DRAUGHTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12622, 6 December 1926, Page 4

DRAUGHTS

CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW ZEALAND CONDITIONS OF TOURNEY. Preparations for the New Zealand draughts championship tourney that is to open in thi3 city on April 15th next were advanced a further stage on Saturday evening when a meeting of those interested in the game of draughts was held in the rooms of the Wellington Working Men’s Club and Literary Institute. Mr T. Costello, chairman of the local executive,, presided over a large gathering, which included Mr A. E. Ballard, the club’s president.

The acting hon. secretary (Mr F. K. Kelling) read letters from various centres, wnich indicated that a useful and very welcome measure of assistlikely to be forthcoming in aid of New Zealand’s 1927 championship tourney. The receipt of a valued donation from Mr H. Tredegar, who was formerly chairman of the club’s chess and draughts section, was acknowledged with thanks. ft was decided to ask collectors to return their subscription lists by March 15th next, and to bold the next meeting on January 29th. J

A letter was read from Mr J. Bruce, ot New Plymouth, with reference to the Wellington executive’s decision that the cliam[rionship contest lie. an all-round tourney, oaoh entrant playing two games with every other competitor. Mr Bruce urged that each player should meet every other competitor once if the number of competitors should Ire too large to allow of each pair playing two games. In tho ensuing discussion it was pointed out that tho entries might he too numerous to allow of oven one game being played by each entrant against every other competitor, as desired by Mr Bruce. It was finally decided that an all-round tourney bo held if the entries number 20 or loss. If the entries exceed 20 tho tourney is to be oither a one-round contest or a knockout event, according to the decision of a majority of the comi>ctitors. It was felt that one groat difficulty is tho inability of competitors to get as much leave of absence as in former years. Mr A. E. Ballard (president) made some useful suggestions for the consideration of the next meeting. Ho folt confident that his club would assist as whole-heartedly as it has done on former occasions, and that the 1927 championship contest would ho even more successful than that of 1921, the last allotted to Wellington. (Applause.)