1924

Scottish Chess Association Congress
The thirty-seventh annual congress was held at Lamb's restaurant, 56 Reform Street, Dundee.

The contest for the Ladies' championship was won by Miss A. Heard, of Edinburgh, with 4 points. The new champion is a member of the Edinburgh Central CC and is a native of Edinburgh; Mrs Forbes, Edinburgh, and Mrs Brockett, Glasgow, divided second and third prizes, with a score of 2½ each.

The Open tournament ended in a tie between two Dundee players, in H. Clare and E.G. Beckingham. The next congress will be held in Edinburgh.
BCM 1924, February, page 57/8.

Aberdeen v Dundee An interesting inter-city chess match between Aberdeen and Dundee was played in the Northern Arts Club, Aberdeen, on Saturday, February 9th, and resulted in a win for Aberdeen by six games to four. Details:-

Bd	Aberdeen			Dundee
1	H.A. Turriff	1	0	C.B. Heath
2	F.S. Teunon	1	0	H.J.M. Thoms
3	M. Sturm	1	0	D. Spankie
4	Dr A.J. Smith	1	0	C.S. Forbes
5	C.F. Lutwig	1	0	E.C.[G] Beckingham
6	W. Ruddock	0	1	G. Watt
7	H. Drummond	0	1	H. Clare
8	J. Peters	1	0	J. Armstrong
9	J. Inverach	0	1	J. Milne
10	J.B. Lamb	0	1	D. Scott
		6	4

BCM 1924, March, page 94

West of Scotland W. Gibson has won the West of Scotland championship for the ninth time. D. Simpson has won the championship of the Edinburgh Chess Club with a score of 8½. G. Page was second with 8. Rev. J. Young won the championship of the Greenock C.C. with a score [of] 8 out of 9.

Richardson Cup - Final
This tie, between Edinburgh and Glasgow, was played on March 1st at Edinburgh C.C., Alva Street. Both sides were strong. A close contest ended indecisively, the score being 2½ all with 2 games for adjudication.
BCM 1924, April, page 140 (BCM, May, p194 reported that the adjudicated games were given as drawn, with a tied match at 3½ each, hence the need for a replay.)

Glasgow League The Central C.C. have won the Glasgow Chess League championship. The result depended on the adjudication of three unfinished games in their match with the Glasgow club. The result being that the Central C.C. won by 5½-4½.
BCM 1924, April, page 141

Central CC (Glasgow) The championship of the Glasgow Central C.C. has been won by D.M. MacIsaac with the fine score of 8 out of 8. H.J.N. Walsworth, the holder, was second with a score of 6. There were eleven entries and two withdrawals. For the minor championship of the same club there were ten entries and one withdrawal. A.M. Scott was the winner with the good score of 7. He was closely followed by James Russell and A.R. Weir, 6 points each. The final of the knock-out handicap tourney, for which 18 entered, lay between J.H. Whyte (Class 1) and M. Wallace (Class 4), and the former won.

Glasgow CC For the Glasgow C.C. championship there was a tie between Dr Forrester and D.M. MacIsaac, with 6 each. The other results were W. Gibson 5½, J.H. Whyte 4, A. Murray 3, C. Wardhaugh 2½, H.J.N. Walsworth 2, W.H. Jones 1½.

D.M. MacIsaac, be defeating Dr Forrester won the championship of the Glasgow Chess club. As he has also won the championship of the Central C.C. he has the honour of being simultaneously champion of the two leading clubs in the West of Scotland. Long known as one of the finest correspondence players in Scotland - he is acting as captain of the West of Scotland team in the British Counties competition - his success this year stamps him as an over-the-board player of strong first-class calibre. He has twice before tied for the Central C.C. championship and once for that of the Glasgow club, but previously had won neither. Mr MacIsaac has long been a member of the Central C.C., and two years ago joined the Glasgow Club with the view of increasing his opportunities for first-class practice. As in well known Messrs. Gibson and McKee seem for years to have made a private preserve of this championship, and the fact that they were both playing this year proves that Mr MacIsaac's success was not due to lack of opposition. The winner was warmly congratulated on his double success

Robertson Cup The Robertson Cup, confined to Scottish Ladies' Clubs, was won by Glasgow Ladies' Club who beat Edinburgh Ladies' Club 7-0 in the final.

The first division of the Glasgow League resulted in a narrow win for the Central C.C. Full score:-

		1	2	3	4	5
1	Central	--	01	½1	11	11	6½
2	Glasgow	10	--	1½	1½	11	6
3	Bohemians	½0	0½	--	11	11	5
4	Queen's Park	00	0½	00	--	01	1½
5	Polytechnic	00	00	00	10	--	1

Home and away matches.

