WAIRARAPA CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11992, 1 June 1914, Page 4

WAIRARAPA CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

The proposal to inaugurate a chess championship for the whole of Wairarapa is one which will commend itself to all lovers in Masterton pf this ancient game. The formation of the Masterton Chess Club a few years ago has done much to popularise the game locally, and the enthusiasm displayed by several chess players in South Wairarapa has tended also to bring the game more under the notice of the younger generation. The history of the game of chess makes very interesting reading. The weight of authority leans in favour of India as being the birthplace of the game. From India it found its way, according to Sir William Jones, in the sixth century into Persia. The Arabians then acquired it on taking possession of Persia, in tho 7th century, and through them it came into Europe before the I.lth century. Chess was a favourite game of ancient Viking races, and ability to play chess was accounted one of the necessary accomplishments of the finished knight of chivalry. Chess exactly as we playit now —for there in considerable difference between it and the ancient game—dates from the Kith century, when "castling" was introduced. Then flourished Ruy Lopez de Segura, the first chess analyst, as well as Dam'tano, Vieonz, Salvio, Polcrio and Greco; and tho earliest international tournament took place when Italian masters visited Spain and defeated the Spanish exponents of the game. Paul Morphy is regarded as the greatest chess genius that lias yet appeared. Ho was born in 1837 in New Orleans, and from the ago of 2\ years onward defeated the "strongest players in the world. Other great players during the past century havo been Laskcr (who won tho world's championship recent ly), Captain Evans (inventor of Evans' Gambit), Blackburno, Winawer, Mason, Tarrasch, Pillsbury, Jauowsky, Maroezy, Casaplanca, Marshall, Steinitz, Zukertort, Bird, Burn, Tchigorin and Schlechter. The establishment of a Wairarapa championship should lead to Wairarapa being more largely represented at the Now Zealand championship tourney than formerly.