Rice Chess Club tournament, Round 9: Duras, Black, Kupchik are winners

Although José Capablanca has already assured himself of top honors at the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament, the race for second place remains hotly contested.  Yesterday's ninth round saw the three top aspirants to the runner-up position all score victories as Oldrich Duras defeated Jacques Grommer, Roy T. Black topped Jacob Bernstein, and Abraham Kupchik took the full point from Frank P. Beynon. The day's remaining contest, between Harold M. Phillips and Oscar Chajes, was adjourned. A number of competitors did not play: Edward Tenenwurzel and George Adair, paired against players long since withdrawn, found themselves idle, as did Albert Marder, whose scheduled game vs. Capablanca was played a few days ago. Capablanca, of course, has already completed his tournament program with a perfect score.

Duras vs. Grommer featured a rather unusual opening, 1.d4 c5 2.dxc5 e6 3.Nc3 Bxc5 4.Ne4 d5 5.Nxc5 Qa5+ 6.Bd2 Qxc5. The Czech Master skilfully parried his opponent's attempts to form an attack against the g2 square and, after pocketing a pawn at the 23rd move, brought the struggle to a successful conclusion in a colorful endgame, which we commend to the attention of our readers.

Black took the measure of Bernstein in a Ruy Lopez that, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d4, soon transposed to the "Open" Defense favored by Dr. Tarrasch. Bernstein must have strayed from the correct path early on, as the first player rapidly developed an overwhelming King-side attack.

Kupchik, playing Black in another Ruy Lopez, required only 22 moves to defeat Beynon, who, to our mind, gave up the struggle rather too early. The Black position is undoubtedly superior after 23.gxh3 Qxf3, but we in our time have seen successful resistance offered in far more dire straits.

Current standings:

13 points: Capablanca (13)
7 1/2 points: Black (9), Kupchik (10)
6 points: Duras (7), Tenenwurzel (10)
5 1/2 points: Marder (9)
5 points: Adair (9), Chajes (9)
4 1/2 points: Bernstein (10)
3 1/2 points: Beynon (9)
2 1/2 points: Phillips (8)
2 points: Grommer (9)
Withdrawn: Stapfer, Beihoff

The number in parentheses following a player's surname indicates the number of games he has played to date, including two forfeit victories over Stapfer and Beihoff. The adjourned games Grommer-Phillips and Phillips-Chajes are not included in the above table.

Rice Chess Club tournament: Capablanca defeats Kupchik to win tourney; Cuban, with 13-0, makes clean score

José R. Capablanca has won the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament with a clean score of 13-0, defeating every other player in the field.  The Cuban ace took advantage of a weak sealed move by Abraham Kupchik to win their adjourned game and complete his sweep of the opposition.  Kupchik was widely thought to enjoy excellent prospects of reaching a draw when the game was adjourned several days ago, expert opinion inclining toward 41.Nd3 as the proper sealed move, with a protracted struggle in prospect.  Instead, Kupchik's chosen 41.Rb1 allowed the Black Rook to invade White's King-side position, after which Capablanca made rather short work of matters, scoring the point at the 60th move.

With this result Capablanca equals the 13-0 score made by Emanuel Lasker at the New York "Impromptu" Tournament of 1893.  It is possible that the present World Champion faced somewhat stronger opposition than did the Cuban, as among Lasker's opponents were Albin, Showalter, Taubenhaus, and the young Pillsbury.  Still, Capablanca's achievement is remarkable, and worthy of the highest praise.  It has been 20 years since New York witnessed such a feat, and we suspect a half-century may well pass before anything like it occurs again.

Attention will now naturally turn to the struggle for second place, with Kupchik, Black, and Duras, who has games in hand, seeming to hold the best chances.  There is still much chess to be played, and it should be noted that the tourney has nearly three weeks to run - Capablanca's steady stream of victories, achieved at an accelerated pace, rather masked the sedate rhythm originally intended by the organizers.

We append the score of the Kupchik-Capablanca game and offer our heartiest congratulations to the winner, who has achieved a success that will resonate long into the future.

