Chess Items,

Otago Witness, Issue 2141, 7 March 1895, Page 38

Chess Items,

I Chess players will lea-n with deep regret of the decpase of Mr W. T. Grinstei, for many ye:iM a member of the DimeJin, the OUgo, and the Canterbury Chess Ululh, who died at Lauuce&t'jU on the 15th ult., in his 01th year. Tin; finil kcores of plaiers in the Olago Chess Club Healed Handicap Tourney f>rc as utivlrr, the players being ttiken in tbo onlor of award :—: —

The prizes were presented to the winners ou Hie evening of tbe 2nd insfc. by Mr R. A. Clelaud. The fir.it prize was the divshing ewe, referred to in last vi&'k'o issue, presented by Mr Browu, of the iirru of Broun, Fwiug, and Co., of Dunedin. The Eecond prize was a handsome full-size chess board of local manufacture, lrve'ca'ed by Mr Wed'lcrppoon, a mvmber of the club. The calculations of tliu hainlicapijor having bec'ii a good daiil up3et by the f.-viliire of sume of tho players to complete their scores, has lid to many gnues being fccored by default. It is, however, generally c-needed that the winner of thefiist pnzi has fairly earned it by goo J steady play. Referring to the ob3&rvations which appeared in the Wituess about Dr Hatherly aud Mr Pearce I'etiritig from the late congress before completing their complement of gamta, the "A 1" says:—" ulr Pearce ami Dr Hiitherly were both willing and anxious to play all their games, and could easily have done so but for the unwillingness of some of the competi'ois to risk playing two game} a day. They stayed several days longer than was cunvunieut to either of them, and as both are rapid players they were generally idle during &ix out of the nine and a-half hours set aside for playing each game. Mr Mackay, Mr Banie3, aud Mr Gilford made no difficulty about vlayiug two games a day when they were able. If there had been any difficulty as regards time, there would have been no f.-xcuse from Messrs Pearce and Hatherly, but there was a superabundance of time. The fault was, therefore, not tlittirs, but should rather be laid to the charge of those who prefeired to scoi-tf a sife win by default to running a small risk in order to oblige two pUyer.s, both of whom stayed several days longer than they originally anticipated at great personal inconvenience."

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