Chess Items.

Otago Witness, Issue 2164, 15 August 1895, Page 38

Chess Items.

The Otago Chesa Club held a very enjoyable smoke concert at their rooms on the evening ofc the 7th. ' The chair was occupied by Mr W. Elder, and there was a large attendance. A capital programme of toasts, songs, instrumental solos, recitations, &c. was gone through, and all present spent a very pleasant evening. During the proceediugs the chairman took the opportunity of prestnting Mr G. A. Cleland, Jaat year's president, with a silver-mounted pipe and matchbox on behalf of the members of ihe club. In doing so he stated that at the close of last season gome of the members thought that Mr Cieland should not be allowed to retire from the chair without some small token of the esteem in which he was held, and as a mark of appreciation of the great gervices he had rendered the club generally. When they looked back on the past history of the club they could see how rapid its growth had been, and the membership now stood at 70. Much of the success of the t4ub during latter years was due to Mr Cieland for the time he had devoted on its behalf, and the interest he bad especially taken ia young members who came up there knowing nothing about the game.— (Applause.) In collecting fur the presentation they had limifctd the subscriptions to a shilling per head, and in handing the pipe and the match-box to Mr Cleland, he asked those present to charge their glasses and drink to that gentleman's health. The toast having been honoured, Mr Cleland made a few remarks in reply, expressing his gratification that his efforts for the club had been so much appreciated, and trusting that as it was now on a firm foundation it would have a loDg and prosperous career. Other toasts honoured were —"The Queen," "Chess," "Other Amusements," "The Otogo Cbe?s Club," "The Press," "The Ladies," and "The Visitors." Mr C. Culelough played with skill a pianoforte solo, and Mr Dickinson contributi d an enjoyable cornet solo ; songs were rendered by Messrs Warsaw, De M»U3, Sjkes, Eiwards, Friedlander, Cluland, and Knox ; Mr Kohn played a flute solo and Mr M'Oonald gave a recitation.

The Hastings tournament promises to establish a record in chess affairs. So far as can be judged by the reports to hand it is the mo3t important event that has ever occurred in the history of the game. The results telegraphed cannot be understood, as some of the names mentioned are unknown, and others aye so mixed up and misspelt as to be unrecognisable. There are not two Tcbigorins, but last Saturday's cablegram reports that Tchigorin won of East and another Tchigorin (Netchigorio) of Lasker. East is not known, and may possibly mean Weiss, that being Ihe only monosyllabic name among the names of those announced as likely to take part in the coatefet. The Press Agency would do well to confer with Mr Benbow, of Wellington, as to the names before publishing throughout New Zealand matter which does not convey any reliable or even intelligible information. A match will be played thi3 evening betwesn a team of ten players from Mosgiel and the Taieri and ten members of the Otago Chess Club. Play will begin at 7.30 p.m. and end at 10 p m.

A match of seven games up has recently been finished between Mr Thomas Sexton, of Woodville, and Mr Gottschalk, of Pabiatua. Mr Sexton won 6, his opponent 2, and 2 were drawn.

In the match between Jtangitikei and Woodyille the former won. In the way it was stated in a former issue it might be understood that the latter were the winners. This correction is made at the request of Mr Thomas Sexton, the leader of the Woodville team, who has kindly pointed ©ut the true position of the matter. ill A. E. N. Wallace has been interviewed on behalf of the ArlelaUe Oba^rver. From the result he appears to bear himsalf with commendable meekness in his high office. He seems to have been an infant phenomenon in chess. It is the misfortune of Australia that she has to accept a young Irishman as a champion instead of a son of the soil.