CHESS Averbakh Beats Sarapu In Marathon Game

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31256, 31 December 1966, Page 12

CHESS Averbakh Beats Sarapu In Marathon Game

In a game lasting eight hours and a half, the Russian international grand master, Yuri L. Averbakh, beat the New Zealand champion, O. Sarapu, in the fourth round of the Canterbury Chess Club’s centennial tournament in Christchurch yesterday. Sarapu resigned after 73 moves.

It was the longest game in the first four rounds of the 14round tournament, and the first that Averbakh has had to continue past the tea adjournment, which is held five hours after the start of play.

Between 20 and 25 spectators watched the game during the afternoon session, and about the same number of players were present for the evening play. There was a round of applause for both players when Sarapu, who was playing the black pieces, resigned. Although it was then 11.30 p.m., Sarapu and Averbakh immediately sat down again to analyse their play. Many of the spectators noted the moves in the game, and some followed it on pocket chess sets.

Sarapu’s defeat left him with three points, half a point behind the Philippines master, Rodolfo C. Tan Cardoso, and the Australian champion, D. Hamilton.

Averbakh has the maximum of four points. In the New Zealand championships, which are being incorporated in the tournament, Sarapu shares the lead with the 18-year-old Christchurch player, B. R. Anderson, who yesterday won his game when he checkmated R. Brent, of Melbourne. Cardoso beat D. H. Tabak (Melbourne) in a game which lasted a little more than three hours and a half, with 33 moves. Tabak played the Caro-kan defence. Hamilton, who comes from Melbourne, won his fourthround game by beating T. Shaw, of New South Wales.

The former Hungarian champion, P. Dozsa (Adelaide), who lost his third-round game to Averbakh, yesterday beat his prominent countryman, M. Fuller, of Sydney. The former Arizona State champion, J. Alexander (United States), also won, beating P. Groffin (Palmerston North). The other young Christchurch player, A. Wilkinson, beat G. Haase (Otago). With one game still to play in the first four rounds—his firstcan—Wilkinson has one and a half points from three rounds.

In the B grade championship, R. Waayman, of Kawerau, is the leader, with four points from four rounds. A. Day (Auckland), and G. Hall (Christchurch) are next with three points and a half. Miss M. McGrath (Wellington), J. Arbuthnot (Tauranga), G. Kerr (Dunedin), and P. Boag (Methven) have three points.

Results of games yesterday were:—

A Grade.—R. C. Tan Cardose 1, D. H. Tabak 0; B. Krstlc 1. A. J. Nyman 0; J. Alexander 1. P. Goffin 0; A. Flatow 1, D. Hester 0; K. Steele i. M. Taylor *; E. Mantis i, G. Trundle 4; R. Baeyertz 1, C. Merrick 9; L. Neibergs 1. L. Cornford 0; A. Wilkinson 1, G. Haase 6: D. Hamilton 1, T. Shaw 0; P. Dozsa 1, M. Fuller 0; A. Rudzltls i, J. Harraway 4; B. R. Anderson 1, R. Brent 0; W. Leonhardt 4, J. Tindale 4: Y. L. Averbakh i, O. Sarapu 0. B Grade.—L. Whitehouse 1, L. Amies 0; P. Fraemohs 1. R. Keating 0; P. Tindale 1. H. Brokklng 0; A. Day 1, I. Mitchell 0; J. McArthur 1. M. Leese 0: G. Hall 1, T. Free 6; R. Cornelissen 1, C. Lindsay 0: M. Ponimonl 1, A. Hollander 0; D. Stracy 1. N. Fulton #; R. Waayman 1, G. Kerr 6; J. Arbuthnot 1, W. Lynn 0; W. Bereza 1, C. Whitehouse 0; P. Boag 1, R. Gordon 0; Miss M. McGrath 1. L. sneyd «; M. K. Morrison 4. D. Moulin t; W. Beutner 1, E. Green 0.