The Other Judd and the 1888 Ohio Championship

There are no known photos of Maurice

     Moyzesz Jakob Judkiewicz (Maurice Judd) was born January 4, 1840 and died in Toledo, Ohio at the age of 74 on July 5, 1914. He was a brother of Max Judd. Maurice was a prosperous jewelry and silver merchant in Toledo and wrote the chess column for the Toledo Commercial. 
     When he visited his home in Poland in the winter of 1863 he brought his little brother, Max, the youngest member of the family, back with him to the United States about February in 1864. At that time Maurice was living in Washington D.C., and sent Max to school in Washington for about two years.  It was during that time that Max learned to play chess from his brother. 
     Not much else is known of Maurice, but he was reputed to be a skillful player.  His name does pop up occasionally as having been active in Ohio chess organization at the time. When the Ohio Chess Association, which was formed in 1887, held its second annual meeting and tournament on February 22, 1888 in the Cincinnati (Ohio) Litierary Club, the turnout included players from Toledo, Dayton, Xenia, Hamilton, Kenton, Waynesville, Eaton, Wellington, Woodstock, Athens, New London, Piqua and several other towns. Membership was over 100. 
     The President was Dr. D.H. Rhodes of Cincinnati and congratulations and a resolution was sent to the chess associations of Rhode Island and New Jersey along with a request to appoint a committee to join the movement to organize a US Chess Association. Judd was one of the members appointed to the committee. 
     Officers elected were: President, L.M. Jewett (Athens), Vice-Presidents: William Lowe (Cincinnati), Victor Abram (Cincinnati), Maurice Judd (Toledo), E.D. Payne (Toledo) and Dr. C.A. Mills (New London). Secretary/Treasurer, Charles Nordhoff (Cincinnati). 
     As for the championship itself, there were eight entries: Judd, Dr. Mills, Payne, James F. Burns (Dayton), George Smith, T.N. Norton, Charles Miller and S. Euphrat, all of Cincinnati. Games were played on Wednesday and Thursday and Euphrat, who was in very poor health, forfeited his game to Burns on Thursday evening. 
     On Friday several of the players didn't show up as some had apparently made arrangements to stay for only two days. As a result, the tournament was declared to be over with the results of the two days' play deciding the championship. President Rhodes announced Judd as the winner of the Ohio Championship to a hearty round of applause and a complimentary lunch was served to everyone present. Visitors present included the legendary Jackson Showalter, Dr. E.W. Keeney and W.H. Lyons of Kentucky and A. Ettlinger of New York. 

     The was also a Minor Tournament with over 20 participants. The tournament narrowed down to a battle between A. White (New London) vs. W. Strunk (Cincinnati) and H.W. Bettman and William Lowe, both of Cincinnati. White and Lowe won and played for first prize, an imported chess board donated by Will H. Lyons. After a hard fought battle that lasted several hours the game ended in a draw and it was decided that they would playoff the tie a few days later. The final outcome is unknown. 
     Aside from a couple of games played in Toledo, Ohio that Judd lost to George H. MacKenzie during the latter's US tour in 1887, I was unable to locate any of Maurice Judd's games except the following from the Ohio Championship. In 1884, while on tour of the US, Zukertort stayed in Toledo as a guest of Judd.  While in town Zukertort won all eight games in a simul and played a large number of skittles games with Judd.