Chess items.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 58

Chess items.

At the Otago Chess Club to-night (Wednesday) a match vwll be played between six members of the Bottmg family and six junior club pl&yers. The club team comprises the Eev. A. T. Chodo»vski (captain), Messrs J. Stone, G. D. Wright, A. R. Barclay, J. C. Ponsonby, and W. Mills. Play commences at 7.30 p.m., and anyone desirous of seeing the contest is cordially invited to attend.

Despite the ieioeateci allegation that chess is essentially a winter pastime, tho rooms of the Otago CtieSß Club gcneialiy contain half-a-ticzen players of a.n evening. Dropping in casually on a recent wet night, we foundi the Rev. A. T. Chodowski fighting a battle with Mr C. H. Hough ton, while at another table Mr J. Honjjhton was jneasmmg his strength with Mr G D. Wright. Mr W. Mills also faced an opponent, and other players came in later on.

The cliess room in the Dunedin Athenreurn and Mechanics' Institute is also largely frequented by entlmsiastic devotees of the game, it is unders.ood that the comnAttec of the institution propose to allow all and sundry to have the use of the loom for playing chess in, so that the double object may be attained of popularising the game ard attracting subscubers to the institute.

An esteemed! correspondent, writing from Wellington under date 27th ult., says: — ''Youhardlv do the Wellington Chess Club justice in one small and unimportant respect — i.e., if your

' Chess Congress Chips ' are to be taken ultraserjously. The tables of the Wellington Chess CLub are anything but deserted since the close of the congress. For instance, on Tuesday, 12th mst., I had to play off a. triple tie, and again on Ttiesday, 19th, and or. Tuesday, 26th lyesterday), I diopped in to attend a short meeting, and on each of these three Tuesdays the attendance book showed an attendlance of between 16 and 20 (there ore always one or two who omit to sign the book), so I feel sure a very active season lies ahead of us, especially as we are this year to have a match Wellington v. Auckland — an item that did not eventuate last yuar as the Auckland Chess Club was busy shifting to new quarters." The world's champ:oii (Dr Lasker) gave a record! exhibition of simultaneous play at Hereford leoently. His score was 3S wins and two draws. A remarkable peifoimance, not to lose a solitary game! In an mteiview with Dr Lasker, published in the Hereford Times, he said that the championship match would take place next year. "But," he added, "we cannot meet before September or October, as Dr Tarrasch, on account of his medical practice, will not until then be able to spare the time. It is customnry for leading chess associations to make application for a. portion of the match to be played under their auspices. 'lheiefore we may meet in England, America, Russia, Austria, or Germany." A3 to how the match hfl been brought abotut, Dr Laskex said: '"As cL, iuu;on I accept all challenges in which the cha.lenger submits to my published conditions. Dr Tarrasch forwardedl a challenge to me, and I met him at Nuremberg and arranged the teams which he subsequently published. It hf.s given me particular pleasure to accept this challenge, as I anticipate a veiy interesting match. It will necessitate a great sacrifice on Dr Tanasch'9 pa.it, and it speaks well for his energy to have issued this challenge. He will have to set his practice aside during a period of fiom three to six months. The winner of the fhst eight games, exclusive of ciiawa, will nold the championship." At the forthcoming Ilont3 Carlo Tourney, next Febiuary, Professor Rice gives another .£IOO in prizes to popularise hia Rice Gambit. What a, pity the generosity of the professor is not applied for the benefit of the cliess world at large. If the money were given to thrash out a. playable opening, instead of an obsolete impossible variation, it might do some good. Amidst the two or three recreations indlulged in by the depaited philosopher, Mr Herbert Spencer, chess, occupied a foremo&t place, according to some of the obituary notices. The Rev. J. Jespeisen, of Svenborg, the famous Danish composei, h?3 recently received his sixtieth problem tourney prize. His total outpvit of problems up to date amounts tc over 2000.