CHESS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 67

CHESS ITEMS.

Liverpool Weekly Couriei says: — "Talking of cinematograph film? reminds us that a firm of photographers attempted to take cinematograph photos of -the Laeker-Tarrasch match. The firm were made bankrupt, having wasted 700 miies of valuable films before a, move was made!" The long-drawn-out match between F J. Marshall, the American master, aad Jose K. Ca.pablanca, the youthful Cuban champion, ha.s come- to an end. The twentieth gam© was the final game, and the score sheet then showed that Capablanca had won 7 games, • Marshall one, and 12 were drawn. The hope and pride of Cuba, proceeds to England next January for an eight weeks tour. Afterwards young Capablanca is to be a competitor in an international tournament at Hamburg One would hardly -think (says the Yorkshire Weekly Post) that politics could get mixed up in chess, but in a recent letter written during his tour of the Baltic provinces, Dr Leaker, chess champion' of the world, observes:— "l am now in th- Baltic provinces. A peculiar race lives here, made np of four nations— the Esths, the Letts, the Germans, and the Russians. They are in a, sharp struggle for the possession of the Ja.nd, now in the hands of the German noblemen, and, therefore, they do not socially mix. The schism also goes through Baltic chess. At Reval. for instance, there ia a German chess club, a Russian one, and a Lett chess circle. My simultaneous seance at Reval was visited by members of the three rival societies, and may have brought about a better understanding among them than hitherto existed, a thing to be desired, baoause chess derives no profit from th«se national quarrels." Every now and then (says the Sydney I Morning Herald) - the question crops up of I holding a chess congress in Sydney. About j 17 years ago efforts were made here to collect sufficient money for prizes and extiense?. Unfortunately an exhibition of ohess with living pieces-, which was intended to raisa money, resulted in losing wh«t had been collected. The project was abandoned. From the wreck £4 edd was saved. This sum was placed in the Savings Bank, and the principal and interest now amount to about £13. Tho trustees of this money — Messrs Paige, and Crane— would hand it over to the N.S.W. Chess Association if that body seriously started collecting for a. congress. About £20} would be required, as the prizes would probably, be JBGO.. £40, £25, £10, and" £5, and tho espens*s would run into £50 or £60. Thefi?ures quoted are about the same as those of tbe Melbourne Congress. With so many clubs and players in New South Wales there should b» no difficulty in raising the sum. required. Three- cherss congresses have been held in Australia. The first was at Adelaid-e in 1887. the second was at Melbourne in 1888, and the third at Warrnambool three or • four years later. About two years ago the New Zealand, players had a moat successful oven tournament at Christchnrch. It is therefore up to Sydney, the champion chess city of Australasia, to make a move in this important matter.