Promoting Chess in Invercargill

by Bob Smith

FM Bob Smith tested the completeness of the provincial inter-city airline network recently, travelling from his base in Mt Maunganui to Invercagill (three flights) on a promotional trip.

Around 50 people turned out for an audio-visual talk about Bob’s experiences at 12 Olympiads and chess in general, plus a demonstration of two of his sharpest wins.

The following day he played 32 people in a simultaneous exhibition, winning 31 games and losing one – to local train driver Phil Coleman. The visit, organised by the new Invercargill-Southland Chess Club, aimed to further stimulate chess in the southern city, which is aiming to host the New Zealand Congress within the next few years. Eddie Lee and Gary McLean are the prime drivers of an impressive chess revival in Invercargill.