CHESS CONGRESS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19508, 3 January 1929, Page 11

CHESS CONGRESS.

ERSKINE IN THE LEAD. (raESS ASSOCIATION TELXGIIAM.) "WELLINGTON, Januury 2. At the Chess Congress the seventh round resulted: Gylea v. Miller —Gyles adopted the queen's pawn opening, and the game developed similarly to the queen's bishop's gambit. The positions were identical for several move® until Gy'®® played a line of attack that Miller was forced to counter. Both players adopted the long diagonal attack with queen and bishop, and Gyles, in a series of exchanges, invited Miller to displace his knight, well placed for defence. Gylea moved tho knight to attack at knight's fifth, and Miller moved pawn to knight's third to threaten Gyles's white bishop. Gyles took time to open up the long diagonal to his queen's bishop and then capped a brilliant combination by also offering his queen as a sacrifice at rook's fifth. Miller had no adequate reply and captured the queen, giving Gyles the privilege of demonstrating trie cl»eckmate. Fairburn v. Scott—Fairburn offered the queen bishop's gambit, an unusual development ensuing. Fairburn obtained forward centre pawns which dominated the position. Scott gave chances of attack which hi* opponent failed to take advantage of, and the exchanges in what was a patchy game left Fairburn with a winning pawn position, whereupon Scott resigned. Erskine v. Kelling—This game also was a development of the queen's bishop gambit. .Utnckine boldly with queen and knights, Ke!H«K offered a knight., and Erskine, failing to make the best replv. lost, a pawn. In the resulting exchanges Erskine changed off queens ir.d was later able to double pawns on KelHiiß's rook file. The game from this point was very finely plaved bv Erskine. taxing Kelling'e ingenuitv," which at times (teemed to have made his position safer. However, Erskine was able to get a double attack on Killing's bishop, which was pinned. Kelling won pawns with a series of checks with rooks, but.drove F-rskine'.s king into a strong supporting position, and the latter player announced mate in three moves Hicks v. McCrea—Again the firstnamed player adopted the Eeti, game,

which gave equal d*T*lopß»*»t to players, the picoes occupying identical squares for the irit *!•*•• moves. The middle gam* axulMigW gave advantage to neither, and one minor piece left a surrey « •* position was made, and as a result a draw was agreed upon. The position# are: Wins. Losses. Drawa. !**•» Erskine ... 6 Gyles ... 6 1 Miller ... 4 S * Hicks ... 22 ,3 Jf Kelling ... 2 'J. 9 » Severn© ... 1 9 ® 9 Fairburn ... 2 4 * Scott ... 1 5 * McCrea ...