CHESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 14

CHESS.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIP. .SECOND AND ' 'HIRD ROUNDS. ; . HBy Telegraph.—Press Association.) U: : :' It t '' WANGANUI, Friday. '<■ '•"The chess championship was continued ,to-day, the second round resulting:— i v Jeffreys (AuckMnd) •' v.- Purdy (Sydney). Jeffreys opened with the Zukerlort game, in which the early exchanges made by Purdy gave him a very free attacking position. Jeffreys pushed forward his King and side Pawns, leaving his King Purdy did not take .time to Castle, but pushed forward his King's Rook's Pawn. His; attack seemed overwhelming, but. he had' shut in his Queen, which, Jeffreys was able to .win for a. Bishop. Purdy'then' attacked with his Rooks and Bishops but Jeffreys, playing well, counter attacked with his Queen and Rook on the Queen's wing, forcing a checkmate upon his opponent on the thirty-sixth i move. r' Gundersen (Melbourne) v. Rutherford' (Stratford). The early exchanges in.this King's Pawn forced Gundersen to, capture, with his King, thus hindering Castling. He gained some compensation from his line,, well-advanced Pawn Centre, and tlie subsequent play left him with • the pawn at Knight Seven. Threatening to Pawn, Rutherford defended well, but should have won Gundersen's Bishop for his sacrifice of a pawn, there being *jo chance of forcing an advantage on either side. A draw was agreed upon. . Beyer v. Fairburn. The latter adopted the Alekin defence, Beyer getting a fine centre Pawn . position. Steady develop-' ment by Beyer, gave him an increased advantage, and although Fail-burn defended well, hoc' could not prevent the loss of two important Pawns. At the thirty-five 1 move Fairburn's game was hopeless, so he resigned. .*• Pleasants. (Wanganui) v. Topp (Wellington). Pleasants opened with the Ruy Lopez, which Topp. was hardly familiar with. His defence was not.sound, •and Pleasants was able to win the exchange. This advantage was maintained until the exchanges left Topp without a hope of avoiding defeat, whereupon he resigned. Seventh round results were as follow:— Severne (Nelson) v. Purdy (Sydney).—This proved a short, exciting encounter. Purdy replied with the Sicilian defence to Severne's, opening,

and allowed to devlop a seriesof threats. 'Instead of changing off pieces, Purdy weakly ' attacked Severne's well-posted knight at queen s fourth, but a series of ' checks drove < Purdy's king to knight's square, locking; up his rook. The" Tatter's queen sidepieces were undeveloped, and Severnethreatenedv, to win- queen for rook. Purdy's reply was not sufficient, and-. Severne brought off a", very.; pretty check-; mate. /-•' Pleasants (Wanganui) ' v. Rutherford. (Stratford) .—Rutherford played the Sicilian defence. Rutherford, playing carefully, made some good exchanges, leaving him with a well-advanced passed pawn on the rook's file. In his search for adequate defence Pleasants exceeded his time limit, and lost_ the game. Anderson v. Topp.—xhis was ,a ,Ruy Lopez game, in the development ofj which Anderson seemed to get the- better ■position) Topp, however, made a good recovery by forcing the/■' exchange of queens at a critical stage. A draw resulted, although Topp, perhaps, had the better chances of forcing a, win. However, he did well to accept a draw from so seasoned a player as Anderson.