Issue 5 Contents

Editorial

We have two features in this issue: a discussion of winning and losing games on technicalities, and a description of the current status of Trax in Denmark. Also, being AGM time again, there are the annual reports outlining what has happened over the last year.

NZTA Reports for 1994 / 1995

Notice of AGM

In accordance with NZTA Rules, we must hold an AGM within 3 months of the end of the financial year (which finished on 31 March 1995).

Date: Friday, 9 June 1995
Time: 6:00 pm for the pot luck dinner, 7:00 pm for the AGM
Venue: 7 Selby Place, Palmerston North

Agenda:

1. Apologies
2. Minutes of previous meeting
3. Matters arising
4. Reports from 1994/5
5. Election of officers for 1995/6
6. International Trax Association
7. Other business

Note: If you are a member and are unable to attend the AGM, you are entitled to appoint a proxy. Your proxy need not be a member of the NZTA. Proxies must be lodged with the secretary prior to the start of the meeting.

President's Report

The most significant event of the past year has been the staging of the World Trax Championships. This was the first time that a significant contingent of non-NZ players participated. David Smith hosted the Candidate's Tournament in Christchurch, which attracted 6 participants, including Mel Nicholson and Dan Pless from the USA. Dan won the tournament after a tie-breaker with Andrew Jefferies. The Challenge Match was hosted by the Manawatu Museum and Science Centre, with Dan and I playing over the Internet. Dan won the match to become the first World Champion from outside NZ.

With the springing up of several other clubs outside New Zealand, the 1996 tournament could be very interesting!

Plans for the coming year include the launch of the Doby III computer programme and the development of a formal rating scheme.

Treasurer's Report

The following is a statement of our financial position for the year ending March 31, 1995.

Income:

Interest	11.73
Subscriptions	210.5
Total income	222.23

Expenses:

Cheque book	2.50
Newsletter	64.04
World Championship	210.00
Total expenditure	276.54

Balance:

Income	222.23
Expenses		276.54
BNZ 31/3/94	954.70
BNZ 31/3/95		900.39
	1176.93	1176.93

3rd Annual Internet Tournament Announcement

The 1995 Internet Trax Tournament is coming to the PBeM Server!

Anyone interested in participating in the 3rd Annual Internet Trax Tournament should let me know soon.

• Players will be divided into a number of pools.
• You will play each of the other players in your group once.
• The top N players in each pool will advance to the Finals. (If there are enough players, we may have to have semi-final rounds...)

Play is expected to start June 1st, 1995. By signing up to play, you will be expected to make moves regularly. Unlike normal games played on the server, the tournament games will start nagging daily and you will forfeit a game after a week of inactivity unless prior arrangements are made with the Tournament Director.

News

People News

Tom Siegenthaler has moved from Massey University, and is now the network engineer at the public hospital in Palmerston North. His e-mail address has changed to tsiegen@midcent.manawatu.gen.nz. Tom's move will have only a slight effect on the Manawatu Trax club.

Michael Norrish, the Wellington area representative has moved from Wellington to Cambridge, UK. He's doing a PhD in Computer Science, developing a formal model for the C programming language inside the HOL automatic theorem prover. He'll be here for at least another two and a half years. Michael's new e-mail address is Michael.Norrish@cl.cam.ac.uk. The bad news is that this means that we no longer have a contact for the Wellington region.

Trax on the Net

There are several ways of playing Trax or getting information on the Internet. Here is a selection:

• Trax Server:

  Richard Rognlie's server has recently moved location. It is now at pbmserv@vtsu.prc.com. For further information, send e-mail to this address with help in the subject line. If you have any problems, contact Richard rrognlie@vtsu.prc.com. Each year, an e-mail tournament is run. See page 5 for more details.

• World Wide Web:

  Martin Pedersen's Trax page has links to the rules, the server help file, the FAQ, sample problems, back issues of On Trax and several other WWW home pages. Use the following URL: http://www.daimi.aau.dk/~tusk/pbmserv/trax/trax.index.html
  Soeren Pingel has a selection of games from the server. To access the games, use the following URL: http://www.daimi.aau.dk/~pingel/trax/traxindex.html