AJanuary 06 1935
The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Sunday, January 06, 1935
“It's Your Move” By W. H. Steckel
First Round
Two of the outstanding figures met in the first round of the international chess tournament as the annual congress of the Hastings and St. Leonard's Chess Club got under way. Jose R. Capablanca, of Havana, former world champion, faced Dr. Max Euwe, of Amsterdam, and the result was a draw in 28 moves.
Dr. Euwe selected the queen's pawn opening and play followed the orthodox lines, which gave neither player opportunity for attack. The Dutch expert will be the next one to play for the world title with Dr. Alexander Alekhine, of Paris.
Only one other game was concluded in the first session, and this was won by Sir George Thomas, of London, from O. W. Norman, of Hastings, in 32 moves. Norman, with the black pieces, resorted to the Sicilian defense, but was outplayed in the ending. Three of the five games were adjourned.
Of Outstanding interest was the meeting at the fifth table between Salo Flohr, of Czechoslovakia, winner of the annual event for the last three years, and M. Botwinnik, the young Russian master. This, too, was a queen's pawn opening. The opponents were well matched and finally drifted into an even ending, with bishops of opposite colors on the board.
Miss Vera Menchik, of Czechoslovakia, the world's woman champion, had a black side of a Reti opening and reached a rook and pawn ending with R. P. Michell, of England. This game was adjourned after 42 moves.
A similar ending was reached by P. S. Milner-Barry, of England, and A. Lilienthal, of Hungary, who adopted the French defense. This game too, lasted 42 moves. Honors were even.
Second Round
Meeting Capablanca in the second round, Thomas gained his second consecutive victory. The English baronet was at his best on the black side of a queen's pawn opening and was quick to seize his opportunity when the Cuban miscalculated in a complicated combination. Capablanca lost two minor pieces for a rook, and although left with a fighting chance was forced to resign alter fifty-three moves.
Dr. Euwe, adopting a Caro-Kann defense against M. Botwinnik, scored a notable victory by out-maneuvering his opponent in a finely conducted ending which went to fifty-six moves. R. P. Michell won from P. S. Milner-Barry, in the shortest game after twenty-nine moves. Milner-Barry selected the Petroff defense, but it availed him nothing against his adversary's accurate play.
Miss Vera Menchik drew the black side of queen's pawn opening against G. M. Norman in forty-eight moves. Another draw, in fifty-three moves-resulted from the encounter between Flohr and Lilienthal, the latter playing the black forces in a queen's pawn opening.
The three adjourned games from the first round were also played off and were drawn. The pairings in these games were Milner-Barry vs. Lilienthal, forty-three moves; Flohr vs. Botwinnik, forty-two moves.
Third Round
The excellent form display by Thomas as in the earlier rounds which enabled him to win from Capablanca, stood by him when pitted against M. Botwinnik, of Moscow, in the third round. The game required two sittings and at the close of the second the baronet had placed his third consecutive victory to his credit. Botvinnik, who adopted the Sicilian defense, resigned after sixty moves. At the time of adjournment the position was even, but Sir George outplayed the Russian in a nicely calculated ending.
Capablanca, playing the black pieces in a queen's gambit declined, was paired with Miss Vera Menchik, and scored his first victory in fifty-five moves. Lilienthal, defeated Michell in a queen's pawn opening lasting thirty-nine moves, and Milner-Barry won from Norman in a Sicilian defense which went to twenty-eight moves. Much interest was displayed in the meeting between Euwe and Flohr, both winners of earlier tournaments at Hastings. The latter accepted the queen's gambit and drew in twenty-seven moves.
Fourth Round
The success of the Dutch player enabled him to tie Thomas for first place. Dr. Euwe adopted the queen's pawn opening and, making the most of a slight error in judgment by Thomas, scored in twenty-six moves.
Capablanca and Flohr won their games and tied for second place. The former had two sessions with Milner-Barry, who defended a queen's gambit offered by Capablanca. The Cuban had a pawn plus at the time for adjournment and turned this to his advantage in fifty-one moves in the later sitting. Flohr had the black side of a queen's pawn opening with Michell, who was forced to resign after twenty-four moves.
Miss Vera Menchik enabled Botvinnik to score his first victory in twenty-five moves. Miss Menchik played black in a queen's pawn opening. The longest game was a queen's gambit declined, played between Norman and Lilienthal, which lasted over two sittings and went to sixty-nine moves. Play was then adjourned for a second time, the position being most difficult, although favorable to Lilienthal. The Hungarian has two knights to the good, without any pawns, an ending which ordinarily can result only in a draw.
Fifth Round
Another setback for Capablanca, who lost to Lilienthal, marked the fifth round. A draw obtained by Miss Vera Menchik against Euwe, was another outstanding incident. Euwe and Lilienthal finished the day in the lead, each with 3½ points to his credit. Thomas failed to finish his game and for the time being remains in third place.
Capablanca, on the black side of a queen's pawn opening, was taken by surprise when Lilienthal played brilliantly and offer the sacrifice of his queen. The Cuban could find no satisfactory defense and resigned after twenty-six moves. Favored at the start to win first prize, Capablanca is now tied for fifth place.
Miss Menchik played an exceptionally steady game against Dr. Euwe, who had the black pieces in a queen's gambit declined. Honors were even throughout the first sitting and remained so when play was resumed and a draw was agreed upon after fifty-six moves. Michell won the shortest game of the round, another queen's gambit declined, from Norman in twenty-one moves.
Botwinnik adopted the French defense against Milner-Barry and won in fifty-four moves. Flohr could make no headway against Thomas in a queen's pawn opening and the game, lasting throughout both sessions, was adjourned after, sixty-eight moves. Each player had a queen, a bishop and four pawns.
The adjourned game between Norman and Lilienthal from the fourth round was played to a finish and resulted in a draw after eighty-two moves.
Sixth Round
At the close of the sixth round Euwe was tied for first place with Thomas. Both won their games. Euwe defeated Milner-Barry in an English opening after thirty-four moves while the baronet scored at the expense of Miss Vera Menchik, who lost an Indian defense in fifty-six moves.
In addition Thomas succeeded in drawing a hard-fought game with Flohr, adjourned from the fifth round, in seventy-two moves. Flohr also won his game with Norman in twenty-two moves. The Czech player also resorted to the English opening.
Flohr is now bracketed with Lilienthal at 4-2, half a point below the two leaders. The Hungarian drew with an Indian defense against Botvinnik in thirty-five moves. Capablanca is now fifth, thanks to a victory over Michell in a queen's gambit declined, lasting thirty-six moves.
The standing end of sixth round follows:
Player W. L. Euwe 4½ 1½ Thomas 4½ 1½ Flohr 4 2 Lilienthal 4 2 Capablanca 3½ 2 Botvinnik 3 3 Michell 2½ 3½ Barry 1½ 4½ Menchik 1½ 4½ Norman 1 5
