CHESS IN NEW ZEALAND

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 148, 20 December 1916, Page 10

CHESS IN NEW ZEALAND

REVIEW OF 1916

As the year 1916 is rapidly drawing to a close, a few notes on New Zealand chess covering the past twelve months will not be out of place.

The New Zealand Chess Association, to which sixteen clubs are affiliated, decided about eighteen months ago not to hold any further championship congresses during the present great war, consequently the championship title became vacant on. Ist January, 1916—New Zealand being then without a chess champion for the first time since the 4th September, 1879 (the date on which the late Mr. Henry Hookbam, of Christchurch, became the pioneer champion). The association's trophy is thus "in line" with the New Zealand trophies for Rugby, Soccer, cricket, hockey, athletics, draughts, etc. The amount saved by not_ holding the usual congress was divided equally amongst the patriotic funds of the four centres. Chess players have enlisted from the various centres, and some have made the supreme sacrifice for King and country, notably Mr. Walter Griereon, of Auckland, and Mr. Couper Hill, of Wellington. The total number of names on the "Rolls of Honour" of the various clubs is not yet available. Lieut.-Col. Meldrum, who was the New Zealand champion in 1896, and who left the Dominion with the first Expeditionary Force (being in charge of the Wellington Mounted R.ifle Regiment), was created a C.M.G. in January last. The association's last annual report felicitates Mr. Meldrum on the conferment of this honour. It also records the deaths of two vice-presidents, to whom it is greatly indebted for generous support, viz. : Mr. George Brown, of Dunedin, and Mr. E. W. Petherick, of Wellington. Mr. Petherick, it may be mentioned, was the second white child born in Wellington. At the last annual meeting of the New- Zealand Chess Association, Mr. A. G. Fell, owing to indifferent health, resigned the position of hon. secretary and treasurer, which offices he has filled so happily and with such conspicuous success for the past eight years. As a slight appreciation of his valued' labours he has received presentations from the association, and also from the Canterbury C.G., -whose delegate he has been for many years. Mr. Fell has received good wishes from all parts of the Dominion for an early restoration to health. His successor is Mr. J. G. W. Dalrymple. who has for some years been a. North' Island vice-president. Hi« address is P.O. Box 753, Wellington. CLUB TOURNAMENTS. The Auckland Chess Club has had four successful tourneys during the year, the honours going to Mr. J. C. Griexson (N.Z. champion in 1903 and' in 1913), and to Mr. A. W 0. Davies (N.Z. champion in 1905 and in 1808). Mr. Grierson won the Patriotic Tourney (56 competitors) early in the year, and afterwards enhanced his splendid record by again winning the Auckland Championship, for which the Hon. A. M. Myers, M.P., gives a handsome trophy annually. Mr. Griei-son was champion of the Ponsonby C.C. in 1894, and of the Auckland District in the following year. During the past 21 years he has won the Auckland Championship ten times and been runner-up on seven occasions. Altogether a magnificent record, and a popular one, as Mr. Grierson has worked hard, for the advancement of chess, besides according generous support. Mr. Davies this year also scores a double, winning the lightning tourney after being invalided home from the war, and later on taking first prize in the Annual Handicap Tourney. The Auckland Working Men's Club's Handicap Tourney was won by Mr. G. A. Wilson, and the Masterton Club's Tourney by Master Walter Connell, a promising colt, who, at the age of 14, becomes holder of the Dagg Shield. Chess has been look-ing-up in Wanganui lately under the active and enthusiastic presidency of Police-Inspector Wilson. Two tournaments have just been completed, viz. : (a) Championship, and (b) Handicap. Both were won by Mr. C. C. Pleasants, a vice-president of the New Zealand Association, who was runner-up for the New Zealand Championship when it was won by his then club-mate Mr. Meldrum (referred to above). The second prize in both tourneys was won by Mr. H. Jessup, a former hon. secretary of the Wellington C.C. The Wellington' Chess Club's annual "Petherick" Tourney has been won by Mr.. W. C. White (of Petone), and the Wellington Working Men's Club's Tourney by Mr. H. Dougia3, who thus holds the Staples Cup for twelve months. The Wellington South Club held two tourneys, Mr. Purchas winning both the championship and handicap events. The Ngaio Club's championship was won by Mr. W. J. Carman, and the Handicap Tourney by Mr. A. B. Topp, the president. : This club's ladder, by the way, is made from timber recovered from the wreck of the s.s. Penguin (wrecked in 1909). The Canterbury Club's Winter Tourney was won by Mr. H. Gourley. Mr. E. H. Severne, the club champion, was not a competitor.

