The San Diego Chess Club

American Chess Bulletin Vol. 9 No. 2, February 1912

One of the most flourishing chess clubs in the West may be found in San Diego, California. Organized in August, 1910, it prospered so that by the first of March overtures of consolidation were made by the Cabrillo Club, which already boasted quite an active chess department. The offer seemed likely to place the game on a firmer footing and to provide quarters for the entertainment of visiting players more satisfactory than the club could hope to supply alone for years to come. Accordingly there has resulted a company of chess players not surpassed by many clubs west of the Rockies. Proof of the statement may be seen in the score of the correspondence match recently concluded against the Chess and Checker Club of Southern California. The latter club was mentioned at length in the December Bulletin.

From several cities of Los Angeles County, a team of sixteen was gathered to battle for the supremacy which San Diego in her challenge indicated some claim to possessing. Each of the members of the team contested two games, thus having the attack in the hands of every player of both teams. The result showed that San Diego had won no less than 19 out of the 32 games.

The Cabrillo Club is proud of its chess library. Tourists who are devotees of the game are made to feel at home and learn to call again. Special attractions, such as consultation games, rapid transit tournaments and simultaneous play, are arranged every Saturday evening. Two games by correspondence are on with the Mechanics Institute Chess Club of San Francisco, and these are conducted simultaneously with eight games of checkers.

College players especially will be interested to learn that one of the prominent members of this club is E. B. Adams. a former captain of the Yale chess team, and to him we are indebted for the score and notes of one of the games won by the San Diego club in their recent match, the opponents being Allen G. Pearsall of San Diego and C. J. Gibbs of Los Angeles.