CHESS CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 22 April 1908, Page 10

CHESS CONGRESS.

SECOND DAY'S PLAY. MASON LEADING. On the resumption of tho Championship Tournament of the N.Z. Chess Association yesterday morning play was started 011 time at three only out of the five tables.* Mr; Barnes, who was to play Mr. Rutherford, arrived'forty minutes late, but with tho ease that coines of' a long campaigning experience, lie put in a series of rapid ri)oves and saved himself from being defeated by the clock. Ho made 36 moves in 1 hour and 20 minutes. * ' j ' . , . Tho Rev. Mr. Fox, who only arrived from Canterbury yesterday, was also absent, and the regulation; two hours expired before lie put, in an appearance. Mr. Freeman, who was drawn to play against him, courteously insisted upon foregoing the win by default, which Was his by tho rules, but defeated Mr. Fox in tho gamo that ensued. The second round was continued at the afternoon sitting, but at 5.15 p.m. only ' three .out of the five ; games were I finished, tho winners being Messrs. Freeman, Mason, and James, who defeated respectively Messrs. 1 Fox, Stewart, and Davies. Tho third.round was begun at tho evening sitting, the .conclusion of the two unfinished games of the second round being held over until opportunity offers to play them out. Mr. F;' A. C. ICuslcop, of Wellington, the teteran chess-player and problem composer, has dedicated two problems to the - Congress. ,They are displayed on the notice-board, and still await solution. . Following are particulars of ! yesterday's games, white being placed first in each case: . SECOND ROUND. . 0. Davies (Wellington Chess Club) v. H. L. James (Wellington Chess Club).—Ruy Lopez opening; Morphy's defence. Tho gamo continued evenly until . the fifteenth move, when James made, a mistake, allowing Davies to win a knight for a pawn. Then Davies played hurriedly, and lost the advantage. After a hard fight white resigned at tho forty-third move. Barnes (Working Men's Club) v. Rutherford (Wanganui U.C.).—Rutherford, played the French defence! but through lack of do--velopment soon had a very difficult game. By making a successful counter movement on the Queen's side, to case tho pressure, lie obtained tho attack, which he maintained throughout, and at the' adjournment lie wis two pawns ahead. F. Kelling (Wellington C.C.) v. F. Kummer (Mastorton C.C.). —It may have been an international courtesy, or it may} not, but at any rate these two " Teutonic F. K.'s" played the French i defence. A_very stubborn game- ensued, and a third sitting will be required when an opportunity presents itself later in the week. At one stage Kuninier was " clock-pressed," having to make 11 moves in as many minutes. Each has only the King and five pawns, and'it is hard to say how this very intricate pawn-ending will ultimately finish. Rev. " Fox (Tinwald) v. Freeman (Auckland Working' Men's Club).— Irregular opening. Freeman early obtained an advantage, which caused, Fox considerable trouble. About the eighteenth move Freeman wori .1 piece. ' With this • advantage it -was, of course, a mere matter of time, tho Rev; Fox resigning after a hard struggle about the forty-eighth, move. •' ' Mason (Auckland) v. Stowart (Canterbury C.C.).—A Queen's Pawn opening 011 orthodox lines, which, in the early stages, promised to make an interesting struggle. On; his fourteenth movo, however, Stewart mado the unaccouiitablo blunder of castling . into an exposed'position on the queen's sjdo, and his opponent,'taking the fullest'advantage of tho opportunity afforded, compelled his resignation on'the "tliirty-sixth move. Connell, a bye. THIRD ROUND.