BCM 1924, May, pages 193 and 194

J.D. Chambers The veteran Scottish player, J.D. Chambers, Penarth, won the tournament for the title of South Wales champion, played at Cardiff, with a score of 4. Raymond Allen, Cardiff, and G.W. Ffoulkes, Barry, scored 3 each, and W.D. Wight, Penarth, 2. Mr Chambers was champion of Scotland in 1891-1892. He is the oldest member of the Glasgow Chess Club, and started playing chess at six years of age.

Edinburgh Ladies' The twentieth annual meeting of the Edinbugh Ladies' Club was held on May 5th. They had reached the final of the Spens cup for the fourth time, but lost the final match. The club championship was won by Mrs Ritchie, who won it in 1919.

Glasgow Ladies' At the annual meeting of the Glasgow Ladies' Chess Club it was reported that the clcub membership was nearly forty and that the past season had been a very successful one. The chief prize winners were: (1) Championship, Mrs W. Thomson; (2) The "Gibb" Cup, Mrs Brockett; (3) Second Class, Mrs reid; (4) Third Class, Mrs J.F. Thomson. A lightning tournament was carried through during the afternoon, the two prize winners being Miss Gilchrist and Mrs Young, in the order given.
The following officers were appointed for 1924-24: President, Mrs M'Chlery; captain, Mrs reid; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mrs Brockett.

Central CC (Glasgow) The annual meeting of the Glasgow Central Chess Club was held on Tuesday, May 13th. The secretary reported that the past season had been a very successful one. Although they had failed to carry off the "Richardson" cup, they had won both the first and second division of the Glasgow Chess League. The second team, under the captainship of Mr Gavin, had won every match played as already reported in the BCM. The championship had been won by D.M. MacIsaac, A.M. Scott won the minor and A.R. Weir the second prize.
General satisfaction was expressed at the new rooms at 65 West regent Street.
The following officers were elected: president, C.V. Craig; secretary, J.H. Whyte; treasurer, A.R. Weir.
BCM 1924, June, pages 240 and 141

Glasgow CC The annual general meeting was held in the Athenaeum on Tuesday evening, 20th May, president Chas. R. Stewart presiding over a good attendance. The club reports, which showed the club to have had a very active and prosperous season, were adopted. This year, although neither the "Richardson" cup nor the League shield had been won there had been a record number of entries to the various club tourneys, and these all finished sharp to time. There had been a gratifying influx of new members elected, with some young players showing great promise. The season was somewhat expensive, owing to heavy outlays in connection with matches, but the reserve funds of the club were still ample enough. Prizes were presented thus: West of Scotland championship cup and prize-Wm. Gibson. Club championship, Outram cup, and Spens Memorial Medal-D.M. MacIsaac; second prize-Dr J. Forrester. Minor championship, Macfarlane cup, and first prize-A.R. Bryden; second prize-Cecil Ogilvie. Reserves Tourney, Dickson cup-G.R. Hill. Gambit tourney, Longwill cup and first prize-Jas. Marshall; second prize-W.H. Jones. Double Knock-Out Handicap, first prize-W.H. Jones; second prize-Cecil Ogilvie. W. Black Medal (for best score in matches)-J. Crabb. Winners in two Afternoon Handicaps were Jas. Marshall and Jas. Birch. Office-bearers were elected as below. With great regret the resignation of W.H. Jones as hon. secretary, owing to increasing business calls on his time, was accepted. Mr Jones during his tenure of office has been a most painstaking and highly-successful secretary, and his labour of lovehas been greatly to the advantage of the club. Everything Mr Jones undertook has been carried out with celerity and smoothness; and with constant urbanity to fellow-members and visitors alike. The club is still to have his services as hon. Librarian, in place of W. Kemp, who is meantime not residing in the city; and W.T. Logan-an esteemed ex-president-is taking up the duties of hon. secretary. Officials elected or re-elected were:- Hon. president, Dr Johnstone Macfie; president, Wm. Gibson; vice-presidents, James Dickson and Cecil Ogilvie; captain 1st team, Dr J. Forrester; captain 2nd team, A.R. Bryden; hon. secretary, W.T. Logan; hon. treasurer, A.J. Neilson; hon. librarian, W.H. Jones; council, C.R. Stewart, J. Crabb, and A. Murray. A hearty vote of thanks was awarded to the retiring president, Mr Stewart, and a cordial welcome was given to his successor, Wm. Gibson, who is known far and near as a leading chess expert, and is certainly a very "strong" president.
BCM 1924, July, page 275

Correspondence Chess It is extremely likely that the West of Scotland team will win the British County and District Correspondence Championship. Three games have gone for adjudication which are expected to add at least one more point to the total. To score 21 out of a possible 30 is a splendid performance. Last year kent were winners with 19½. [Full details of the thirty boards are shown, the score at the time of the report standing at 20-7 for the West of Scotland. A. McGowan]
BCM 1924, August, page 311

