CHESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2989, 28 June 1911, Page 69

CHESS.

CONDUCTKD BT F. J. MOUAT. Tbs Otago Chess Club meets for play at the rooms, Liverpool street, Dutnedin, every Monday, Wednesday,' and Saturday evening at 8 o'clock. Visiting chess players are cordially invited to the club on these evenings. PROBLEM 3714By W. Geary, London. (From Falkirk Herald.) Black C pieces.

White 6 pieces. 6bK; IQ6; 3k4; P 3rK2; 3plPlB; 1B6; 7b; 8. White mate® in two moves.

PROBLEM 3715 By L. Vetesnik. (From Bolton Football Field.) Black 8 pieces.

White 10 pieces. 2KIQ2b; Ip3p2; IP6; 3k83; P2KIRIP]; lp6; bIP2P2; 4ktkt2 White to piay and mate in three moves. SOLUTIONS TO PHOhLKMS Problem 3712. Key move: B-B 4. - . Problem 3713. Key move: Kt-Kt 4.

GAM i:s. The Rev. C. E.. Fox, of Norfolk Island (White), won the brilliancy prize at the annual tournament for the chess championship of New Zealand by defeating Edwin Hicks, of Wellington (Black), in the subjoined game, the score and notes of which are token from the “ Book of the 23rd Congress,” just issued by the New Zealand Chess Association:

(a) This mobilisation is inferior, being at best but lost time. The Digest’s 910 examples of the Queen’s Gambit Declined furnish but seven samples of it. (b) Unnecessary; the better reply, as played, e.g., by Pillsbury, is Kt-B 3. threatening Q-R 4 and Kt-K 5. Black’s B. must then either take the Kt, and thereby strengthen White’s centre, or retire with loss of a move.

(c) He now gives his opponent the advantage of two B's as against B and Kt. (d) And now he kindly provides him with a tangible point of attack. (e) This noble knight, having shown' off his paces in a feeble way, now retires proudly, like little Jack Horner, to an undignified and lasting obscurity. (f) Black's -scheme- of mobilisation is now a model of error, while White's, though, decidedly imperfect, is greatly su]>eiior. (g) An inspiration! By this timely sacri-

fico he opens up a linie of operations aga.in.3t the objective plane, Baud girds himself to smite Amalek. (h) If 20 K x P, then 21 P-B 5, to be followed as opportunity offers by P-K 4, opening the Q B diagonal for the B. The piece can always be recovered by Q-Kt 2 ch. (i) Rightly withholding his hand from the. slaying of Jack Horner, for in no wise shall this slaying ©scape him. So he strengthens his attack meanwhile. (j) The church militant indeed! (k) " Marching 'a© to war." (l) The church triumphant! (m) A -gigantic oversight; or possibly a genorous "endeavour to save further trouble, and an artistic method of effecting the inevitable surrender. " Fling open wide the golden gates, And let the victors in!"

LASBEK ON CAPABL*KCA.

Dr Emanuel Lasher, chess champion of tine world, records in the Evening Pest his impressions of Jose R. Capablanca, the young Cuban master, with whom, sooner or lacer, he is likely to contest the world 3 championship: — _ " This is a great moment in his life, xiis name lias become known everywhere. His fame as a chess master is -firmly established. The Berliner Tageblatt published his biographv, the Lokal Anzeiger his picture; countless newspapers, chess, columns, and chess perkdicals will speak of liim—the man and the master. And he is 23 yeais of age Happy Capablanca! • . " His style of play has pleased. It is sound and full of ideas. It has a dash of originality. No doubt that the chess world would not like to miss him, now that it has got to know him. In the beginning of his career, eight years ago, there were those, w o were fearful of his becoming what lie is. They waited him to have a, profession and to be a chess master toside* Happily, nature was stronger than their influence. The world would have gained little ' had be become an engineer ; the chess world 1 would certainly have been poorer thereby "

DKAIII <>F TiiK " V'/Sl* K KIN ."

