Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Louis Uedemann: Early chess editors of the Chicago Tribune (Part 2)

Louis Uedemann served as chess editor of the Chicago Tribune off and on from January 1901 until his death November 22, 1912. Uedemann played in ten of  the first eleven Western Chess Association Championship (predecessor of the U.S. Open) winning the First (1900) and Third (1902) played in Excelsior, Minn;  tied for first with Max Judd and Sidney P.  Johnston at the Forth (1903) Western Chess Association Championship in Chicago, but finishing third after playoff, with Judd being the winner. He placed second at the Fifth (1904) at St. Louis; placing fifth at the Sixth (1905) again played in Excelsior; placing fifth in the Seventh (1906) in Chicago; third at Eighth (1907) and forth at the Ninth (1908) third at the the Tenth (1909) all three held again in Excelsior, Minn. and finally third at the Eleventh (1910) held in Chicago. 

Uedemann placed second to Jackson Whipps Showalter at the Chicago tournament of 1890. Uedemann placed 7th out of 7 at the Third (1890)USA Chess Association tournament in St. Louis, Showalter again being the winner; he also placed 4-5th at the Forth (1891) USA Chess Association tournament in Lexington Ky., Showalter then again being the winner. Uedemann also played at the Seventh American Chess Congress (1904) finishing third in St. Louis, Frank Marshall this time being the winner.

Uedemann was born in Searbeck, Westphilia, Germany on January 10, 1854. He came to the United States when he was 12 years old and settled in Chicago. Uedemann married Miss Alwine Lohmann of St. Louis on December 28, 1880, they had two daughters. Alwine Uedemann died at the age of 82 on April 22nd, 1940.

 
Louis Uedemann
 SDN-002331, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum

Uedemann was a stalwart member of the Chicago Chess and Checker club and at the time of his death he was the secretary of the club, he was also several times the club champion as well champion of the Illinois State Association. Uedemann took part in a number of cable team matches as a member of the club. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of November 27th, 1912 states "more than once he figured in team matches by telegraph with the Brooklyn Chess Club and was always recognised as a most dangerous opponent." Uedemann was also the inventor of a code for use in telegraphic matches.

The following games are from an  match the twenty five year old Uedemann played for the challenge cup of the Chicago Chess Association, which was lost by Uedemann to J.D. Adair, with the score being Adair 5; Uedemann, 3; drawn, 3. J.D. Adair was the President of the Chicago Chess Association which had been founded on a permanent basis on April 21, 1877, with Adair being named President and Uedemann named to the executive committee.



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