DRAUGHTS ITEMS

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 61

DRAUGHTS ITEMS-

Otago Club. — There was another good attendance at the Otago Club last Saturday evening, the principal attraction being th* Otago championship and handicap tourney. There were several interesting games played, and a number of visitors were present for the sole purpose of looking on. Visitors arc heartily welcome at the club on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, when play will continue.

Draughts World. — The July number of the Draughts World came promptly to hand 1 . It is an interesting number, in which ono cannot find * dull page. The feature of th» games department is the first instalment of the thirteenth Scottish championship games. With thi<* number is issued the index icr the preceding six months. We- noticed recently a Home writer complaining of the price of the British Chess Magazine^-he said it appeared to be published solely for the " well-to-dos." But in the Draughts World we havai a first-class- magazine of between 20 and 30 pages sold at 3d per month. The same publication in America would ba reckoned worth not less than 25 cents (Is Oid). A. Bryson and Co., 94 Trongatei Glasgow. The copyright of the games of the recent English championship tourney has been purchased by Mr Skene, draughts editor of the. Streathun News. The games are to be published in book form, with annotations by Mi F. Teacheleit and Mr J. Yates.

Harry Pillsbary. — With regard to tie statement that the fatal illness of Harry PilLsbury was .brought on by mental strain, Mr W. P. Shipley, president of the Franklin Chess Club, Philadelphia., who was Pillsbury*s intimate friend, haa publicly stated that his paralysis would have happened even if he had never seen a chess or checkerboard. Pillsbury was a great smoker; a^--he did not believe in wasting matches he would light a fresh cigar from the stump of the old one. This enabled him to lose count of how many he smoked, and, a« he used to say, "is most convenient when curiosity has to be satisfied, for I can truthfully say, ' one long cigar.' "

The Time Limit. — A contemporary says: — "If of two opponents over the board on» ca.u do better within five minutes in the way of unravelling a complicated position than the other can do, the quicker muft be held to be the better player. When th« time is not limited the game becomes more a. test of physical endurance than a. ba-ttle of brains. All .hings considered, the five minutes' limit is the best that has yet been tried. A system that allows of the accumulation of time is a mistake. To have to wait half an hour for am opponent's move is a species of cruelty sufficient to put am ordinary player off his game, while from the spectators' point of view it is a weariness of the flesh. The true idea is to adapt oneaelf to the time, and not to adapt the titnc to oneself."