THE GAME OF CHESS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 37, 7 November 1933, Page 14

THE GAME OF CHESS

Well-known Players Dead WELLINGTON ACTIVITIES Two chess players died on Monday, October 30 —players who have competed for the championship of New Zealand. The Rev. O. Miller died suddenly in Sydney at the age of 72, and Mr. Thomas O’Mara died ou the same day in the Timaru Hospital at the age of 54. The late Mr. Miller spent 48 years in the service of the Presbyterian. Church, 21 years in Sydney., 13 years in Auckland, and 14 years in Westport (1917 to 1931). On Sunday, October 1, the ,48th anniversary of his ordination, he preached a farewell sermon in Westport, and on the following day he gave a lecture on Sir Walter Scott to the Buller Caledonian Society, of which he was a past chief and life member. He left Auckland on October 20, and had only been in Sydney a week when he died. Before coming to New Zealand Mr. Miller was a member of the Sydney School of Arts Chess CIirBZ and it was there that he occasionally scored a win from a lad, Spencer Crakanthorp, who was destined in later years to capture the chess championships of Australia, New South Wales, and New Zealand. His trek from Sydney to Auckland was made in July, 1906, and two years later he won the championship of the Auckland Chess Club. In the course of his attempts to win the chess championship of the Dominion Mr. Miller annexed four congress prizes. His best showing was made at the Christchurch congress of 1922-23. when he shared fourth prize with Messrs. H. Andersen (Christchurch). E. 11. Severne (Nelson), and E. A. Hicks (Wellington), and also won the brilliancy prize for a- French defence game against the Canterbury champion, H. Andersen. The late Mr. Miller was a very rapid and dashing player and his games naturally proved most interesting to the spectators at these gatherings. Gifted Timam Player. The late Mr. T. O’Mara, who has been regarded as Timaru’s strongest chess player for many years past, only made two bids for the New Zealand championship. At the Timaru congress of 1910-11 he made a very promising debut, sharing the fourth and fifth prizes with Messrs. J. B. Dunlop and E. A. Hicks. His tally on that occasion included wins from three Dominion champions—R. J. Barnes. John Mason, and J. C. Grierson —and he drew with two others (W. E. Mason and J. B. Dunlop). Four years later, at Christchurch, he missed the prize list, but was handicapped by lack of practice. It has frequently been regretted that this gifted playeg never entered again. His last illness could only have been of short duration, as he wrote only 10 days before his death to an old friend in Wellington, stating that he proposed to compete at the championship congress that is scheduled to open in Dunedin on Boxing Day. Local Tournaments. The Wellington Chess Club’s three gambit tourneys are proving a very popular attratcion. Mr. G. P. Anderson is still leading in the A grade contest, closely followed by Messrs. A. W. Gyles, W. White, and F. K. Kelling. Mr. J. L. Hardy is leading in the B grade tourney, with five straight wins. He has yet to play Messrs. H. Ashby and R. A. Godtschalk. In the O grade event Mr. H. P. Yarrell is leading (4-0 nnd three to play), closely followed by Messrs. W. J. Cornish and R. A. Lucas. Mr. J. L. Hardy has a lead of half a point from Mr. C. R. McColl in the tourney for the B grade championship of the club. The issue in the tourney for the championship of the Ngaio Chess Club is now narrowed down to Messrs. S. Faulknor and E. E. Hicks. Interest, therefore, centres in the adjourned game between these players. Mr. H. Stringer has won the junior championship of the Ngaio club. Messrs. E. E.’Hicks and F. K. Kelling are leading jointly in the tourney for the chess championship of the Wellington W.M. Club and Literary Institute. These players have to meet in the two remaining rounds. Messrs. 11. M. Rosenberg (9-1) and K. Beyer (9-2) are leading in the club’s handicap event, with two rounds to go. , By his consistent play right through the season Mr. W. R. Kitchingman has won the first prize in the annual handicap tourney of the Brooklyn Fire Brigade Chess Club. Second place goes to Mr. W. C. White, the player on the scratch mark, who so creditably represented the club in this year’s champion-of-champions competition.