CHESS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 65

CHESS ITEMS.

• The championship of the Melbourne Chess ' Club has this year been won by Mr W. J. ■ F. Coultas. 1 The team to represent the Otago Chess

Club in the match against the Timaru Chess jClub next Saturday night will be selected from the following: — Archdeacon Gould, Messrs S. S. Myers, J. Dunlop, G. D. Wright, A. Ellis, G. F. Dodas, D. A. Smeaton, J. Edwards, D. Forsyth, R. A. Cleland, O. Balk, J. J. Marlow, H. Armstrong, and J. H. F. Hamel. Play is to commence at 7 o'clock sharp. At the British Guiana Chess Club a few weeks ago, a member promised his opponent to mate him in not more than 35 moves. To his great surprise he found his queen lost on the sixth move, and he had to resign ignominiously. This is a case of " the biter bitten, with » vengeance!" The late Herr Juchli, whose problems have recently been published by Mr A. C. White, of New York, laid it down that the following points are desirable in every problem:— (l) 'A' fine key move. (2) Unity. (3) A quiet threat. (4) Plenty, of variety. (5) Beauty of position. (6) Economy of force. (7) Purity of mates. (8) Difficulty (9) Depth of idea. (10) Originality. • The Uemarara Argosy, printed «t Georgetown, British Guiana (South America), says in «. recent issue:— Mr F. A. L. Kuskop, ] of New Zealand, who is blind, finds great ] solace in problem composing. Quite recently he secured a prize for two-movers in the Hampstead and Highgate Express tourney, and he is again -a competitor in the current one run by the same paper. , Says the Yorkshire Post:— At the annual general meeting of the New Zealand Chess Association, Mr J. A. Connell gave notice of his intention to move : " That the association should! adopt, in lieu of the inexplicable; involved, and ambiguous rules known as "the British CBass Code, a, lucid code of playing rules." We wish that the British Federation , would usefully employ its energies to supersede that gulf of obscurity, and. monument of pedantry called the British Chess Code, which weighs heavily on every unfortunate who is called on to consult it. The New Zealand Herald reports the following results of the handicap and senior tourneys at the Auckland Chess Club:— Mr Cave has won the handicap tourney, having beaten Mr Putman in the play off He played well throughout the touTney, and deserve?! to win. The ladder is a live institution jubu now. Davies has won the first game in his match with Miles for rung 4. Priestley challenged Ashton, and the latter lost by default. Priestley then challenged Jowitt for rung 5. but lost. Ewen challenged Ashton for rung 7, and won the- match, and then challenged Prieetley for rung 6. Sloman has now challenged Ashton for rung 8. Bay beat Riedy, thus retaining rung 21. Play in the senior tourney is languishing, eight games being in arrear. There are 18 games yet to be played. Mr Little, unfortunately, has had to drop out, as he seldom is able to venture out at night. Miles is leading with nine wins, one draw, and no losses. The president has been indisposed "for the last fortnight. . . . _