CHESS NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2718, 13 March 1916, Page 9

CHESS NOTES

The fifth round of the Wellington South Club's championship tourney was commenced on Thursday evening, nearly all the competitors being present, Purchas won from Thompson, Armstrong from Douglas, and Clark from Berry. Mr. Purohns is now leaning with o clear wins, Mr A. Clark coming next with 3 wins and 1 loss. These two players are drawn to play cacli other in the penultimate round next Thursday. If Mr. Purchas wins this game he will be assured of the championship, no matter how the final roundl goes a week later. If, 011 the 'other hand, he should lose to Mr. Clark the final .result will be very open. Members are consequently taking more than ordinary interest in next Thursday's play. The second annual general meeting of the Ngaio Chess Club is being convened for next week, the business consisting mainly of the adoption of the annual report, the election of ifficers, and the arranging of a. programme for the ensuing year. This club has fir some months past been playing two games by correspondence with the Whangarei Club. Both games look vary drawish at present. Mr. F. A. L. Kuskop, of thjs Cit>\ received advico by the last 'Frsico mail that ho had gained the second prize in the latest 'two move" problem tourney promoted by tho famous Good Companion Chess Problem Club, of Philadelphia, U'.S.A. The first anr! tlv.ro prizes wero won by composers residing in Buenos Aires ' and Philadelphia respectively. The 29 unplaced problems were contributed by a number -'f European and American experts. The pebleni with which Mr. Kuskop thus ados to a long list of previous honours is highly spoken of by the nidw of too contest. Mr. Kuskop, who has Ipj g been recognised as New foremost problem composer, is handicapped in being unable to, see pieces ' placed oil the chessboard. His success is thus the more noteworthy because he has to compose entirely from memory, being generally referred to in Home and American papers as "the blind composer or New Zealand."