The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-15

The 18th annual Washington's birthday checker and chess meet sponsored by the Springfield Y. M. c. A. Chess and Checker clubs for the championship of western Massa- chusetts and the Connecticut valley will be held at the central Y. Fd. O. A. in Springfield, Mass, on Wednes- day, February 22nd, beginning at Il a. m. and continuing throughout the entire day and evening.
 There will be four championship contests scheduled during the day, two in chess and two in checkers Besides, for the less experienced players, there will be class B and c tournaments so that all players, regardless of age, sex or skill, will have an equal opportunity to match their ability throughout the day.
 This is the crowning event of checkers and ches of the year in this section of the Connecticut valley and for the past 18 years has brought together an ever increasing number of players. The meet is entirely open to all players in the Connecti- cut valley and it has been a policy of the officials of the meet to en- courage the widest representation of players possible in order to discover the best players in these two we'll known games.
 Western Massachusetts checker players will make strong bid to bring back the Springfield Union Checker Trophy and title to this city this year. There are many players in this section who believe 1t is time for them to show the Con- necticut players that their players are just as good If not better than those that come from the Nutmeg" state. Since the Springfield Union Cup was presented to the meet as It's official championship trophy in 1929, the cup has been held four times by Western Massachusetts players and six times by Connecti- cut champions. Since 1892 the crown has been arrested from the Con- necucut players only once and that was in 1886 when Joseph Kasulis of Worcester defeated George Book of Hartford in the finals. Joseph Granfield, Hartford, Conn.,, is the present title and holder of the Con- necticut Valley Checker champion ship, having won the championship the last two years. Issiah Spector and Peter Paquereau and Joseph Granfield are the only champions to have their name engraved on the cup twice.
 Having received official sanction for the Washington's Birthday Meet through the Massachusetts State Checker association 19 years ago, the championship events conducted on Washington's birthday for this sec- ton of western Massachusetts and the Connecticut Valley make titles won on that day official.
 Lindsey H. Chilson, secretary at the "Y" who has been responsible for conducting the meet, will again be in charge of arrangements this year. He has arranged a program of events which should keep both chess and checker players interest," cd at all times, both day and eve- ming. In using the single knockout tournament play, he has found 1t to the advantage of the players to al- low those knocked out in the first and second rounds of the cham pionship tournaments to enter Class B and c journeys and give them Q chance to show their ability If they have failed to make the grade in the Masters Tourney. This play will also be followed in the chess tour neys and giving younger players real opportunity to test their skill and find out their tournament rating. Although the meet has suf- ficient equipment for conducting the checker meet, 1t is always nec- essary to ask chess players to bring their own chess sets.
 Cash awards and prizes will be given for the different tournaments in addition to the championship cups and titles which are presented from