CHESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 135, 5 December 1938, Page 4

CHESS

N.Z. ASSOCIATION

MEETING OF COUNCIL

A quarterly meeting of the New Zealand Chess Association was held on Friday evening. Mr. A. T. Craven (Auckland delegate and a North Island vicepresident of the association) presided, and the following were also present:— Messrs. J. C. McCrea (Hamilton), J. L. Hardy (Hastings), E. H. Severne (Nelson), F. Grady (Oamaru). W. White (New Plymouth), H- J. Cleland (Otago), A. W. Gyles, and R. C. Sim (Wellington Chess Club), F. K. Kelling (Canterbury), E. E. Hicks (Napier), G. P. Anderson (Gisborne), and H. M. Rosenberg (Wellington Working Men's Club and Literary Institute). Apologies were received from Messrs. J. I. Goldsmith and K. Beyer. The statement presented by the hon. treasurer, Mr. J. L. Hardy, shows that the association's finances are in a satisfactory condition. Club's that have not yet returned subscription lists in aid 01 the annual congress are requested to send them in immediately. . ; The chairman reported that he had written to the British Chess Federation, regarding the matter of getting a master player from Europe for, the Centennial Congress (1939-40).* A letter was received from the hon. secretary of the Australian Chess Federation inviting entries from New Zealand for the Australian championship'congress, to be held in Sydney during the Christmas holidays. An unofficial letter from Mr. Steiner, the Hungarian master who toured New Zealand last year, indicated that he hoped to complete arrangements to settle in Australia next year. In that event he might be free to make a second tour of the Dominion. Messrs. Craven, Gyles, E. E. Hicks, G. P. Anderson, and W. White were appointed as the selection board for the current yean. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. F. K. Kelling for his services as acting hon. secretary during Mr. McCrea's five months' absence from Wellington. THE ANNUAL CONGRESS. The following thirteen entries have been accepted for the annual championship tourney, to be played in Wanganui during the Christmas holidays:— Messrs. J. A. Erskine (Southland), H. McNabb and Gordon Cole (Nelson), C. J Taylor and D. I. Jones (Auckland), D Lynch and J. D. Heenan (Hastings), r' O. Scott (Wanganui), E. S. Rutherfiird (Taranaki), E. H. Severne and E J. Dyer (Wellington Chess Club), F. K. Kelling and W. J. Fairbum (Weilington Working Men's Club and Literary Institute). Entries for the premier reserves tourney do not close i till December 15. So far six entries I have been received for this event. Clubs are urged to send in further names promptly. No entries have been received for the ladies' championship tourney, and Mrs. Abbott, of Christchurch, will therefore retain for another term the title she won in the Wellington congress three years I agOf the thirteen competitors only two are making a first appearance—Messrs. Taylor and Heenan. Mr. Taylor, a former Wellington junior, confirmed the high opinion that Mr. Koshnitsky formed of his play earlier in the year by recently winning the championship of the Auckland Club. Mr. Heenan has tied with Mr. Lynch for the Hastings title, and these two are now engaged on a match of five games to decide the local championship. The Nelson competitors, Messrs. - McNabb ' and Cole, have done well in two pre- : vious congresses. The former has just ; won the local title half a point ahead of Cole, his "second string." Mr. Erskine has won the Dominion title twice, and on two other occasions he : only missed when playing off a tie for first place. Mr. Rutherfurd has made ( several good showings since, as a student of the Wanganui Collegiate School, he made his first bid at the congress held in Auckland 33 years ago. Mr. D. I. Jones, who has won- '. the Auckland championship four times in recent years, has been a prize- ' winner at several congresses. Mr. R. O. Scott, many times champion of the Wanganui Club, is a very ingenious ; and resourceful player. His efforts will be watched with considerable in- , terest in view of his fine showing in the match Wellington City v. Province ! that was played in Palmerston North in September. Mr. Lynch, the Hastings ' champion, is another young enthusiast who showed more than ordinary pro- . mise when-making his first bid at! Auckland two years ago. Mr. Severne, •, the champion of the Wellington Club, held the Canterbury title in pre-war ' I years, and the Nelson title for many ' seasons prior to making his home in ; this city three years ago. He has gain- 3

Ed many congress honours since niak- j ing his first bid for the New Zealand title 29 years ago. Mr. E. J. Dyer is an ex-champion of the Wellington Club with an excellent knowledge of the finer points of the game. He has, so far,, scored the possible (9-0) in this year's tourney for the club title. Mr. Kelling still holds the club title that he won when the Working Men's Club put its chess and draughts section on an organised basis 49 years ago. He can show 26 prizes for his 30 congresses. Mr. Fairburn has greatly improved his play since taking a prize in the Premier Keserves tourney at his last congress three years ago. The stage, is set for a most interesting contest, which is expected to provide a close finish. . . .. . AUSTRALIAN CHESS CONGRESS. Mr. A. W. Gyles, Wellington's leading chess player, has arranged to compete in the Australian Congress, scheduled to begin in Sydney on Boxing Day. This popular enthusiast, who has twice won the Dominion championship, and has been runner-\ip for that title no less than nine times, will take with him good wishes from all parts of New Zealand. He is the sixth New Zealander to take part in an Australian Chess Congress. In 1887, at Adelaide, the late Mr. Henry Hookham, New Zealand's first champion, Dust missed the prize list. He was then in his 64th year, and was greatly handicapped by insomnia. New Zealand contributed two competitors to the Centennial Congress held in Melbourne in 1888. Mi\ Brockelbank, of Auckland, took the fourth prize, and the late Mr. David R. Hay, of Dunedin, was unplaced. The late Mr. A. w. O. Dayies, four times champion of New Zealand, shared fourth prize with Messrs. Gundersen, Steele, and Boyce at the Melbourne Congress "of 1922, and Mr, J. B. Dunlop (four times champion of New Zealand) missed the prize' list in the 1932-33 congress in Sydney. He was adversely affected by the very hot weather, and was unable to do justice to his undoubted cowers.