NEW CHESS TROPHY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19339, 1 June 1937, Page 13

NEW CHESS TROPHY

WI PERE MEMORIAL greenstone rook , SIMULTANEOUS DISPLAY Mr. M. Perc, a Gisborne resilient and keen chess player, has presented a hand some greenstone rook to the New Zealand Chess Association, as a trophy for annual competition. It will be known as the Wi Pere, Memorial Trophy. - The rook, which is of considerable value, cannot be won outright. The New Zealand Chess Association will decide snorily whether it will be held for the New Zealand premier reserves tournament, or the ladies’ New Zealand championship, and it is thought the association will give its decision in favour of the former, in which more players take part. Mr. F, T. Venning, president of the Uisborue Chess Club, recently at the Chess Club’s rooms, on behalf of the members, thanked Mr. Pere for Ids generous and thoughtful presentation, as there was no trophy for either of the two competitions, they had been introduced only in recent years. There is a silver rook for the annual New Zealand chess champonship, and Mr.' Venning added that from now on the greesstone rook donated by Mr. Pere would bo a much coveted trophy among chess players throughout tne Dominion. On Saturday evening Mr. Venning played 10 players simultaneously, winning four and losing six games. All the games were keenly contested, with the result being in doubt until the last. Another simultaneous display will be given next Saturday evening at the dub rooms, when Mr. P. Rhodes v. ill pla> all comers. Ladder Competition ’ln the ladder competition, Fere defeated Smythe, and Belton by defeating Meredith takes the top rung. It was a well fought match in which Meredith, playing white, kept the initiative until the middle end game. At one stago he had an unusually strong attack, which could not often be survived with a queen, two rooks, ono bishop, a nil one knight bearing down on his opponent s castled king with prospects of a checkmate, bnt by an untimely sacrifice of a rook, allowed a counter attack wnicli cost him the game. At the commencemerit of tho season the players were placed on the ladder without regard to playing strength, so a number of games will have to be played in this competition before players are in a position according to strength. Some players are on low rungs so they will afford practice for the weaker players in the climbing process. However, placing good players oil low rungs has some disadvantages, and there might be more keenness if the players had been graded at the commencement.