Messrs. Severne and F H. Cumberworth, who played at the top boards against Otago and Wellington, have enlisted and will shortly be leaving for France. Mr. Severne has put up a fine record since he removed to Christchurch .five years ago, winning no less than eight local prizes—six firsts and two seconds. In telegraphic matches he has played ten times for Canterbury, scoring 2 wins,-1 loss, and 7 draws. The Otago Club's "open" tourney was won by Mr. J.- A. Boreham, a fornier Australasian draughts champion. Club champions not mentioned above are as follow : —Hamilton : J C. M'Crea ; Wairarapa :J. A. Connell; Napier : Edwin A. Hicks; Wellington: R. J. Barnes; Wellington Working Men's Club: R. J.. Barnes; Nelson: G F. Dodds ; Timaru : T. Mara ; Oamaru : J. B. Dunlop ; Otago : H. J. Armstrong ; Invercargill: E. A. Le Petit. It may be added that Mr. Dow played at board 1 for Gisborne, and t^»t Mr. D. H. Bruton holds the junior championship of the Otago Club.

INTER-CLUB MATCHES. Two correspondence games were contested by ths Whangarei and Ngaio Clubs, both ending in draws. Evidently there was no premature rushing of trenches. An Auckland touring team defeated Hamilton by 8J to SJ, and also won the return match 6J-4i. Hamilton beat Napier by 7to 0. Two incomplete games cannot affect the result. Gisborne beat Napier by 5£ to 4, and here also two games are marked incomplete which cannot alter the verdict. Mr. .T. W. Witty, who scored his game for Gisborne with a brilliant sacrifice, has been playing chess for 70 years. In 1859 he played a correspondence match against the late Mr. C. W. Benbow, then of Birmingham, and afterwards of Wellington, New Zealand. It was ill those far-off days that Mr. Witty won a much-cherished cigar by scoring an off-game from Lowenthal, the well-known German master, who was on a visit to England at the time. Wairarapa. defeated Featherston Camp by 14^ to I£, but the soldiers won the return match by 6J to s^. Wairara-ua's North v. South match ended in favour of the South by sto 3. Two games by correspondence were played between the Sydney (New South Wales) School of Arts Club and the Wellington Chess Club, the Utter winning by li to j, la

telegraphic play the Wellington' Club (which is 40 years old) drew with Canterbury (6 points each), and scored a lucky win from Otago by 7£ to 6^—lucky because Otago lost two half-points through clerical errors. Mr. W F Biirrand, who won his game for Wellington v. Otago. is now the only foundation member on the Wellington Club's books. The Otago v. Canterbury contest ended in a handsome win for Otago by 8 points to 4. The Wellington South Club won its four matches with case, defeating the Wellington Working Men's Club (8-5), Masterton (8-4), and Ngaio twice (8-2 and 9-4). The Canterbury v Nelson match was arranged to mark the Jubilee of their first encounter in 1566, which is believed to have been the first match played by telegraph in Australasia. On that occasion two games were contested, three players consulting in each centre. Both games were won by the Canterbury Club, but now Nelson'has equalised, winning this year's t-welve-a-side match by 7 to 5. Mr. A. Joyce, one of the members who founded the Canterbury Club in January, 1866, 'took part in this year's match and won his game. He received hearty congratulations from the Nelson Club, of which the late Mr Charles Janion was hon. secretary in ISG6. The 1866 match was first suggested by Mr. Janion, who died in Wellington four years ago, the cause of New Zealand chess being greatly indebted to his fifty years of pioneering work. The genial Canterbury president jocularly describes the recent match as "The Second Trafalgar or Nelson's Revenge: By G. F. Dodds;, a sequel in twelve chapters to 'In the Roaring Sixties,' by Rip Van Winkle." The Cheviot Club played two telegraphic matches, losing to the Canterbury "B" team (ij-sj) and also to the Otago "B" team (£-7^-)

In the matter of chess problems, Mr. F. A. L. Kuskop, of Wellington, who has long been regarded as New Zealand's ablest composer, has added another success to his long list of prizewinnings by gaining the" second prize in a two-move '' problem tourney promoted by the famous " Good Companion Chess Problem Club" of Philadelphia, U.S.A The 29 unplaced problems --were contributed by a number of European and American experts. Mr. Kuskop's success is the more noteworthy as, owing to an eye affliction, he has to compose entirely from memory The Good Companion Club mentioned above arranged for a solving competition to be held in -various centres in both hemispheres on 22nd February last. The solvers of Dunedin and Auckland tackled the twelve two-move problems set for the occasion, and for which two hours and a-half were set apart. The Dunedin conteet was won by Mr. R. A. Cleland, -who was chess champion of New Zealand in 1809, with nine correct solutions. Mr P N. Stewart with five correct solutions won the Auckland contest.

From the foregoing it will Be seen that the various clubs are struggling along and endeavouring to keep olive until the war is over It is generally expected that chess -will flourish more than ever in New Zealand when peace is restored and "Our Boys" have had their right royal " Welcome Home."