NEW ZEALAND CHESS IN 1916

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2957, 21 December 1916, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND CHESS IN 1916

AN INTERESTING REVIEW

(Contributed.)

As the year 1916 is rapidly drawing to a close, a few notes on New Zealand chess covering the past twelvo months will not he out of place. The N.Z. Chess Association, to which 16 clubs are affiliated, decided about 18 monthsago not-to hold any further championship congresses during the present great war, consequently the championship title became vacant on .January 1, 1916, New Zealand being then without a chess champion for the first time-since September 4, 1879 (the date on which the late Mr. Henry Hookbam, of Christ, church, became the pioneer champion). The association's trophy is thus "in line", with the New Zealand trophies for Rugby,. Soccer, cricket, hotkey, athletics, draughts, . etc. 'The amount saved by hot holding the usual congress was divided equally amongst the patriotic funds of the four, chief centres. Chess players have enlisted from the various centres, nnd some litre made the supreme sacrifice for King and country, notably Mr. Walter Grierson, ,of Auckland, and Mr. Couper Hill, of Wellington. The ' total ' number of names on the "Rolls of Honour" of the various clubs 1b not as yet available. Lieut.-Colonel Meldrum,. who was the New Zealand champion in 1896, and who left- the Dominion with the First Expeditionary Force (being in charge of the Wellington Mounted Kiile Regiment) was created a O.M.G. in January last. The association's last annual report felicitates Mr. Meldrum on the conferment of this honour. It also records the deaths of two vice-presidents, to whom it is greatly indebted for generous support, viz., Mr. George Brown, of Dunedin, and Mr. E. AV. Petherick, of Wellington. Mr. Pethericlc, it may be mentioned, was the second whito child born in Wellington. At tho ]ast annual meeting of the N.Z. Chess Association; Mr. A. G. Fell, owing to indifferent health, resigned the ]iosition of. Hon. secretary and treasurer, which oific'es he has filled so happily and iwjth such conspicuous success for the past eight''years.- As a slight appreciation of his valued labours, he has received presentations from tho association, and also from-the Canterbury Chess Club, whose delegate he has been,for many years. Mr. Fell his received good wishes from all parts of the Dominion, for an early restoration to health. His successor.is. Mr.. J. G., AV.'Dalrymple, who has for some years been a North Island vice-president. Club Tournaments., The Auckland Chess Club has had four successful tourneys during the year,- the honours going to Mr. J. C. Grierson (N.Z. champion in 1903 and in 1913); and to Mr. A. AV. O. Davies (N.Z; champion in 1905 and in 1908).. Mr. Grierson won the Patriotic Tourney (56,. competitors) early in the ->'ear,\ and afterwards enhanced nis splendid record by again winning the Auckland championship, for 'which the Hon! A. M. Myers, M.P., gives a handsome trophy' annually. Mr. Grierson was champion of. the Pousonby Cl.css Club in 1894, and of. the Auckland District in the following year. During-the past . 21 years he has won the Auckland' Championship ten times, and been'run-' ner-up on seven occasions. Altogether a magnificent record and a popular one; as Mr. Grierson has worked hard for the advancement of chess besides according* generous support. Mr. Davies this year also-scores a' double, [ winning the.lightning tourney.after being invalided homo from the -war, and later on taking first prize in the annual handicap tourney. The Auckland Working Men's'. Club's Handicap Tourney was won by Mr. G. A. Wilson, and tlie Masterton Club's Tourney by Master Walter Connoll, a promising celt, who, at the age of 14, becomes holder of the "Dagg Shield." Chess has been looking up in Wanganui lately v.r.der the active and enthusiastic presidency of Police Inspector Wilson. Two tournaments have just been completed, viz., (a) championship . and ..(b) handicap. 1 Both were won by Mr. Or C. Pleas-, ants, a vice-president of the New land Association, who was runner-up for the New Zealand' championship when it was won by.his then clubmate, Mr. Meldrum (referred to above). The second.prize in both tourneys was won by Mr. H. Jessiip, a former hon. secretary of the Wellington Chess Club. The Wellington .Chess. Club's annual "Petherick" tourney has teen won by Mr. W. C. White (of Petone), and the Wellington Working Men's Club's tourney by Mi-.' H. Douglas, who thus holds tho Staples Cup for the next twelve months. Tho \Vellington South Club held two • tourneys, Mr. Purchas winning both the championship and the. handicap events. The Ngaio Club's championship was won by Mr. AV. J. Carman, and, the handicap tourney by /Mr. A. B. Topp, the'president. This club's ladder, by the'way, is made from timber recovered from the wreck of the s.s.. Penguin (wrecked' in 1909). The Canterbury Club's winter tourney was won by Mr. H. Gourley. Mr. E. H. Severne, the club champion, was not a competitor. Messrs. Severne and P. H, Cumberworth, who played at the .top.boards against Otago and Wellington, have enlisted, and will shortly be leaving for France. Mr. Severne has put up a fine record since he removed to Christchurch five years ago, winning no fewer than eight local prizes—six firsts and two seconds. In telegraphic matches lie has played, ten times foij. Canterbury, scoring 2 wins,' 1 loss, and.. 7 draws. The Otago Club's "open'£" tournoy was won by Mr. J. A. Bore.-' ham, a former 'Australasian draughts' champion. Club champions not mentioned, above are .as follows-.—Hamilton: J. C. M'Crea; Wairarapa: J, A. Connell;' Napier: Edwin A. Hicks; AVellington : R. J. Barnes-; Wellington Working Men's Club: R. J. Barries; Nelson: G. F. Dodus; Timaru : T. Mara; Oamaru: J. B. Dunlop; ( Otago: H. J. Armstrong; and Invercargill: E. A. Lb Petit.. It may be added that Mr. 'Dow played at-Board 1,-for Gisborne, and that Mr. D. H. Bru'ton holds tho junior championship of the Otago Club. N Inter-Club Matches. ] Two correspondence games were contested by the. Whahgarei and Ngaio Clubs, botli ending in draws. Evidently there was-no premature rushing of trenches. An Auckland touring team defeated Hamilton by 8J- to 51, and also won the return match Hamilton beat Napier by 7 to 0. Two incomplete games cannot affect the result. Gisborne beat "Napier by 5J to i, and here, also, two games are marked incomplete which cannot alter tho verdict. Mr. J. W. Witty, who scored his game for Gisborne with a brilliant sacrifice, has been playing chess for. seventy years. In 1859 he played a correspondence match against the late i,ir. C. W.' Benbow, then of Birmingham, and afterwards of Wellington, Now Zealand. It was in those far-off days that Mr. Witty won a much-cherished cigar by scoring an off-game from Lowenthal, the wellknown German master, who was on a visit to England at the time. Wairarapa defeated . Fcatherston Camp by 14-} to IJ, but the soldiers won tho return match by. 61 to SJ-. Wairarapa's North v. South match ended in favour of the South' by 5 to 3. Two games by correspondence were plaved between ilhe Sydney (N.S.W.) School of Arts Club and the Wellington Chess Club, tho.latter winning by 1$ to \. In telegraphic play the AVellington Club

