DRAUGHTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 137, 7 December 1926, Page 7

DRAUGHTS

CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW ZEALAND.

The tourney to decide the draughts championship of New Zealand for 1927 is to begin in Wellington on 15th April. Preparations for the holding of this interesting contest were, advanced a further stage on Saturday evening, when a meeting of persons interested in the game of draughts was held in the rooms of the Wellington Working Men's Club aud Literary Institute. Mr. T. Costello, chairman of the local executive, presided over the large gathering, which included Mr. A. E. Ballard, the club's president. The acting "hon. secretary (F. K. Kelling) read a number of letters, received since the previous meeting was held. Several holders of subscription lists have not yet sent in the progress reports asked for, but it seems certain that a useful and very welconie measure of support will be forthcoming from various centres in aid of New Zealand's 1927 championship contest. ' The receipt of a handsome donation from Mr. H. Tredegar, a former chairman of the club's chess and draughts section, was acknowledged with thanks. It was decided to ask collectors to "return their subscription lists by 15th March next. A letter Was read from Mr. ,J. Bruce, of New Plymouth, with reference'to the possibility of the Wellington executive not being able to carry out its decision that the championship contest be an all-round tourney, each entrant to play two games, with every other competitor. Mr. Bruce urged that eacll player should meet every other competitor once if there should not be time for each pair to play two games, either .by reason of there being a record number of entries or through the position arising from some of the competitors not being able to secure as much leave of absence as in former years. The growing demand for shorter tourneys and other aspects of the matter were gone into fully. After the matter had been discussed from various viewpoints it was unanimously decided that an all-round tourney be held if the entries number 20 or lees. If the entries exceed 20 the tourney is to be either a one-round contest or a knockout event, according to the decision of a majority of the competitors. When the championship was fought out at New Plymouth in 1925 some of the competitors whose holidays were limited had to default in the later stages of an all-round tourney, and it isi of course, desired to avoid having a repetition of that unsatisfactory feature. Mr. A. E. Ballard (president), who is taking a keen interest in this championship contest, made some useful suggestions for consideration at the next meeting on 29th January. He felt confident that his club would assist as wholeheartedly" as it has done on former occasions, and that the 1927 Congress would be even more successful than that held in 1921, when the title was last decided in Wellington. (Applause.)