CHESS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 17

CHESS

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION

A quarterly council meeting of the New Zealand Chess Association was held at 01 Courtenay Place on March 21. Mr. P. J. Brooker (Canterbury Chess Club) occupied the chair. The following delegates were also present:—A. E. Jessup (Wanganui), W. Keinble Welch (Palmerston North), G. P. Anderson (Gisborne), W. 'loomath (Napier), A. W. Gyles and R. C. Sim (Wellington Chess Club), H. M. Rosenberg and K. Beyer (Wellington Workingmen's Club . and Literary Institute), R. A. Godtschalk (Dannevirke), J. L. IJardy (Wellington South), E. E. Hicks .(Ngaio), P. Grady (Oamaru), P. K. Kelllng (Southland and Ilotorua), and H. J. Clelaud (Otago Chess Club). Apologies for non-attendance were received from J. Read (Otago Chess Club) and R. G. Didsbury (Nelson Chess Club). The chairman extended a cordial welcome to Mr. Hugh Cleland. one of the Otago Chess Club's new delegates, making a timely reference to the great services and fine play of both Mr. Cleland and his deceased brother, the late Mr. R. A. Cleland. Members stood in silence as a tribute to the memory of the late Mr. Arthur Gyles, a highly esteemed played "and valued official, who passed away in this city on February 25 last, in his 78th year. It was announced thai the hon. secretary, Mr. J. C. McCrea, had left Wellington on March 5 on a sis months' visit to England, and that Mr. F. K. Kelling had agreed to carry on as acting hon. secretary during Mr. McCrea's absence. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. McCrea for a donation made by him on the eve of his departure from the Dominion.

Mr. Hans Kennedy, of Christchurch, the president of the association, wrote forwarding the balance-sheet or the tourney that was held in that city during the Christmas holidays to decide the chess championship of the Dominion. This title was won by Mr. J. A. Erskine, of Invercargill, the other . prize-winners being Messrs. A. W. Gyles and K. Beyer (both of Wellington), tie, second, J. B. Dunlop (Dunedin) fourth, and E. A. Le Petit (Invercargill) fifth ;"• brilliancy, F. K. Kelling (Wellington); best score against placed prize-winners, R. H. Abbott (Christchurch); consolation tourney, J. L. Hardy (Wellington South). As Mr. Erskine •will be spending seven months of the present year in Australia he did not wish to.take charge of the championship trophy (a large silver, rook). It was therefore decided that the joint runners-up, Messrs. Gyles and Beyer, should each hold this valuable trophy for four months, as it is proposed to display it in a shop window in November next. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Canterbury Chess Club's executive for its successful conduct of this championship congress. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW ZEALAND.

When the inter-island final between the Otago and Wellington Clubs was played in September last, a local scrutineer, who was acting as a servant of the Otago Club, misread the 27th move received from Dunedin in the game at board 3. The mistake was discovered shortly afterwards when the Wellington. player stood to lose his queen as a result of the error. The Wellington captain asked that rectification be allowed, basing his claim on rule 10 (duties of scrutineers). The Otago capain, on the other hand, cited rule 11 (duties of players) in support of his contention that the game should be scored as a win for his' club. The resulting correspondence did not resolve the deadlock between the two clubs. As the destination of the Bledisloe Cup depended oi* the result of the game in dispute it was unanimously decided at the December council meeting to refer the matter to the New South Wales Chess Association for a decision. The verdict of that body was as follows:— "That the claim of B's club that rectification be allowed as from move 27 be upheld." The game in dispute thus ended in a draw, and the final score of the match was Wellington Ch.ess Club 10%, Otago Chess Club 9%. The former club thus retains the Bledisloe Cup for the present. It was unanimously decided to send a letter of thanks to the New South Wales Chess Association for its valued services as arbitrators. . In connection with this matter the chairman expressed regret that when the motion to refer the Otago v. Wellington deadlock to the New South Wales Chess Association was tinder consideration mention was not made of the fact' that an article relating to this Bubject. had appeared in the November number of "The Australasian Chess Review." THE ANNUAL MEETING. It was decided to hold the thirty-sixth annual general meeting on Thursday, June 6, when a decision will be reached regarding the centre in which the Dominion's 45th championship tourney is to be held. Clubs are requested to send in nominations for the office of vice-president (six for each Island) in time for that meeting, and also to instruct' their delegates promptly regarding the following remits: (a) That in future tourneys for the chess, championship of New Zealand no game be adjourned at its first session until 30 moves have been ml(Je on both sides, and 60 moves before the second adjournment, each player to make at least 30 moves in. the first hour and a half of his time. ( (b) That rule 10 (c) on page 13 of the rule book be amended, so that the player shall be held responsible for the accuracy of his move, and not the scrutineer, as at present. And

■ (c) That an addition be made to rule 13 relating to telegraphic matches for the Bledisloe Cup to meet the circumstances of a "sudden-death" tourney, so that in the event of an inter-island final ending in a tie it will not be possible to decide the club championship through the wins gained, in the preliminary qualifying matches. This year's contest for the Bledisloe Cup is to be on the same lines .as last year's telegraphic competition, viz., a one-life (or "sudden death") tourney. It will be assumed that the Otago, Canterbury, Auckland, and Wellington Clubs again wish to_ compete unless advice" to the contrary is received by the 20th instant.' The question of issuing special rules for the guidance of executives who undertake the management of.the annual-cham-pionship congress is also to be gone into at the forthcoming annual meeting. A very successful meeting terminated with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Brooker for presiding. :