CHESS NOTES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 641, 20 September 1933, Page 6

CHESS NOTES

TWO WEEKS' GAMES A POPULAR MEMBER IS ENTERTAINED BY THE CLUB ' CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (Speeially written for the "Morning Post" by "Ruy Lopez.") Senior results of the fourteenth round: Clark beat Fraer, Jackson beat Roland, Saxby beat Tattersall, Kurney beat Andrews (default) and Edwards beat Booth (default). Watson v. Burton was postponed. Tibbitts, Vinall, and Heywood had byes. Juniors: W. Heley beat Musgrave, fe. Heley beat Mulligan, Blencowe beat Dixon, Jenkins beat Lenihan, Bould beat Shaw. Rowley and Evans had byes. The biggest surprise of the evening was Clark beating Fraer. Clark opened with the "Scotch Gambit" • and skilfully forced an exchange of Queens. He appeared to have surprised his opponent by castling on the queen's side and commencing a pawn storm on the king's wing. This manoeuvre in combination with a I well-posted bishop and doubled rooks on the open file had a cramping effect on his opponent's play. White's attack culminated in a neat pin on the eighth rank and the capture of Black's bishop, followed by a discovered mate. Clark's win was deservedly meritorious as on the evening's play he outplayed his opponent. Another surprise was Jackson beating Roland. Both are strong attacking players so the game was pretty lively. It was a case of — "Twice armed is he who has his quarrel just But thrice armed is he who gets his kick in fust," Jackson must have worn the larger size in boots. In the juniors W. Heley by beating Musgrave is practically assured of winning the championship. He has been playing a good steady game and deserves the title. * Draw for the Fifteenth Round Seniors: — Kurney v. Heywood, Edwards v. Jackson, Fraer v. Tattersall, Burton v. Clark, Tibbitts v. Watson, Roland and Vinall win by default, and Saxby has a bye. Juniors: — Jenkins v. Martin, W. Heley v. Lenihan, H. Heley v. Musgrave, Bould v. Mulligan, Blencowe v. Shaw, Evans v. Rowley. Bailey and Dixon have byes. The fifteenth round will be played on Friday next. Players mentioned first taking White. Juniors are requested to note that this is the final round of the junior championship.

Presentation to Mr. L. E. Andrews A very pleasant evening was held by the club last Wednesday to bid farewell to Mr. L. E. Andrews. Apologies for absence were received from the patron of the club, the Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, who had to attend a council meeting, and the president, Mr. A. E. Booth, who was unfortunately indisposed. During the supper interval the club captain, Mr. J. T. Burton, paid the respects of the club to the guest of the evening. He expressed great regret at the loss the club was sustaining, and stated that but for the untiring efforts of Mr. Andrews in the club's infancy it would not have grown and become the popular institution which it now was. On behalf of the club he presented Mr. Andrews with a set of chessmen as a token of appreciation of the services rendered by him to the club and of the esteem in which he was : held, and announced that the club had elected Mr. Andrews as its first' life member. Several other members took the opportunity of wishing Mr. Andrews future happiness and success. "Mr. Andrews suitably replied, thanking the members for the honour they had done him. Lightning Tournament During the evening a lightning tournament was held, the winner being Mr. Tibbitts, who scored 8i points out of a possible 10. Other leading scores were: Andrews, Kurney, and Vinall 8; Fraer 71; Dr. Wallis 6*; Roland, Jackson 6; and Downer and Heywood 41. Messrs Burton and Saxby acted as timekeepers and adjudicated any unfinished games.

Ancient Description of Chess The scene is laid in Pompeii, some 2000 years ago. A cultured Indian traveller is describing to. an astonished and delighted group of Pompeiians the merits of a game he terms Chaturanga (Chess) and which he avers had its origin in the land of his birth. He says: — "This, O courteous Romans, is not the least remarkable production of the lands of the Ganges and Indus, and is called Chaturanga. It is a representative contest, a bloodless combat, an image, not only of actual military operations, but of that greater warfare which every son of the earth, from the cradle to the grave, is continually waging — the Battle of Life. Its virtues are as innumerable : as the sands of African Sahara . . . It is an amusement and an art, a sport and a science." The Fool's Mate:— 1P - KKt4, P -• K4, P - KB3, Q - KR5 mate. This Week's Problem White mates in two moves. Position : r3k3, plplp3, Q3K3 - rest blank. Check position: White pieces: K on K6, Q on QR6. Black pieces: K on Kl, R on QR1, and P's on K2, QB2, and QR2. This problem is by the : late Sam Loyd, the great puzzle expert ,and won first prize in a tourney. What happens if Black castles — and in problems Black is always allowed to castle unless it is contrary to the rules of play. Answer to Last Week's Problem: B - Q4 (by Dr. S. Gold).