CHESS AND DRAUGHTS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 118, 21 May 1928, Page 15

CHESS AND DRAUGHTS

WORKING MEN'S CLUB flic ihirl.y-ninth annual general meetin;; of the above club's.chess and draughts '■section "was held on': Saturday evening, when there was a gratifying attendance, twenty-seven members being present." Mr. )•'. D. Morris (president) . occupied the chair. The annual report gives the following nurvey of the past season: — Chess.—The chess season wa's opened with the usual sides match, the vicecaptain's team defeatingthe captain's side by one game (7-6). Of the. eight matches played to date, the vice-captain's team has won five and lost three. The annual handicap .tourney attracted 1.7 competitors, the prize-winners being as follow:—First, F. K. Kelling (who reappeared in this contest after an absence of thirteen years); second, 11. E. Crandle; third, J. Lindsay; fourth, K. Andrews; and fifth, W. Wring. Mr. Kelling's score v.-as the same as that which won him the late A. A, Stuart Menteath's trophy in the club's first chess tournament thirtynine years ago, viz., 15 wins, 1 loss. '.• In order to encourage junior players, Messrs. Rosenberg and Kelling donated prizes for a minor tourney, from which the seniors were, barred. This was won. by Mr. T. Nolan (B wins, . 1 loss), the second prize going to 'C. T. Edmunds (S-2). Inte'relub Matches.—Our members lost their annual matches against the Wellington, South Wellington, and Ngaio Clubs. In addition "home and home" matches were played against the Wadesto.wu C.C., each club winning one con-, test. On summarising our fixtures against other clubs, it is found, that we have lost a majority of our matches against the Wellington Chess Ch|b, but wo have a "credit balance" against the Wellington South C.C., and also against the Ngaio C.C. It is regretted : that Mr. R. J. Barnes, our veteran 'champion, was not well enough to take part in the season^ activities. His health has lately improved, and we therefore hope to see him giving us a strong lead in the coming season. Our members once more took part in the contests promoted 'by the Wellington Chess League, which proved very enjoyable. We tender congratulations to Mr. .V. W. Gyles (W.C.C.) on again winning the champion of champions contest, and also to the Wellington South and Ngaio Clubs on winning respectively the senior and junior teams tourney.' The thirty-_»'->nth tourney to decide the chess ehamf „—*; hip of New Zealand was held in i.-.-.iistchurch during the Christmas holidays, when our club was represented by' Messrs. F. K. Kelling and W. J. Fairburn. The former tied with the late Mr. A. W. 0. Davies (Auckland C.C.) for first place, but lost the play-off, and was thus run-ner-up for the title. Only twelve days after the congress ended Mr. Davies, the champion (who was formerly a member of our club), died suddenly in Auckland of lieartf failure. The many ' floral tributes at the funeral included a wreath from our club, and a letter of condolence has been sent to the bereaved family, expressing our sympathy with them in their time of great sorrow. It may interest members to know that one of the competitors, Mr. G. Fisher, the Wanganui champion, is a grandson °f ono of our earlier presidents, the late Mr. George Fisher, M.P. Draughts.—Sixteen competitors took part in our annual four-round handicap tourney, each man having to play sixty aames. Mr. J. Leggatt, our champion, made the best score, viz., 53 wins, 0 draws, and,only 1 loss; ;■ .When the sealed handicap was opened. it was found that the five prizes had been won aa follows:— First, J, Legnatt (scratch); second, K. Manson (handicap 5); third, T. . hyan (handicap 4); fourth, T. Costollo (handicap 5); and fifth, H. M. Rosenberg (handicap 12). , There were thirteen entries for the summer handicap tourney, for which four prizes and one special prize were allotted. Messrs. T. Ryan (handicap four) ,and I. Costello (handicap 5), tied for first place, while Messrs. K. Andrews (handicap 10) and J. M'Lean (handicap 18) tied tor third place. These four players, therefore, win the pvizes donated by Messrs. ]-'. D. Morris (president), C. B. Nixon, G. E. Hards, and J. Kent. Mr. J. Leggatt also secured the trophy offered tor the best score from scratch in the annual tourney, and Mr. T. Ryan annexes the corresponding prize in :tho summer' contest. ' , , Interclub.