Chess Masters In Tournament

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31249, 22 December 1966, Page 14

Chess Masters In Tournament

The biggest chess c tournament in Australia and New Zealand, ( the Canterbury Chess s Clubs centennial tournament, will begin in < Christchurch next < week. With a large at- 1 tendance of overseas , players, including a i Russian international J grand master, it will be one of the most . outstanding events in New Zealand chess history. I New Zealand chess players will have their first opportunity to see an international' grand master of the calibre'

of Yuri L. Averbagh in action, and to ascertain the strength of New Zealand chess on an international scale. The New Zealand chess championships have been incorporated in the tournament, which has attracted nearly 100 entrants from the U.S.S.R., the United States, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. It will be held in the Te Kura Lounge, Bealey avenue, from December 26 to January 14. One of the aims of the tournament was to popularise chess, said the president of .the Canterbury Chess Club ’ (Mr A. S. Hollander). The 'club knew that many people Iwho played chess thought sthey were not good enough to

compete in clubs. This belief was wrong, because club players ranged from very strong to very weak.

To ensure that top players were attracted to the tournament the club had offered prize money of £lOOO, compared with £lBO normally paid out in New Zealand championships, Mr Hollander said. Club members had worked hard during the last three years t o raise this money.

Although there were not as many entrants as expected, they were of a very high standard, and the interest shown by overseas chess clubs indicated that the tournament was regarded very highly, he said. Notable contestants will include Averbakh (U.S.S.R.), Rodolfo C. Tan Cardoso (Philippines), John Alexander (United States), R. Brent, P. Dosza, F. Flatow, M. Fuller, and D. Hamilton (Australia), and O. Sarapu, B. R. Anderson, A. Wilkinson, G. Haase, and A. J. Nyman (New Zealand). The top New Zealand player will be given the title of New Zealand champion. The club was a little disappointed by the number of New Zealanders competing, Mr Hollander said, but it was pleased that a number of prominent young players were taking part in the subsidiary grade. Simultaneous Matches

During the tournament the club hopes to present simultaneous matches, in which the public will be invited to participate. It is also possible that there will be a demonstration of blindfold chess, in which simultaneous matches are played without the chess master being able to see the boards. As each move is made it is called out,

and he replies with his own move.

Averbahk, Cardoso, and Sarapu are all capable of playing blindfold simultaneous chess.

Averbakh may also give lectures on chess, and if sufficient interest is shown by young players he will discuss their chess with them. In organising the tournament the Canterbury Chess Club has worked very closely with the Australian Chess Federation, which is meeting a substantial part of the cost of bringing Averbakh to New Zealand. Mr Hollander said that about 18 months ago the U.S.S.R. and United States Governments were asked to send players to compete In the tournament, with the requests that Averbakh and Bobby Fischere be specially considered.

The Canterbury Chess Club offered to guarantee payment for these two players, Mr Hollander said, and after some negotiation Averbakh agreed to come. Business demands prevented Fischere from attending, but it was hoped he would be able to visit New Zealand later. Swiss System

The tournament will be played under the Swiss system, in which winners play winners, losers play losers, and comparable scorers meet each other.