CHESS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 178, 22 April 1924, Page 13

CHESS

EASTER TRIP TO PALMERSTON NORTH For the fifth consecutive year a Wellington chess team, organised by Mr. F. J. Brooker, president of the Ngaio Club, has made an Easter trip to Palmerston North to play a friendly tworound match with the local enthusiasts. Owing to various causes half a dozen of the city players who were looking forward to taking part in this very enjoyable outing had to drop out at the last moment. Some of tho Manawatu players were thus disappointed in not getting a game, tho opposing teams being somewhat smaller than on previous occasions. Mr. W- H. Messenger, the local president, formally opened the match, and at a later stage presented tho prizes won in his club’s 1923-4 tourneys. The silver medal won by the champion (Mr. G. R. Morine) was specially admired. The first round of the match yielded a one-point advantage to the home team (4 —3), and this was tho final margin in their favour, as the honours were equally divided in the return round (31—3 J- A. G. Richards, who filled a vacancy in the home team on the second day, is a comparatively new arrival. He had the benefit of good practice with strong players before leaving the Homeland some two years ago. The fact that he drew a sixhour game with R. H. V. Scott, one of England’s foremost experts, who won tho British championship in 1920, eiu, courages tho hope that he should bo able to do excellent work in still further improving the standard of play in the Manawatu. At the conclusion of the play Mr. Brooker returned thanks for the many kind attentions shown tho visitors, of whom those who make this very enjoyable trip regularly have expressed pleasure at finding the opposition becoming more formidable with each successive year. Of the five matches played to date, the Wellington tourists have won three and Palmerston North one. The contest of three years ago ended in a tie. Tho full score of the recent match is as follows:— Palmerston N. Wellington. Morine, G. R.... 0 Kelling, F. K. 2 Wright A. H. 0 Brooker, F. J. 1 Richards, A. G. 1 Brooker, F. J. 0 Morine, T. A. ... 2 Topp, A. B. ... 0 Thorburn, K. ... 2 Hodson, A. E. 0 Ihorburn, L. ... 0 Grady, F 1 Gatley, F 0 G ra< iy p j Sexton, J ij Bock> w . K ihnstensen, H. 1 Anderson, H. ... 1 Tota l 7} Total 6J