—Two matches were played ngainst the Watersiders' Draughts Club, the latter being successful on each occasion. It may be added that this fixture was inaugurated in -1007, and that the Watersiders "have won ten of the eleven matches played to date. The annual tourney for the draughts championship of New Zealand was held in Ch'ristcburch during the Easter holidays. It is regretted that our club was not represented in this contest. Mr. G. A. Brown, of Christchurch, gained the title for the third time, and Mr. ,T. A. Boieham of Dunedin, was the runner-up. *He lieaitily congratulate these distinguished players on adding fresh laurels to then, fine records. Ul nou le'dgmenta.—Our grateful thanks ue due to the General Committee for kindly continuing the support accorded by former executives, to all who have extend- j id hospitality to our representatives, to Ihe local Press for .valued reports, and to the following donors of trophies:—Messrs. 1 D Morris (president), T. Pressley (chanman), C. B. Nixon, G. E. Hards J. Kent H Anderson, E. H. Severne (Nelon) ] Walter (Douglas, Stratford), 11. M. Rosenberg, and F. K. Kelling. Jubileo Year.—Shortly after the last annual general meeting was held our club, which was founded in 1877, celebrated Us jubilee The opportunity was taken to wnte up a short history o£ our chess and draughts section, which was put on an oiganised basis thirty-nine yeara ago. Tins pamphlet was necessarily incomplete, ns of the early records "are missmfe, but a good deal of interesting information was secured, making it plain that oiu chess and draughts section baa a very fine record to its credit. The number of match games played during the past twelve months, viz.,. draughts 90G and chess 256, is- easily a record for our club, and a very gratifying feature of the jubilee year. It is hoped that the jubilee atmosphere will imbue our members with a resolve to make the coming season a worthy addition to a good and happy PaTlie report was adopted unanimously, various speakers making appreciative reference to the good work done during the year just ended. At the. invitation of the president, members stood in silence as a tribute to the late Mr. A. \V. O. Davies, New Zealand's deceased chess champion. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, F. D. Morns; vice-president, B. Swain; lion, secretary, W. Wring; hon. treasurer, J. Coulter; hou. recorder and reporter, 11. K. Ivcllr ing; match committee for chess, J. 11. Turvey, H. M. Rosenberg, and 1. Nolan; for draughts, T. Ryan, H. Anderson, and K. Andrews; referee for chess, W. Mackay (president of the Wellington Chess Club); referee for draughts, E. Butler (Watersiders' DraughtK Club); delegates to New Zealand Chess Association, W. Wring and F X Kelling; delegates to Wellington Chess "League, W. Wring and W. Boshor. The club's chosa season is to bo opened on Saturday next, with the customary sides match,' "Captain v. \ice-captain. The drau«hts season is to bo opened m a similar manner on the following Satur-d-iv '2nd June, when entries close for the annual handicap tourney!!, and also for the senior nnd junior chess championship contests It was decided to again nominate F. K. Kelling for the Wellington Chess Line's cliuuipion-of-ehunipi.ms tourney. The handsome gold medal presented" by Mr. T. Pressley /chairman for. chess and. draughts) was allotted lo the senior chess championship event. Mr. 11. Aiuferson infuriated his intention of presenting a gold medal to the winner of

the annual handicap chess tourney. Further trophies arc available for the coming .season, valued donations having been received from Messrs.' F. P. Morris (president), C. B. Nipcon, JS.. Walter (Stratford), ami E. H. Severnc (Nelson), A hearty vote of (liiinla was passed to those various donor.", whose encouragement is greatly appreciated. I!egret was cxprensod that Mr. Ji. J. iiarncs (many times chess champion of New Zealand) is not yet well enough to figure as au active member. The various prizes and special prizes won in last year's two draughts tourneys were llifiii happily presented by the president. Au enthusiastic meeting closed with votes of (hanks to last year's office bearers, and a similar tribute to the chair.