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Chess 29 Aug 1937, Sun Evening star (Washington, District of Columbia) Newspapers.com
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BY PAUL J. MILLER. JR.. America’s Authority on Social Chess. "The Chess Murders." MEANS DAVIS in his latest detective-mystery story of 310 pages, published by Random House, credits chess players with a peculiar type of intellect—sort of an abstract perspective of life cast in an analytical mold.
"The Chess Murders" has a sprinkling of allusions to the royal game, with the mention of several chess books familiar to the full-fledged amateur. Entwined in the murder plot is a chess automaton that answers the description of "Ajeeb the Automaton" or his rival, "Maelzel's Chess Player." Davis does not overlook the clever essay of Edgar Allan Poe on the mechanical chess "Turk” exhibited in Philadelphia 50 years ago. For the delectation of the chesc ' problemist a neat diagram portrays a clever trap in which White by the process of check and discovered check gains Black's queen and wins. A good yarn is "The Chess Murders." but some beginner should have pointed out to the author before the manuscript went to press that, in the Descriptive Notation, pawns and knights I are indicated by intial capitals and that "revealed" check is faux-pas. Dr. Paul, one of Davis' characters, ! in reply to the query: "Say, tell me; j why do doctors like chess?" speaks his ' piece: "Because it is as perfect an escape for the fatigued mind as detective stories are for the bored one. That is a good reason: another is tha* doctors carry great responsibility and it slips from them when they play chess. "Another reason is that it bears the same relation to intelligence that a thermometer does to temperature. ' Still another is that It is the only game where the interest is not increased by betting." • Chess Problem No. 93, By M. HAVEL. Czechoslovakia. BLACK—KING PIECE WHITE—THREE MEN. White to Play and Mate in Four.
M. HAVEL, one of the few prob- j lemists that refused to accept! the "New Direction” thesis that swept 1 over Germany and England like wildfire some years ago, is a loyal follower of the Dobruskv-Dr. Mach composing Obviously the local player should become a regular, active member of the Social Chess Divan as the quarterly fee is the most economical chess club fee anywhere in the United States. school—a school of problem composers best described as Bohemian, emphasizing the qualities of purity, economy and material artistry in problem composition with especial regard for beauty. The Bohemian problems are characterized by brevity.
Born November 7, 1881, at Trplitz. Czechoslovakia, Havel has composed more than 1,000 problems. 125 receiving honorable mentions and prizes in famous world composing tourney*. Alain C. White, the foremost authority in the world on chess problems, who resides at Litchfield, Conn., published in his Christmas problem series in 1923 some 500 Havel compositions.
Problem No. 93 is a tid-bit offering for the gargantuan appetite of the three aces that are tied in the Angel Chess Ladder tourney. Problem No. 92 by G. P. Latzel yields to the correct key: P—Kt6. From the three aces—A. G Dreyer, Sergt. Alton Coppage and E. W. Allen—come accurate solutions, with Dr. A. L. Phillips and Paul M. Hodges also slamming out home runs.
Social Divan Starts Fall Program. JjNDER the leadership of Norval P. Wigginton, chess director, the Washington Social Chess Divan launches its Fall activity program today. Intradivan team matches are being scheduled, a knock-out tourney is to be booked by Tournament Director Simon Naidel. and handicap tourneys are to be arranged.
Every opportunity will be given beginners to learn the elements of chess and membership in the divan include* instructional lecture*, educational exhibits, use of library and game facilities. For those players who would become divan members for the quarter—September. October. November—now is the time to drop a letter for a membership application to Norval Wigginton, 200 Rhode Island avenue northeast, or dial Decatur 2279 or District 3230 after 8 p.m. Quarterly membership is only $3 for beginners, payable in monthly installments of tl.
For former members, now inactive during the last Summer months, there is an additional initiation fee of $3 to obtain full active status. For non-members and visitors that choose to indulge In occasional play at the Social Chess Lounge, the cover charge henceforth Is 50 cents for players in the metropolitan area of the District and 25 cents for those that hail from New York, Chicago, etc. Visit the Social Chess Lounge any evening, but on Wednesdays at 8 o'clock the divan has its official weekly meeting. Women always are welcome. Chess Problem No. 94. (Fall Prfthlfm-Snlvina Tourney.) By J. E. FUNK. PbciBl Chess Quarterly.
BLACK—13 MEN. WHITE—7 MEN. While lo Move and Mate in Two. JJROBLEM addicts, hero is the first teaser in the Fall problem-solving contest. Set up your chessmen like the diagram and find the key move that leads to a checkmate on the second move by White regardless of Black's reply.
Mail your solution—that is, the key move only—with the number of the problem, your name and address on the same sheet of paper to the rhess editor of The Star within two weeks of date of publication of each problem. Every correct solution gives you a certain number of points in the contest. which is called a "problem ladder,” and although your solution may be incorrect you will receive mention of your effort and at least 1 point credit. For each problem you will receive the same number of points as the number of moves required to solve it. For each class of problems there will be a separate prize.
If you lose out on three-move problems you still are eligible for the prize in the two-! move problem class. Four and P.vemove problems will be reserved solely for the amusement of tied winners. Fgitry fee? Absolutely none! Any reader of this column may send in solutions now and be eligible for all prizes. Mali solutions early. Don't delay.
