CHESS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2236, 24 August 1914, Page 3

CHESS

PROGRESS OF CLUB GAMES. The Ngaio Chess Club's annual handicap tournament-is rapidly, approaching completion.: Mr. A. B.' Toppi thn club's, presidont, takes the first prize, having won the -whole of his eleven games—a fine performance, seeing .that he gave long odds to a number of tho players, and only, on one occasion received odds, viz., pawn and move from Mr. Croxton. The next best tallies are: E. E. Hicks, 7—l and 3 to play; Croxton, 6{—2i and 2to play; Green, 5J— 5i (complete); W. J. Hicks, 5—6 (complete) ; Westbrook, 4—5 and 2 to play; and Ed. Hicks, .3—3 with 5 to play. It ■ will bo seen that E. E. Hicks and Croxton are making the best bid for the second and third prizes, to.decide which a few outstanding games have tobe disposed of. . - i The Ngaib Club owes the Wellington South Club a visit, and could send a. team to Newtown on Wednesday week if that date suits the Wellington South

Tho main feature of last week's play in tho Wellington Chess Club's I annual '•'Potkerick" tourney was tkej reappearance of the club champion, JJIr. ft. J-. Barnes. Ho encountered , Messrs. White, Hill, and M'Carthy in succession, but in each case the odds proved too heavy for the veteran; who had played no tourney games since the last round of, the Auckland Congress, on January-12, and consequently has not yot got into the formidable stride that has put so many victories to his credit in the past. Mr. White, of Class V, is : leading with six clear wins. Mr. Cornwall is also unbeaten, but has only played one game.; Messrs. Still, Hill, and S. Gyles have each only lost one game, and ; are all "in the running." I'he fixture Still v. Hill, in which the former concedes pawn, and two moves, stands adjourned at a most interesting stago ■'■■•.

In the Working Men's Club handicap tourney wins were scored last week by Messrs. Perry, Alexander,, and Burgess. The best tallies are now: —Fcatonby, 6 wins 1 loss; Perry, 7—2;' Gray, 5—2; Biirges, 6—3: J. Beid. 7—5; Mowtell, 4-3; C.'Reid, 4-3; Key, 4-4; Coulter,^—4; W; H. Smith, 3J—3l; ; Larking, 3}—3J; and Milesi, 2-2. The other"competitors have failed to score half their games.

Section play in the Wellington South [Chess Club's annual handicap'tourney was advanced a further stage last Fri--1 day, when Armstrong won from Harper, and Loney from Laughton. Messn. Purchas, 6J — J ; Allen, 4J—2J; Berry, 4—l: and Loney, 4£—ls have qualified to play off in the final tourney of six (three highest scorers in each section). Perrott, with 4 —2,. requires to score a;win or'a draw from Bland in order to get into the finals, failing which he will requiro to play off with Douglas (d—3). Tho remaining place in the hnnls will be filled either by Weine (2i —1} and 3to play) or Laughton (3—3 and 1 to play).

• It will be ■ remembered that when the Canterbury and Oamaru ■ Chess Clubs-opposed each other in a 12-aside telegraphio match last month, • six of the games were not finished owing -'to the two''clubs agreeing, to flay without clocks. These unfinished games were referred to the , Wellington members of the New Zealand Adjudication Board,' whose .decisions were posted south last Monday. Wo now learn'from a southern contemporary that the result is a win for Oamaru, who stoned seven points to Canterbury's five. 'Two well-known Congress players figured at Board-1, where.Dunlop; of Oamaru (a former Otago. champion) won fromSevorno (the :.Chnstchurch ''.champidii) , .;' '"O.amaru '.has thus reversed the, result. :of last year when Canterbury won by one game. ; DRiIUCHTS. > :

The results of last week's play in tho "Working Men's Club's annual draughts tourney were as follow—C Eeid, 3 wins v. Colville, 1 win; Johnston, 2 y. Warren, 2; and 4 y. Milesi, 0. The best scores to date (apart from sealed handicap) are-— Erickson, 39}-4*; J. Reid; 31-13-Burgess, 23 J— 8}; Majison, 20i—1H0. W, 181-13}; and W. H. Smith,'