A1950
January 03 1950
The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Knoxville, Tennessee, Tuesday, January 03, 1950
4 E-T Players Take Top Places in Chess
Three Knoxville area chess players won top honors in the Tennessee State Chess Federation Tournament held at Oak Ridge last night. Twenty-four participated.
Larry Noderer, Oak Ridge scientist, was firstplace winner. Jerry Sullivan, Jr., Wright's Switch Road, University of Tennessee junior, second; Kitt Crittenden, Raleigh, N. C., third, and Jack Murphy, Alcoa, fourth.
Mr. Murphy was elected president for 1950, and Louis Miller, Chattanooga, was elected secretary-treasurer. Martin Southern, Knoxville attorney, is vice president of the Federation.
January 29 1950
Fast Motion in Chess 29 Jan 1950, Sun Asheville Citizen-Times (Asheville, North Carolina) Newspapers.com
Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville, North Carolina, Sunday, January 29, 1950
Fast Motion in Chess
Editor of The Citizen-Times:
We noted with interest The Citizen's editorial, “Slow Motion Could Be Best,” and in general agree with your thought that proper consideration before making a decision is a wise policy. With such an interesting subject as Virginia Mayo, for example, this should occasion no difficulties!
However, contrary to a popular, but erroneous, impression, chess is not a game of “slow motion,' nor is it an ”old man's game.” Tournament chess, played under a rigid time limit governed by electric time clocks, is one of the most nerve-racking of all sports. I have played blindfold chess at the rapid rate of 10 seconds a move. The time used by an expert chess player in considering his move is based on his quickness in applying the Tarrasch formula, time multiplied by space equals force, (which is the theory of relatively applied to the chess board!) to one of the 300 opening variations with which he must be familiar.
One of the features of modern chess tournaments is the extreme youth of many of the contestants. Kit Crittenden, Raleigh chess prodigy, attracted nation-wide interest when he won the N. C. chess title last year at the age of 14; Edward Lipinsky of Asheville was co-champion of Western North Carolina at 15! The popular card game of bridge has attracted many followers because of the element of chance; but in chess there is no such an alibi for a lost game. Contrasted to those sports which have mass appeal and are a throwback to medievalism, chess is the epitome of civilization. Chess is both an Art and a Science, and is the final realization of man's struggle for “mind over matter.”
WM. C. ADICKES, JR,
Past President
N. C. Chess Association.
Asheville.
February 10 1950
The Durham Sun, Durham, North Carolina, Friday, February 10, 1950
Chess Club At Raleigh
The Durham Chess Club will open its 1950 match schedule against Raleigh tonight. The match will be played across 12 boards at the History and Archives Building in Raleigh.
Representing Durham will be Walter Rudin, 1949 Durham champion, Dr. J. U. Gunter, W. J. Peters, 1949 State champion, A. G. Ashbrook, G. C. Harwell, M. H. Upchurch, S. A. Agnello, H. F. Neverman, David Rogers, J. M. Scales, and O. W. Upchurch.
Among those representing Raleigh will be Kit Crittenden, 1948 State champion and 1948 Tennessee open winner, and Ephraim Solkoff, strong in South Carolina chess circles, now residing in Raleigh.
The Durham Chess Club will meet Richmond later in the month at the mid-way point, South Hill, Va., and in March a triangular match among Durham, Spartanburg, S. C. and Atlanta, Ga., will be held at Spartanburg, S. C.
February 27 1950
The Durham Sun, Durham, North Carolina, Monday, February 27, 1950
Durham Wins Chess Match
The Durham Chess Club defeated the Richmond (Va.) Chess Club 7½—3½ yesterday afternoon at South Hill, Va.
The local club team jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first two hours of play and were never heeded throughout tho match.
