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Withdrawn: Stapfer, Beihoff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.