WELLINGTON CHESS CLUB.

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9881, 12 April 1893, Page 3

WELLINGTON CHESS CLUB.

The annual meetin/ of the Wellington Chess Club was held Inst evening at tho / room« of Mems Cook and Gray, in Banna* ty no's buildings, Fuathorston street, Mr G. Wright presiding. Thu annual report was read and adopted. Tho report was as follows I The committee, in presenting their annual report and balance-sheet, congratulate the members on Another successful season. The member thtp now stands at 60, as against 49 last season, and the balance-sheet shows a creuit balance of £1 lls Bd. During the ysar 10 new members ware elected, namely Mea<rs James Lookie, Samnoi Mackay, K. Oiorltsoa, J. F. Ryder, A, J. WoTavish, H. Gamble, ifi. D. iJoben, A- Lawson, A. Tainc, 11, Parker, U. 11, Black, F. Turnbull, Dunlop, Jones, Dr James, Dr Coutos. Unfortunately 16 members have been lost through removal and other causes, thus having a not gain of one only. The first mat' h of the season was played on April 12, when Mr C. W. Benbow mot iC mombo-a simultaneously. The contest flas highly interesting, Mr Benbow being in capital form, winning 7, drawing 8, and losing Ito Mr Taiao. The annual

match of smokers v non-smokers was played on May Uth, There were 11 mem* b rn a side, and the result was a substantial victory for the non-smokers by wins to *'jj, For the smokers Messrs Ryder, J. E l wards and (j, Richardson scored, while tlie winners for the non-smokotn were Messrs Kelliog, James, J. G. Andersen, Gamble, Arden, EJvvard Anderson and W. Mackay, the game between Messrs Littlejohn and Benbow being drawn, After an interval of several years the olub challenged the Canterbury Chess Club to a match by tele l graph. Preliminaries were soon arranged, and the match was started oa Saturday evening, September 3rd, and continued on tho two following Saturday evenings. This club was represented by tho following members, playing in the order named ‘.—Board I, Mr Benbow; 2, Mr Littlejohn ; 3, Mr Ryder ; 4, Mr Maokay ; 6, Mr L‘:libvre; G, Mr James; 7, Mr Kelling; 8, Mr Wright; 9. Mr Tait; 10. Mr Parker; il, Mr Allen ; 12, Mr Taino ; 13, Mr DJJs* bury ; 14, Mr J. Turnbull; 15, Mr J, C. Edwards. Tlu match resulted iw a draw, each olub winning 4, losing 4 and drawing 7. For the olub, Messrs James, Wright, Parker aud J. 0. Edwards won thurgaaaen and dra'wa were scored by Messrs Bsnbow,

Littlejohn, Ryder, Maokay, Loll -vie, Tait and Alloa. This In tbo fifth match played between the two clubs and the score now stands : —Wellington Cheas Glut—Won, 2 ; lost, 1 ; drawn, 2. A match was also played with tho Wellington Working Mou’a Chess Club, 10 boards, anil was won by this olub by 11J wins to 7$ ; the winning members being Messrs lioubow, Birraud, llyder, Parker, W, Maokiy, James, Allen, 8,. Maokay, Taiae, Tbos Turubu'.l, J. C. h-dwarde and J. G. Anderson, Two tautaamsnts were played during the season, namely a major and minor. In the major tbe games wors played without odds, bat the members were bandloappcd by points, 4 points being equal to J game. Mr Loilovro, with a handicap of 12 points, proved to be tbo winner with a score of 32 points, while Mr Litllejobn from scratch secured second position with a scare of 28 points. The minor tourney was played with the usual odds. Messrs F. Turnbull, class 6, and 8. Maokay, class 5 tied for place, and in tho play off Mr Turnbull proved the victor. The oom mittee has endeavoured to carry out tbo wish of tbe members to encourage la the secondary schools by offering prizes for competition. Unfortunately, tbe master of the Wellington College was tho only chief favourable to tbe idea, and thus for the time bring the proposal had to be aban donod. The olab plant has been increased by six new sets of Messrs Jnquos and dons’ brat quality chessmen. No. 1J (small olub size), with boards to mitob, and the oom. mittee would recommend to tbe Incoming committee that this course bo continued (as funds allow) until the club is thoroughly well furnished with plant, and that the same size and make be invariably ordered ; also, that the old plant of various sizes and shapes be sold off as opportunity offers. Your committee has been forced to provide a fresh olabroom, the rent demanded for ont old quarters being practically prohibitive. After very careful consideration, tho liberal offer of Messrs Cook and Qrsy, of the present room at quite a nominal rental, was (subject to tbe approval of tho club) accepted. The following officers were elected:— Prmident, Mr 0. W. Benbow ; vice presidents, Messrs A. J. Littlejohn, W, F. Bar. raud, T. Tarnbnll and A, Campbellj secretary and treasurer, Mr W. Maokay; committee, Messrs C. T. Richardson, H. L James, P. M. Tait, G. Wright, Lelievre j auditor, Mr Pethsriek, A rulo was adopted admitting country members at a subscription of Es. The committee reported that the rent asked for tho old room was prohibitive, and that they had obtained offers from the Academy of Area and tbo Chamber of Commerce and other places at amounts of from £2O -to £29 for tbe season, and that they bad also received an offer of a room from Messrs Cook and Gray free of charge, tbe olub being merely asked to pay for gas and a proportion of tbe obarge for cleaning. Tbe meeting decided to accept Messrs Cook and Gray’s generous offer with thanks, and that the room should in futnre be open for play from 730 to 11.30 on the usual olub evenlogs, luosdayaand Fridays. It was stated that a match by telegraph was being arranged with tbo Dunedin Club on the Queen’s Birthday. Mr Tait was selected to represent the olub at the annual Championship Congress held at Chrlstoharoh dating the Christmas holidays, and, although be did not take a leading place on tbe list, worthily upheld tbe honour of his olab, being recognised as one of tho strongest players at that meeting. Ho was at that meeting again elected to till tbo post of secretary and treasurer to the New Zealand Chess Assopistion,