  

13 points: Capablanca (13)

6 1/2 points: Black (8), Kupchik (9)
6 points: Tenenwurzel (10)
5 1/2 points: Marder (9)

5 points: Duras (6), Adair (9), Chajes (9)
4 1/2 points: Bernstein (9)
3 1/2 points: Beynon (8)

2 1/2 points: Phillips (8)
2 points: Grommer (8)

Withdrawn: Stapfer, Beihoff

The number in parentheses following a player's surname indicates the number of games he has played to date, including two forfeit victories over Stapfer and Beihoff.  The adjourned game Grommer-Phillips is not included in the above table.

Rice Chess Club tournament: Capablanca defeats Duras, improves record to 12-0; Cuban virtually assured of first place in tourney

José R. Capablanca defeated Oldrich Duras in an expertly handled Rook ending following the resumption of their adjourned game yesterday at the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament, forcing his opponent's resignation after 75 moves.  With this latest victory the Cuban virtuoso improved his score to 12-0, with only the completion an adjourned contest vs. Abraham Kupchik - broken off in a position somewhat favorable to Capablanca - now standing between him and a perfect score in the Rice Club tourney.  Overall victory in the event has become a virtual certainty for the young maestro, and can be secured beyond all doubt even by a drawn result when his game vs. Kupchik is resumed later today.

A number of other adjourned games were played to their conclusion yesterday.  The contests Phillips-Kupchik, from Round 5, and Bernstein-Adair, from Round 7, were drawn, while Edward Tenenwurzel suffered a pair of defeats, being forced to surrender in his seventh and eighth round games vs. Roy T. Black and Oscar Chajes, respectively. Our score chart below reflects these latest results.

Current scores:

12 points: Capablanca (12)

6 1/2 points: Kupchik (8), Black (8)
6 points: Tenenwurzel (10)
5 1/2 points: Marder (9)

5 points: Duras (6), Adair (9), Chajes (9)
4 1/2 points: Bernstein (9)
3 1/2 points: Beynon (8)

2 1/2 points: Phillips (8)
2 points: Grommer (8)

Withdrawn: Stapfer, Beihoff

The number in parentheses following a player's surname indicates the number of games he has played to date, including two forfeit victories over Stapfer and Beihoff.  The adjourned game Grommer-Phillips is not included in the above table.

We present the complete Duras-Capablanca game, in which the Cuban following adjournment made steady progress with his reduced but mobile and well-coordinated forces, at last breaking the stout resistance of Duras.  We also offer our apologies for the absence of the scores of yesterday's other completed contests, which had not reached our offices at the time of going to press.

Debrecen tournament, final round: Asztalos defeats Reti to claim Hungarian Championship

Lajos Asztalos defeated Richard Reti in a final-round battle between tournament co-leaders to claim the Hungarian Championship at Debrecen with a score of 7 points from 10 games.  With the loss Reti, who had held at least a share of the top position since the opening round, fell to a tie for 2nd and 3rd places with Karoly Sterk, each with 6 points.  Sterk made an excellent recovery after a poor first half of the event, scoring 4 1/2 points from his final five games, the lone draw coming against Asztalos, the new Champion.  Gyula Breyer took 4th place with 5 1/2 points, followed by Zsigmond Barasz with 4 and Jeno Szekely, who lost five games running in the second tour, with 1 1/2.

The final round saw three decisive games, in keeping with the fighting spirit of the tournament, in which only 9 of 30 games ended peacefully.  No competitor went without a victory, and none escaped loss.  We offer our general congratulations to this group of spirited fighters and we felicitate in particular Hungarian Champion Asztalos on his fine achievement.

Final standings: Asztalos 7; Reti, Sterk 6; Breyer 5 1/2; Barasz 4 1/2; Szekely 1 1/2

To the games: The deciding Asztalos-Reti encounter, a Giuoco Piano, seemed rather balanced, with perhaps a slight advantage for White, until Reti attempted to initiate King-side action with 26...h5? 27.gxh5 Rxh5? (27...g5 was the last hope), a plan that may well have been based on an oversight, as after 28.Qxg6+ the Black position collapsed.

