Now available on the NZCF website are twelve issues of a remarkable and almost forgotten publication, the NZ Chess Gazette. With its stylish cover and high-quality presentation, it was an impressive feature of the New Zealand chess scene during its single year of existence. These days it offers a fascinating window into New Zealand chess life as it was a little more than 80 years ago. The magazine began with high hopes with its first issue, dated March 1 st 1938. The editorial stated: “In launching our new Chess venture upon a practically unprepared Chess world, we do so looking into the future in full confidence that we need not fear an early checkmate.” The editorial went on to declare that the purpose of the magazine was “to popularise Chess in New Zealand” and to be “a medium for bringing the Chess players of New Zealand into closer contact, one with the other and Club with Club.” There was also an appeal for “Club secretaries and interested players to forward … news and views of the New Zealand Chess world.” The first issue covered correspondence chess (which began in NZ in 1934), news from Napier, Wellington and Otago, the NZ Chess Congress in Dunedin (Dec 1937 – Jan 1938), and an overseas tournament, Hastings 1937-1938. All in all, the first issue offered good value in its 12 pages.
The next three issues – April 1st, May 1st and June 1st – continued the excellent standard of presentation and content. The April issue covered chess news from Otago, Canterbury, Auckland and Napier, plus a page of overseas news. The May and June issues were slightly larger at 13 pages each, with further news in the May issue from around the country (including Wellington this time) and coverage of the New Zealand vs Australia correspondence match. The following unusual item appeared in the Mailbag section: “Mr. T. C. Donovan, Christchurch, inquires if we accept empty beer bottles in lieu of subscriptions. (No Sir! The Editor’s back-yard is full of them already!)”. The June issue featured a 2-page article by R.O. Scott on the standard of chess in New Zealand, plus news from Waikare, New Plymouth and Hamilton chess clubs and coverage of the impending visit to New Zealand of G. Koshnitsky (champion of New South Wales and former Australian champion).
Ominous signs appeared in the July 1st issue, which ran to just 8 pages. The Editor issued an apology: “Owing to lack of support we have to cut the number of our pages. At a later date we hope to print our usual 12 pages.” This lament – “lack of support” – was destined to become a recurring refrain concerning New Zealand chess magazines. Despite the stated intention to return the magazine to its original size, the Gazette continued with just 8 pages per issue until the last issue in February 1939. It is likely that had the magazine continued on further into 1939, the outbreak of the Second World War in August would have put an end to it. However, it is noteworthy that the twelve issues of the magazine over its one year of existence totalled 114 pages of local and international chess news, analysis and discussion. The NZ Chess Gazette provided a much-needed, overdue boost to chess in New Zealand, a country which had been without a national chess magazine.