St Edwards University - Tower Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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The Chess Club was brought into offical existence only last year (at least in the minds of its members), but its traditions date back to those bygone days of the Grand Masters of Andre Hall. Yes, those grand old men of the Game, sitting in that lordly manor passing on their passion for Chess to an upcoming generation of tyros. Charles Ramsey and Allen Johnson, those undying names that recall perhaps the greatest game ever played at SEU—a great confrontation of the Classicist French Defense (Ramsey) and Hypermodern Nimzo-Indian (Johnson). As might be expected from the stale nature of the French the game was ultimately a draw. The tournament, of which that game was the early climax, finally went to Ramsey after Johnson was tripped up by the long refuted Caro-Kann in the hands of a mere tyro. For a few brief shining months Chess flourished in the fertile soil of Andre, but alas the roots its spread were too fragile to survive the closing of that unhappy hall. Boards were put away, Horowotz found its way to a forgotten shelf, and St. Ed’s lost a significant part of its culture. Chess, however, is no mere child of human whim; older than any living civilization the Game seems to possess a life of its own. So it is not suprising that what had once lived and died in Andre should be reborn again in a place called Doyle. Doyle, that first home of so many questing young minds, how natural that it should also be the home of the St. Edward’s Chess Renaissance. Once again SEU heard the esoteric whispers of Caro-Kann, Center Counter Game, Sicilian Defense, and Nimzovitch. Perhaps it was a faddish reaction to the 60 madness in Iceland, or perhaps it was just a rebellion against that deadly apathy that so often settles over St. Eddies, but happen it did. Suddenly everyone from the misplaced cowboy to the burned out radical had found a new light. You couldn’t walk down the halls without encountering some form of the madness, stopping to glance at the game next door, an invitation to play on someone’s new marble-in-lay board, or even some upstart Preemie who thought he was good enough to challenge the masters of Doyle. As it happened, Doyle itself could not contain the flowering of the Renaissance, and the decision was made to form a campus-wide — society for the enjoyment and study of the Game. So it was that St. Ed’s most enthusiastic chessmen (alas, it seems we have no female | chess players) met one placid night to establish an organization that | would forever enrich SEU’s culturally deprived atmosphere. Hopes ran high that first night, officers were elected, a constitution out- lined, and a preliminary date was set for a University tournament. — But alas, that tournament was never held; once again the Game | proved greater than those who played it. Petty rivalries and personality conflicts (Shades of Reykjavik!) caused the Club to split | into rival factions, one above and one below ground, that vied for the loyalty of the chess public. For a while each faction held its own | meetings and played its own games, but each knew that the death | knell had sounded for organized Chess to SEU. i To be sure there are some, even this year who are still dedicated — to the Game, but for the most part they are sad-eyed, melancholy — men who drift from game to game remembering better days. | | la

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THE LITTLE SISTERS 5 Lto R Jeane Paquette, Gigi Guerero, Sylvia Poncik, Nona Sheridan, Katie Dunne, Vianca Obregon, Jo Meciennafan Mary Mchale, Teresa Andrews, Kathy Phillipp, Alicia Mchale, Lorie Mills, Pam de Haas, Twink Foley b] DS)

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Jon Bailey—First Board I ee ae eee al i — satin Michael James [kard—Third Board President (on leave) Mike Mashburn—Second Board a I ak ll a we 61