CHESS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9625, 3 April 1917, Page 7

CHESS

THE NGAIO CLUB. The fourth annual meeting of tt# Npaio Club washV-ul op. Hie 19th ultimo, Mr A. B. Topp, (president) occupying the chair. The report presented by tho hen. secretary (Mr A. S. Green) save an interesting review cf tho past year's operations. The annual handicap tourney was slubb’oilily e’-iitestcd. "the'choris of the handicapper, Mr Banks, to bring about a close finish being marked bysuccess. Mr A. B. Topp won tho first prize (Sutherland Trophy), Mr, Lindsay tho second, and Mr Banks tho third. The brilliancy prize- 'was''awarded to Mr Tucker.-‘ Two- prizes" were "allotted to the second diviswu, Mr Banka taking the first, and Mr Brown the socOUtl. Two. mutches were pljtfs4 n;Uh. rho Wellington South Club, the latlOv .winning both.""Tito games were played by correspondence with tho Whancaroi Blub, botn ending in a draw. Several ladder matches were fought out, a gratifying feature beifig The rabid’ 'progress made by some of the'junior menv bers, which was responsible lor some interesting, if unexpected; changes in tho club’s ladder. Itelereuco is made to tho possibility of losing more members owing to tho war, and tho need for enrolling now members is There is also a plea, by no means original, for better attendances at the" clubroom on playing nights, and also for the introduction of a time-limit that will ensure a" speedingup of the play in tourneys and ladder matches. ... " ".. The balance-sheet shows the, club, to be in a good financial position, viz., cash in hand £2 J>sV liabilities nil, assets, Afl 10s. The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted,' th<Y'president "congratulating the younge-r members on their rapid plogrtSS- ’Tho Election' of officers resulted''a’s‘ 'followsPatrons/ H. A. Wright, M.P., Lieutcnant-CtoloheV J. J Eison, C.H.Q.v and Messrs Sutherland, Nicol, and Crump (Mayor of- Onslow): president, A. B. Topp; .-vice-presi-dent, E. Hicks/senr.; bon. secretary. A. S. Green; hon. treasurer, E. Hicks, iutir. ; match . committee, Messrs*.-Topp, Tucker, and Lindsay. , .Mr.Brmco replaces Mr Banks on the executive. An attracti.ro programme is being drawn up for the ensuing season.

WELLINGTON SOUTH CLUB,

The tournamfipt decide,, J,lie Wellington Sontii Club’s ; championship for 1917 is 1 ' how ’ "in' full swing. The eight strongest : available members are taking part. As a result of the first month s ploy Messrs Wei ton and Harper are unbeaten, and Messrs G. P. Anderson and lurches (tho present champion) have r each lost one game. The- Wellon. v. Harper game stands adjourned at a very interesting stage.-, A close finish ,to this con teat seems assured,.., . •» . THE -MASTERTON 'CLUB/ 1 v The Master:ton flub ioqentjtr. Held » vbrv successful annual meeting m the local Y.M.C.A; rooms, there being a good altendanco. ■ ■ The P rcsl " cent Mr F. P.* Welch, -presented. a, report’ covering,,, the,,4ub 0, operations m the past year, ami made ieehiig, refer, ence to the recent death mf Mr A. T. Pell, president of the N.Z. Chess Association. Ho -paid an'.eloquent tribute to the invaluuhio- services rendered by the late Mr Fell to the cause of h>ew Zealand, chess Muring the eight years that he was the. association s hon. secretary and trgasprer. ,For the ensuing year J Mr J. A. Connell was elected president. and Mr A. Ji. Clemas hon. secrotarv. A strong committee "as set up to carry out the programme °[, the coming season, which will, it is hoped, include with Wellington clubs. Mr Walter Connell, the winner of tho Dagg Shield, has removed # to Wellington to take iip'h position in the 1 üblio Trust Office,' end "th'e trhwliy was therefore haiflWtJ-tb 'WCoMtcMli senr., who was congratulated on '' his - -,'son a achievement, r- Appreciative , .reference was made to thc-good-fwork done ,-by Mr G. A. Jones as-hon.- secretary, and- a vote of thanks wus also accorded to the Messrs Kummor for .providingcars tor tho two matches , ofc&lhst 1 cathdrston Camp, in whiehrilonoute"arb" easy,’each side having- scored-*a WlhV” After- Hho president had- declared' Hi e-season" open several interesting • games were contest, cd, an enjoyable evening ending with a supper. , , • - • . •

GENERAL NOTES. ", Mr John Mason, Now' champion, who left ’ with T2tli Reinforcemeats, is still doing ambulance work, in iprypt While stationed nt Moat car he won the first prize in a tourney promoted by the Y.M.C.A. authorities. There were 'sixteen competitors, Mr Mason bein{? the only New- Zealander taking -part. Ills, brother, 1 Blake- Mason (who was runner-up for -the New Zealand, cttotti* pionship at the Oam aru Congress twelve years ago), received some shrapnel wounds during the lighting at.Elens in September last. He was ttui..in .JiOhpital in England at...the chd. oLJanuary. As a result of,his. injury,,,M„hais a drop foot, and his right jls partly paralysed from the effects of the concussion. ~ , The Rev. B. Q. Eox, who has taken part in three "New Zealand’Congresses, states that his -health- -has ---iUrpToved since be look spiritual charge at -the Chathams a year • ago, notwithstanding that his duties have .cii'toildd-LfsOO'miles of travel in that time. He reports' having met ten chess players on ■ -the is. land. The foremost of them, Mr Guest, who was a member of the Wellington Club ten years ago, will shortly be going into camp at Trentham. >• - . The Rev. C.D. Eos returned to .' hi* missionary labour?,. in, the S.ol,omf>nlslands at the conclusion of ,the .holiday that enabled 'him,'to take part in the last New' Zealand 'championship congress, on which Octhslon "h 6 was a prominent prize-winner,'and was the-, only competitor to score a game from _the redoubtable Mr R. \J. Barnes. The Rev. Mr Eox, who has latterly been busy assisting with translations into Wane and Bauro, was very ill with dysentery in December last; At latest advices he was making good recovery, thoUglr'htill somewhat weak. ■ i'.h»v.<w The Auckland Club is holding-.-a-very successful Red QcpfS tour,There are 34 entries, and as play is at the very rapid rate of 40 moves “per hour the "skittlers” are more likely to feel at home 'than those whose play is as a rule painfully slow. - A South African writer"likens the German peacc t ol!cr to 4 that Of-a chess player, who, recognising that- he cannot win, suggests, ,a. drawv.hopijig that his opponent will not see the winning line of play.