THE CHESS HANDICAP TOUR NAMENT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1067, 2 March 1880, Page 3

THE CHESS HANDICAP TOUR NAMENT.

The chess handicap tournament is 'now concluded, Mr,M. Bell, the only 'competitor who had still a change of tieing the Rev. Mr Scott for third having resolved t 6 withdraw. It will bei3een that M'r BtAl had nine , : games to play, and he most have won one of these to ihake his score "equal to Mr Scott's, and then ftad he <done thlß> he would still have had to Iplay off Mr Scott. 'The. three p'rizetakersatfe all in the'Secorid class, and their scores are— Lost. Won. Ball (2nd priSe) v.. j>£ 2'2£ Scott'(3rd prilie) ... '6 22 In consequence of the large number e 6f competitors who entered the tourney, it was decided that'each one should |>lay every other'one game-only* There neing 29 competitors, each one had "consequently 2S games to play, and "drawn games counted as lisrlf k game to each person concerned. Mr Brooks left the district after he had played four games, winning TW6 and losing two; and rfs 1t Was arranged tW all 'unplayed games shduld count as draws, .•J a game has been added to each man's 'score who did not play the absentee : ; fortunately, the highest scores wteVe not affected by Mr Brooks's departure. -Mi* Wylde had rmporfc&ut business which called him away to Wellington, and resolved, in consequence of losing so much time, to play only those competitors who had a chance of a place. Three games was tire number required 'to be played each week. The tournament •commenced rm the Ist December last. As there are very many persons tjesides the players who seem to-have great interest in this 'Contest, we append the fall store, which may serve also as a redb'rd for u§e iri any future handicap. l - There were six classes, and the odds given by the first and second 'class .players to the fifth and sixth have been so liberal that the men- failed to come into a •place. The following was the Scale of odds':—Class 1. gave to Class 11. a Pawn and the first move; to Class 111. a Knight; to Class IV. a Rook; to Class V\ a Rook 'and the first two nioves^ iand to Class VI. a Queen. Class 11. gave to Class 111. a Pawn and the first move-; to Class IV. a knight; to dags V. a Rook) and to 'Class VI. a Rook and the first two moves. Class 111. gave to Class IV. a Pawn fcnd the first move; to Class V. a Knight; and to Class VI. a Rook. Class IV. gave tb Class V. a Pawn land the first move; and to class VI. a Knight. Class V. gave to Class VI. a Pawn and the first move. lu all cases where a pawn was given it was understood tb be the king's bishop's pawn; where a rook, was £iven, the queen's rook; and a knight, tbe'qiieen's knight. And, where not specified, the first move had to be drawn ibr. The prizes are of small value, three guineas, two guineas, and one guinea * bat the honors of position were accounted by all the players as of more consequence than the prfees. The original number 'or* entries, was 31, ancl the entrance fee.-2s. Of this nambe'r 29 accepted to play after the declaration of th'e handicap, paying an additional 3s for acceptance (5«). The balance of niohey over the £8 Qs foi ; prizes goes for expenses. •, Considering that this is the first chess -handicap tournament which has taken place in this district the handicappers may -be congratulated on the Very excellent average scOt'es made, and the Closfe and exciting finish of the competition. The handicappers had not the advantage of personal acquaintance or knowledge of the skill or otherwise of -seyay. of the competitors, and therefore Sad to depend much on hearsay; notwithstanding this, howeVel 4 , only one competitor seems to have been Really out of place 5 aud those who are interested will observe that it would have been practicable for several players to come Vety near the score of the winners had they played all their games. The following are the scores. The figures across the column show the