Chess 28 Feb 1904, Sun San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com
CHESS
MAX JUDD of St. Louis, one of the best known chess masters in America, is in San Francisco for a short visit and is staying at the Palace. His arrival here as soon as it became known created much interest among the local fraternity and no time was lost in making the acquaintance of the distinguished exponent of the royal game.
Mr. Judd has met only two of local experts in over the board play, so far, in serious play. One game was Oscar Samuels, at the rooms of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club, which was warmly contested on both sides, Mr. Judd coming off victor. The other occasion was at the rooms of Dr. Benjamin Marshall Friday evening last, when he met Dr. W. R. Lovegrove, the local champion. Five games were played, of which Dr. Lovegrove scored four. It was evident, however, that Mr. Judd was very much out of form owing to fatigue of traveling and the stress of very important business engagements.
He gave Dr. Lovegrove great credit for the very able manner in which he contested his games, and expressed the hope that he would represent California in the great chess tournaments to be held at the World's Exposition, St. Louis, which are scheduled to take place next October, predicting a fine record for him if he did.
The games played Friday evening were mostly Ruy Lopez openings, with Fianchetto defense on Mr. Judd's part.
It is a matter of regret on all sides Mr. Judd's stay here is to be limited, as he leaves here on Sunday, for there is no doubt that a few days' rest would enable him to get in better form and leave a brilliant record behind him. He has been here several days, but was unable to get en rapport with any of our players until Friday afternoon.
Mr. Judd was surprised at the great interest manifested in chess in this city, as well as at the skill of its players, which considered far above the average in cities of this class, placing us second or third, not excepting Boston or Philadelphia. New York, of course, comes first, followed by Chicago as a close second.
Mr. Judd is a resident of St. Louis and will have charge of the world's chess interest at the great exposition to be held there this fall. He thinks that California will do herself credit if she can send such representatives as Dr. Lovegrove, Mr. Manson, Dr. Franklin, etc. The board owned by Dr. Marshall, upon which the games were played, has become famous from the fact that it has been played upon by many of the greatest players of the world, such as Dr. Lasker, Hilderbrand, Max Judd, Von der Lasa, Zukertort, Schowalter, Von Shere, Van Vliet, Redding, etc.
Max Judd, who under the Cleveland administration was United States Consul-General at Vienna, has a chess record that one could be proud of. He at one time champion of America, and the title passed to Showalter in 1888. Two matches were played by these two players; the first was won by Judd, 7 to 3, and the second one by Showalter, 7 to 4.
Mr. Judd's first success was his winning of the chess championship of Ohio at Cincinnati, in 1872. Later, in 1876, he took part in tournament the Centennial chess masters' tournament at Philadelphia. James Mason finished first, Judd second and Bird third.
He also took part in the sixth American Chess Congress, held at New York in 1888, and played a match with Captain Mackenzie, who was at the time considered the strongest player in the United States. Out of the twelve games played Mackenzie won 7 and Judd 5.
In November last Mr. Judd captured the championship of the Western Chess Association, and quite recently won the contest at St. Louis involving possession of the Brown Memorial cup.
Max Judd (white) vs. Dr. Walter Roland Lovegrove (black)
Scotch Game: Schmidt Variation
Submitted to chessgames.com on 05/12/2025
14B— 14. B-K4 is also good.
17W— If 17. P-QB3 then would follow 17. Q-Q3ch, 18. K-N1 R-B5 and Black wins.
26W— If 26. N-B7ch and exchange of rooks would follow and White's pawns would fall.
Oscar Samuels (white) vs. Max Judd (black)
Unresolved Chess Game: Can you solve it?