Breyer defeated Szekely prettily, surprising his opponent twice in the space of half-a-dozen moves, first via 13.h3 Bxh3!, winning a pawn, and then with the Queen sacrifice 18...Qxf5!, which decided the game.

In the tourney's final contest, Sterk-Barasz, the unusual opening 1.d4 d6 soon transposed to a Philidor Defense after 2.e4 Nd7 3.Nf3 e5 4.Bc4, whereupon Barasz played the known error 4...Be7?, losing a pawn to 5.dxe5 Nxe5 (5...dxe5 6.Qd5) 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Qh5.  Though the second player put up an excellent fight thereafter, the lost pawn told in the end.

 

Rice Chess Club tournament: Capablanca, Duras adjourn crucial game after 46 moves; Cuban one pawn ahead in Rook endgame

The two players touted from the beginning for top honors at the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament met at last yesterday when Oldrich Duras of Prague faced tourney leader José R. Capablanca of Havana.  Neither Duras, with a score of 5-0, nor Capablanca, at 11-0, has yet to cede even half a point, a circumstance that must of necessity change in the wake of their meeting.  Playing before a throng of spectators so large that the Rice Club was forced to charge admission to the premises, the Bohemian Master essayed the Queen's Gambit against his Latin foe, the result being a fairly even contest that began to tip in favor of Capablanca after his capture of a pawn at the 31st move.  The game was adjourned a dozen moves thereafter in a position in which Capablanca, with Rook and three pawns, held a one pawn advantage over Duras, who had a Rook and two pawns remaining.  That material balance was also seen in the recent Adair-Beynon encounter from the eighth round, a contest that finished a draw.  Expert opinion seems divided on the question of whether Capablanca will prove able to wrest the full point from his mighty adversary; today's eagerly-awaited resumption of play will provide the answer.  We present the moves made to date:

Rice Chess Club tournament, Round 8: Capablanca defeats Marder for 11th straight win; Duras tops Bernstein

José R. Capablanca moved closer to a clean sweep of the opposition at the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament by besting Albert Marder in 39 moves in a game played during the tourney's eighth round.  Capablanca, who has completed several games ahead of schedule, now stands at 11-0, with only an adjourned game vs. Abraham Kupchik and an important contest against Oldrich Duras yet to play.  Duras, from Prague, a late arrival to the event, defeated Jacob Bernstein in the eighth round to increase his own perfect score to 5-0.   The powerful Czech is widely considered to represent the strongest challenge to Capablanca for top honors in the competition, and their upcoming clash is certain to attract many interested spectators.  The day's other completed game saw George F. Adair and Francis. P. Beynon battle to a draw.  The games Grommer-Phillips and Chajes-Tenenwurzel were adjourned, while Roy T. Black and Kupchik sat idle.

Capablanca displayed his endgame prowess in topping Marder.  In a position that saw each side in possession of a Rook, Knight, and six pawns the Cuban ace made steady progress, infiltrating the enemy ranks and securing a dangerous passed h-pawn.  White found himself in a hopeless bind by the time of his resignation.

Duras showed his class, taking quick advantage of Bernstein's 19.Qe4? to win the exchange for a pawn and making the power of his heavy pieces tell in the sequel.

The Adair-Beynon encounter saw Black sacrifice two pawns in a Petroff Defense, only to later regain them. White retained a slight advantage in the resultant Rook endgame, but could bring about no more than a position with Rook and three pawns against Rook and two, all the pawns standing on the same side of the board.  Adair pressed on in search of victory, but his efforts came to naught against the fine defense of his Canadian adversary.  The exchange of Rooks offered by Beynon at his 48th turn was well-calculated, and the subsequent King and pawn endgame was agreed drawn a few moved thereafter.

