CHESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1939, Page 16

CHESS

N.Z. ASSOCIATION

ARRANGEMENTS FOR

CONGRESS

The, quarterry meeting cf the New Zealand Chess Association was held i on Saturday evening. Mr. A. T. Craven I (Auckland delegate and president of the association) occupied the chair. The following were also present:— Messrs. J. C. McCrea (Hamilton), J. L. i Hardy (Hastings), G. P. Anderson (Gisborne), E. E. Hicks (Napier). W. White (New Plymouth), T. Clemas (Masterton), A. E. Jessup (Wanganui); A. W. Gyles and R. C. Sim (Wellington C.C.),« K. Beyer and. H. M. Rosenberg (Wellington Working Men's Jlub and Literary Institute) ,-. E. H. Severne (Nelson), F. Vincent and F. K. Kelling (Canterbury Club), R. G. Wade (South Canterbury Club), F. Grady (Oamaru Club), H. J. Cleland (Otago Club), and J. I. Goldsmith (Southland Club). The statement presented by the hon. treasurer^ Mr. J. L; Hardy, showed that the association's finances are in a satisfactory condition. Messrs. Craven, White, and G. P. Anderson were appointed as the Selection Board for the current year. THE ANNUAL CONGRESS. The following • appointments were made in connection with the fortyninth congress, to commence in Wellington on Boxing Day:—Finance ccmmittee, Messrs. Craven, McCrea, and Hardy; entertainment committee, Messrfc. , Craven, Goldsmith, Vincent, and Gyles; playing committee,' Messrs. White, Craven. McCrea, Goldsmith, Robie, McWilliams, Emery, and G. Morpeth; umpire and director &£ play, Mr. W. White. The following fourteen entries have been accepted for the annual championship tourney:—Mr. J. B. Dunlop and Dr. E. W. Bennett (Otago CO, Messrs. H. McNabb (Nelson CO, I. Burry and D. I. Jones (Auckland CO, R. O. Scott (Wanganui CO, D. Lynch (Hastings; CO, A. -W.. Gyles, E. H. Severne, R. G. Wade, and P. Allerhand (Wellington CO, and F. Vincent, K. Beyer, and F. K. Kelling, (Wellington Working' Men's Club ' and Literary Institute). Four o.f these are making a first appearance in this annual event —R. G. Wade (who won the Premier Reserves tourney a year ago at the age of 17), Dr. 'E. W. Bennett (who has several times been runner-up for the. Otago Club's championship title), P. Allerhand , v (a recent arrival from Czecho-Slovakia, where he played with success for the Bratislava Chess Club, against Vienna, Prague, and other centres), and F. Vincent (who tied for first place in last year's champion-of-champions contest). NOTES ON COMPETITORS. J; B. Dunlop has a fine record: he has taken part in eleven congresses and has never failed to reach the prize list. He now holds the New Zealand championship for the fifth time. H. McNabb, who won the Nelson championship for the second time, has played in three congresses, scoring tv/o seconds and one fifth prize. I. Burry's four congresses have yielded him five prizes—one second, two thirds, one brilliancy, and one best recovery. His club-mate, D. I. Jones, who has won the Auckland Club's championship on five occasions, can show four prizes for his six congresses. R.O. Scott, five times champion of the Wanganui Club, has competed on nine occasions, winning the, best recovery prize in 1933-34, and the sixth prize a year ago. D. Lynch, the Hastings and Hawke's Bay champion, is now a competitor for the fourth time. This young enthusiast has shown much promise in the last three congresses. A. W. Gyles can show 19 prizes for his 17 congresses—two firsts, ,teh seconds, two minor prizes, four brilliancy prizes, and one "best recovery." He has also an impressive record of success in the Wellington League's annual chainpion-of-champions event, which he has won 12 tunes in 17 years. E. H. Severne, an exrchampion of the Canterbury, Nelson, and Wellington Clubs, has made 25 bids for the Dominion title. His sixteen congress prizes include four, seconds and five thirds". K. Beyer, who joined the Wellington Club a year ago, recently won the club's annual championship tourney. His tourneys 'in the Working Men's Club yielded him six firsts arid four seconds. At the last Christchurch congress (1934-35) he finished up in second place. Before coming to New Zealand eleven years ago he had excellent practice with strong amateur players in Copenhagen. F. X; Kelling won the chess championship of the Wellington Working Men's Club in 1889, and again in 1939. There is thus a gap of 50 years between these two successes, which bespeaks a long devotion to the game. He can show .2.7 prizes for his congresses. Entries: for the three* supplementary events do. not close till December 15. So far nine names have been handed in for the premier reserves. tourney, one for the minor tourney, and three for the ladies' championship. ; Mrs. Abbott, of Christchurch, the present holder of the ladies' championship, will not be a competitor on this occasion. RULE, NOT ETIQUETTE. Consideration was given to article VI of the annexe of the World Federation's Code, which states, "A move shall be made by transferring the man touched directly to the square to be occupied, and the man must be quitted immediately it has been placed on that square." .It was.decided to regard this as a law, and not merely.as a point of etiquette, as is done in Australia and also in England.. , ■ Mr. Severne gave notice that he proposed to move at the next council meeting as' follows:—(1) The entries in each subsidiary tourney shall not exceed 14; (2) entries to close on December 15; (3) each competitor to supply information regarding his (or her) playing strength; (4) selection committee to immediately review the entries for the premier reserves and minor tourneys, and to have the power to make such arrangements as are necessary to keep the number of competitors to the limit of 14; (5) the committee shall also have power, in their discretion, to remove an obviously weak competitor from the premier reserves to the minor tourney,' or a stronger player in : the . minor tourney to the premier reserves, contest, such power, however, to be used as sparingly as possible. It was decided to send a circular to small clubs that have not yet joined up, poiritirtg out the advantages of affiliation, and also that it is proposed to make provision for a smaller minimum subscription, so as to place membership of the association within the reach of all the small chess clubs or chess circles, that are operating in the Dominion.