British Championship
Several Scottish representatives took part in the 17th Annual Congress of the British Chess Federation, held at Southport, beginning August 11th.
William Gibson competed in the championship, coming last of twelve players with 1½ points.
In the Ladies' championship there were no less than three Scottish players; Miss Gilchrist (6/11), Miss Forbes (5½) and Miss Hutchison Stirling (4). Miss Price won with 9 points.
C.B. Heath played in the Major Open, scoring 5½/11. He was born in London but was active in Dundee chess circles. He won the Scottish championship earlier in 1924.
In the First Class tournament, Section A, H.J. M Thoms of Dundee tied for 2nd and 3rd places, scoring 7½/11.
In the Second Class, Section A (10 players), H.A. Turriff of Arbroath won with 9 points. Mrs J. Brockett of Glasgow also played, scoring 2 points.
In the Third Class, Division 2, Miss S.V. A. Malcolm of Edinburgh took part, scoring 6½/10, only a ½ point behind the winners.
BCM 1924, September, pages 363-366 and pages 403-4.

Edinburgh Ladies' CC The twentieth annual meeting of the edinburgh Ladies' Chess Club was held at the club rooms, 20 Rutland Square, on September 5th, Miss S.E.S. Mair, presiding.
The hon. secretary reported that the past season had been a very successful one. The membership had increased, and the standard of play had improved. In the Spens cup matches, open to all junior clubs in Scotland, the club team had reached the finals, after winning from Perth and Motherwell in the semi-finals. This was the fourth time the club had reached the finals. Twenty-nine matches were played in all, three teams having played in the League matches.
The club championship, trophy and gold medal had been won by Mrs Ritchie, who won it in 1919. The silver medal went to the president, Miss S.E.S. Mair. Miss Henderson won the trophy and medal in Division "B," and Miss F. Tweedie the medal in Division "C."
Mrs Ritchie and Miss Watson won the president's competition in the two divisions, and Miss G. Milne Rae won the handicap competition. Prizes for problem solving were won by Mrs Ritchie, Miss Mercer and Mrs Mill.
The president, in commenting on the report, said the club, which would celebrate its majority next year, has done much since its inception to popularise the "Queen of Games" among ladies of Edinburgh and elsewhere.
Mrs Macfie, Borthwick Hall, was re-elected hon. president; Miss S.E.S. Mair, LL.D., president; Mrs Ritchie and Mrs HIll, vice-presidents; and Miss Malcolm, hon. secretary and treasurer.
BCM 1924, October, pages 414-5.

Edinburgh CC The annual meeting of the edinburgh C.C. was held last week at 1 Alva Street, W.T. watson, K.C. presiding. It was stated that the club had had a successful year, having won the Richardson cup for the second year in succession, and also the Knight cup of the Edinburgh Chess League. Further, they were successful in the inter-club match against Dundee. The following office-bearers were elected for the 1924-25 season:- President, J. Gordon Laing; treasurer, D. Simpson; secretary and librarian, J. Graham Thomson. A special vote of thanks was accorded W.M. Whitelaw, who had acted as treasurer for the past 12 years.

Eight clubs have entered for the Richardsop Cup and were drawn in the following order:- 1, Dundee; 2, Greenock; 3, Glasgow; 4, Edinburgh; 5, Bohemians; 6, Burns; 7, Central; 8, Queen's Park. 1 plays 2.

Glasgow Chess League At a meeting of the Glasgow Chess League an important change was made, the number of players required for a first division team being reduced from ten to seven. The effect of this change will be watched with interest. There are several who have players quite strong enough to enable them to participate successfully in a first division match but who have found considerable difficulty in raising a team of ten. There will also be less excuse now for clubs to turn up a man or more short, as has occasionally occurred in the past, a practice much to be deprecated. All matches in the League will now be played seven-a-side, as is already the case in the Richardson and Spens Cup-ties.
BCM 1924, November, page 450.

Robertson Cup (for ladies' clubs) Edinburgh and Glasgow Ladies played a match at Glasgow, for possession of the Robertson cup this year, teams of seven-a-side. The result was a win for Edinburgh by the odd game, and the Edinburgh Ladies thus secured the cup for the sixth time since 1909. Glasgow Ladies have secured it on three occasions only. Score of the tie played on October 25th.

Bd	Edinburgh Ladies			Glasgow Ladies
1	Mrs Ritchie	½	½	Miss Gilchrist
2	Mrs Coast	0	1	Mrs Brockett
3	Miss Forbes	1	0	Mrs Thomson
4	Miss Malcolm	0	1	Miss Eddington
5	Miss Kessen	1	0	Mrs Reid
6	Mrs Harrison	½	½	Mrs M'Chlery
7	Mrs Henderson	1	0	Mrs Ross
		4	3

BCM 1924, December, page 498.