Current scores:

11 points: Capablanca (11)

6 points: Kupchik (7), Tenenwurzel (8)
5 1/2 points: Black (7), Marder (9)

5 points: Duras (5)
4 1/2 points: Adair (8)
4 points: Bernstein (8), Chajes (8)

3 1/2 points: Beynon (8)
2 points: Phillips (7), Grommer (8)

Withdrawn: Stapfer, Beihoff

The number in parentheses following a player's surname indicates the number of games he has played to date, including two forfeit victories over Stapfer and Beihoff.  The adjourned games Kupchik-Capablanca, Phillips-Kupchik, Black-Tenenwurzel, Bernstein-Adair, Grommer-Phillips, and Chajes-Tenenwurzel are not included in the above table.

 

Debrecen tournament, Round 9: Reti, Asztalos both win, remain tied for lead; top contenders will meet in final round; Sterk now 3rd

Richard Reti and Lajos Asztalos won their respective ninth-round games at the Hungarian Championship tournament in Debrecen to remain tied for the lead with 6 points each.  The two leaders are by chance scheduled to meet in the tenth and final round with Asztalos playing White, a circumstance promising a thrilling finish to the event.

Reti overcame Jeno Szekely, who adopted the Steinitz Defense 3...d6 against his opponent's Ruy Lopez.  White at his 14th move essayed the temporary sacrifice of a pawn via 14.e5, gaining in return excellent prospects for all his pieces.  With the blow 19.Nxc7 Reti recovered his pawn, and in the endgame that followed soon thereafter the tourney co-leader enjoyed a large advantage owing to his possession of the d-file and the strength of his Bishop, which proved far superior to the enemy Knight.  Szekely, who resigned at the 32nd move with his position about to collapse, has now lost four games running and trails Barasz, his nearest competitor, by 2 1/2 points.

  

We are not in receipt of the moves of the Barasz-Asztalos game, won by the latter, and our inability to present this important contest causes us no small degree of regret.  We assure our readers that we will make every possible effort to procure the game scores from the final round. 

In the day's remaining contest Gyula Breyer, playing White in another Ruy Lopez, developed a most threatening attack against the King-side of Karoly Sterk, but somehow allowed his opponent to survive the danger.  Black emerged with Bishop and Knight against the opposing Rook, a material advantage that he turned to account many moves later, inaugurating a winning attack of his own with the pretty 54...Bg3+.  With this victory Sterk claimed his third game in succession and surpassed Breyer on the score chart, where he now stands alone in third place with 5 points.

Scores after 9 rounds: Reti, Asztalos 6; Sterk 5; Breyer 4 1/2; Barasz 4; Szekely 1 1/2

  
 

Rice Chess Club tournament: Duras defeats Chajes in adjourned game

Oldrich Duras defeated Oscar Chajes after the resumption of a game adjourned from the seventh round of the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament.  The Czech Master thereby improved his score to 4-0 and is the only competitor - other than J. R. Capablanca of Havana, who sports a 10-0 mark - to maintain a perfect record to date.  Duras is scheduled to face the Cuban wizard tomorrow, an encounter certain to generate intense interest among local aficionados.

In the game subjoined Duras, playing Black in a Queen's Gambit Declined, sought by dint of determined maneuvering to apply steady pressure via the light squares in a position that saw each side in possession of a Queen, Rook, and Bishop, with the Bishops commanding squares of opposite color.  Black ultimately gained a pawn for his efforts, and a subsequent Queen exchange brought about a Rook and Bishop endgame in which the Czech gradually asserted his superiority.  Chajes resigned after Black's 60th move.

Current scores:

10 points: Capablanca (10)

6 points: Kupchik (7), Tenenwurzel (8)
5 1/2 points: Black (7), Marder (8)

4 points: Duras (4), Bernstein (7), Adair (7), Chajes (8)

3 points: Beynon (7) 

2 points: Phillips (7), Grommer (8)

Withdrawn: Stapfer, Beihoff

The number in parentheses following a player's surname indicates the number of games he has played to date, including two forfeit victories over Stapfer and Beihoff.  The adjourned games Kupchik-Capablanca, Phillips-Kupchik, Black-Tenenwurzel, and Bernstein-Adair are not included in the above table.