Individual scores (Durham players listed first):
Dr. J. U. Gunter 1-2,
Ross Owens 1-2;
Walter Rudin 1-2,
Lee Ribble 1-2;
W. J. Peters 1,
James York, 0;
Kit Crittenden, 1,
F. M. Dubois 0;
William Chapman 0,
Mrs. H. A. White, 1;
A. G. Ashbrook 1-2,
C. S. Boggess 1-2;
G. C. Harwell 1,
L. S. McCarty 0;
David Rogers, 0,
T. H. Stone 1;
S. A. Agnello, 1,
Elmer Billman 0;
H. F. Neverman 1,
W. W. Chaffin, 0;
J. M. Scales, 1,
H. T. Ward, 0.
The next match scheduled for the Durham Chess Club team will be the triangular match with Atlanta, Ga., and Spartanburg, S.C., at Spartanburg next month.
April 15 1950
Winston-Salem Journal, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Saturday, April 15, 1950
Duke Frosh, Prof. Win at Chess
A Duke University freshmen upset a former chess champion of the State of Georgia and a Duke professor eliminated a Leaksville tournamentalist last night in the opening round of the 1950 Western North Carolina championship tourney at the YMCA.
William Chapman, the freshman defeated Elijah Brown of Atlanta, Ga., and Dr. A. G. Ashbrook, Jr., the professor won over Robert F. Gentschura, Leaksville.
Results of three other first-round matches were not available by midnight last night. Leading the list of other entrants is Kit Crittenden 18-year-old sensation from Raleigh and current holder of the Eastern North Carolina title.
Other contestants are Karl Ginter and A. H. Gaede, both of Charlotte, Hosea Snyder of this city, U. C. Underwood of Washington, D. C. and Bill Adickes of Asheville.
Snyder is a former chess co-champion of the State of North Carolina and Gaede placed third in the last Western North Carolina championship held in 1948. Adickes is current holder of the West North Carolina title, which he copped in the '48 event.
The tournament, held in this part of the state in alternate years, is a five-round Swiss system contest open to entrants from all parts of the state. In the intervening years an Eastern North Carolina championship tourney is held.
Spectators Welcome
Both championships are sponsored by the North Carolina Chess Association and spectators are welcome at the matches according to officials of the organization.
The games under conducted under electric time clocks with a limit of four hours match.
Second-round matches will be played at 1 p.m. today, with the third round scheduled for 7 p.m. and the last two for 8:30 am and 2 p.m. respectively on Sunday.
In addition to determining the Western North Carolina champion for 1950 the tournament is supposed to serve as a preliminary for the Southern States championship to be held at Durham in July.
June 28 1950
The Durham Sun, Durham, North Carolina, Wednesday, June 28, 1950
Durham Club Host To Group—
Southern Chess Meet In City This Week End
The Southern Chess Association's annual tournament will be held in Durham this coming week end July 1 through July 4 with headquarter at the Washington Duke Hotel. This event will highlight the chess activities of this area sponsored by the Durham Chess Club during the past four years. A large number of players are expected to enter the tournament. They will come from all parts of the South from Washington, D. C., Richmond, Atlanta, as far south as St. Petersburg, Fla., and Long Beach, Fla., and a far west as Knoxville, Tenn. and Oak Ridge, Tenn. Last year every state in the Southeast was represented by the 43 entrants at Richmond, Va.
The Southern Chess Association whose motto is “for the Cultivation of Mind and Friendship” is the outgrowth of the Georgia-Florida Chess League, formed 29 years ago with Major J. B. Holt of Long Beach, Fla., as the first president. He is now the present secretary-treasurer and a driving force in the Association. After its early years the Georgia-Florida Chess League tournaments became so popular that they were widened in scope and the Southern Chess Association was formed to accommodate the growing interest in Chess in the South. As a result the present SCA Tournament is with the United States Open, United States Championship, one of the three major chess events in the Nation.
The tournament this week end will be the first one held in the Carolinas. Durham having been chosen because of its prominence in chess circles since the inception of the Durham Chess Club.
Hans Berliner of Washington, D.C., who took top honors last year is expected to enter this year to defend his title. Other winners of the tourney have been Gerry Sullivan, Jr. of Knoxville, Tenn., J. B. Holt, of Long Beach, Fla., Nester Hernandez, of Tampa, Fla., who has won more prizes in this tourney than anyone and has not missed entering in 29 years. Russell Chauvenet of Hyattsville, Md., who won the N. C. Championship in 1948 has always been among the top players in the Southern. William C. Adickes of Asheville, recent winner at Winston-Salem, North Carolina Western Open, was fourth in last year's event and will try for a higher place this year. Kit Crittenden, the Junior wizard from Raleigh will also be present. And Dr. J. U. Gunter, W. J. Peters, G. C. Harwell, top players of the local club will try to extend their winning streaks into this tourney.
