Chess Items.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 40

Chess Items.

The conteit between Messrs Wallace (New South Wales) and Hodgson (Victoria) for the chess championship of Australia has, up to the date of the latest advices to hand, resulted in Mr Wallace scoring the first game, the second being unfinished, but i« favour of Mr Hodgson. We hop->d to be able to publish the score of 'both games in this issue, but have not been able to get the entire score of even the first, but publish it so far as it appears iv the Ust Sydney Mail to hand. The Town and Country Journal, in its issue o£ April 25, contains portraits of the competitors, and gives the following particulars concerning Mr Hodgson :— Mr R. L. Hodgson was born at Ararat, Victoria, in 1859. and learned chess at Beechwortb when 13 years old. The match is being played at the Imperial Arcade Hotel, Sydney, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays froas 7 to 11 p.m. ; Thursdays, 8 to 11 p-m. ; Saturdays, 2to 6 p.m Ths player who wma 7 games to win the match, draw? not to count until 3 games have been drawn " The March number of the British Cueßs Magasmo contains an astici« on the St. Peterabwrfi

tourney, from which it appears that the writer is as much at a loss to find the champion as we are here. The results of the play are dealt with very much on the same lines as Mr Hookham has already dealt with them in the Canterbury Times. The tourney has thrown but little light on the theory Of the openings, except this, that the Queen Pawn opening in various forms— an opening greatly in favour with the risk-nothing class of players— did not prove a success, as the second playerß had the beet of it in 15 games by 7 games to 4, 4 being drawn. The Ruy Lopez was a success for the opening player by 5 to 0 out of 8 games, 3 being drawn. _ The French Defence was not played at all, and is evidently out of favour at present. The Evans's Gambit was tried 4 times, the Defence winning twice, but in one of these the result ought to have been different. The British Chess Magazine says :—": — " JFhe cardinal rules, so hard to keep iv mind during the heat of the battle, have been well emphasised and stamped with the characters of the individuals. Idiosyncracies have been moulded, subdued, and toned down by the necessities of safety and prudence. Rare are the openings iv which the laws of development have not been respected ; attacks have been prematurely but not rashly formed ; the pawn centre has been carefully attended to, open nle6 seized, counter assaultsresorted to under heavy pressure, drawn games kept well in hand, and all the rest of it." The long-talked-of match between Lasker and I SteinfFz has at last been arranged, and is to be played this - month at St. Petersburg. The Hastings Club endeavoured to arrange it, but ! were outbidden" by the Russians. The winner is to get a priz-i of £100 and the loser £50. The • winner is to be entitled to dub himself D. G. Champion of the World. It is satisfactory to learn on apparently geod authority that there was no betting on the St. Petersburg match. "Procwl, 0 procul, este profani.' The Otago Cbees Club held a very enjoyable smoke concert in their rooms on Wednesday evenin?. Mr H. J. Cleland presided, and there wax a full attendance. A capital pn gramme of musical items was prepared for the occasion, and it waa gone through in a manner that loft little to be desired. Songs were contributed by Mess™ De Maps, Fiiedluuder, Knox, Wilson, Ityhen, Jago, Maitland, Colclough, and Edwards. A recitation was given by Mr Helmore and a violin and clarionet duet by • essrs Rrundell and Flint. A list of toasts was i-lso gone ttnough, and each was duly honoured in the orthodox fashion. Dr Stenhouse proposed " Chess," which was responded to by Mr R A Cleland. Mr. O. Balk proposed " < 'ther .Amuaemuntu," and it wai responded to by Messrs M'Dmiald (cricket), Kyie (ryuling), and ■ Johnstone (howling) The Rev Mr Kin;j proposed "The Otago Uhess Club." The other toasts honoured were "The Visitors," " The Pien»," and " Tha Ladies." The proceedings terminated shortly before midrijiht, and the opinion was unanimously expressed that the affair had passed off very satisfactorily.