Rice Chess Club tournament: Kupchik-Capablanca game adjourned; Capablanca's winning streak in jeopardy as experts predict draw

Abraham Kupchik offered stout resistance to tourney leader José R. Capalanca last night in a game advanced from the thirteenth round of the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament.  Kupchik, playing White, essayed the Queen's Gambit, which was accepted by his opponent.  The contest seemed relatively balanced throughout, with Capablanca perhaps holding a slight advantage, but one that appeared likely insufficient for victory. That judgment, in the opinion of experts on the scene, also applies to the adjourned position, with the general consensus being that a draw is the most probable outcome when the contest is resumed in a few days' time. Such a result would, of course, put an end to the ten-game winning streak of Capablanca and end his hopes of recording a perfect score in the present event.  Still, the Cuban ace may yet prevail, as his skill in the final phase of the game is well-known to be of the highest order, and he will certainly make every effort to achieve success.

**As we are about to go to press we have been made aware that Black overlooked an excellent winning chance at the 30th move, as pointed out by Capablanca himself.  The young maestro states that Black, in place of 30...Na4, should have chosen 30...Nc4, to meet 31.Rxb5 with 31...d2 32.Rb1 Nxe5, when if 33.Nxe5 Rc8! wins, e.g. 34.Nd3 Rc3.  This clever line, which has been incorporated into the game score below, should serve as a reminder of the possibilities often hidden in even the most simple positions and of the ability of a Capablanca to discover them.  It is for this very reason that we hesitate to predict the drawn outcome of which others seem more certain.

We append the moves made to date.

    

    

Rice Chess Club tournament, Round 7: Capablanca tops Phillips; Cuban now 10-0; Kupchik, Beynon are winners

José R. Capablanca improved his record to 10-0 by defeating Harold M. Phillips in a seventh-round contest at the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' Tournament. Capablanca, who is completing his playing program on an accelerated schedule, has only three games remaining and expects to conclude his affairs within the week.  With this latest victory the Cuban ace has equaled the start he made earlier this year at the Second American National Tournament.  At that tourney, it will be recalled, Capablanca's bid for a perfect score came to an end with a loss to Charles Jaffe in the eleventh round, a disappointment that may perhaps serve the young Master as both a caution against overconfidence and a stimulus to better his previous mark as he now strives once again for a clean sweep of the opposition.

In other games, Abraham Kupchik defeated Albert Marder and F.P. Beynon bested Jacques Grommer. The games Black-Tenenwurzel, Bernstein-Adair, and Chajes-Duras were adjourned.

We present the day's three completed games.  Capablanca, as first player in a Ruy Lopez, defeated Phillips with relative ease, infiltrating the opposing Queen-side and easily dealing with Black's belated attempts to counter-attack on the other flank.

Kupchik obtained a superior position in a Queen's Gambit Declined and then took advantage of a serious miscalculation by Marder (21...Nxh7? in place of 21...Kh8 or 21...Kxh7 22.Qc2+ Kg8 23.Qxc6, when in either case Black cedes only a pawn) to score a quick victory.

In Grommer-Beynon there arose an endgame in which White's two Bishops were overcome by Black's Rook and extra pawn, in our experience a relatively uncommon result from this heterogeneous balance of material.

Current scores:

10 points: Capablanca (10)

6 points: Kupchik (7), Tenenwurzel (8)
5 1/2 points: Black (7), Marder (8)

4 points: Chajes, (7), Bernstein (7), Adair (7)

3 points: Duras (3), Beynon (7) 

2 points: Phillips (7), Grommer (8)

Withdrawn: Stapfer, Beihoff

The number in parentheses following a player's surname indicates the number of games he has played to date, including two forfeit victories over Stapfer and Beihoff.  The adjourned games Phillips-Kupchik, Black-Tenenwurzel, Bernstein-Adair, and Chajes-Duras are not included in the above table.