The committee for the host club includes the officers of the Durham Chess Club, S. A. Agnello, president, M. H. Upchurch, vice-president, and G. C. Harwell, secretary-treasurer.
Prizes for the event will be presented to the top six players and to other players scattered through the entry list. Trophies will be given to the top three players and are sponsored by the Durham Chess Club, the Herald-Sun Papers, and Williams Motor Company.
July 04 1950
The Durham Sun, Durham, North Carolina, Tuesday, July 04, 1950
LEADERS IN CHESS TOURNEY—Shown above are Eliot Hearst (left) of New York City and Ken Smith of Dallas Texas who are virtually tied for the lead in the Southern Chess Tournament which closes in Durham today.—Sun Staff Photo.
Chess Meet To End Today
Scores at the end of the sixth round of play in the Southern Chess Association tourney here show Ken Smith of Dallas, Texas, tied with Norman Whitaker of Shadyside, MD and Eliot Hearst of New York City in games won and lost at 5-1. However, Smith is ahead in the tie-breaking system used in this tournament. That is, points are given-for each win, taking into consideration the standing of a player's opponent at the time of the games.
Tied for second place are: Hans Berliner, D. H. Mugridge, James Sherwin, all having won 4½ and lost l½ games. Karl Burger, W. Long, Harold Mouzon, E. Nash and Martin Southern are all tied at four games won to two lost.
Two local players who are holding their own at three games won and three games lost are W. J. Peters and Kit Crittenden.
The tourney closes today.
July 05 1950
The Durham Sun, Durham, North Carolina, Wednesday, July 05, 1950
Dixie Chess Champ—N. T. Whitaker, of Shady Side, Md., who walked off with top honors in the Southern Chess Tournament which closed here yesterday. — Sun Staff Photo.
N. T. Whitaker Takes Southern Chess Title
N. T. Whitaker, of Shady Side, Md., took top honors in the Southern Chess Association Tournament which closed here yesterday after a grueling four days of intense chess play.
After a shaky start by losing in the first round to Don H. Mugridge of Washington, D. C., Whitaker went on to win the next six games. He clinched first place by defeating Ken Smith in the last round.
Eliot Hearst, of New York, could have won with a victory in his last round game with Mugridge. However he had to be satisfied with draw to get runner-up honors.
Mugridge, who beat the leader and drew his game with Hearst, was third.
The other entrants finished in this order:
4-Ken Smith, Dallas Texas;
5-J. Sherwin, New York City;
6-Hans Berliner, Washington;
7-K. Burger, New York;
8-H. Mouzon, Charleston, S.C.;
9-Martin Southern, Knoxville, Tenn.;
10-E. Nash, Washington;
11-J. B. Holt, Long Beach, Fla.;
12-E. M. Faust;
13-Kit Crittenden, Raleigh;
14-A. T Henderson, Athens Ga;
15-W. Long, New York;
16-J. G. Sullivan, Knoxville, Tenn;
17-G. A. Lyle, Washington;
18-R. Brand, Charleston, S.C.;
19-E. Lipinsky, Asheville;
20-J. McClure, Nashville, Tenn;
21-G. N. Coker, Atlanta Ga;
22-W. J. Peters, Durham;
23-B. Rudich, New York;
24-P. Barton, Cordele, Ga;
25-J. Rice;
26-W. O. Winston;
27-D. S. Evans, Raleigh;
28-G. C. Harwell, Durham;
29-L. L. Foster;
30-F. E. Condon;
31-M. H. Upchurch, Durham;
32-J. Gunter, Durham;
33-E. Brown, Atlanta, Ga;
34-T. E. VanZandt, Durham;
35-S. B. Brockwell, Durham;
36-E. R. Hagner.
