Jacob Billikopf
 

JACOB BILLIKOPF,  a Russian, of about fifteen years of age, who is already an apt and brilliant player, and who bids fair to develop into a phenomenal chess player, was introduced in the Richmond Chess Club a few months ago.  In the first two games he played with Dr. Otto Meyer, the president of the club and the champion chess player of Virginia, Jacob exhibited wonderful tact and strategy.

   Billikopf is of Hebrew extraction, and is a child of the steppes.  He came to Richmond with his parents two years ago, speaking only his native tongue -- Russian.  His father entered him in one of the public schools of the city, where he was assigned to the primary class.  But Jacob did remain long in that class, for after being a few days at school he astonished his teachers by demonstrating a difficult geometric problem.  It was then developed that he was chiefly put to school that he might learn English, and that in many respects he was more proficient than the average American boy of nineteen.

     Young Billikopf come of good Slavic stock.  One of his brothers is a professor in a university in the city of Minsk, and it was from him that the boy drew his stock of learning.

   Dr. Meyer, Mr. Macfarlane, Mr. Wallace and Prof. Kass, and the other gentlemen who have seen young Billikopf play think that he will develop into a great player, and perhaps may some day rival his fellow countryman, Tchigorin.

W. S.