American Chess Bulletin (Vol. 20, No. 7) September-October 1923

WESTERN MEETING AT SAN FRANCISCO

   For the first time of the history of the Western Chess Association, the annual meeting was held in San Francisco, at the rooms of the Mechanics Institute Chess Club, July 28 to August 4. Twelve entered the championship tournament and, after eleven rounds of eventful play and with a finish that was fittingly exciting, Stasch Mlotkowski of Los Angeles, title holder of 1904, and Norman T. Whitaker of Washington, D.C., emerged as leaders on an equal footing. Both made scores of 9-2 and divided the first and second prizes of a total value of $300.

   Samuel Factor of Chicago, the winner of Louisville, last year, was placed third with 8-3, winninga prize of $75. A.J. Fink of San Francisco, with 7-4, captured the fourth prize of $50. Two other San Francisco players, E.W. Gruer and Dr. W.R. Lovegrove, scored 6.5-4.5 each and divided the fifth prize of $25.

   The outstanding points in the cross-play were the following: Mlotkowski lost to Whitaker and drew with Gruer and Fink; Whitaker lost to Factor and Dr. Lovegrove; Factor lost to Mlotkowski and Dr. Lovegrove and drew against Gruer and Mugridge, the boy player of the Pacific Coast.

S. Mlotkowski 9

N.T. Whitaker 9

Samuel Factor 8

A.J. Fink 7

E.W. Gruer 6.5

W.R. Lovegrove 6.5

F.M. Currier 6

G.E. Branch 5.5

A.W. Ryder 3

D.H. Mugridge 2.5

G.S.G. Patterson 1.5

A.M. Feldman 1.5