GrahamClayton: Edna Kingston was born in Williamsburg, south-west of Perth, in 1905. She learned the moves from her grandmother in 1918. After the family moved to Sydney in 1926, Kingston started to play competitively in the early 1930's at the Metropolitan Social Chess Centre, being one of the first female members. She was the dominant female player in Sydney, winning the NSW state title on the following occassions:1933 - 13/13
1934 - 6.5/7
1935 - 8/9
1936 - 7/7
1937 - did not compete
1938 - 7/8 and victory over B Davey 2-0 in a playoff
1939 - 6/8
Her run of victories ended in 1940, when she finished =4th with 6.5/10
Kinsgton married Lajos Steiner in 1939
After winning the inaugral Australian Women's Correspondence Championship in 1941, Kingston retired from competitive chess.
Source: Anthony Wright, "Australian Chess 1931 to 1948", Melbourne 2003
The following article appeared in the "Australian Women's Weekly", 17 November 1934, page 51:
"WOMAN Champion of the CHESS BOARD
MISS EDNA KINGSTON, N.S.W. Chess Champion.
Conqueror of all the women chess champions in her own State, Miss Edna Kingston, the attractive young champion of New South Wales, is now hoping that an all-Australian contest may be staged soon.
ALTHOUGH the New South Wales women's chess championship has only been played in the last three years, Miss Kingston has twice been the winner and on the first occasion was runner-up to Miss Cornford.
Miss Kingston attributes her skill at chess to the fact that she learnt at a very early age, and has played consistently.
Every year more women are succumbing to the fascination of the game, and are keenly taking part in the various competitions.
"There ls no reason why anyone should refrain from beginning to learn, for, unlike bridge, where players are expected to keep to the rules right throughout the game, chess players need only to know a few elementary rules, and the success of their play depends entirely on themselves." says Miss Kingston, who is an excellent bridge player also, and can speak with authority.
"I am very much in favor of an Australian championship taking place, and I would most certainly enter, if it were at all possible," added Miss Kingston.
"It was suggested that a champion- ship of this kind would be included during the Men's Australian Championship, set down to take place in Melbourne on December 26, but, unfortunately, it now seems to have been omitted from the programme."
Miss Kingston admitted that she would have entered if this championship had taken place.
Women's chess championships take place in many of the overseas countries. Every year there is a championship held in Britain, and from the twelve competitors who entered this year Mrs. Gilchrist, of Edinburgh, was the winner.
For All Ages
"PEOPLE are mistaken when they think chess is a game only for old people," said Miss Kingston. "It is so necessary to have an active brain to play the game properly, and the younger the player the better they should play."
Young herself, pretty, and with spark- ling blue eyes, Miss Kingston said she had experienced more fun playing chess than she had on the tennis courts, and gave the assurance that chess was anything but a dull game.
Mr. G. Koshnitsky, the present holder of the Australian men's chess championship, also greatly favors the inclusion of an Australian championship competition for women. Nearly as many women now play chess as men, and it would be of great interest to watch the women players from the various States playing in a competition
of this kind.
Miss Kingston is an excellent player and can generally hold her own amongst the majority of men players.
When asked if he thought women players could attain the same heights as men in chess, Mr. Koshnitsky said that women are inclined at present to be too impulsive to be strong players. Chess requires abstract thinking, and women are more inclined to think of things more concrete. Chess requires a cool calculating brain."
Kibitzing
