Evening star., 1936-02-02
HAL KIESEL.
BY PAUL ]. MILLER, Jr.

| ~ In QlVl u q championship
~ waltzes into its third round oi
4 4 match play. I pause to pay q
tribute to Anton Y. Hesse. chess edi-
tor, player of stellar ability and an
earnest promoter of the art Of chess
in Washington, who serves today as
president of the District Chess League
a cooperative organization that had
its genesis in 1927, though its official
birthday begins with the grand league
tourney Of 1880. won by the late Frank
| B. Walker.
Hesse first acted as president Of the
league in 1932-l933, to be reelected
in 1884 and successive years. Under
his guidance the league has conducted
annual matches that attracted the
cream of Washington's class A players.
The present tournament. with 10 en-
tries, is the largest in the league S
annals.
Hesse was born in Bethlehem, Pa.
He was graduated at Lehigh Univer-
sity as a civil engineer.
At the age of 10 he watched his
pater play at chess with friends, and
the youngster rapidly learned the
rudiments Of the game from obser-
vation.
-Four years later Hesse was q fair
player and opposed his father on even
terms. In young manhood he became
chess editor for the Bethlehem Times
and was one Of the founders of the
Bethlehem Chess Club. Moving to
Brooklyn, N. Y, in 1896, he became
acquainted with Hermann Helms, to-
days dean Of American chess editors,
and Joined the Brooklyn Chess Club
the very night that Frank j. Mar
shall, present United States champ,
and William E. Napier, famous inter-
national master, enrolled as members.
Under the tutelage Of Marshall and
Napier. young Hesse improved his
play. Two years prior to Napier's
ascendency to the English champion
ship Hesse won two games and drew
two IN tilt with the master. In 1902
he was one of two victors over the
then world champion, DR.. Emanuel
Lasker, in simultaneous exhibition
at Pittsburgh.
After playing the great Lasker, Hesse
turned from q serious pursuit of his
paStime to the private practice of en-
g1neering. In 1916 he came to WASH
ngton to enter Government service.
He quickly associated himself with the
Capital City Chess Club to partici-
pate in numerous tournaments. In
1877 he became chairman Of the
Committee on Activities and revived
the District Of Columbia CHAMPION
ship, then on the wane. During the
succeeding years Hesse has played
much correspondence chess.
In the New York Pennsylvania cor.
respondence tourney and the East.
West postal event. Hesse won his
games.
At present he has agreed to anno-
tate games Of the masters for the
bulletin of the Correspondence Chess
League Of America, that is now spon-
sorlng the most gigantic correspond.
ence match In chess annals, a total of
900 boards by mail being in process
Of play between American and british
postal players.
In local chess circles Anton is not a
czar, rather he Is friend to all chess |
groups and lends a kindly hand on |
every occasion for the progressive de-
velopment Of chess in the District.
Banks Seeks Chess Laurels.
For IS years Newell w. Banks
reigned supreme as match check
ers champion of the United States.
He halls from Detroit, Mich, the home
of more champs than any other Amer
can city. Last year Banks tumbled
from his throne. and during the last
light months has engaged In coast to-
coast simultaneous exhibitions, play
ng more than TOO chess games, of
which he has lost Is and drawn
bout so.
Banks ranks as one Of the leading
hess masters of this country, though
lis chess career dates back only eight
ears. Since December the chess
nd checker master has been playing
is way from Detroit via the Missis-
ippi Valley route to Miami. So far,
le has lost no checker games, only one
hess game and given i've draws at
hess In this itinerary.