Chess Items

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 38

Chess Items

The New South Wales and Victoria Birthday match turnod out unsatisfactorily in this, that only five of the games were finished. Chess is a delightful andfascin»tingpastime,butafter all, to give up a whple holiday to achieve a half-finished game is but moderately enjoyable. The mother colony has undoubtedly scored a .victory. Messrs Wallace and Prane seem to have played in masterly style. A little unpleasantness arose about a matter against which it is surprising precautions had not been taken. Sqme of the players recorded their moves incorrectly. Some competent persons should always be appointed to check the moves, and see that they are propcrljr recorded before being sent away. To change the position of a piece when once moved is not allowable, but to correct an erroneous record of the moye before it Is sent off should always be permitted. But, once transmitted, the rule that it should stand ought to be absolutely inflexible, if for no other reason than this, that to rectify the error take* up time, delays the player, and is apt to cause irritation to the players concerned, and annoyance to others. It has been tho practice of the Otago Chess Club in all recent matches to have two or more persons appointed to check the record of every move and see that it was correct before handing it to the operator. This has saved time and annoyance, and thus enabled a greater num. ber to finish their games. The result of tho match indicates that in Boomland the depression has extended even to chess. Cannot any arrangement be made to enable the New Zealand players to test their strength against the victors ? Correspondence games are Bomewhat slow, but they are very instructive. Something could surely be arrange^ in that way.

The Otago Oheßß Club Sides Match for the month i 3 making satisfactory progress. The French Defence is the opening pre> scribed.

The oommittee of the Otago Chess Club has decided to start a sealed handicap tournament to proceed simultaneously with a club championship tournament. August next is fixed for the commencement of play, and it will end shortly after the next New Year. This is the first time the olub has tried, the iQftltf taatllwp plan,