OTAGO CHESS CLUB. Chess Items.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 62

OTAGO CHESS CLUB.

Chess Items.

The following is +he annual report of the Otago Chess dub to be submitted at the twentieth annual meeting to be held on Wednesday, 12th ins*., at 8 p.m. : —We have the honour to sta,te that the- year just ended has been very satisfactory. The fceaso-n was opened in the customary manner, with a match President v. Vice-president, and at. the mid-season a telegTarjhio chess matcli was played with the Oama.ru Chess Club. The number of tournaments which were held during the rear probably constitutes a record foi the club. The following is a list of thfv tournaments played, trgether with the names of the prize■winnersi: — Senior Championship, Mr D. Forsyth ; Junior Championship, M. G. D. Wright ; Handicap tourney (Rev. A. T. Obodowski's prize — a two years' competition), Mr J. H. 5. Hamel; Ladder tourney (Mr C. H. Osmond's prizes), Messrs J. Stone and J. B. Barton, equal. These tournaments have no doubt heTped to materially improve the play of oui members, but your committee, with the object of securing even better results, would etrong-ly recommend that more attention be devoted to the "close game." This opinion is the outaoine of the claes of play adopted in the last New Zealand Oness Congress. If the incoming committee share the opinion herein expressed, *.hey might endeavour to arrange for lecture demonstrating this type of match play. The New Zealand Chess Congress vas held during Christmas week at Oamani. The Otago Club were represented by Messrs D. Forsyth, R. A. Oleland, J. Edwards, and J. H. F. Hamel. The arrarsgements in connection with the tournament reflected the highest credit on the members of the Oamaru Chess Club.

Mr R. A. Cleland gave two lectures on chess dxiring the year, which were of a most enjoyable and instructive character.

During the year the c-ub lost by death a. most esteemed and very old member — Mr W. Evans.

The resignations of Messrs H. J. Cleland and C. H. Osmond were received during the i«rm, so that members will have to be extra diligent dxirhisr the coming year to compensate the club for the loss sustained by the retirement c£ such zealous workers.

In connection with Mr H. J. Clelaud's departure, a most enjoyable sirpke concert was held, and a souvenir was presented to Mr Cleland as a token of the esteem m which he is hold by the members of the club.

Special mention ha 1 ? to be made regarding Mi- C H. Osmond's efforts for improving the cub rooms, as the splendid lighting of the rooms was the outcome o£ a movement most ably initiated by Mr Osmond.

TII3 club's delegates in Wellington (the Hon. 0. Rigg and Mr R. J. Barnes) continue to give every attention to any questions concerning the interest of our club and chess generally; therefore to them we desire to tender our sincere thanks.

The measure of success attained by Mr R. J. Barnes, of Wellington, in securing second and third honourable mention in the Melbourne Leader tourney for the two eccentric problems published at the head of this column to-day may be more accurately gawgeJl' when it is mentioned that ether aspiranti for the chief prize included such renowned composers as Arthur Charliek, of Rose Park, South Australia; Mr 3W. J. Baird. of Brighton, England ; Henry Charliek, Adelaide, South Australia ; J. D. Johnston, Launceston, Tasmania; W. Thomas, Willenabrina, Victoria; W. Siebenhaar, Perth, Wesjfern Australia ; Emile Pradignat, Sanjcu, France;, Dr Eniii Palkoaka, Bohemia, Austria; Wentworlh Bennett. Southsea, England; Rev. Gilbert Dodkis. New Orleans, U.S.A.; A. W. Daniel, South Wales; Arthur T. Nicholls, Norwich, England; Ch. Le Charpentier, Etampes, France; R. E. C. Crusemann, Hamburg, Germany ; Rev. J. Jespersen, Svendberg, Denmark ; F. C. Glanville, Dublin ; H. W. Schmidt, Honolulu, Hawaii ; R. St. G. Burke, Kheri, Outh, India; and Maxmilian Feig 1 ., of Vienna, Austria. The Belfast Newsletter reports that for competitions foi the trophy recently given by Mr Williamson, of New Zealand, the following rules have been adopted: — 1. The winner in any year of the trophy (which is to be known as the Williamson shield) is to be called the chess champion of Belfast. 2. 'J-iie competitions for the trophy are to be annual, and the competitors are to be thiee players selected by each club in Belfast and each club in the suburbs of Belfast. 3. The competitions are to be open, also, on payment of doub'p fees, to permanent lesidents in Belfast who are unconnected with any Belfast or suburban club. 4. The winner is to hold the shield for one year, and to receive a suitable memento, on which, in the event of his winning thf cba.tupioiiship -n a subsequent year, the date of such success is to be engraved. The rules provide also that any player who is second in a championship competition shall receive a, suitable memento. The New South Wales Chess Association has agreed that the next of the telegraphic matches between New South Wales and Victoria shall be contested on Monday, June 5.

Up to the end of the fifth game in the Maishall-Jar.owski match the course cf play had bfen as follows- — Games 1 and 2, wins for Marshall, game 3, win 'for Janowski; gcunc 4. a d> - a\v ; giime 3, win ior Janowski. All of the live games were Queen's Pawn openings

The chief conditions of the Marshall-Janowski match are— (l) Stakes. 500c\>l a-s:de. deposited m the hands of Ihe president of the Cercle Phihdor. (.2) The winner to be the winner of eight -ames — diawa not counting — but with two piovisos (a) that i» the "core should stand at seven all ihe \\-inne~ shall be the winner of ten crnines: 'l->) t!iat if the «core should stand at niio all the natch shall be declared drawn. (3) Tlie time limit to be 30 moves for the first two horns, and 15 moves for each subsequent lioui . (4) The play-days to be thice per \vi_r-k (Tuesday. Thuisday, Saturday), and the ulav-houis 1o l,e Sl.S 1 . por day (1.30 p.m. to 630 w.m.. B 'lo pm. to mirlmght). (5) Unfinished ° Ames lo be played out on the uon-play_ d»j a.