CHESS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19112, 22 September 1927, Page 14

CHESS.

j TELEGRAPHIC MATCH. CANTERBURY V. AUCKLAND. The last of the Canterbury Club's telegraphic matches for this year was concluded on Monday evening by a twenty-a-side match with the Auckland Club. The first twelve games only count for honours, and on these at present the score is levelfive games each, with two for adjudication. Tho final result may be a draw. On the twenty boards Canterbury scores ;i victory, having already 10i wins, the lower board players showing very good form. The other two. honours matches have been lost byCanterbury to Otago and 'Wellington, with scores of 7s—l2J and 7—12 respectively, but oil the friendly match of 16 boards played with Nelson, which province has several very ,strong players, Canterbury scored a handsome victory. It may be mentioned that the local club Las been handicapped all this year by the absence overseas of two of its strogest players, Messrs H. L. Andersen and 11. Kennedy. The individual scores and some details of play for the first twelve boards are. as foliows: Canterbury. Aucldaud. I—Rev. N. Fri-

berg ..adj. A. W. 0. Davies adj 2—F. Woodford h D. J. Jones i 3—j{. J. Quarrel! i 11. X. Maddox .. I ■l-F. H. R. Noville .. 0 M. Arapoff .. l 5—F. Adair .. adj W. J. Ogle adj O—T. Hawkins.. \J. W. Sullivan h 7—K. Lovell-Smith \ I'. Lees .. i

S—W. H Joyce 1 —. Adkina .. o 9 —W. F. Harding 0 —. Jeffrey ~ 1 10—Dr. F. M. Dodds .. 1 11. Karle .. o 11— H. C. Lane .. 1 J. Locklev .. o 12— E. Dalton .. 0 R. McKenzic .. i 13— S. Khouri .. 1 C'. W. Edwards o 14— K. S. Shillito 1 Roakilly .. n 15— B. Shillito .. 1 Pudney .. 0 1 [5—A. Summers 1 —. Tennock .. 0 17—C. L. Hart .. 0 —. Rumsam .. 1 18— J. C. Harding 1 K. Put-man .. 0 19— W. F. Robin&on 0 E. Adams .. 1 20— G. Parkins .. —. Morris •• 5 A.I board 1, the Rev. X. Frl'oerg encountered the present New Zealand champion, A. "W. O. Davies, and emerged from the conflict with a game reserved for adjudication, in which he has prospects of at least a draw. The champion adopted the Scotch Gambit and lost a. pawn on the first evening, after intricate and interesting play. On the second evening the pawn, was re: gained; bus at the cost of the rxchange; and play ceased with Rook and four pawns against Bishop and four pawns, but it is possible that the pawn position may be held to counterbalance the advantage in thecalibre of the pieces. Board 2—An interesting game followed an irregular opening. The Canterbury player attacked strongly, but the defence was sound, no. mistakes being made, and material and position appearing even, a draw was agreed upon at move 30. Board 3 was a Scotch Gambit. Much plotting on both sides led to the capture of a pawn by the Canterbury player and the return of the compliment by the Aucklander. Both sides then proceeded to make exchanges, hoping to break through, and a draw was agreed to. At Board 4 the Auckland man's name sounded like that of a chess player, and lie lived up to it, winning from his opponent's Queen's Fianchetto after a bright and interesting game. • Board 3 was another Scotch Gambit, proceeding on book lines to move 10, after which Adair had the advantage, and gained a pawn at move 16, which was held to close of play. The adjudicators may hold the advantage sufficient to give Canterbury a win. A stoutly-played game, not marred by mistakes.

Board 6—A Ruy Lopez, in which both players were well skilled, and avoided all the pitfalls and unsound combinations into which this opening tempts the unpractised. After two evenings of souud play, their mutual respect led to the offer of a draw being accepted. Board 7—Another Ruy Lopez, in which Auckland was allowed to gain the upper hand in the earlier stages. Canterbury, however, adroitly manoeuvred exchanges which equalised the position, and the. game ran somewhat sluggishly into tho dead waters of a draw. ~

Board B—English opening (R QB4). A vather novel game, played with an absolutely full board to move 23; the position was naturally cramped, but Auckland suffered most. Under covar of a feinting attack which ■ doubled rooks on the centre, the Canterbury player made'a break through on the King's Book's file, .where an enterprising Knight's pawn had gained, by repeated captures, the sixth square, and stood to tho good. Exchanges then gav<s an opportunity for its further advance to the seventh trapping the northerner's rook or queen with an easy win -following. -The trap was hot sprung until the very close of play, arid the win was 'not formally acknowledged, but: the game may be safely counted in for Canterbury.

Board !)—Misfortune has dogged Mr Harding this year, and a misread move led to an entire 'collappe of th? game on the first evening: • This was the more a pity as the local man was displaying good form, and the loss may lose the honours match to Canterbury. . Board 10—Giucco Piano, which the Canterbury player on the second evening made distinctly fortissimo, by a well-planned and sustained attack, gaining three pawns and a Bishop. Black hung on well under the circumstances, but the Auckland captain acknowledged a loss at close of play. Board 11—Queen's pawn , opening, with equal play on first evening. On the second evening the Canterbury veteran skilfully annexed two pawns, and availed himself of the opening to launch a good attack on headquarters. At close of another welldeserved win for Canterbury was admitted. -Board 12—Here again the Canterbury player wo a ; unfortunate in misreading a move on ' the first night's play, by which two pawns "went west," and full advantage was taken, of their absence. A harrowing attack was well maintained, and this game had to bo put rlown with .Canterbury's "might-have-beens."