CHESS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 86, 8 October 1935, Page 18

CHESS

N.Z. ASSOCIATION

QUARTERLY MEETING

A quarterly council meeting' of the New Zealand Chess Association was held at 64 Courtenay Place on September 26. The president, Mr. A. T. Craven, who represents the Auckland Chess Club, occupied the chair. The following delegates were also present: —G. P. Anderson (Gisborne), R. G. Didsbury (Napier), F. K. kelling (Rotorua and Southland), W. C. White (New Plymouth), A. E. Jessup (Wanganui), A. W. Gyles (Wellington), H. M. Rosenberg and K. Beyer (Wellington W.M. Club and Literary Institute), J. L. Hardy (South Wellington), E. E. Hicks (Ngaio), E. H. Severne (Nelson), F. J. Brooker (Canterbury), F. F. Grady (Oamaru), H. J. Cleland and J. Read (Otago). Apologies were' received from K. C. Sim (Wellington), W. Kemble Welch (Palmerston North), and R. A. Godtschalk (Dannevirke), who were unable to attend. The chairman extended a cordial welcome to two delegates who were" making a first appearance at the council table, Mr. W. White (New Plymouth), and Mr. E. H. Severne, who has retired from the staff of Nelson College and made his home in Wellington. Mr. R. G. Didsbury, who lias represented the Nelson Club since the death of Mr. Clutten, has been appointed delegate for. the Napier Club, to fill' the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. W. Toomath. It is expected that the hon. secretary, Mr. J. C. McCrea, will be back from England at an early date, and will be able to resume the secretarial duties in about a month's time.The report of the hon. treasurer, Mr. R. G. Didsbury, stated that subscriptions were coming in freely, £12 Is 6d having been received since the annual meeting was held three months ago. The outstandings were markedly less than usual at this time of the year. . The correspondence, which was exceptionally heavy, wat dealt with as shown hereunder. ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIP CONGRESS. The Wellington Chess League has agreed to carry out New Zealand's forty-fifth championship congress, •which is to begin in Wellington on Boxing Day. A minor tourney will be held simultaneously if at least eight entries are received, of which four must be from outside of greater Wellington.: The league's congress committee is now endeavouring to collect about £80 to finance these undertakings. Entries for both : .tourneys must reach the ' association ..by December 1 ,at latest. An entrance fee of. 10s 6d is to be charged for the, auxiliary tourney, and these fees are •to be earmarked for prize-money. The highest scorer in this event is to be styled "winner of the .New Zealand Minor Tourney." During the discussion on this matter it was suggested that in the event of the proposed minor tourney being held the Elimination Board could draw the reins a little tighter as regards the admission of competitors to the main event. At Mr. Severne's suggestion it was decided to ask affiliated clubs if they would be prepared to agree .to entries for the championship title being limited to 14 in the event of a minor tourney being held. In this connection Mr. E. E. Hicks (Ngaio) , gave notice to move that no player be allowed to compete for the New Zealand title who is not either the cham- . pioh or an ex-champion of an affiliated club. LADIES' TOURNEY. The Auckland Chess Club wrote suggesting that a ladies' tourney be held during the Christmas holidays in connection with the next New Zealand Congress, ilt was decided to ask the hon. secretary to get in touch with the affiliated clubs to ask what entries would be forthcoming for such an interesting event. There are several ladies in the Dominion who can play a strong game of chess, but there is some doubt as to how many would be prepared to take part in the suggested tourney. EMPIRE CONGRESS AT JOHANNESBURG. , A letter was read from the newlyformed South African Chess Union, stating that it had decided to hold a British Empire chess championship tourney in Johannesburg in a year's time, probably in September or October, 1936, during the currency of the British Empire Exhibition. The union expects to offer the following prizes:—. First, £200; second, £150; third, It is hoped that the tournament will have at least 12 players taking part, including representatives from Great Britain, India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The letter concludes as follows: —"You are cordially invited to send a representative to take part in the tournament, for which we hope to allocate £100 towards-' expenses." On the motion of Mr. Brooker it was unanimously decided to write to the South African Union expressing appreciation of the offer, and to state that if one of New Zealand's strongest players is available the association would have much pleasure in nominating him. VISIT OF AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION. Several clubs wrote concerning the proposal that Mr. C. J. S. Purdy, of Sydhey (who holds the championship of-Australia, and also the New South Wales title) should make a tour of New Zealand during the months of December and January. Mr. Purdy, who proposes to compete at the next New Zealand Congress, would be prepared to give afternoon and evening simultaneous or blindfold exhibitions in every centre placed on his itinerary, in addition to playing • individual games against leading players, and generally giving instruction or help in any other way that might be desired. More or less assistance for this proposed tour was. accorded by the Auckland, Hamilton, . Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, Masterton, Canterbury, Kaiapoi, and Otago clubs. Three clubs are unable to support this project—New Plymouth, Nelson, and Ngaio. Replies are not yet to hand from Wanganui, Dannevirke, Waipukurau, Timaru, Oamaru, Southland, and three of the Wellington clubs.- It was decided, on the motion of Mr. G. P. Anderson, that the.proposed tour should be undertaken. Messrs. Craven, McCrea, and Kelling •were appointed a sub-committee to make the necessary arrangements. TELEGRAPHIC AND WIRELESS MATCHES. The Otago Chess Club wrote urging that application should be made for. a reduction in the cost of telegraphic chess, the fees for which were increased four years ago to an amount that clubs find embarrassing. This matter is to receive the association's attention on Mr. McCrea's return to Wellington, when the authorities are also to be approached regarding the Auckland Club's suggestion that inter-club matches could be played by wireless on a short-wave band. A letter was received from Mr. R. D. Scott, the ■well-known congress player, making suggestions for the more expeditious transmission of moves in telegraphic matches. This will be considered with other proposals when supplementary instructions are drawn up for the conduct of Bledisloe Cup matches. GENERAL BUSINESS. The New Plymouth Chess1 Club, which has 37 names on its roll, was admitted to membership. Mr. W. White has been appointed to act as the club's delegate. Mr. E. Rutherford, of Stratlord, who showed first-class form at the Wanganui and Napier Congresses, is to be nominated by the club for the next New Zealand championship tourney. . Correspondence was read relating to the best recovery prize of the congress that was held in Christchurch during the last Christmas holidays. It "was at first thought that there were no entries for this special prize, which •was donated by Mr. ,L. J. Mitchell, the president of the Canterbury Chess Club. It subsequently transpired, however, that there had been an unfortunate misunderstanding in this matter, and that a competitor had intended entering a game played by him 5n round Bon New Year's Day. It was accordingly decided to submit this game, under, motto, to the judge, Mr.

H. li. Andersen, of Christchurch. An interesting suggestion was made by the Auckland Chess Club, that a big centenary congress be held in the year 1940, invitations being sent to overseas players of international repute. This matter was held over for consideration at a later meeting.' It was reported that eight unfinished games of the inter-island final between the Auckland and Canterbury Chess Clubs for the club championship of New Zealand are being adjudicated on hi Dunedin. A very close finish is assured. The suggestion of the Palmerston North Chess Club that a match be played at Levin between a Wellington side and a combined team from the Manawatu and Horowhenua areas was referred to the Wellington Chess League. Advices from Nelson show that the local club has been very successfully reorganised. It has more than doubled its membership during the past three months. The new hon. secretary is Mr. N. R. Meads, Locking Street, Nelson. The next quarterly council meeting is to be held as soon as possible after December 1, the latest date for receiving congress entries. A hearty vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.