Officers for the next year elected at the business session yesterday afternoon are: Martin Southern, Knoxville, Tenn., president; Grady N. Coker, Atlanta, Ga., first vice president; Samuel A. Angello, Durham; second vice-president; and Maj. J. B. Holt, Long Beach, Fla., secretary-treasurer. Tentative site for 1951 tournament is Asheville.
July 15 1950
New Pittsburgh Courier, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Saturday, July 15, 1950
In N. C. Tournament
Chess Star Invited, Then Barred From Playing With Whites
By A. M. Rivera, Jr.
Durham, N.C.—W. A. Scott, son of the late founder of the Atlanta Daily World newspaper, was the victim here last week of Tarhellia's determined back-to-the-wall struggle against the threat of integration.
Scott, who was invited to play in the annual tournament of the Southern Chess Association, was refused because of his race when he sought to pay his entrance fee at the Washington Duke Hotel here last week.
ACTED “GENTLEMANLY”
Sam A. Agnello, president of the Durham Chess Club, host of the association, told The Courier, “Scott withdrew his application gentlemanly when objections were raised to his participation.”
Young Scott told this reporter that he was invited to play in the tourney by Martin Southern, a Knoxville, Tenn. attorney and one-time president of the association. He stated that he had played in the Tennessee State tournament in January, and in the Mid-South tournament at the Peabody Hotel in Knoxville in April, and anticipated no difficulty here.
NO BIAS IN RULES
According to Mr. Scott, Mr. Southern met him upon his arrival at the hotel and informed him to expect objections to his participation. Scott said, “Mr. Southern told me, 'I can present you to the group and state that you will play because the constitution of the American Chess Federation permits no racial bias, but I do not want to embarrass you.”
Mr. Southern told the group that he invited Scott to the tourney because he felt that the game was a contest between two human minds and that he had no thought of disturbing the Southern tradition.
A small group from Georgia and Florida objected, and stated that they would withdraw if he was permitted to play.
The hotel management reminded them of the state's segregation laws. A few players suggested that the tournament be moved to a location, where Scott might play, but Scott withdrew when it became apparent that any insistence on his part might “break up the tournament.”
Kit Crittenden, state champion, and others volunteered to pay his return fare back to Atlanta, Scott told The Courier, a gesture that he appreciated, but refused.
July 27 1950
The News and Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina, Thursday, July 27, 1950
Raleigh Youth Hurt In New York Accident
Kit Crittenden, 16-year-old son of Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Crittenden of 1537 Caswell Drive, is in a New York hospital recuperating from a broken collar bone suffered in an auto accident Monday, it was reported yesterday.
The Raleigh youth, who was en route from Detroit, Mich., to New York City at the time of the accident, will be confined to the hospital for about three or four days, his parents said.
Kit, former North Carolina chess champion and present Eastern North Carolina champion, had been attending the National Open Chess Tournament in Detroit.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, Thursday, July 27, 1950
Boro Chess Ace Has Double Run Of Good Fortune
Donovan Finishes Tied for 3d, Misses Injuries in Crash
By HERMANN HELMS
Good fortune smiled upon Jeremiah F. Donovan of Brooklyn in the national open championship tournament at Detroit, where he tied for third place, and again, as an uninjured survivor in an automobile accident near Batavia, N. Y., when his car rolled over into a ditch and four of his fellow travelers landed in the Genesee Memorial Hospital.
The new open champion. Arthur B. Bisguier, was at the wheel at the time, where he bumped his forehead and broke a rib. Consequently, he will not be with the American team on the Steamship Makedonija, due to sail for Yugoslavia tonight or early tomorrow. He and Larry Evans, unhurt but badly shaken up, have been replaced by Israel A. Horowitz, leader of the team, with George Kramer of Kew Gardens and George Shainswit of Manhattan, Samuel Reshevsky, now residing in Brooklyn, another passenger, will play at the first board. Other passengers in the ill-fated car were Walter Shipman and Eliot Hearst of Manhattan and C. C. Crittenden of Raleigh, N. C.
