A
World's Chess Wizards Hold First Tourney Tue, Aug 16, 1932 – 3 · The Pasadena Post (Pasadena, California) · Newspapers.com
The Pasadena Post Pasadena, California Tuesday, August 16, 1932 - Page 3 — World's Chess Wizards Hold First Tourney — Twelve Meet in Round One of Congress Play — Twelve of the world's foremost chess strategists sat over their boards for five hours last night, matching each other's moves deliberately and masterfully, as tournament play in the World Chess Congress opened at the Maryland Hotel.
Fans Form Gallery Chess fans and curious Pasadenans formed a gallery for the tourney. Each move made by the players was bulletined on large boards on the walls.
The tournament play, in which Dr. Alexander Alekhine, world's champion, took part, followed a match of “sky chess” in the dirigible Volunteer, between the Pacific Coast champion, Arthur Dake of Portland, and Fred Reinfeld, New York champion. The match was a draw.
Results in the tournament round follow:
Harry Borochow, California champion, defeated Capt. Jose Araiza, Mexican champion. Arthur Dake, Pacific Coast champion, defeated F.C. Foster of Chicago. Fred Reinfeld, New York, defeated A.J. Fink, San Francisco. Other games adjourned until this afternoon. Minor tourneys will start tonight and the ladies tourney Wednesday afternoon.
By Douglas S. Houghton — Flash from the sky via radio comes the voice of the renowned master chess wizard, Dr. Alexander Alekhine. He is the referee of the first game played above the earth by chess masters.
“Chess players and all radio friends within hearing: The sky game by Messrs. Kashdan and Dake is drawn by repetition of moves. Whenever the moves in a game recur, so that the identical position is reached three times, neither party wins the victory and it is a drawn battle.
Introduces Sky Chess This is a demonstration game to introduce the Pasadena International Chess Congress of 1932, in which I am happy to be engaged with eleven of the masters of the United States and Mexico. We believe that chess should be made a subject of instruction in the public schools. Several countries, Mexico in particular, and Milwaukee, in the United States, have already done so. It is an intellectual pursuit which affords rare pleasure and at the same time trains the faculties for the intelligent activities of every-day life.
“It has been three years since I last visited California and experienced the hospitality of Los Angeles and San Francisco . My intent is to stay here for two or three months, after having made the first leg from Paris, France, of my trip around the world. In October, or possibly in early November, I shall go to Australia and the Dutch Indies and the British Indies, and I feel sure that the kindness of the chess patrons and the excellence of this Pasadena International Congress here will be thoroughly appreciated and carried by me to the chess lovers of the Antipodes.
“Come to see us play at the Maryland Hotel, Pasadena. Yes we play chess. There is drama, thrill and amusement in the great master game, and the great master tournament such as no other entertainment of the intellectual kind affords.
“I thank you and ‘au revoir,’ but not good-bye.”
Following the luncheon and sky match, drawings were taken for the first round of tournament play.
First-Round Pairings While the press wire service of the world news centers awaited the drawing by lot of the assembled masters, it was not until 5 o'clock that the drawings were made. By an uncanny coincidence, young Reuben Fine, winner of the Western Association title championship last week at Minneapolis, was fated to meet “Sammy” Reshevsky, runner-up and second prize winner, just a half point behind young Fine for the Western title tourney. In their individual games at Minneapolis the two were deadlocked in a tie. Thus their pairing in the first round of Pasadena International worked a hardship on each and made their game the high spot of the round. Both are students.
Masters Meet California Champion Harry Borochow met Mexico's master, Capt. Jose Araiza. World Champion Alexander Alekhine met the veteran New Yorker who has held the New York State title many times. Former California champion and foremost problemist of the West, A.J. Fink, met Fred Reinfeld, 1932 New York titlist. Irving Kashdan and H. Steiner, buddies at boards 1 and 4 of the winning United States team at Prague last August, clashed. Pacific Coast Champion Arthur Dake played F.C. Factor, champion of Chicago. Major and minor tourneys will also be in progress and team matches are programed. Full results and pairing of all contests will be published in the Pasadena Post each day until the close of the congress.
