DRAUGHTS ITEMS

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 62

DRAUGHTS ITEMS

Otago Club. — Last Saturday evening arrangements were made for holding a series of evenings specially designed for learners and students. We are pleased to announce a considerable accession to the numerical strength of the club, during the past four or five weeks, two mew members being received on Saturday evening ; and this led to a. consideration of the requirements of the club and players outside of it. Next Friday evening, 25th inst., Mr Lucas will meet all-comers in simultaneous, play, with a special view to study. Mr Lucas's skill is too well known to need comment; and he will give those who attend the best he possesses, the study being, "How to open your game." This should not be missed by anyone who wants to increase his knowledge. On the following Friday, September 1, Mr Boreham takes control, and will give his> attention to "How to play an ending." Mr Boreham is acknowledged to be one of the most proficient end-game experts in New Zealsuid, or ind&ad, in Australasia, and he is particularly well-qualified to make the study interesting and instructive. On Friday, September 8, Mr F. Langston takes a hand, and will reveal the wonders of the game in "traps" and "strokes," old and new. Other things will be announced later, in the way of matches on a special opening, etc. We cannot emphasise too strongly th& value of these first three evenings, and hope many players will take advantage of this great opportunity. Attendance is not to be confined to club members — everyone and anyone will bo mad© welcome. The clubroom is on the first floor of old Poiice Court Buildings, opposite M'Farlane's grocery, Maclaggan street. Club meets Friday and Saturday.

Hutton and Carswell. — The romantic element was not altogether absent from the Dunedin v. Mosgiel match last Thvirsday, a report of which appears above. At one board sat Messrs James Hutton (Dunedin) and Wm. Carswell (Mossrielk their nday resulting in favour

of Hutton, who -scored the only game played These two players were schoolboys together, and have had their joint share in all tho pranks and adventures of full-blooded boyhood "midst Scotland's heathered hills." As their meeting recalled again those golden hours, their thoughts and feelings might have been aptly epitomised in the words of the grand old song: "When we were boys,- merry, merry boys, We roamed the hills of heather ; It only seems but yesterday • When we were boys together." Fifteen years had elapsed since Messrs Hutton and Carswell met in opposition across the board and on that occasion honours were with Carswell, so it was fitting that on Thursday last JAutton's win enabled them to shake hands, on equal terms. „ Solutions to Problems.— ln the "make-up of this column the solutions to problems are frequently crushed out, and now ,hey are considerably behind. NexL week, however, we hope to make up arrears.