CHESS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 128, 1 June 1914, Page 3

CHESS

CANTERBURY v. WELLINGTON This ten-a-side telegraphic match was concluded on Saturday evening, • ami ended in a comfortable win for the local team. By making an early start and. where necessary, playing beyond 11 p.m., all the games were accounted for, thus obviating the unsatisfactory feature of having to ' send incomplete games away for adjudication, with the attendant inconvenience of having to wait weeks for the final figures. The moves were sent to and fro with the ut* most dispatch, and in this connection the learns Were fortunate in having chess-players as operators, viz., Messrs. G. W. A. Clark (Wellington) and H. Bennett (Christchurch). Mr. C. W. Tanner acted as umpire for the Canterbury C.C., and Mr. R- A. Joseph looked after the Wellington Club.'s interests in Christchurch. The local scrutineers were Messrs. Bock, Mackenzie, M'Carthy., and White. The usual exchange of friendly greetings took place at the conclusion of <he match. The result of the play was as follows :—: — V Board I.— Sevcrne (C.) v. W. E. Mason (W.). This was to have been, resumed over tht board on Tuesday even' ing, wheil Mr. Severne passed through Wellington, en route for Christchurch. Mason wa«, however, unable to attend, aaid a draw was agreed to. Board 2.— Barnes (W.). v. Nightingale. On resuming, Barnes indicated a four-move combination, which would leave him two pieces to the good, and his opponent resigned without further play, a round of applause greeting Wellington's first win. Board 3.— J. S. Kennedy (C.) v. Still (W.,). An. even game throughout. At 11.15 p.m. Still had a knight and five pawns against a knight and four pawns. Not wishing to be the only player to trouble /the Adjudication Board, he agreed to accept the draw which his opponent somewhat diffidently suggested. Board 4.— W. Mackay (W.) v. H. Kennedy (C.). The latter got his king too far into the game, and Mackay was able to win^ a piece at unove 33 by a pretty combination. His opponent's iesignation, was tendered six moves la,ter — Wellington's second win. ' Board 5.— W. S. King (0.) v. Kelling (W.). The former snapped a pawn at move 26 and was then subjected to a lengthy attack. This was still going on at 11.16, and as the Southerner's extra pawn was in front of his harrassed king he accepted the proffered draw." Board 6.— Fouhy (W.) v. Cumberworth (C). This lively "Evans' Gambit accepted," which at one time promised to be Wellington's first win, finally became the only local reverse. It well illustrated the "ups and downs" that help to make the game so attractive. Through not making the most of a promising attack Fouhy had to avoid exchanging queens ana this gradually got him into difficulties, leading to his resignation at move 41. Board 7.— Woodford (C.) v. W. F. Barraud (W.). ' After a- long bout of even play the Wellington president managed to annex a pawn and also to bnrst up his opponent's forces by attacking them from the rear, Woodford resigning at move 43 (Wellington's third win). Mr. Barraud thus improved on his first appearance against the Canterbury C.C., viz., in 1879, when he drew with Mr. J. Newman at Board 6. Board B.— Fell (W.) v. Hawkins (C). The former won the exchange at move 23 with a pretty combination, and later on won a bishop by threating to queen a pawn. This left him a rook to the good, his opponent resigning at move 39 (Wellington's fourth win). Boafd 9.— Joyce (C.) v. S. Gyles (W.). The latter more than regained lost ground with some bright enterprising play and emerged with queen against rook and knight. He also had a second queen in sight, and Mr. Joyce resigned a hopeless struggle at move 68. ' This was Wellington's fifth win. Board 10.— W. C. Hill (W.) v. R. Lovell-Smith (C). This bout between the two hon secretaries was most stubbornly contested. Finally Hill established a passed pawn, which he queened, thereby making a rook out of his opponent. The latter threw up the sponge at move 53, this making Wellington's sixth win. It, will be noted that the local /team scored heavily at the lower boards which accounted for the jocular suggestion, that, < like the kangaroo, it "did a lot with its tail" ! ■ The final telly is therefore Wellington C.C. 7£ wins, Canterbury C.C. 2i wins. It is considered here that these figures distinctly flatter the local club, which has fallen on evil days as regards the sma.llness of its membership and the markedly poor attendances on club night's for a long time past. The membership is about half that of the Canterbury Club, and is fully 100 short of what it should be. The club is shortly removing its habitat to the V.M.C.A. Building, and it is hoped that return of the old time energy and ■ 1-^enness will ensue, also that some sorely-needed recruits will be enlisted. _ Unless these desirable results are attained the local club will, like King Belshazzar, find the hand, writing on its wall — "weighed in the balances and found wanting." ' Eight matches have now been played between these two old clubs, the list of results to date being as follows:-— 1879 — A tie, each side scoring 4 wins and 4 drawe. 1883— Wellington won by 5 games to 3 and 2 draws. 1884 — Wellington won by 4 games to 3 and. 3 draws. 1887 — Canterbury won, by 8 games to 3 and 1 draw. 1892 — A tie, each side scoring 7£ points. » 1894— Wellington Avon by 8-1, to 6£. 1913— Wellington won by 6£ to 3£. 1914 — Wellington Avon by 7£ to 2£/ WELLINGTON SOUTH CLUB No less than 5 ladder matches were in progress at this club's rooms on Friday evening, ac _ follow : — Rung 1 (championship of the club) — Ln the third gamo, which stands adjourned, B. B. Allen (defender) has won a pawn from Purchas. If the former wins the scores will bo level. Rung 4 — This was captured from Armstrong, by Harper, who has now called on Welton to defend rung 3. Rung 6 — Loney (defender) won the first game from Weinc. Rung 10 : Berry (challenger) won the first game from Clark. Rung 13— This has, been captured by Booth, who won 2 games out of 3 from Bland. » The club'e first match with theNgaio Chess Club has been postponed a, week, so as i not to fall on the King's Birthda.y. A close and very enjoyable- corniest is being looked forward to by both teams. NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION The annual general meeting of this association hae been convened for next Monday, Bth instant, Avhon the hon. ccc. (Mi 1 . A. G. Fell), Avill present his annual report and balance-sheet. The adoption of this report and the election of officers for 1914-15 are the chief items on the agenda-sheet.