CHESS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 67

CHESS ITEMS.

The Sydney School of Arts Chess Club has a membership of 85 and a credit balance of £20 15e lid. " ■

It is stated that Mr J. W. Quura, M.L.A., president of the Johann«sburg Chess Club, has generously guaranteed to indemnify Dr E. Lasker, chess .champion of^the world, from any financial loss arising" from the .learned doctor's forthcoming tour of South Africa. * Play is proceeding .leisurely in the tournament at the Sydney School of Arts for the championship of New- South Wales. > The scftre now stands:— Bradshaw, 2 wins, 1 loss; Brown, no wins, % losses; L. 8. Crakanthorp (retired and scores cancelled); S. Crakanthoip, no wins, 5 losses; Cummisgs, 2 wins, 2 losses; Jonas, 2J wins, 2$ losses; Lambert, no wins, 3 losses; Parker, 1£ wins, 1§ losses; Taylour, 1 win, 3 lowes.

An international masters' tournament under the auspices of the Vienna Chess Club will commence on March 22. The competitors will consist of about 20 players, who will be selected by » committee. The prize fund, amounting to 16,000 crowns, will be divided into 10 prizes, ranging from 4000 to 200 crowns.

The Norwich Mercury announces an international tourney for self-mat* problems. Each competitor may send to John Keeble, 87 Rosary road, JSTorwich, England, before January 1, 1909, five problems in two, three, or four moves (i.e., 15 in all). Prises, in each, class. Problems* will be published under the authors' names, without mottos, and the Norwich Mercury reserves the right to .publish only those compositions which seem of moßt general interest. All entries, however, will be sent to the judges. A collateral international solving tourney will bo held, with prizes of £5. Two months will be allowed to send in solutions.

Here is a curious position which occurred in an American correspondence mutch some years ago. It contains an amusing, but useful, illustration of the danger of sending ambiguous moves: — 5k2; 2plrqpl; 7p; pIQS: 4Kt3; 2PpIP2; PP2bKPP; 4R3. Blaclt has just played Q-B 2 for his 40th move, and White sends for his, next move 41 P-B 4. The rule being that when one player sends an ambiguous move his opponent may interpret it *s he pleases, Black took prompt advantage oj White's slip, and hi? next card read s 41 P-B 4, Qx P eh ; if 42 S. moves, Q x Xt, Whiie was horror-struck at his mistake, but suddenly noticed that Black had not complied with the rule, which says that in such cases the recipient of th« ambiguous move joust state the' Interpretation he had placed on it. This Black had failed to do, and White's reply was:— 4l P-QB 4,Qi KBP eh; 42 P x Ql and olaimed -the game. White's contention was upheld by ihe authorities, and- Black wm truly " hoist with hi» own petawL" • ' |