Friday, July 5

Rice Chess Club tournament: Capablanca defeats Beihoff; Stapfer withdraws

José R. Capablanca defeated George Beihoff in 24 moves to record his second straight victory in the Rice Chess Club Summer Masters' tournament.  Capablanca, as second player in a Two Knights' Defense, enjoyed an advantage of two pawns in the final position and stood to win further material through the unstoppable advance of his passed d-pawn.  The Beihoff-Capablanca encounter, originally scheduled for the fifth round on the 16th inst., was moved forward to accommodate the Cuban's request that he be allowed to play his games on an accelerated schedule.

In other tourney news, New Jersey Champion J.H. Stapfer has announced his withdrawal from the event with the plea that his constitution will not allow him to face the rigors of tournament play.  Stapfer's remaining games have been canceled and his first round loss to Chajes annulled, a decision that has rather piqued and disappointed the latter, who thus sees a point earned over the board subtracted from his score.

We present the Beihoff-Capablanca contest below.  The second round will be played today.

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