Chess Four Check Columbia, Yale, Princeton for Trophy

The Belden-Stephens chess trophy was retired and became the permanent possession of Harvard when the Crimson quartet checked Columbia, Yale, and Princeton in a vacation competition in New York for the fifth successive year.

Losing only one out of 12 games, the Crimson representatives barely out-guessed a favored Columbia aggregation in a close tournament which was not decided until the final afternoon matches of a three day contest. Eli chances were hurt by defaults due to an undermanned team team and the often flashy New Yorkers were relegated to second place by the steady play of the Crimson.

New Cup

Harvard also got a thumb on a new intercollegiate cup donated by Columbia for the H.Y.P.C. matches, as well as retiring the old Princeton-donated one. Ten consecutive victories are necessary to retire the new Columbia cup.

Julian J. Leavitt '49 drew all three of his games at number one board in the closest and most scientifically matched games of the tournament for 1 1/2 points for the Crimson and one-half each for his opponents.

William H. Watts '50 and Frank H. David '49 at boards two and four both racked up points for the Crimson, the former drawing two of his games and the latter gaining the decision twice.

Board Three

At board three Broward R. Craig, Jr. '48 scored three points for high-score of the tournament by out-maneuvering all three of his opponents.

The outcome of the tournament hung on three games which had been adjourned. Craig's final win at board three threw the tournament onto a point basis, with Leavitt's seventy-nine move draw against Yale and Columbia's loss to Princeton at table one giving the contest to Harvard.

With its top boards returning for further action next year, the Crimson stands a good chance of gaining another leg on the new cup.