Chess 23 Dec 1923, Sun The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) Newspapers.com
City Club Asks Terms Alekhine Would Consider
By J. K. Schmidt.
WITH the announced object of securing the Cleveland appearance of Alexander Alekhine, the Russian chess wizard who is regarded by many as the logical challenger of Jose R. Capablanca for the world title, Charles B. Ryan, secretary of the City Club, last week wired Herman Helms of New York, Alekhine's American manager, asking the Russian master’s terms for his proposed engagement here next month.
“Noting the interest chess enthusiasts of Cleveland are taking in Alekhine's coming, I am asking Mr. Helms to give us his terms and the kind of exhibition he would be willing to stage here,” said Mr. Ryan, “After this information from Mr. Helms, I shall lay it before the games Committee of the club. This committee will decide if the terms can be met. Should they be accepted, the committee will haven entire charge of arrangements.”
While Alekhine usually is willing to meet all comers, chess devotees of the city feel that the most interesting exhibition would be insured if from ten to thirty of northeastern Ohio’s best players were to engage the Russian who then would play one or more of his opponents blindfolded while at the same time playing all the other boards simultaneously.
In his exhibition before the Manhattan Chess Club, New York, last week, Alekhine asked his thirty-three antagonists to choose their own openings and despite this handicap lost but two games and permitted but nine draws. The same number of players engaged him at the Brooklyn Chess Club where he played one of the boards without once looking at it. Alekhine won the blindfold game in twenty-three moves and won all but seven of the other games of which three were losses.
The playing of the blindfold game during the course of a simultaneous exhibition was a novelty which impressed the 400 or more spectators at the Brooklyn chess club's exhibition. When it was announced that the Brooklyn expert who was playing the blindfold game was ready to resign the clubroom's usual quiet was shattered by prolonged applause.
Alekhine this week is playing in New England and is not expected to start on his westward jaunt until after the first week in January. Helms, who is editor of the American Chess Bulletin is expected to give Secretary Ryan the date when the Russian master will be in Cleveland.
