DRAUGHTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6163, 16 February 1888, Page 3

DRAUGHTS.

The Interprovincial Match, Mr D. Reese has received a letter from a prominent draughts player in Dunedin with reference to the annual draughts match between Otago and Canter* bury, which is to come off in Christchurch during the Easter holidays. The southern players wish to play about fifteen or twenty men, selected from as many districts as possible, in order to make the interest iv the match more widespread than ever. It is feared here, however, that the Canterbury men will not be able to get together a team of more than ten players. There is not 80 much interest taken in the game in this Province as in Ofcago, where the visit of the "Herd Laddie" has given draughts playing a wendeif nl impetus. It may be mentioned that the forthcoming Interprovincial match will be the sixth of the series. Of the five previous matches, Otago has won two, and Canterbury three. It is to be hoped that our players will do their utmost to put forward in the next match a team not only strong in numbers, but able to uphold the honour of the Province, as well as has been done on three occasions in the past. Mr Reese's correspondent also gives some interesting information respecting the doing 3of the draughts champion. A fortnight ago he left Dunedin to fulfil a special engagement in Invercargill, and on his way back was to play at Clinton, Balclutha, Kaitangata, Milton, Waitahuna, and Blue Spur. He is not expected to return to Dunedin for another month, when he will fulfil other engagements in that city. A good offer has been received for him to go to Wanganui, but he will not do so until he has visited Canterbury. He is highly pleased with his treatment in New Zealand, and declares that he has never done so well in his life before. As an indication of the number of games he has played, it may be stated that one player alone, Mr John P. Bell, of Dunedin, played about 250 with him. Out of this number Mr Bell won two, and drew about fifty.