Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #447

1) Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club News

2) Showalter visits Mechanics’ Institute 1891

3) Here and There

4) Upcoming Events

Thanks to John Blackstone for finding the following articles.

Arrival of J. H. Showalter, the Eastern Player

Local Artists to Test His Skill— He Proclaims
Steinitz the World's Champion— His Views on the Game

J. H. Showalter, one of the most prominent of native American chess-players, and
whom good judges predict will soon equal Steinitz, the chess champion of the world, is
now in the city. This is his first visit to California . Business and pleasure combined have

brought him here. During his stay in San Francisco , which will be of about a month's duration,

he will be the guest of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club, in whose rooms he will daily display

his mastery of the royal game.

He will play some match games with the best players of the various local clubs, and such experts

as Messrs. Redding, Lovegrove and Dr. Marshall have already consented to cross swords with him.

The games will most probably be played in the Mechanics' Institute rooms.

Mr. Showalter comes from Georgetown , Ky. He is a most prepossessing gentleman,
about 30 years of age, and of pleasing address and appearance.

Speaking to a Call reporter yesterday on the topic if chess he said: "I have played the. game

ever since I was a boy, but It has only been within the last five or six years that I gained any deep

insight into the game.

HIS FIRST APPEARANCE

"I made my first public appearance in a tournament in 1889, when I took part in the
International Chess Congress held in .New York . There were twenty contestants, and
I gained ninth place. List year 1 was more successful, taking first place in the tournament,

at Chicago , of the United States Chess Association, against Lipschitz and Pollock.

There will be another tournament held this year at Lexington , Ky. , beginning on
August 4th, in which I shall take part, as will Pollock of Baltimore, Max Judd of St.
Louis , a very strong player, Lipschitz of New York and others.

"I am an honorary member of every chess club in the country, I believe, and am an
active one of the Manhattan Club of New York. I do not know if it be any special
honor, but, as far as I can ascertain, I am the youngest public chess-player in
America ."

“Who is the greatest living chess-player" Steinitz, most certainly. There can be
no doubt about his being the champion.He is a Bohemian by birth, I believe. At
present he is in New York , where he has lived for the past two years."

In reply to a question as to what new openings or gambits had recently been invented,

Mr. Showalter said: "Chess is too old a game; it has been played too many ages for

any really new discoveries to be made in it. What are claimed as new gambits or openings
are simply the old ones revived with the slightest of variations. It is true t hat in
many instances attacks condemned years ago as unsound have been studied over again,
demonstrated to be sound, and played again successfully, but that does not make them
new inventions. The game is the same as ever. The changes are in developing new
lines as the play progresses and varying the cross gambits, defensive and aggressive
plays. My remarks apply to new inventions in play, solely to the openings and gambits,
for as the game proceeds new combinations are constantly being made by the advanced
players. It is simply impossible to number the possible variations of a game of Chess."

Source: The Morning Call ( San Francisco ) February 17, 1891 (page 3)

Jackson W. Showalter, the American champion chess-player, who has been demonstrating

the beauties of that scientific game to the players in the Mechanics' Institute, leaves at the end

of this week for his home in Kentucky. En route he will visit Los Angeles, staying there about a
week, and will play the experts there. After leaving Los Angeles lie will visit St.Louis for two weeks

to play a match with Max Judge, who challenges his title to the championship.

Mr. Showalter has been most courteously treated by the local chess-players, and he is
eloquent in expressing his gratitude for the extremely kind manner in which he has been received.

Unfortunately the rainy weather caused him to suffer with a severe cold during most of his month's

stay and left him unable to accept much of the hospitality that was so freely extended to him.

Excepting the disagreeable weather recollections, lie carries away with him only the pleasantest

memories of San Francisco and its residents.

Speaking of the strength of the local players as compared with those he has met else where,

Mr. Showalter is most complimentary. In his opinion, "the players of San Francisco are much

stronger than those of Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Pittsburgh. They take a very great interest

in the game, and the outlook for San Francisco to be one of the leading centers for first class play

is most encouraging. Owing to larger populations and wider organizations the play in New York,

St. Louis, Brooklyn and New Orleans is probably stronger than here. But San Francisco in general

in comparison with all cities of equal size in the Union is much ahead.

" I have played with all the leading lovers of the game here. I think Joseph Redding is perhaps the

strongest player I have met, but I have only played twice with him. I won one game and the other was

not finished. My principal reason for not leaving sooner was to meet Mr. Redding in a match
game of three in five this week. Walter Lovegrove is the best young player I have met here.

I think he will prove a formidable opponent for any one in a year or two,and I believe he has

a most brilliant prospect before him in the chess world.

"Dr. Marshall is also a player of strong caliber. I have played several games with him. and always found

him a hard man to defeat. Messrs. Manson, Ott and Heine man are also first-class, and would be valuable

acquisitions to any club.

"After meeting Mr. Judd in St Louis my next public engagement is in the United States Association Chess Congress

on August 4 at Lexington, Ky., when the championship title will be played for again."

That the game between the champion and Walter Lovegrove was a well contested one from opening to finish can readily
be seen by a glance at the following record of the moves:

Source: The Morning Call ( San Francisco) March 11, 1891, page 2.

GM Timur Gareev leads the Copper State International in Mesa, Arizona with 7 from 9 with one round to go.

IM Alex Lenderman is tied for second at 6.5 and appears to have already made his first GM norm.

NM Michael Aigner prepared the following two lists for June.

Tanuj Vasudeva (#1 age 7)
Samuel Sevian (#1 age 8)
Cameron Wheeler (#5 age 8)
Yian Liou (#3 age 11)
FM Danya Naroditsky (#1 age 13)
NM Greg Young (#3 age 14)
NM Steven Zierk (#2 age 15)
NM Rohan Agarwal (#5 age 16)
IM Sam Shankland (#2 age 17)

#6 IM Sam Shankland, 2481, 17

#11 FM Elliott Liu, 2405, 19 (attends Stanford; from S. California)

#15 FM Danya Naroditsky, 2378, 13

#20 NM Steven Zierk, 2333, 15

#26 NM Daniel Schwarz, 2313, 19 (attends Stanford)

#36 NM Julian Landaw, 2284, 19 (attends UC Berkeley; from S. California)

#42 NM Drake Wang, 2262, 19 (attends Cal Poly SLO)

#46 NM Greg Young, 2249, 14

#50 NM Rohan Agarwal, 2231, 16

#53 NM Vaishnav Aradhyula, 2226, 18 (attends Stanford; from Arizona)

#96 Christopher De Sa, 2158, 18 (attends Stanford; from Arizona)

Rusty Miller sends the following link dedicated to the games of Montana/Washington Expert Michael Murray