Chess items.

Otago Witness, Issue 2735, 15 August 1906, Page 61

Chess items.

A chess match between ten of the employees of tha Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Board and ten junior players of the Otago Chess Club is being arranged. "In whist the maxim is : ' When in doubt play trumps,' " remarked Mr R. A. Cleland i» his lecture on chess last Wednesday night; "but in chess the maxim should be: 'When in doubt develop!'" "At an early stage in the game the moves P-Q R 3 or P-K R 3 can only be regarded as wasted moves," said Mr Cleland with quiet emphasis in his lecture last week. Prior to his departure from Naseby to take charge of St. Mary's parish, Mornmgton, th* Rev. Canon A. Neild was the recip.ent of a handsome set of chessmen from the members of the Naseby Chess Club. Mr J. A. Connell, ex-secretary of the New Zealand Chess Association, lately editor of the Marlborough Express, has received an appointment on th* staff of the Gisborne Times. A year or so ago Mr Oonn-ell was "the stormy petrel of New Zealand chess politics," but now tempora mutantur et nos in lllis!

Replying to a congratulatory message froini the Otago Chess Club on his recent elevation to Cabinet rank, the Hon. J. A. Mil.ar, Minister of Labour and Marine, telegraphed: " Many thanks for your kind wire, which I fully appreciate from my old clubmates. Will play the Millar gambit with variations, which, I trust, will prevent anyone ever checkmating." At a meeting of members ot the club it was decided to entertain the new Cabinet Minister at a smoke concert on his return, to Dunedin. The Hon. Mr Millar subsequently, however, intimated that his visit to Dunedin would be of too short duration to permit him to avail himself of th* club's hospitality. Mr John Mason, who has shone conspicuously in several contests for the chess championship of New Zealand, is reported to be studying hard just now for the October examinations. At present he is leading for the debating prize of Victoria University College. Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, the new M.H.K.. for Westland, is also an enthusiastic member of the same debating circle. After the exams. Mr Mason will don his war-paint (the green eye-shade and wavy red hair would gladden the heart of any R«d Indian!) and follow hard on the trail of presumptuous aspirants for New Zealand caess championship honours.