New York tournament, Round 8: Capablanca wins eighth consecutive game; Jaffe defeats Janowski

Another round in the Second American National Tournament brought yet another victory for the tourney leader, J.R. Capablanca of Cuba, a refrain with which our readers are surely well familiar by now.  The Havana Master, matched against Kupchik, scored his eighth consecutive triumph, and speculation has already begun anent the possibility that Capablanca may well equal the record set by Dr. Lasker twenty years ago, when the current Champion, then a young man, made a clean score from thirteen games played at the New York tournament of 1893.  Interest and excitement in the tourney are sure to increase with each further step the Cuban takes toward that lofty goal.

The Capablanca-Kupchik struggle, a Four Knights' Game (Double Ruy Lopez) represented yet another powerful showing by the victor, who at his best seems able to overcome even first-class opposition with remarkable facility.  Indeed, by the 30th move Kupchik found himself faced with difficulties on the Queen-side, the King-side, and in the center, a situation that soon proved untenable, and the New York Master resigned soon after losing a Bishop in the middle of the board.  We give the game:

Jaffe likewise continued his own noteworthy run of successes, defeating Janowski as Black in a hard-fought Queen's Gambit Declined and thereby likely putting an end to the French player's remaining hopes for top honors in this event.  Jaffe stood two pawns to the good by the 26th move, and, though Janowski battled manfully thenceforward to turn the tide, the New York Master proved equal to the challenge, maintaining his composure through many vicissitudes and bringing the game to a victorious conclusion at his 62nd turn.  In our view Jaffe to this juncture, with seven points scored from eight games, has played the tournament of his life, an achievement all too easily overlooked in the shadow of Capablanca's even more brilliant performance.  We commend the Janowski-Jaffe encounter to the attention of our readers:

Marshall, as first player in a Queen's Gambit Declined, dispatched Kline in only 16 moves.  The reader should note that if in the final position Black should capture twice on c6, then White has at his disposal the winning reply Ne7+ in reply:

Even more expeditious was Whitaker's victory over Chajes, achieved in 15 moves and decided when the Chicago Master, playing Black in a Vienna Gambit, exceeded the time allowed for reflection, a circumstance   we cannot recall ever having occurred at such an early stage in an important contest.  Chajes' 13...Nf5, according to the analysts present, deserves condemnation, and led directly to his defeat; in the final position, White, with moves such as Qh4 and Bxh7+ in the offing, as well as threats to capture Black's Knight on f6, stands ready to unleash a devastating attack, against which Black could find no counter whatsoever:

 In other games, Stapfer defeated Morrison, while Rubinstein drew with Zapoleon, as did Tenenwurzel with Liebenstein, who thus opens his account with half a point on the score table.  The ninth round will be played this afternoon.

Scores after 8 rounds: Capablanca 8; Jaffe 7; Marshall 6; Janowski, Tenenwurzel, Stapfer 5; Chajes, Kupchik 4 1/2; Whitaker 3 1/2; Morrison 2 1/2; Kline 2; Rubinstein 1 1/2; Zapoleon 1; Liebenstein 1/2.