A brief sketch cf the career of Sam Loyd,. the "Puzzle King" and well-known chess problem composer, whose death was announced by cablegram .a few weeks back, ia given in the Norwich Mercury, in these words: x on Mr Sam Loyd was born on January do, 1841, in Philadelphia; one of his ancestors was a Governor of Pennsylvania At the age of six he was proficient in chess, and when onlv 10 years old' was making chess problems.' So prolific was Ins work that even in the seventies the chess press—being unawwe of his real age—was constantly ieferrin"- to him as a veteran. In 1881 Mr Loyd "issued a collection of 530 of his own problems at Elizabeth. N.J. (the book is dated 1878). Other writers, especially Mr Alain C. White, have dona him much honour In 1903 Max Weiss published a collection of-120 of Loyd's problems at Berlin. A more noteworthy collection is, however, that by Professor Fiske, who published 103 of Loyd's in a book bearing the ■ Strang© title " Shakdsemi og Tafi'ook." This is Icelandic, and the introduction is also m that language. This book was issued in 1901. The English title wou'd be " Loydiana. Mr A. C. White, in his " Memories," remarked *' The problem world clamours foar >a full and- definite collection of Loyd's 1000 problems, to form a monument of what its art is capable of when entrusted to the mastor's hand" It is now to be hoped that. this desire will be realised. To the world at large Mr Loyd was host known as a puzzle-man. Before he was 20 he had worked out a number of puzzles, which have been largely used by Barnurn and others for advertising purposes, and brought him a fortune. One of the first was the " Fifteen Puzzle." Later on camo " Pigs in Clover," the " Disappearing Chinaman," ■and the " Donkey Puzzle." The last-named wa.s the most profitable, for the stupendous number of 1000 million copies a>re said to have born sold. Mr Loyd leaven a widow, one eon, and two daughters. The Morning Po3t aptly describes the characteristics of a Loyd problem thus: —"He was the great exponent 4 the thematic form of composition, his aim generally being to develop some fresh and striking idea; hence freshness a.nd point were" the characteristic •'•arks of his work. Thio {esthetic considerations which appeal so strongly to modern did not greatly influence Sam Loyd, who- cared less for beauty and purity than for piquanev, originality, and difficulty. He stood a'onft in his particular line, for though he had) many imitators, no one else has been able to make, the chess problem quite so witty. In his hands it was distinctly tinged ! ..v American humour, and for this reason his work will never grow old-fashioned." "• PR! SHNTATION T- MR J. «FKL«P. Prior to his departure for Nelson, Mr John Dxvnlop, senior chamoior of the Otago Chess Club, was " fare walled " by members cf the club on the night of Wednesday, the 21st i.ns'L, and presented with a serviceable' dressing case. Mt F. J. Mouat, president of the club, in handing Mr Dunlop the members' valedictory gift, expressed regret at the impending. loss of oine of their ablest players in the person of the senior champion. Mr Dunlop, siinoo joining the club some three years ago, had by hard study and concentrated attention to the game won his way to the front rank of the chess players of the Dominion. At the some time Mr Dunlop had boon careful not to let his devotion to their favourite pastime in any wav interfere with his profession a® a dentist. . Ho (Mr Mouat) thought that with two capable exponents of chess in Messrs Doddis and Dunlop in their midst, the good people of Nelson would be stimulated to a greater interest in the game. He hoped that Mr Dunlop would compete again in the annual tournament for the New Zealand championship, which would probably be held at Napier next Christmas. A*, the last tournament, held at Timaru, Mir Dunlop bad gained fourth place, and there was no reason why the departing member, now that he had had experience of the mental strain volved in. a first-grade contest, should not; by careful play become champion of New Zealand. The Ven. Archdeacon Gould, Mr S. S. Myers, Mr T. J. Rossbotba-m, and Mr H. Armstrong also expressed their regret at Mr Dunlop's departure, and wished him every success in the practice of his profession as a dentist a.t Nelson. Mr Dunlop, in reply, eaid he was sorry indeed to leave Dunedin, and particularly regretful at severing his connection with the Otago Chess Club. His experience at the Timaru tournamenit had been most pleasant. A more sociable gathering of players than those whom it was his good fortune to meet there could hardly - he found. Although he was leaving Dunedin., he would be glad to play a match by correspondence with any two of the members. Be thought it- likely that- he would make another

attempt to win the New Zealand championship, but that, of course, wou!d depend upon' business considleiratioins. He thanked members very hearftily for th© handsome gift they had bostowcd upon him, and said he would value it highly as a souvenir of the many pleasant hours he had spent in the Otago Chess Club.—(Applause.)

CIIKSS ITEMS

Mr A. Fnaer has been appointed secretary to the Otago Chess Club in place of Mr J. Dunlop (resigned).

White. Black. White. Black. 1 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 1C P KKt 4 Px BP 2 PQB4 P-K 3 17 B x P P-QKt 4 3 Kt-QP. 3 B-Kt 5- a 18 P x P-G Px B 4 B Q B H x Kt. c 19 P-B fi Q-B 2 5 B x B Kl-K 2 20 P x P KR Q 1-H « P-K 3 0-0 21 QR-Kt l-i U-Q 0 7 Kt-KB 3 Kt-QB 3 £2 PxKt(Q;ch KxQ 8 P-Q 3 Kt-Kt 3 d 23 B-K 1 Q B 4 9 Q B 2 P-Kt 3 24 B-H 4-j K KB I 10 P-KR 4 P KB 4 £5 Q Kt 2-k R O 2 11 P-R 5 Kt-R l-E £6 B-B <i eh-L Q x B 12 Kt-K 5 Kt. x Kt 27 P x Q P-B 4 13 P x Kt B-Kt 2 28 P-K 4 KR B 2 14 0-i)-U P-B ?-F 29 11-114 K x P-m 15 i’-B 4 Q-K 2 30 Q-Kt 7 mate