NEW ZEALAND CHESS CONGRESS

New Zealand Times, Volume LVI, Issue 2122, 3 February 1894, Page 3 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND CHESS CONGRESS

The fallowing biographical sketches of the players who took part in the recent tourna- - merit, taken from the Otago Daily Times will be of interest Mr Edwards (the champion) is 36 years of age. lie learned to play chess in 1884 at the Tiraaru Chess Club. He played in the Club Handicap Tournament the following year, receiving pawn and two moves from the best players, and won the first prize (a silver cup). In 1886 he removed to Invercargill and joined the club there. In 1888'he won the second prize in the Club Handicap, starting from scratch. In 1890 he was transferred to Wellington and represented his late club in the New Zealand Congress held in Wellington in 189691, at which he wa» unplaced. During ’92 he decided to ease off chess,-as he found it occupying too much of his time. Mr Edwards has practically no book knowledge, relying mainly upon his own conception of moves as the game proceeds. He learned his cneas mainly by solving problems. In the last Canterbury Solution Tournament he tied with Mr Hasell, of Timaru, and Mr Fish, of Geraldine, the first three prizes were divided. A« already indic&ted, he is not strong in book knowledge, and is very uncertain. His winning the championship of 1893-94 is a great surprise to nearly all whe know him. He is undoubtedly a plodder, and hi» abilities as a problem solver are of very great service to him. When almost overwhelmed in a difficult prsition he invaiiably finds his way out.

Richard James Barnes (Wellington Working Men’s Chess Club), the second prize-winner, is a Victorian by birth. He . was educated in Dunedin ; commenced playing chess about nine years ago, some time after removing to Wellington. Took part in the congress (five entries) held in Dunedin four years ago. and tied with Mr Hookham for first, but losing in the play off had to be content with second honours. In the congress (10 entries) held next year (’OO 91) in Wellington he represented the Wellington Chess Club, and secured the first price and championship. In the Auckland Congress (’9l-92) he tied for fourth place out of nine entries. Took part in the cor-gress at Christchurch last year <92-93, 10 entries) and won the third prize. In tha first Dunedin Congress, and at Auckland and Christchurch, be represented, as on the present occasion, the Wellington Working Men’s Chess Club. In the congress'just finished there were eleven

entries, and Mr Barnes just managed to pull off the second prize, which makes hia congress recoid—one first, two seconds, one third, ana one fourth. Mr Barnes is also still a member of the-Wellington Chess Club, and has been one of the clubs' team in threc_ telegraph matches, losing his game the first time, drawing on the second occasion, and winning the third. Irrespective of congresses Mr Darnes has in the ordinary tournaments of his ciuob taken five first prizes, three seconds, and one third. Mr Barnes, as shown above, has had great experience in tournament play—he has a thorough knowledge of the game; he is exceedingly quick in grasping a complicated position; he plays a sound and masterly game, and as the result of his play in the recent congress shows, he is a plucky up-hill player. He is a capital trap layer, and has the knack of quickly seeing through those of his opponent, Mr R. A. Cleland (Otago Chess Club) is a native of Newcastle on-Tyne, and is 40 years of age. He started chess at 16 years of age. but played very little until he went to Manchester, in 1879, meeting some of the best players there. Went to London in 1881; did not play muon there until 1886, after which he played a good deal, meeting such players as Bird, Wainwright, Mortimer, and others of note. Came to Dunedin in 1887. but did not follow up the game until he joined the Otago Chess Club in 1891, in which year he easily won the first prize in the handicap tournament, starting from scratch. Next year » e carried off the same prize with the splendid sore of 2ls, W *H B and losses. Last year he tied with Mr Borton for the club championship. In club play it is noteworthy that Mr CleUnd always held his own against Mr Sicdeberg. He took part in the New Zealand Congress held in Christchurch in 1892, and was the only competitor who was not beaten by the champion, Mr Siedeberg. Under the Sonneborne system ho scored exactly 60 per cent Mr Cleland is without doubt the.finest player we have in OUgo; and has also triad his hand at problem composing with very fair results, some of them being quite up to publication standard. In play Mr Cleland observes great care, and is ingenious in working up sound combinations, while he seldom gets what is known as a cramped game. His analysis, especially in an end game, is invariably correct, and when having the advantage he has the knack of finishing the game instead of doing so by the more rude method 1 of exchanging. Not a single mistake can be pointed out in all his late congress game ; he, however, made a few weak moves. He is particularly strong in attacking, and once he gets the upper band in a game It is practically over. He is inclined to be weak on the defensive ; he has a thorough knowledge of chess, and has all the openings and replies at his fingers’ ends. He conducts chess classes, and has turned out some excellent specimens of bis abilities as a teacher. Mr Brown (Wellington Working Men's Club Chess Club) is 54 years of age. He learned chess as a boy. but did not play much until he was 23, when he joined the club at Leicester. The next year he was one of eight who playedMr Hankin. and the only one who succeeded in winning a game. During the next 19 years he did not play much, as his business arrange* ments prevented it, in 1880 he joined the Bath Club, of which Hr Thorold was president. ,Mr Brown came to New Zealand in 1882 and settled in Wellington," joining 'the local club.. He -represented the Wellington Club in the Christchurch Congress 1888-89, in which he failed to secure a place; after this he joined the Wellington Working Men’s Club Chefs Club, of which he is still a member. He has represented his new club twice—first in the 1899*91 congress, held in Wellington (when he was again unplaced), and ut the recent Dunedin congress, at which he secured fourth prize. Mr Brown has not much faith in book knowledge, but at the same time he has a good knowledge of the openings in a big match. His nervous disposition often stands in the way, but apart from that he ranks with the best players in the Colony. It it is to be regretted that in the recent Dunedin congress, when he looked almost a certainty for the championship, that his health should have, failed him.

