NEW ZEALAND CHESS ASSOCIATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 21, 26 January 1911, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND CHESS ASSOCIATION.

An urgent meeting of the New Zealand Chess Association was held last evening in the rooms of the hon. sec, Mr. A. G. Fell, 9 Kings Chambers. A early all the affiliated clubs were represented, the following ten delegates were present :— Messrs. J. A. Oonnell K ha i™f n )> A - Q- Fell, R. J. Barnes, H. Welton, W. E.. Mason, A. W. 0. Davies, A. Gyles, S. Mackav, H. L. James, and i\ K. Kelling. " The business related mainly to the printing of reports of the games of the recent championship Congress in book *° rm - Mr. James reported that about ? „ games had already been carefully annotated, and estimated that the manuscript would be complete in about three weeks' time, including an introductory article. No pains would be spared to make the book attractive and useful, alike to the younger student, and the more advanced player. (Applause.) Mr. Barnes suggested that a few of the games might b© dropped as not being up to the standard of New Zealand Congress play. A long discussion ensued, in the course of which it wae pointed out that as conic of players were competing for the first time it was but natural that a lack of "seasoning" should be manifested in a. few instances. It was ultimately decided to authorise the annotator (Mr. James) to make any curtailments thought desirable in the few games in which, owing to oversights the findings had degenerated from chess to "woodehifting." This will "expungo piffle" aa one speaker put it. Attention was called to the fact that come of the congress games had been published in New Zealand chees columns, the opinion being^ expressed that such publishing, if continued, might possibly militate against the sale of the Congress, book, which will, it is understood, also contain a list of the various affiliated clubs, showing nights and places of meeting, addresses of hon. secretaries, etc. It was decided to ask chess editors not to publish any more of the games until after the book hae been_ published. The desirableness of a more equitable allocation of the prize fund was also urged. The struggle for the championship of New Zealand is always a close one, and delegates were of opinion that the champion's prize should not be three times as great as that of the runner-up, as was the case at Timaru. Mr. Jaimee, in this connection, gave notic* ot th«> following motions : — (1) That at the close of each congress the competitors be divi ded into two section, viz. : (a) The j Siegers-, or those who have scored more than 50 per cent, of the possible, and (b) the rest of the competitors. (2) That the prize fund be divided into two equal paria, the one part to be shared by the Siegers in proportion to their scores, and the other part to be divided into three prizes in the proportion of 9, 7, and 5, to be allotted respectively to the competitors who take first, second, and third places. (3) If any competitors tie for any two or more prizes the cum of such prizes shall be divided equally amongst such competitors. (4) Any Brilliancy Prize to be extra to tne tnree prizes mentioned. These motions for a "Modified Tiete system" will, it is understood, be moved at> the earliest opportunity. The question of requiring each entrant for the championship to send with his entry a statement of his qualifications, or performance* (with a view to weeding out applicants whose lack of "playing strength" renders that course desirable) was also discussed. No action was taken in this "delicate and difficult" matter owing to the lateness of the hour, but it is understood that further attention will be given to this subject at an early date. . A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated an unusually, interesting meeting-