SOUTHERN COUNTIES CHESS. ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10263, 4 February 1899, Page 3

SOUTHERN COUNTIES CHESS. ASSOCIATION.

Another game played in the recent Tournament:— Ruy Lopez.

WHITE. BIiACK. (W. H. Gunston). (J. H. Blake). I PK4 IPK4 2 Xt X B 3 2 Xt Q B 3 3BKtS 3PQRS 48R4 4KtB3 5 Castles 5 Xt x P 6 P Q 4 6 P 0. Xt 4 7BKt3 • • 7PQ4 8 PxP 8 BK3 9P83 98Q84 10 Q Xt Q 2 10 Castles 11 B B 2 ' U Xt x Xt 12 Q x Xt 12 Q Q 2 (a) 13 Q Q 3 13 P B 4 (b) 14PxPe.p. 14PxP 158R6 15R82 16 X R X sq 16 X R sq 17 P Q Xt 4 17 B Q 3 (c) 18 Xt R 4 18 Xt X 4 19 Q X 2 19RK2 20 B B 4 20 R X Xt sq 21 Q R 5 21 X R Kb 2 22 B X Xt 3 (d) 22 B Xt 5 (c) 23 Q R 6 23 Q Q sq 24 P Q R 4 (0 24 P B 3 26PxP 25RPxP 26 R R 6 26 Xt B 2 27QK3 27 Q B sq 28RR7 288Q2 29 X R R sq 29 R X sq 30 Q Xt 6 '30 X R Xt sq (g) 31 B x B 31 Xt x B 32 R B 7 32 Q R sq 33 Q R R 7 33 Q B sq 34 1C B 7 34 Q Q sq 35 Q R 7 35 Q X 2 36 P Xt 3 36 R Q eg 37 Xt B 5 37 Xt x Xt 38 B x Xt 38 R Xt 2 39 Q Xt 7 39 Q Q 3 40 R R 7 40 B x B 41 Rxß(h) 41 Resigns (a) All trodden ground co far. The usual move here is 12. . . . Xt lv 2, to be followed, by Xt Xt 3, in anticipation of White-'s Q Q3. Mr. Blake's variation must be inferior,, having also played it against Mr. Loman unsuccessfully in this contest. (b) The alternative 13. . . . PKt 3 would not be any better. Besides 12. . . . Q Q 2 is done with the intention to continue as in the text, (c) With Loman he played BKt 3. The text move is better. Position after Black's 21st move. BLACK.

WHITE. (d) A pretty variation was suggested here with the tempting 22 BR 6 ; but it would not be as favourable as Mr Gunston's move, e.g.:— - WHITE. BLACK. 22 B R 6 22 B Xt 5 23 B x R, eh 23 Q x B 24 KtK6, eh 2«J Q x Xt 25 B x Q • 25 Xt B 6, eh 26 X R «q 26 B x Q 278x8 27KtxR 28RxKt 28 BK4, with Bishops of different and a'probable draw. (c) We suggest 22 ... BB2,and if 23 QR 6, then 23 . . . . Xt Xt 5, dislodging the Queen. ,• (f) Having compelled Black to denude his Queenfs side, Mr Gunston transfers the attack upon this wing, and on this weak side the battle is decided. '"- . (g) The R at K,t 2 being necessary for the d*fenc&t>Fthe X/ R P, it should not have, been re&overt. (h) Mr Gunston disproved with good judgment Mr. Blake's novel defence.

NOTES. The St. Petersburg Chess, Club became defiinct because of , its being found impossible to maintain an expenditure of £200 per annum for rent. The death of "Shakmatny Journal," the Russian, chess magazine, is also announced. On, December 24th a complimentary picnic was given to Mr J. Jacobsen. chess champion of Australia. There was a large attendance of players from the city and. suburban clubs. Champion Lasker recently met twentyfour members of the City of London Chess Club in simultaneous play, the club team including several first-class amateurs. The performance occupied six hours,and the champion's score was 18 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss— the loss being to Herr Franz Leye, a young German player, who promises to be heard of again. "La Strategic" hopes that the committee to be elected by the British Chess Clubs to manage the London International Tournament will find a solution to the question of counting drawn games, and considers it absolutely unjust to count them as a half point to each player. The logical solution would be not to count them as played, and make the players,go for it again, until a win , could be recorded for one of the players, but the objection to this is that it might unduly prolong tournaments. Mr Blackburne disapproves of the conditions that are to regulate the admission of competitors in the London Internationa] Tourney of. this year. He thinks that all strong .player? should be allowed to play one round, and that on its completion all but the ten highest scorers should be required to retire. "Those ten highest should play a eecond round to decide the prize-winners; and each should be credited with the points gained in ! the first round. Mr Blackburne thinks that the adoption of this system would give every strong player the chance of entering and of demonstrating his true chess rank. The long projected championship match between Mc Wallace and Mr Jacobsen is likely to take place in March. The contest should prove a-memorable one in the annals of Australian chess. Many are of opinion that Mr , Wallace will need to play better •than in hiff match with Mr F. K. Esling, and many good judges aver that we have not yet \ seen Mr Jacobsen at his very best. I need ! not say more than express a hope that both l men, undoubtedly the two Australian masters par excellence, will be, as the sporting phrase goes, in good rick, and may the better player win! Any opinion of value as to their merits should necessarily require to emanate from,a player superior or at least equal to either of them and such critics are not to be found m this hemisphere.—"Town and Countiy Journal."