Tlie Fall problem tourney is on! Read this column every Sunday in The Washington Star 1mr problem diagrams. Other chess items appear on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday—always in the sports section. (Copyright. August 29, 1937 by Paul Miller.).
"The Chess Murders" has a sprinkling of allusions to the royal game, with the mention of several chess books familiar to the full-fledged amateur. Entwined in the murder plot is a chess automaton that answers the description of "Ajeeb the Automaton" or his rival, "Maelzel's Chess Player." Davis does not overlook the clever essay of Edgar Allan Poe on the mechanical chess "Turk” exhibited in Philadelphia 50 years ago. For the delectation of the chesc ' problemist a neat diagram portrays a clever trap in which White by the process of check and discovered check gains Black's queen and wins. A good yarn is "The Chess Murders." but some beginner should have pointed out to the author before the manuscript went to press that, in the Descriptive Notation, pawns and knights I are indicated by intial capitals and that "revealed" check is faux-pas. Dr. Paul, one of Davis' characters, ! in reply to the query: "Say, tell me; j why do doctors like chess?" speaks his ' piece: "Because it is as perfect an escape for the fatigued mind as detective stories are for the bored one. That is a good reason: another is tha* doctors carry great responsibility and it slips from them when they play chess. "Another reason is that it bears the same relation to intelligence that a thermometer does to temperature. ' Still another is that It is the only game where the interest is not increased by betting." • Chess Problem No. 93, By M. HAVEL. Czechoslovakia. BLACK—KING PIECE WHITE—THREE MEN. White to Play and Mate in Four.
M. HAVEL, one of the few prob- j lemists that refused to accept! the "New Direction” thesis that swept 1 over Germany and England like wildfire some years ago, is a loyal follower of the Dobruskv-Dr. Mach composing Obviously the local player should become a regular, active member of the Social Chess Divan as the quarterly fee is the most economical chess club fee anywhere in the United States. school—a school of problem composers best described as Bohemian, emphasizing the qualities of purity, economy and material artistry in problem composition with especial regard for beauty. The Bohemian problems are characterized by brevity.
Born November 7, 1881, at Trplitz. Czechoslovakia, Havel has composed more than 1,000 problems. 125 receiving honorable mentions and prizes in famous world composing tourney*. Alain C. White, the foremost authority in the world on chess problems, who resides at Litchfield, Conn., published in his Christmas problem series in 1923 some 500 Havel compositions.
Problem No. 93 is a tid-bit offering for the gargantuan appetite of the three aces that are tied in the Angel Chess Ladder tourney. Problem No. 92 by G. P. Latzel yields to the correct key: P—Kt6. From the three aces—A. G Dreyer, Sergt. Alton Coppage and E. W. Allen—come accurate solutions, with Dr. A. L. Phillips and Paul M. Hodges also slamming out home runs.
Social Divan Starts Fall Program. JjNDER the leadership of Norval P. Wigginton, chess director, the Washington Social Chess Divan launches its Fall activity program today. Intradivan team matches are being scheduled, a knock-out tourney is to be booked by Tournament Director Simon Naidel. and handicap tourneys are to be arranged.
Every opportunity will be given beginners to learn the elements of chess and membership in the divan include* instructional lecture*, educational exhibits, use of library and game facilities. For those players who would become divan members for the quarter—September. October. November—now is the time to drop a letter for a membership application to Norval Wigginton, 200 Rhode Island avenue northeast, or dial Decatur 2279 or District 3230 after 8 p.m. Quarterly membership is only $3 for beginners, payable in monthly installments of tl.
For former members, now inactive during the last Summer months, there is an additional initiation fee of $3 to obtain full active status. For non-members and visitors that choose to indulge In occasional play at the Social Chess Lounge, the cover charge henceforth Is 50 cents for players in the metropolitan area of the District and 25 cents for those that hail from New York, Chicago, etc. Visit the Social Chess Lounge any evening, but on Wednesdays at 8 o'clock the divan has its official weekly meeting. Women always are welcome. Chess Problem No. 94. (Fall Prfthlfm-Snlvina Tourney.) By J. E. FUNK. PbciBl Chess Quarterly.
BLACK—13 MEN. WHITE—7 MEN. While lo Move and Mate in Two. JJROBLEM addicts, hero is the first teaser in the Fall problem-solving contest. Set up your chessmen like the diagram and find the key move that leads to a checkmate on the second move by White regardless of Black's reply.
Mail your solution—that is, the key move only—with the number of the problem, your name and address on the same sheet of paper to the rhess editor of The Star within two weeks of date of publication of each problem. Every correct solution gives you a certain number of points in the contest. which is called a "problem ladder,” and although your solution may be incorrect you will receive mention of your effort and at least 1 point credit. For each problem you will receive the same number of points as the number of moves required to solve it. For each class of problems there will be a separate prize.
If you lose out on three-move problems you still are eligible for the prize in the two-! move problem class. Four and P.vemove problems will be reserved solely for the amusement of tied winners. Fgitry fee? Absolutely none! Any reader of this column may send in solutions now and be eligible for all prizes. Mali solutions early. Don't delay.
Tlie Fall problem tourney is on! Read this column every Sunday in The Washington Star 1mr problem diagrams. Other chess items appear on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday—always in the sports section. (Copyright. August 29, 1937 by Paul Miller.).