August 01 1950
The Herald, Ahoskie, North Carolina, Tuesday, August 01, 1950
…Kit Crittenden son of State historian C. C. Crittenden is only 16 years old, but in keeping with the mental profundities or something of his father and his grandparents and ancestors, the Taylor's, Wake Forest builders is one of the chess champions of the Nation…
Young Crittenden was injured last week in an automobile accident while traveling from Detroit, Mich., to New York City to play chess …
August 10 1950
The News and Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina, Thursday, August 10, 1950
24 Against 1
It will be a case of 24 against one here on August 17 when Kit Crittenden of Raleigh, youthful chess expert and former State chess titleholder, matches wits against two dozen other players.
The simultaneous chess exhibition will be given as a prologue to the North Carolina State Tournament. It will be held in the Sir Walter Cafe Garden at 7:30 p. m. and will be open to the public.
Players who wish to oppose Crittenden were asked to bring their own chess sets, but enough boards will be on hand.
Crittenden recently competed in the National Open Tournament in Detroit, Mich., and placed 40th in a field of 120 experts.
August 17 1950
The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, North Carolina, Thursday, August 17, 1950
PREVIOUS CHESS WINNERS FILE FOR N C TOURNEY
RALEIGH, Aug. 16.—(AP)—Winners of three previous tournaments have filed for the State Chess tournament opening here Friday. They are William J. Peters of Durham, 1949 winner; Henry M. Woods, formerly of Wadesboro and now of Elizabeth City; and Kit Crittenden, 16-year-old Raleigh youth.
Other entrants rated well up in the competition include William C. Adickes, Jr. and Edward Lipinsky both of Asheville, and R. N. Deemon of Wilmington. Entries will be accepted up to 8 pm Friday.
August 19 1950
The News and Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina, Saturday, August 19, 1950
Chess Tourney Opens Here
The annual North Carolina Chess Association Tournament got underway last night at the Sir Walter with 18 members competing.
E. Solkoff of Raleigh, secretary-treasurer of the association, said two out-of-state players, one from Baltimore, Md., and the other from Charleston, S. C., were also competing. However, they are not eligible to take part in the final playoffs to be held today.
Four prizes will be given the winners in the five-round tournament. First prize will be a trophy and chess clock. Second and third prizes will be chess sets and chess books.
Those competing are: Kit Crittenden, Ephriam Solkoff, C. J. Curry, Jack Wardlaw, David S. Evans and Julius Dobkin, all of Raleigh.
Samuel A. Agnello, Arthur G. Ashbrook, Jr., William J. Peters, Dr. J. U. Gunter, Thomas E. Van Zandt, Dr. George C. Harwell, all of Durham, William C. Adickes, Jr., Edward Lipinsky, both of Asheville, J. Brown Evans of St. Paul, R. C. Beeman of Wilmington, Henry M. Woods, Jr., of Elizabeth City, Lars N. Enequist of Baltimore, Md., and Ben Rudich of Charleston, S. C.
The Salisbury Post, Salisbury, North Carolina, Thursday, August 17, 1950
Chess Tourney
Raleigh, N.C., Aug. 17 (AP)—The 1950 tournament of the North Carolina Chess Association opens here tomorrow with three former winners in the field. They are William J. Peters of Durham, 1949 winner; Henry M. Woods, formerly of Wadesboro and now of Elizabeth City; and Kit Crittenden, 16-year-old youth.
August 21 1950
The News and Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina, Monday, August 21, 1950
Durham Man Wins Chess Title
William J. Peters of Durham, shown left above, last night successfully defended his title as open champion of North Carolina in a tournament which closed at the Sir Walter. With Peters is Kit Crittenden of Raleigh, runner-up in the competitition. Third place went to Lars N. Enequist of Baltimore, Md., and a special prize, limited to players with minus scores, went to Dr. A. G. Ashbrook, Jr., of Durham, for best-played game. New officers of the North Carolina Chess Association, sponsors of the tourney, were elected as follows: Ephraim Solkoff of Raleigh, president; George C. Harwell of Durham, vice-president; Dr. V. A. Davidian of Smithfield, secretary-treasurer; and Kit Crittenden, Raleigh, assistant secretary.
