OTAGO CHESS CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 22444, 15 September 1936, Page 12

OTAGO CHESS CLUB

VISIT OF EUROPEAN MASTER PROPOSED BECOGNITION OF LOCAL PLAYER'S FEAT The possibility of Mr Lajos Steiner, a European chess master, visiting the Dominion was discussed at the monthly meeting of the Otago Chess Club on Saturday evening. Mr W. Lang presided, and the following members of the committee were also present: —Messrs J. S. N. Lawson, G. D. Wright, E. F. Evans, G. Begg, H. D. Hastings, R. E. Williamson, R. M'Dermid, and W. Herbert (hon. secretary). Correspondence was read from the New Zealand Chess Association advising the local chess club that Mr Lajos Steiner, a European chess master, would be visiting Perth to take part in the Australian Chess Congress, which will be held in conjunction with the South Australian centenary celebrations during December and January next. The Australian Chess Federation had advised the New Zealand Chess Association that Mr Steiner could be enticed to visit the Dominion if satisfactory arrangements could be made regarding his expenses.^ The following are some details of his record:— He became a master in 1922, while in 1954 he won the Saxon championship. Hi chief results since have been: — 1 '27: Tied with Nimzovitch for second anc third prizes after Alekhine. 1 27: Second prize, Hastings, after Tar ikover. 1: 19: Second after Alekhine in America 15 1: First Budapest national tournam nt, s') 19i 1: Tied third and fourth place, Hast gs. ’ 19c ; Tied second, third, and fourth place ith Eliskases (first). 1934: Tied for first and second with Pire. 1935: Tied first and second with Eliskases. It was decided to leave the matter in abeyance until some definite information was to hand as to the proposed visit. A proposal emanating from the Canterbury Chess Club that the New Zealand Chess Federation’s headquarters be removed annually from Wellington to other centres was not supported on the grounds of impracticability of securing suitable officers who were in touch with the various chess activities. Furthermore, Wellington was the geographical centre of the Dominion, and the local club was of the opinion that the shifting of headquarters from there would not be in the best interests of the game in New Zealand. In connection with the feat performed by Mr E, H. Bennett, a local player, who had executed a knight’s tour blindfold on six boards simultaneously before an appreciative audience in the Otago Chess Club’s rooms, it was decided to submit a report on Mr Bennett’s performance to the editor of the ‘ British Chess Magazine ’ for his comment and advice on the best way to ascertain and establish the performance mentioned as a world’s record. As the attendance at the club’s rooms on playing nights has been recently falling away shghtly, a committee was set up for the purpose of endeavouring to engender more in the club’s activities. The suggestions made were the inauguration of simultaneous chess playing by the better players and chess playing novelties.