taken no action with regard
to the proposed elimination tourney to
provide challenger 10 play walker 1or
the match championship.
E. r. Kalmbach. first president OF
the league, later expressed the opinion
that the action decided upon by the
group Of local players. called together
by 6. E. Bishop in his capacity Of
director of chess, was official, and that
Jurisdiction was in Bishops hands. The
secretary, Tucker, wrote that Hesse was
misinformed.
I was satisfied at the time that the
league was bound by the action OF its
chess director and other ohcials: other
wise there was no authority for the
tourney, and no title passed by 1t, as
an independent group had no title to
give. Byler won the title by superior
play. and it seems to me the league,
in the interest of regularity and to
settle the matter, should now recognize
the title.