Henry Hookham (Canterbury Chess Club) was born on October 22nd, 1824, at 15 Old Bond street, London, where was then carried on, and bad been carried on for sixty years, the business known as Hookham’a Library. He was educated at a boarding school m a small town called Princes RUborough, in Buckinghamshire. When about 10 years of age ha was taught chess, and defeated his schoolmaster in a gamd at* th 6 agt of 12, After loading school in 1839, he resided almost continuously in London until tha year 1865. From 1840 to 1850 he was a frequent visitor to btarey s Chess Rooms in Bathbone Place, Oxford street, then the favourite resort of those distinguished players of a past generation— Zytogorsky, Jansens, Harrwltz, Boden, ard Barms, with some of whom he oftimes encaged at play, receiving odds. He left England for New Zealand in 1865, and since his arrival in this Colony has resided almost entirely in Canterbury; He won the champion ship of Canterbury as the representative of the Kaiapoi Club, in a match played in Ctnstchurch in 1870 between the representatives of the clubs of Christchurch, Lyttleton, and Kaiapoi. Ho took the first prize (LSO) and championship of the Colony at the first New Zealand Chess Congress held in Christchurch in 1879. This chess congress was the first held in Australasia. He lost the championship at the first annual congress tournament held at Christchurch in 1889 but recovered it at the second annual congress held in Dunedin the following year ; tied in won 8? me JL r ”,. , r Siedeberg for second place at the Wellington Congress of 1690 ; gained second prize in the fifth congress tournament held in Christchurch in 1892 ; competed in the Adelaide Australian Congress of 1887, defeating Mr Goe«ip, and drawing with Messrs Oharlick and Eslmg. but not being a prize-winner. He has been connected with the Canterbury Chess Club (called prior to 1879 the Christchurch Chess Club) for upwards of 20 years, and has been its president since the death of the Hon John lanored. Has been chess editor of the Canterbury Times from 1883 up to the present date. Mr Hookham has a greater knowledge ot the game than any other man in the Colony. He is a model tournament player—he takes full advantage of his time limit, and plays a careful, sound, and, when opportunities offer, a brilliant game. He makes fewer mistakes than moat other players, and when such do occur on his part they are due to physical fatigue. Mr Hookham is exceedingly popular, not only in chess circles, but with all those with whom ho comes in contact. (To be continued.)