(which is forty years old) drew with Canterbury (6 points each), and scored a lucky win from . Otago by 71 to 6J—lucky becauso Otago lost two half-points through clerical errors. Mr. W. B. Barraud, who won his gamo for. Wellington v. Otago, is now tho only foundation member on the AVellington Club's books. The Otago v. Canterbury contest ended in a- handsome win "for Otago by 8 points to 4. Tho AVellington South Club won its four matches with ease, defeating the Wellington AVorking Men's, Club (B—s), Masterton (ft—3), .and Ngaio twico (B—2) and (9—4). 'The Canterbury v. Nolsou match was arranged -to mark the jubilee of their first encounter in 1866—which is believed to have been the. first match played by telegraph in Australasia. On that occasion two games were contested, three , players consulting in each centre. Both games were won by tho Canterbury Clubbut now .Nelson has equalised, whining this year's twelve-a-side match.by 7to 5/ Mr. A. Joyce, one of tho memherß who founded the Canterbury Club in January, 1866, took part in this year's match; and won his game. He received hearty congratulations from the Nelson Club', of which the late Mr. Charles Janion was hon. secretary in 1866. The, 1866 match was first suggested by Mr. Janion, who died in Wellington four years, ago; the cause of New Zealand ches3 being greatly indebted to his 50 years of pioneering work. The genial Canterbury president, jocularly describes tho recent match as "the; second Trafalgar, or. Nelson's Revenge," by G. F. Dodds; a sequel in twelve chapters to "In the Roaring Sixties," by Rip A r an 'Winkle. Tho Cheviot Club played two telegraphic matches, losing to the Canterbury B t team (4J —SJ), and also to the Otago B.teara (J—7}). ' ' , ■

■ In the matter of chess problems, Mr. F. A. L. Kuskop, of 'AVellington, who has long been regarded as New Zealand's ablest composer, has added another success to his long list of prizewinnings by gaining tho second prize in a "two-move"; problem tourney promoted by tho famous "Good Companion Chess Problem Clubs" of Philadelphia, U.S.A. The 29 unplaced problems were contributed by a number of European and American experts: Mr. Kuskop's success is the more noteworthy, as, owing to an eye affliction, he has to compose entirety from memory. The Good Companion Club mentioned abovo arranged for a solving competition to be ' held in various centres in both hemispheres on February 22 last. The (solvers of Dunedin and * Auckland tackled the twelve two-movo problems set for the. occasion, and for which 2\ hours were set apart. The Dunedin contest was won by Mr. R. A. Cloland (who was chess champion of New Zealand in 1599), with 9 correct solutions. . Mi-. F. N. , Stewart, with 5 correct solutions, won the Auckland contest.

. From the foregoing it will be seen that tho various clubs are struggling along and endeavouring to keep alive until the war is over. It is generally expected that.chess will flourish more than ever in New Zealand when peace is restored, and "our hoys" have had ■f/heir right royal "welcome homo." So mote it be.