Friday, June 28

Upcoming events: New York, Debrecen, Scheveningen; national championships

July and August often abound in chess activity, and this year seems certain to prove no exception to that happy rule.  Several international tourneys are scheduled soon to take place, along with a slew of national championships.  In what follows we attempt to furnish the reader with an overview of forthcoming events in our world of chess, while cautioning that the list that follows ought not to be considered complete: with so much set to transpire, we are quite likely to have overlooked one or more items of significance.

New York:  Preparations for the Rice Chess Club Summer Tournament have proceeded by fits and starts, and difficulties have been met in securing the participation of Masters of world renown, but two excellent pieces of recent news have now prompted the organizers to set the starting date for 2 July, only four days hence.  The first glad tidings came in the form of a cable from Oldrich Duras, by which the Czech Master agreed to cross the Atlantic and compete in New York, filling a place originally reserved for Rudolf Spielmann, who had recently declined his invitation.  Then, yesterday witnessed the arrival from Havana of José R. Capablanca, whose participation naturally lends immeasurable interest and prestige to the event.  Joining Capablanca and Duras will be a number of first-class players, among them Oscar Chajes, J.H. Stapfer, Abraham Kupchik, and Edward Tenenwurzel, all veterans of the Second American National Tournament  held at New York earlier in the year.  

Still, the Rice Club tourney has not yet overcome all obstacles, and certain adjustments will likely yet be made to the schedule, which calls for only two rounds per week.  We understand that Capablanca has requested that he be allowed to play his games at a faster pace, five games per week being the Cuban's preference.  Moreover, Duras will not leave Europe until the 5th prox. and will not arrive in New York until the 12th, a circumstance that will require a number of his games to be postponed and made up at a later date.  In addition, the final roster of tourney participants is still subject to change, with Roy T. Black of the Brooklyn Chess Club having decided only yesterday to enter the lists, and with the already-entered Alfred Kreymborg now expressing doubts as to his ability to take part.  We will, as always, do our best to keep readers apprised of all developments, both on and off the board.

Debrecen: As mentioned in our final report on the recent Budapest tournament, the Hungarian Championship, set to begin in approximately one week's time, will feature several participants from that earlier event, among them Gyula Breyer, who will attempt to defend the title he won at Temesvar last year.  In addition to Breyer, we know that Reti, Barasz, Sterk, Asztalos, and Szekely intend to compete.  According to the Wiener Schachzeitung, if the number of Masters participating does not exceed six, a double-round event will be held; if more play, a single round-robin format will be followed.  As with Budapest, we will again provide as complete an account as the information sent by our sources permits.

Scheveningen:  This tourney, which begins on 28 July, has been organized to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Dutch Chess Federation, and will feature the participation of the rising players Alekhine and Yates, the veterans Janowski and Mieses, and a number of the strongest representatives of the Netherlands, among others.  We foresee a lively struggle, as the four foreign Masters named above all play a most uncompromising and aggressive brand of chess, and are generally willing to risk all in the attempt to win.  It could well prove to be the event of the year.

National championships:  In July, in addition to the Hungarian Championship at Debrecen, we know of the Canadian Championship, to be held in Winnipeg, as well as an Amsterdam match for the Dutch title between Loman and Esser.  August will bring with it the British Chess Federation Congress at Cheltenham, the Irish Championship match, set for Dublin, between O'Hanlon and Porterfield Rynd, and, it is rumored, a duel for the title of Australian Champion between Messrs. Viner and Crakanthorp.  Look to this space for reports on all the above.

An abundance of activity awaits us in July and August, indeed.  We daresay that even those ravenous for chess news may find themselves pleasantly surfeited come September.     

              

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