DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2410, 10 May 1900, Page 52

DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Town v. Country Match. At a meeting of players, held at Mr Hilliker's, Princes street, Mr D. Trainor m the chair, it was decided that the match take place on the evening of Friday, May 25, to commence at 7.15 p.m., in the Walker street Hall; that all players from the Peninsula and Port Chalmers be included in the country team ; that the entry fee be : Town players 2s, Country players free; that all intending competitors be asked to hand in their 'entries early to some member of the following' committee: Messrs R. Muir (N.-E. Valley),. A. W. Lowe (North Dunedin), F. Butterfield (Woodhaugh), G-. Foreman, J. Leggatt, J. Abernefhy, D. Trainor, 7. Beck, F. Hilliker (central), J. Pimley (South 'Dunedin), F. Langston© (Caversham). Mr D. Murchison has promised to officiate as referee and controller of the match, which in itself augurs well for the success of the gathering. As the practical co-> operation of the countr}' representatives is necessary to make the match a success, we "would ask them to aend along their names early; and where there are clubs, will the secretaries kindly get the names of their representatives as soon as possible, and forward to the central secretary, F. Hilliker, 184 Princes street, Dunedin. There is no doiibl that by including Port Chalmers and Peninsula players against them the town representatives are courting a hard go, if not a beating ; but as they will not give m without a hard struggle, the visitors will need to be on their mettle. •

A Wonderful Performance. — The uninitiated eiLteiing the smoking room of the New Wertley -Liberal Club recently would have concluded that something was wrong somewhere when he saw ranged down the centre of the room two rows of tables, on which were placed eight draughts boards, with the requisite number of pieces. Facing ench board sat a silent emblem of patience, while away in a corner, the upper part swathed in bandages sat what 1 heard described a& "a calculating mifLine." To superintend the show, a genial' indhicual moved to and fro in the aisle formed tetwoen, the two rows of tables. Inquiries brought forth the information that the figure in the corner was the blindfold champion, engaged in playing eight games simultaneously, without sighi of the boards ; while the individual moving to and fro (with the regiiiarity of a x^enduJt:m). wa3 Mr T. Appleyara, the move-calier. An interesting two nours was spent b'yan'appreciative" audience. The champion showed good form, his occasional jokes illustratingliow clearly each game was pictured in his mind's eye: After "the score was read out — 7 wins to Gardiner,' draws I— by ilr W. Stephensoo, the expert repeated from memory the whole of the moves made in a. number of the, games, both forwards and backwards. Taken altogether, it may be safely said that no better blindfold exhibition has been seen in. Leeds since the days of Strickland.— JLeeds .Mercury. H. Pillsbury and His Cigar.— The incessant sjnoking of Harry Pillsbury is freely commented on. During his recent .seance , at the Alleghany County a cigar was his one ••solace. About this, Mr Pillsbury says: — "I can play best when I have a cigar in my movtth ; only a cigar, never anything else. When I play a lot of different games at the same time, 1 must be keyed up to it as it were. I practise what you may call self -hypnotism. It is largely will power. It is just this way : When it becomes my turn i.c make a move at one of the chess beards my mental powers are concentrated very severely on the one move. All the other chess boards, the checkers and the whist are obliterated from my mind. It is as though I had never started playing those games -at fill. I seem to remember nothing of them. I come to a decision, the move is made, and I turn again to the cards in my hand. Quick as lightning the game of chess vanishes from my mind. Now it is nothing but whist to me. I seem never to have had a thought of anything but the game of cards. I play one. Then I move coe of the checkers. These transitions of mind tyke place so quickly that I seem to Le playing chess, checkers, and whist all at once, ar.d to be thinking of all the games at once. But it is as I have explained. The only thing I really need for the ordeal is my cigar." R. Jordan.— Mr R. Jordan, in East Stirlingshire, played 118 games, winning 85, losing 2, the remainder being drawn. These are th© first games the champion has lost in S_co;tlandH. Freedman on Tour.— H. Freedmau, at Dumblane, in two days played 226 games^ winning 218, with 8 draws. He then played 8 simultaneous blindfold games, winning G ai:d drawing 2. An Old-timer.— By the death of J. Saukell, of Bradford, says the Leeds Mercury, another link with the past is broken. Some So to 30 years ago Satikell was in. his prime, and was a freauent visitor at Leeds. Some rare encounters in which he figured came off at th^ New Inn, Veiiane, and the Woodman Inn, in the company of the late F. Allen, J. G-oodall, W. Strickland, and others, long since departed. It was not an unknown occurrence for Saukell to have an " all-night sitting " on these occasions. He died at the age of 74, having, we understand, outlived all his family. His latter years were smoothed considerably by the kind attentions and assistance of the Bradford players. H. Freedman. — The ex-champion of Scotland gave an exhibition of his skill as a blindfold and simultaneous player at Dunblane, before the largest turnout of draughts players ever seen in the district. In two days he played no less than 226 games, winning 218, and drawing the remainder. He afterwards played 8 games blindfolded at the same time, winning 6 and drawing 2 — a very fine performance. It is rumoured that Freedman is arranging another trip to America.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. A. T., Waikiwi. — Thanks for game, etc. ; always welcome.

Shortly after the death by drowning of John Bayley at Wanganui on Tuesday a woman representing herself as his wife called at the shop of Mr A. D. Willis asking for assistance. Mr Willis doubled her story, and communicated with the police. The woman was arrested for drunkenness soon afterwards, when she proved to be an old offender.

Valuable Discovery fob the Jj.Aiß.~lf your hair is turning yrey or white, or falling off, use the " Mexican Hair Rexkweb," for it will positively - restore in every case Grey *cr White Hair to its original colour without leaving the disagreeable smell of most " restorers." It makes the hair charmingly beautiful, as well as promoting the growth of the hair on bald spots where the glands are not decay 3cl. Ask your chemist for '' The Mexican H ins Renewer." Sold by chemists and perfumers everywhere ivt 3s Cd \ er bottle. Wholesale depot, 68 En^nd*-.A»ii,