CHESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 13

CHESS

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON

Play in the 20-a-side telegraphic match between the Auckland and Wellington Chess Clubs was concluded on Saturday evening, when satisfactory progress was made at the various boards. Nine games have been completed, as follows:—

Board. Wellington. Auckland 1 Sevenie, E. H. Y a Neivick, C. B. V--5 iMeCrea, J. C. 0 Burry, 1 1 " 7 White, W, ... % Lennard, C. G. % 10 J lncent, F. ... Mcintosh, I. R. % 11 Hardy, J. L. .. 1 Short, Jlrs. .. 0 12 Godtschalk H. % Short, Dr. G. . 14 15 Jessup A. E. 'A Spencer u h £" by ' A. H. .. 1 Fletcher, A. L. 0 20 Glass, R. C. .. 1 Uttlngs, Jf. C. 0 • Totals SV& ~3% Messrs. Hardy, Gil by, and Glass niade admirable use of the advantages gained during the first evening's play. Negotiations regarding the eleven unfinished games are to be opened during the present week. Any positions upon which the captains cannot reach agreement will be submitted to the Christchurch members of the New Zealand Adjudication Board for decision. The Auckland Club has a pronounced advantage in three of the unfinished games, while the Wellington Club has good prospects in four. The remaining four positions have a very drawish appearance, so that a close finish is assured.

WELLINGTON CLUB'S BIRTHDAY. The Wellington Chess Club completed its sixty-second year last Thursday having been formed on June 16, 1876, at a dinner held in the old Panama Hotel to celebrate an exciting 50-game match in which "Town" defeated Civil Service by one game (25J to 24J). During the club's existence it has had eleven presidents, and sixteen different habitations. The ten ex-presidents have all passed away, and so have the pioneer executive officers of 1876— Messrs. G. Hunter, M.H.H. (president), C. W. Benbow (vice-president), W. T. Thane (hon. secretary), and W. Whittern (hon. treasurer). One of the earliest members was Mr. A. T. Bothamley, 1.5.0., formerly clerk assistant of the Legislative Council and Deputy Clerk of Parliaments. Mr. Bothamley, who is in his 92nd year, only terminated a very long and happy association with Parliament about a year ago, when he retired from the office of Gentleman Usher of the Black

Rod. The club, which has had both lean and prosperous' years, : is able to show a creditable match record, having won the club championship of the Dominion on nine occasions, and furnished New Zealand with its champion ii. 20 of the 47 congresses. An earlier Wellington Chess Club was formed by the late Mr. C. P. Powles in 1866, but it became defunct in the early seventies.