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WASHINGTON CHESS LETTER January 1954 By Russell (Rusty) Miller

Writers & works in this issue: Editor Dan Wade, Circulation and Postal Chess: R.R. Merk, Publication: K.W. Mulford,  Nourse adNausoam: John Nourse, Tournament News: Fred Weaver and 54 Resolutions: Mrs. Dan Wade plus Letters Section: two from E.G. Short of Portland on Ratings.

G.S.G. Patterson won the 1954 Washington Speed Championship with a fine 10-4 score over 7 other players in the double RR event. 2^nd place went to O.W. Manney at 9-5. There were only three events listed on the future events calendar. The Seattle YMCA team is leading the 8 team Puget Sound league play after 5 matches.  The story on the McNeil Island versus Olympia match says there were 50 spectators watching McNeil lose 6-3.  Yes the match took place on McNeil Island as they only played HOME matches.

Short’s letter about Short ratings gave ratings for 1949 to 1953 for some of the world’s top players, some given were: Botvinnik 1553,1548,1522,1531,1533, Bronstein 1495, 1505,1513,1505,1497, Geller 1514,1518,1512,1501,1495 and Reshevsky 1430,1429,1442,1439,1454. Written in the letter was that USCF ratings are not much good and Short would start doing “a regular Northwestern rating list.” (Your writer does not know what formula for rating Short used.)

A bit from the Nourse column says that “On the pro side for chess we note that Voltaire, Bulwer-Lytten, Tennysen, Huxley, Lincoln, Franklin, Clay etc. were all avid for the game.”  Your writer recently came across games played by Charles C. Fremont, explorer and Republican President Candidate to add to that list.

WASHINGTON CHESS LETTER February 1954 By Russell (Rusty) Miller

This issue lists co-editors: Dan Wade and John.S. DeWitt, circulation: R. R. Merk, publication: Ken.W. Mulford. Contributors: John Nourse, Fred Weaver, Stephen Falk, Dr. Griffith Parker. DeWitt will be taking over the editor slot solely in April. Mention is given of South Tacoma Chess Club meeting on Fridays at 9017 Washington Blvd. SW, Tacoma.

Tacoma YMCA, Seattle YMCA and Kitsap teams now are tied for 1^st in Puget Sound league play at 4.5. Some of the players taking part were: Jim McCormick 1^st board for Seattle CC, Ted Warner 2^nd board for UofW., and Oliver LaFreniere on 5^th board for the same team, Dan Wade 2^nd bd for Seattle YMCA, Elmars Zemgalis 1^st bd for Kitsap, Vernon Holmes and Viktor Pupols 1^st and 2^nd bds for Tacoma YMCA. Best score among league players at this reporting point in the season was C. Rosburg on 3^rd bd for UofW team with 10 wins and two draws, Zemgalis was next with nine wins one loss. There were 66 players who had taken part to this point.

Ted Davidsen was reelected President of the Seattle CC. Dan Wade won the 30-30 Seattle CC event over 3 others. The annual meeting of Washington Chess Federation was announced for April 11^th. at the Student Union of UofWash. The maximum number of votes that could be cast was 29. The eight WCF member clubs have two votes each and 9 WCF officers plus four past presidents.

Under heading TOURNAMENTS the passing of David Creemer editor of a chess column in Vancouver BC Daily Province was noted. Mrs. Mona May Karff reported as winning US Woman’s Championship. Charles Alexander and David Bronstein tied for 1^st at the annual Hastings International Congress.  Albert Weissman won the 36 player US Intercollegiate Championship topping among others, Arthur Bisquier, Hans Berliner and Karl Burger.

Gordon Cornelius won the Spokane CC championship with a perfect 6-0. 18 players took part during the month of January.  The club reports 32 members.

A poem was part of Kitsap News: "A chess playing monk of Siberia ... Found life getting drearier and drearier ... But he bought the Chess Letter ... And learned to play better ... Now he beats the Mother Superior."

Mr. Greene is way atop the postal rating chart with 1703. Ken Mulford is next at 1572.

WASHINGTON CHESS LETTER March 1954 By Russell (Rusty) Miller

The front cover of this issue announces the “Annual Meeting April 11.” Dan Wade was listed as Co-Editor. His helpers on the list were: J.S. DeWitt, Co-Editor; R.R. Merk, Circulation Head; K.W. Mulford, Publisher; Contributors: J.N. Nourse; F.H. Weaver; Victor (sic) Pupols; Stephen Falk; Dr. G.H. Parker; and the Washington Chess Federation Executive Officers: D.E. Wade -President; O.W. Manney - Vice-President; P. Husby-Secretary; W. H. Raleigh - Tresurer.

Charles Magerkurth won the Kitsap Championship in a play-off match win over Jack Nourse, 2-0 when they tied in the regular tournament of 6 entrants.

