CHESS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 52

CHESS ITEMS.

The cable match between England and America for the Newnes trophy is not the only telegraphic contest that has been arranged with our Yankee cousins, for the universities at Home will soon play by wire the universities of the States for Professor Rice's trophy.

An important coalition of county chess associations, comprising Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumberland, Cheshire, and other counties, has been recently formed, entitled the Northern Chess Union. Early next year a tourney will be held to decide the championship of these northern counties. Piizes will be given for county matches over the board and by correspondence, and the go-ahead northerners invite all other existing county associations to co-operate with them in their efforts to establish a National Union of Chess Players. At the annual meeting of the Gloucestershire Chess Association, held on Monday last, it was repoited that Sir George Newnes had kindly consented to become president of the association. Sir George is one of the most liberal patrons of English chess, and Mr E. G. Clarke is to be congratulated for securing the cooperation of such a strong supporter. Players who remember the late W. H. K. Pollock will be pleased to hear that " Pollock Memories " is now in the binder's hands. The delay in its publication is entirely owing to the dilatoriness of subscribers in sending in their promised subscriptions. A few months ago the Marquis of Bourbon received as a wedding present the most artistic chess board that was ever produced. Every second square was a beautifully finished oil painting-^every picture a different subject./ It was one of the most valuable of the presents, for it cost no less than 250gs. A month ago we pointed out that all chess players might learn something from the great game that is waging in South Africa with " living pieces." One of the London dailies has popularised our idea during the .past week in the following suggestive- terms: "Owing to" the want of information' about the state of affairs in Natal, we in this country are much in the position of lookers-on who are endeavouring to forecast the result of a complicated game of chess from an inspection of the chess board which the players have temporarily quitted. Sir George White at Lady-smith, General Hildyard at Estcourt, and General Barton at Mooi River are for the moment ' in check,' and Sir F. Clery has not yet been able to advance in force from Durban, owing probably to the want of transport. If we suppose 20 such lookers-on to approach the imaginary chessboard, it is not too much to assume there will be 20 forecasts of the result of the game. But there is one point in common between all their conclusions — they are, one and all, hypothetical. From hypothetical premises wecsn only draw a hypothetical conclusion." — Bristol j Times and Mirror. I

The B. C. M. for December gives a continuation of the sketch of chess history before the second Revolution. It is curious to note how clo=ely the che&s fiend of the present day resembles his predecessors. " There is nothing new under the sun." not even blin df old ~ chess. Muhammid Razi, who died about a.d. 922, is reported to have said, speaking of chess: — " Many a one has experienced a relief from sorrow and affliction in consequence of this magic recreation," and tho author of a Persian Chess Book, a copy of which is in the library of the Royal Asiatic Society, says: "I have passed my life since the age of 15 years among all the masters of chess living in my time, and since that period till now, when I have arrived at middle age, I have travelled through Irak-Arab and Irak-Ajam and other regions, and I have there mot with many a master in this art, and I have played with all of them, and through the favour of Him who is adorable and Most High I have come off victorious. Likewise, in playing without seeing the board, I have overcome most of my opponents, nor had they the power to cope with me. I, the humble sinner now addressing you, have frequently played with one opponent over the board, and at the same time I hay,e carried on four different games with as many adversaries without seeing the board, while I conversed freely with my friends all along, and through the divine favour I conquered them all." The date of the work is uncertain. In another Persian manuscript in th,- British Museum, the writer says: "In India they test a person's fitness for the duties of Wasir, or Minister, by making two people play chess in his presence. If he looks on and speaks not a word, they put confidence in him ; but if he indulges in remarks on the moves, and gives advice to the players, he is considered to be deficient in discretion and unfit for the office." In a note the writer in the B. C. M. says : "In the history of the Goths, Swedes, and Vandals," by Olaus Magnus, we raad that it was a custom among tho rao4 illustrious Goths and Swedes, when they would honestly marry their daughters, that in oider to prove the disposition of tho suitors that came to them, and to know their passions especially, they used to play with such suitors at chess and tables. For at these games their anger, peevishness, covetcousness, dulness, idleness, and other mad pranks, passions, and motions of their minds and the forces of their fortunes are used to bo seen: as whether they would be rudely disposed, that he would indiscreetly rejoice aad suddenly triumph when he wifts, pr. yxbAtiHy ,^gn U ft i§ wro^ged^

can patiently endure it, and wisely put it off." We recommend this to the earnest consideration of the Wai Office officials when considering the question of the appointment of officers to responsible commands. Does General Buller play chess? If he does not, he s'hotild give place to someone who can and does. La Strategic says that, according to Herr J. Merger s Annual, chess is more generally known and practised in Great Britain than anywhere else. England has two special chess journals, 130 chess columns, 41 chess associations, and 735 clubs. The United States of America comes next, with one journal, 58 columns, 18 associations, and 19 clubs. Germany comes next, following closely; then come Austria, Russia, Italy, and lastly France, which occupies eighth rank with one journal, 10 chess columns, and 19 clubs. As compared with ISTew Zealand, relatively, France is not in it.

A Work of Art.— Perhaps the most artistic chess board ever produced, says a writer in the Pictorial Magazine," was that designed and executed by Professor Van Hier, of the School of Art, 9 flew Bond street. If formed a unique wedding present for the Marquis of Bourbon who was married on May 21, 'this year. Every second square is a beautifully finished oil painting, every picture a different subject, and the exquisitely fine work of the professor is much in evidence. The size of the board is 39in square. The detail work on the original is exceedingly beautiful, and involved a period of three months in execution. It was one of tho most valuable of the Marquis's wedding presents, costing no less a figure than 250gs.— Ibid. The Kohsch Tournament. — The late Baron Kolisch bequeathed, in 1889, to the Vienna Chess Club a sum of money to be invested, and the proceeds to be devoted to periodical Aus-tria-Hungarian tournaments. The first of these tournaments is being ananged by the Vienna Chess Club under the above title, and began on December 17. There are a number of strong players in Vienna and Prague, and if Maroczy and Charousek, of Budapest, take part also, the tournament should be of unusual interest. The piizes are:— First lOOOfrs second 750frs, third GOOfrs, fourth SOOfrs, fifth 400frs, sixth 300frs, seventh 200frs, eighth 150frs, ninth lOOfrs, tenth 50frs. The tournament is limited to 16 players. — The Field.