Kummer v. Davios. —Zukertort opening. Game incomplete. 'Tho position is fairly' even, excopting tliat.Davies has a pawn to the' good'. • James v. Barnes. —Queen's Gambit declined. Usual book lines followed. _ A'series of'exchanges took place, about the eighteenth move arid oriwards. / Gamo'at' vo'ry even and interesting .stago at the adjournment, 5 ... Connell v. rreeman.—Connell • commenced with Guaocco opening.- Both showed strongattack. "Unfinished and result in doubt. Rev.- I''ox (Canterbury) v. ,B. Mason (Auckland C.G.).-rPonziano opening. Mason held, an advantage almost from the start, and won in an hour and a half on the fiftysecond move. . ' . E. Rutherford\v. F./K. Kelling.—Queen's Pawn game. The latter won a pawn at move eiihteen, which 'be retained at the 10 p.m., adjournment, having apparently the slightly preferable position, but the game is vory open and full of possibilities. 1 SCORE SHEET., At the end of tho second day, with two games. outstanding from ; round. two, and. round three incomplete, following arc tluj results:— i ■ ' • In , . Wins. Losses Byes. Play. . j.Mason ... 3 0 0 0 Davios ... 1 1 0 ' 1 Kummer ,1 0 .0 , 2 Kelling ... J 0 0 2 "; James ' ... 1; 1' . 0 1 'Freeman ' ... 1 1 0 1 Barnes 0 I 0 2 .Rutherford... 0-1 0 ,2 Stewart ... £1 1J 1 0 Connell ... | ■ \ 11 Rev.; Fox ... 0 , 2 1 0 MAIL NOTICES. Subject to necessary alterations, mails will close at tho Chief Post Office, as under:— THIS DAY. New Plymouth and Auckland, per Manawatu train, daily, 6.30 a.m. , i Greymouth, per To Anan, 2.20 p.m. [ .Westport, per Poherua, 4.20 p.m. Blenheim, per Waihi, 7.45. p.m. Blenheim, per Blenheim, 3.20 'p.m. • Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, per Kennedy, 4.20 p.m. ICaikoura, per Wakatu, 3.20 p.m. Picton, Blenheim, and Nelson, per Pateena, 11.50 a.m. New Plymouth and Auckland, per Takapuna, 4.20 p.m. Parcel mail for United Kingdom, per Mamari, 5 p.m. Southern offices of .New Zealand, per Maori, 0 p.m. . THURSDAY, APRIL 23. United Kingdom- and Continent of Europe, via Morito Video,' Rio do Janeiro, and Teneriffe (duo London, June 5), per Mamari, 1 p.m. (For specially addressed correspondence only.) Southern offices; of New Zealand, also Australian States (duo Melbourne, May 2), per "Waikare, - 4.20 • p.m. Napier, Gisborne, and Auckland, also Australian States ' (due Sydney, May 1), per Manuka, .4.20 .p.m.' Southern offices of New Zealand, per Rotomahana, G p.m. ' FRIDAY, APRIL 21. Ceylon, India, China, Straits Settlements, I South Africa, and Lord Howe, Norfolk, New Hebrides, and Banks Islands, also Continent of Europe, and United Kingdom, via Brindisi (due London, May 31), per Warrimoo, 2 p.m. Australian States (duo Sydney, April * 28), per Warrimoo, 3 p.m. Picton, Blenhoini, French Pass, and Nelson, per Pateena, 11.50 a.m. Southern Offices of New Zealand, per Victoria, 3.20 p.m. ' Southern Offices of New Zealand, also .Australian States, to connect with Waikare at the Bluff, per Maori, G p.m. Mails for Chatham Islands close at Lyttelton, per Ripple,' to-day, at 7 p.m. The next best despatch for Continent of Europe and United Kingdom will be via Brindisi, closing at Wellington, per Warrimoo, Friday, April 24, at 2 p.m. . Unless otherwise specified, registered letters and parcels-post packages must be handed in and money-orders obtained one hour beforo tho or. dinary mail closes. J. A. H.UTTON, Chief Postmaster. April 22, 1908. MAILS TO. ARRIVE. The postal authorities advise that the "\Vai-. . kave, which left Sydney on Saturday last for Wellington, has a large English and Australian mail on board. She is due here on ■ Thursday morning. Tho Inveric, which left San Francisco oi • April 10 for Auckland, has 225' bags of mail ■ for Neiv Zealand. Tho mail should reach Auckland about May 8.