Final Standings for 1953-1954 Puget Sound League: Three way tie for first at 5.5-1.5 match scores - Seattle YMCA, Kitsap, Tacoma YMCA, followed by U of Washington, Olympia CC, Seattle CC, McNeil Island, West Seattle. Some of the players in the league, James McCormick for Seattle YMCA, Elmars Zemgalis for Kitsap, Viktor Pupols for Tacoma YMCA.  Best scores were turned in by Charles Rosburg  (Uof W)12 wins and 2 draws, Zemgalis 10 wins 1 lost 1 draw, Dan Wade (Seattle YMCA) 9 wins, 3 lost, 2 draws, Pupols 8 wins 3 lost, 3 draws. Up to this point in Puget Sound League history no player before had played in every match and not lost a game. Rosburg played 2^nd and 3^rd board during the season.

1954 Puget Sound Open played at the Seattle CC on March 6-7 was won by Viktor Pupols 5.5-.5. Second was Charles Rosburg in the 16 player event. Jim McCormick was among those tied for 3^rd.

The FROM CHESS LIFE section of this WCL issue lists the State Champions for 1953. Listed are Oregon-Arthur Dake; Washington - Jim Schmidt, J.L. Sheets;  Idaho- O.W. Manney and L. Kimpton; and some others Iowa & South Dakota-John Penquite; New York-Hans Berliner;  North Carolina- W.E. Chapman and Norman Whitaker; Texas - John Hudson. CL talked about a possible Soviet-USA match in New York. Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov were to start their 24 game World Title Match in March 1954 in Moscow.

A couple of games of Vik Pupols from 1954 State Championship were printed in this issue, a lost to Charles Rosburg and a win over Charles Joachim. A two page Vox Pupoli by Viktor Pupols column appeared in this issue discussing Hugh Meyers-John Penquite (1-0) game from 1953 Illinois Open plus a game from Puget Sound League play Pupols (Tacoma) vs Dr. Shephard (1-0).

Two pages of  Eastern Washington Chess News were in this issue. The Inland Empire Open announcement for the event to be held April 24-25, 1954 (same dates as 2004!), in Spokane. The event was to be a 6 round Swiss with rds at 1pm, 3:15pm, 7pm and 9:15pm with two rounds on Sunday starting at 10am. Two Spokane High Schools played a 11-11 match, North Central and Lewis and Clark. With faculty members added the North Central team beat the Spokane CC “B” Team 15-13. Spokane CC team beat some members of the U.S. Geological Survey team 14-2.

Spokane CC announced a move from the Spokane Hotel to the Desert Hotel.

In more Eastern Washington Match play Pasco downed Milton-Freewater 16.5-5.5. Pasco visted Washington State Pen. and won 16-8.  Milton-Freewater lost to State Pen group 16.5-11.5.

In postal chess results I noticed McCormick (rating 1168)-LaFreniere (1012) 1-0, I assume this is James and Ollie. (Anyone who see James McCormick please ask him if I am correct!) Top rated postal player is Greene at 1703.

WASHINGTON CHESS LETTER April 1954 By Russell (Rusty) Miller

April 1954 Washington Chess Letter cover says “ Dr. Baumwell wins at Spokane.”  J. S. DeWitt is Editor of this issue of WCL. Helpers were: R.R. Merk, Circulation Head and postal chess; K.W. Mulford, Publisher; contributors: J. N. Nourse, F. H. Weaver, Victor Pupols, Dan Wade, Ollie LaFreniere.

26 players appear in the crosstable for the first combined Inland Empire Open and Eastern Washington Championship. Dr. Max Baumwell of Walla Walla topped the table with 5.5-.5.  He formerly lived in Vienna Austria. The event was held in Spokane, April 24-25, 1954 and 50 years later those are the same dates for the 2004 edition of the Inland Empire Open.  Victor Pupols was 2^nd with Ted Warner 4^th, Dan Wade 6^th, Jim McCormick 14^th.  They played four games on Saturday and two on Sunday. Baumwell and Pupols drew in round 4. The time limit was two hours of play and then the adjudication committee of Gordorn Cornelius, Pupols and Dr. Parker took over.  There was a banquet held between rounds two and three.

Only 5 players took part in the annual Seattle Chess Club tournament. The round robin was won by Charles Rosburg and Dan Wade, 5.5-2.5.

The minutes of the Washington Chess Federation annual meeting took up two pages of this issue of WCL.  Ken Mulford was elected President.  John DeWitt was elected Editor of WCL.  R.R. Merk was awarded the annual Oscar award. 15 WCF members attended the meeting.

The FROM CHESS LIFE page reported the World Championship match between Botvinnik and Smyslov score stood at 6-6. A match between Russia and Argentina was won by Russia 20.5-11.5.  A.S. Denker was reported as winner of New York Manhattan Club Championship, 8.5-2.5 ahead of Bisquier and Pavey and Turner.

