A Chess Ballad.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 70

A Chess Ballad.

The following pretty little chess ballad -was composed by J. M. Finlayson, of the Glasgow Che3s Club, and recited by him, at the East v. "West dinner in Edinburgh: — He was a gallant officer, And she a noble maid, A game at chess, oh! not for gold, It was for love they played. In moving first her hand drew near, The opening quick to seize, He took it "en passant," and she? — • She left it there "en prise." He held her hand as if in pawn, And slipped a ring thereon, He looked as if he'd risk his all To win that ringed pawn. He swore that though he served his king, His queen she'd ever be, And he would be her faithful knight To all eternity. She checked him not, nor interposed, She looked not cross nor bored, She touched the ring and said "J'adoube," He saw that he had scored. The ending of that game of chess Is marvellous to stale ; A bishop from the castle sqnai» Gave both at once a "mate. 1 *

Their life had its perpetual checks, But truo love did not fail; The)' always drew and neither found Their male grow ever "stale." Chess items. Chess players are invited to attend tho lecture on Chess to be given by Mr R. A. Cleland to-night (Wednesday), at 8 o'clock in the Otago Chess Club's rooms.' The competitors in the handicap tourney at the Otago Chess Club have been classified aa follows:— Class I— D. Forsyth, J. H. F. Hamel, J. Edwards, F. W. Clayton, and J. Lang; Class II— A. Meilor, G. D. Wright; Class III— J. Stone, Rev. A. T. Chodowaki, and S. S. Myers; Class IV— G. Rankin, E. H. Osten; Class V— J. C. Ponsonby and A. King; Class VI— J. Hale, J. H. Hunter, and A. H. Crawiord. An enthusiastic meeting of chess players was held recently m South Wellington, as an outcome of which the South Wellington Chess and Draughts Club was foimed. The following office-bearers wore elected: — President, W. H. P. Barber, M.H.R. ; vice-presi-dents, Hon. T. W. Hislop (Mayor of Wellington), J. P. Luke, W. Gill, G. Flux, Dr Chappel, and Revs. Walker and Shirer ; chairman, Mr T. Bland ; hon. secretaiy and treasurer, Mr J. W. F. M*Dougall. The new club will hold its meetings weekly, and from all accounts will make a name for itself ere long in New Zealand chess circles.

At the annual meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Chess Association to be held to-morrow (Thursday) night in Wellington, the business for consideration will ba: — (1) Election of secretary and treasurer; (2) election of president and vice-presidents; (3) receipt and consideration of secretary's report (if any), and of treasurer's annual balance sheet; (4) appointment of auditor; (5) motions of the Canterbury Chess Club; and (6) general.

The motions of the Canterbury Chess Club referred to in the foregoing paragraph are: — (a) That the amendments proposed by tho council in the Rules Revision Committee' 3 draft of the proposed new rules shall, as far as possible, be settled by a conference between the secretary of the Association and the secretary of the Rules Revision Committee; that, failing a conference, they be settled, if possible, by correspondence tetween the same persons ; and that only tliose amendments (if any) which are not so settled shall be submitted to a poll of the clubs; (b) That the secretary be instructed to take a poll of the clubs upon the coiincil's proposed amendments in the Rules Revision Committee's draft within one morth after the ppssing of this resolution; (c) That if the secretary fails to submit the voting papers to all the affiliated clubs within one month after the passing of this resolution, the B,ules Revision Committee be authorised and requested to take tne poll, and to prepare the final draft of the rules for publication in accordance with the voting at such poll; (d) That when a poll of the clubs is taken, the following resolution, passed on May 18, 1903, shall be strictly observed in regard to every amendment proposed by the council — "That .'he Revision Committee, whose draft it is proposed to alter, shall be invited to state its views respecting the council's proposed alterations; and that the views of the committee shall be published and forwarded to the affiliated clubs, so that they may have the same before them when considering the

proposed alterations." ' During his stay in Paris, Mr F. J. Marshall gave an exhibition of simultaneous play. La Strategic describes the exhibition as a very brilliant one. It attracted so large a number of spectators that Mr Marshall had difficulty in making bis ».vay from board to board. His opponents were all strong players; and in some cases several consulted together. The exhibition occupied three hours, and Mr Marshall's score was 16 wins, one draw, and 12 losses. Marshall has challenged Dr Tarrasch to play a match of eight games up for 500dols a-side. Dr Tarrasch is undoubtedly the strongest player in Germany, and one of the great masters of the world. While in Berlin Marshall played 32 games simultaneously against thi strongest members of the Berlin Chess Club, winning 22, losing four, drawing six.