CHESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 84, 5 October 1940, Page 15

CHESS

N.Z. ASSOCIATION

MEETING OF COUNCIL

A quarterly council meeting of the New Zealand Chess Association was held recently". The clubs which were represented were Auckland, Hamilton, Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Masterton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Wellington Working Men's Club and Literary Institute, Nelson, Canterbury, South Canterbury, Oamaru, and Southland. Mr. A. T. Craven, the local vice-president, who was in the chair, welcomed Mr. H. P. Yarrell (Oamaru), who has succeeded Mr. J. L. Hardy as hon. treasurer. A tribute to Mr. Hardy for his many executive services to the association and also to the Wellington Chess League was carried with enthusiasm. His final report as hon. treasurer showed the association's finances to be in a sound position.

Mr. J. T. O. Stephens, of Timaru, was elected president, on the nomination of the South Canterbury Club, which is making very complete arrangements for the annual congress to begin in Timaru on Boxing Day. The subsidiary tourneys are in future to be known as the Major Open and Premier Reserves tourneys, the former ranking next to the championship contest.

The remit making 12 the maximum number of competitors in any of the association's tourneys was carried by 32 votes to 21.

Mr. Hardy (Hastings) has given notice to move at the December quarterly meeting that the association's selection board shall have power to transfer competitors from one subsidiary tourney to another.

Entries for the New Zealand championships tourney close on December 1, and for the subsidiary tourneys on December 15, though the management committee may accept entries for these

additional tourneys at any time up to the first day's play. It is expected that the congress will conclude on' the afternoon or evening of Friday, January 3. ♦ ■ •

: Advice has been received that Mr. G. Koshnitsky, the present champion of Australia, was willing to take part in the forthcoming Timaru Congress if a substantial portion of his expenses is guaranteed. This offer was greatly appreciated, but sufficient support was not forthcoming at this rather inopportune time.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. J. C. P. Kirkwood for the congress trophies donated by him. These kings, queens, knights, and pawns, made and chromium-plated by the donor, and mounted on an ebony plinth, were greatly admired.

It was decided that the winner of a subsidiary tourney shall be eligible for a place in the next higher tourney in the following year.

The Te Kauwhata Chess Club was admitted to membership, and there are now 20 clubs affiliated to the association.

Club secretaries are invited to send reports of tourneys and matches, etc., to Mr. N. Cromarty, who is in charge of a chess column published in Wanganui. The association still has a supply of old congress books, which are to be distributed to any clubs desiring to have them.