Under the title HALL of FAME the winners of past major chess tournaments were listed.  This updated the listing giving in January 1952 issue. The events listed were State Champions, Washington Open, Speed Champions, Puget Sound Open, Northwest Masters & Experts, Woodpusher Champions, Junior Champs and a list of active Washington Experts: J.L. Sheets, Charles Joachim, O.W. Manney, Viktor Pupols, Dan Wade and 1 master: Elmars Zemgalis.

Greene is still way ahead on the postal rating list 1703, with the next player at 1572, Mulford.

WASHINGTON CHESS LETTER May 1954 By Russell (Rusty) Miller

John.S. DeWitt continues as Editor. R.R. Merk was the circulation head with Ken W. Mulford as Publisher.  Contributors: John N. Nourse, Fred H. Weaver, Viktor Pupols, Dan E. Wade, Ollie W. LaFreniere.  Page 2 had ˝ page ads for Washington Junior to be held July 3-4 and Seafair Open July 21 and August 1. Seafair would be three sections, Open: 6 rounds, Reserve: one day 4 round swiss open to all, and Woodpusher: one day event that experts and masters can not play in. Entry fee for Open $2.50 and $2.00 for the other two events. Pupols VOX PUPOLI column annonates Zemgalis-Votkovsky and A. Santasiare-Zemgalis. The section of material drawn from CHESS LIFE reports on Botvinnik winning the world title match over Smyslov when their 24 game match ended in a draw with title going to the title holder at the start of the match. 10 games were drawn and the scores of several of the match games were printed in this issue of WCL. June 16, 1954 was to be start of a USA-USSR match over 8 boards: Reshvesky-Botvinnik, Denker-Keres, Pavey-Smyslov, D. Byrne-Boleslovsky, Horowitz-Kotov, R. Byrne-Geller, Bisquier-Taimanov and Evans-Bronstein.  Most of the USA players will have been taking part in the USA Championship May 29-June 13.

26 players took part in Idaho Open, winner was Maurice Gedance 6.5-1.5. Top Idaho player was Glen Buckendorf at 5-3.  Ben Greewald with 6.5-.5 won a Nevada event of 32 players.

The Washington Chess Federation Constitution and By-Laws were printed in this issue.

WASHINGTON CHESS LETTER June 1954 By Russell (Rusty) Miller

John.S. DeWitt continues as Editor. R.R. Merk was the circulation head with Ken W. Mulford as Publisher.  Contributors: John N. Nourse, Fred H. Weaver, Viktor Pupols, Stephen Falk, Dan E. Wade, Ollie W. LaFreniere.  On the coming events list was a July 9, simul by New US Champion  24 year old, Arthur Bisquier to be held at Seattle Chess Club, 616 Madison St.  Article by LaFreniere about USCF rating list for Spring 1954. 1304 players on the list from 81 tournaments, 3 of which were in Washington State. 22 players on the list from Washington some of whom were: Elmars Zemgalis 2281 and J. L. Sheets 2143.  Viktors Pupols 2092,  Eugene Warner 2057,  James McCormick 1964,  Dan Wade 1895, Ollie LaFreniere 1716.

Full page article about upcoming 11^th annual International match between BC and Washington to be held in Mount Vernon. A short history of past matches was given.

The page about information from CHESS LIFE  noted that the Seattle PI newspaper gave front page coverage to the USA-Soviet Chess Match won by Soviet side. US Championship results were given, Bisquier 1^st to Larry Evans 2^nd.  New Orleans was to be the site of the 1954 US Open.  Olaf Ulvestad of Seattle was playing simultaneous blindfold exhibitions in New York plus winning the 62 player Eastern States Open.  62 players played in a Wisconsin event won by Averill Powers. In 5^th spot was David Arganian probably the father of David Arganian now  in 2004 living in Seattle. Stephen Falk reports in from Yakima that Eli Treisman won the 12 player Championship of Yakima County.  William Hoge was 2^nd. 

3 and ˝ pages of this issue were filled with Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship game scores.  A report on the 72 board (a new high number ) annual Northern California vs Southern California match won as usual by the North 42-30. A list of Chess publications was given: CHESS LIFE, THE COURIER (Connecticut) , THE CALIFORNIA CHESS REPORTER, CANADIAN CHESS CHAT, CHESS (Quebec Canada), CHESS REVIEW.

Game from Inland Empire Open between Viktors Pupols and William Hoge is given with comments about adjudications of chess games. Writer LaFreniere says Black had a “pure win, but it was adjudicated a draw!”. They allowed two hours for the games in this event before adjudication.  Article does not say who made the decision declaring the game a draw.

Membership in Washington Chess Federation was reported to have dropped from a high of 158 to the current 125.