THE CHESS TOURNAMENT

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 6

THE CHESS TOURNAMENT

•<$ ■ ' YESTERDAY'S PLAY. ' . DAVIES AND KELLING LEADING.. Tho.' Now ' Zealand Chess Association's Championship Tournament entered uron the fifth day yesterday.- The seventh'round was not concluded at 11 p.m., the contest between Barnes 1 and Freeman being' a somewhat protracted one;,-this gamo was finally adjourned. ... . ' As the games developed the main interest centred chiefly . about the game between Mason aiid Davies, the former .being beaten. By his defeat. Mason..sustains the loss of his position on the list with an* easy leadj and takes third place, being, deposed by Davies and Kelling. The! final game'of tho sixth .round. (Barnes\ v. Stowart) was, also concluded, the former winning. The results are as.follow:— ' : '. Mason v. Davies.—Queen's Gambit • Declined. This game progressed on somewhat unusual lines. . Mason opened .. with' the Queen's gambit, which-Davids declined. The latter temporarily sacrificed : a piece, to'regain it almost immediately with a two-pawn advantage. In a somewhat -intricate position which developed, Mason did not achieve the best defence. ' Davies practically took charge of the game, playing in his characteristic vigorous style, and.won on the 43rd move. This game . was .the principal event of the seventh' round, and attracted the most, interest. from ,the onlookers.' \ ' ' ' Coiinell v. Rolling.—The Centre - Counter. The two ex-secretaries of: the New Zealand Chess' Association gave a very fine exposition of open and interesting play.i The chief feature of the gamo': was the amount of pawn play. The contestants castled -in opposite directions, leading to counter-attacks on tho wings. To use ail Americanism, ,it was a caso of " who ijot his'blow in,first." Connell in the long run ; allowed his opponent to; obtain ' tho upper hand and score just as-tho umpire was calling the adjournment, thp.game concludihg'.with a graceful mate on the 45th move. , Stewart : v. .James.—Buy Lopez. /This game, after Stewart opened with -white, using tho.«Euy'Jjopez, devoloped rather disastrously for. James. At the I.oth move his position was weakening; . although' .lie .was playing slowly and cautiously. An unlucky oversight resulted in' his queen being pinned by'his opponent'at the 22nd move, and ;he resigned at this of the game. ' 1 ... , Fox ,v. Rutherfurd,—G.iuoco Piano:' This 'game; .was. somewhat: uninteresting and pro r tracted, r.nd resulted in" the resignation .of Fox, whose play was'weak, in. 46 moves'! The following table';- shows tho positions , of tho'players'at the conclusion' of ;the ''seventh round. ". . , ', '• '-• - ' ..' , \-'. . -v '. AYon.i Lost. -. 1. Davies ... . ... - ... 6 1 2. Kelling ...' ... ... 6 1 ' '3. Mason. ... • . ... ... ■ 5 ' 1"' , 1 -,4.'.James '. ... 4 ■■•■.... -'5., Stowart ' , .... •3} •'. .2£ i' ■6. Kum'mer ' 24 ' .3J r* ',*7. Barnes rv-- 1 2J -4} '• . ' *8.--Freeman ■ v 2 • - 4 "9. Rutherfurd -2'. -5- r' ■ 10. Council :li i. 4*. -■, , ll.:Fox 0 c . "Assuming Barnos"'baats Freeman; Tho: urdpifos'.' for - 'yesterday's'' play- 1 wcro Messrs.'Gyles,'-'Still, and Fell. .' - . At tho invitation' of 'tho Committee,. tho; players;; will,:,pr.bceed':t.o ' Roha ':Bdy to : in'orr6w-hy the '10.15 a.m. steamer,' for a day's, outing.- ' . ;■ .' 1