CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 308, 30 December 1929, Page 11

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

DOMINION TOURNAMENT.

FOUR ROUNDS DECIDED

POSITIONS OF THE PLAYERS

(By Telegraph. —Press Association.)

WANGANUI, Saturday.

The New Zealand chess tournament was continued to-day. Results:—

Third Round.—Beyer (Wellington), v. Scott (Wanganui): This game was a development of the French defence, Scott getting much the better of the opening. Pushing forward his centre pawns he had Beyer fighting hard to prevent the queen's pawn reaching the eighth square. Scott failed to make use of his advantage, and in the counter attack launched by Beyer had to give up the queen for two rooks. In the end game Beyer outplayed Scott, and with some very pretty play won a hard-fought fight. Fairburn (Wellington), v. Hicks (Wellington): Hicke declined the queen bishop's gambit offered by Fairburn, and built up a very sound defence. The middle game was a stern struggle for superior position, but with the .exchange of queens and minor pieces there was little to choose between the forces. Hicks won a pawn on the queen's side, but could not see a way of pushing it on to queen. He offered a draw, which Fairburn accepted.

(Melbourne), v. Gundersen (Melbourne): This was a well played queen's pawn game, in the first exchanges of which Erskihe was left with an isolated pawn. When the end game was reached Gundersen had a pawn advantage. Fine play followed in which Erskine threatened to fork rook and knight, but Gundersen played without error, and brought off a pretty checkmate.

Jeffreys (Auckland), v. Kelling (Wellington) : Jeffreys opened with the Zukertort game, and, developing quickly, soon had a strong attack on Kelling's castled king. Kelling played soundly, and quietly built up a counter attack with the advance of kingside pawns. Jeffreys looked like forcing the decision against Kelling, but the latter, playing great chess, forced an exchange of queens and Avon a bishop, whereupon Jeffreys resigned. ~ \

The Fourth Round. The results in the fourth round were as follow:—

Gundersen v. Topp: A quickly-played Ruy Lopez game, with rapid exchanges, gave Gundersen the better position and a gradual wearing down of'the pieces left Gundersen with greater proportional advantage. Topp was unable to prevent the loss of his isolated pawn and resigned on the 27th move.

Erskine v. Rutherfurd: This was a quite interesting queen's pawn game. The middle game was reached without gain to either player, but in the subsequent exchanges Erskine won a pawn. Unfortunately for Rutherfnrd he left a piece to be taken for nothing and •' he immediately resigned.

Severne v. Fairburn.—Fairburn played the centre counter game, getting ai, satisfactory development. Severne managed to gain the better position in the liter middle game and won a pawn. Forcing the game, lie won. two more pawns, and, pushing on to the seventh rank, he forced Fairburn to resign.

Pleasants v. Hicks: Pleasants played the Ruy Lopez opening and Hicks defended correctly and obtained quite a good position, except for doubled pawns on the bishop's file. The end game was a fight with pawns and knight against pawns and bishop, and Pleasants conducted the play of the knight in good etyle and won his second game of the tourney.

Anderson v. Beyer: This was a queen's bishop gambit, in which there' was a great struggle for position. The advantage came to Anderson, as the outcome of a strong combination on the queen's epen file. In providing a defence here Beyer left Ms castled king open to an attack, which Anderson conducted with his usual skill. Beyer resigned when his last pawn fell.

Jeffreys v. Scott: Jeffreys again opened with the Zukertort game. The contest 'was very even up to the late middle game. Here Scott was able to win on the exchange and he looked like winning the game outright, but Jeffreys defended soundly. The end game of icok and four pawns against bishop and five pawns was a stubborn fight and Scott made no mistake in sacrificing rook for bishop and pawn to obtain a winning position.

Kelling v. Purdy: Purdy once more adopted the Sicilian defence. The opening was bright' and Kelling soon attacked with queen and bishop on Purdy's castled king. Purdy drove back the attack by advancing his pawns and then through the open file set up a determined assault upon Kelling's queen's knight's pawn. In defending this spot Kelling was , obliged to get his pieces into rather a cramped position. Taking advantage of this, ,and of the fact that Kelling's king was rather exposed, Purdy suddenly changed his attack to the king's side. Kelling was just able to save the situation, but Purdy was not to be denied and gave up a knight for two pawns to get. an open file; The immediate attack failed, but I'urdy skilfully played hie two passed centre pawns and won the most interesting game of the round.

The positions of the players at the end of the fourth round are:—Anderson oj points, Severne 3J, Erskine 2£, Gundersen 2£, Kelling 2J, Beyer 2, Jeffreys 2, Pleasante 2, Purdy 2, Scott 2, Rutherfurd Hicks 1, Fairburn I£, Topp £.