CHESS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1324, 30 December 1911, Page 13

CHESS.

THE NAPIER CONGRESS. (By Telegraph-Press Association.) . Nanicr, December '20. Play ia tho annual competition for t]]o chess championship was continued today, tho fourth round bring- started at 9.30 a.m.' It was agreed that tho fifth round should start in tho cveniiij, the unfinished games in tho fourth round, like others in tho previous rounds, being held over till to-morrow. The following ore (he results of to-day's games, with official comments thereon :— FOURTH BOUND. •lames (white) v. Griorson (black),—A draw. Mason (white) beat Conneli (black), helling (white) boat; Jones (black). Hicks (white) boat Saiusburv (black). Gyles (white) beat Sovcrno (black). lhe gotno Jourdain (white) v. Miles (black) was unfinished, and thereforo adjourned till to-morrow. Helling r. Jones (Ruy Lopez).—The first fourteen moves gave no advantage either wav; Then an oversight cost Jones a- valuable pawn. In the resulting exchange a. miscalculation cost him a bishop, and he resigned a hopeless ganlo shortly afterwards at move 25. James v. Grierson.—Tho latter successfully resisted tho Queen's Gambit played by James. The latter advanced prematurely on tho queen's side, and as a result was compelled to establish .a major oblique in the ■ wrong direction, thus throwing the attack into Grierson's hands, and having to adopt a restricted and dimcult defence. Tho defenco proved sufficient, however, and a theoretically interesting ending of two knights (white) against two bishops (black) ensued, ultimately resulting in-o. draw. boverne v. Gyles.-Severne adopted tho Four Knights opening, and Gyles the hpeitmann defence. Sevorne's tenth movo was weak, allowing black to threaten a smothered mato in four, to save which lie had to submit to three pawns being trebled, bcvenie had iho attack, which t>yles pamed, and eventually Gyles won because of bis superior pawn position. Hicks v. Sainsbury .-Black adopted the French Defence, and fought a stubborn game until the 44th move, when tho attack proved irresistible, and after losing his queen was forced to resign Jourdain v. Miles (French Defence).—The game proceeded on book lines for the first ten'moves. Jourdain, pushing on hi"! pawns on the king's side, thus obtained an attack which needed caretul nlay on Miless part, but eventually Miles was able to ward off tho attack, coming out V-, n .,? ven Bamo on tho 33th move. Miles initiated a combination by sacrificing a'rook for a. knight and two pawns. Thereafter play'was of. an exciting nature. Queens .having now been exchanged, the game is reduced'to an interesting position. ; "

Mason v, Cannell.-Ruy Looez opening, H 0 ™' 1 , Pli>yioS Hie Steinitz "Defence. On the 13th'move Ma<on advanced a pawn, blocking the centre, and proceeded with a direct attack on the adverse king. Sacrificing a knight on the 23rd move, ho secured an overwhelming attack, and l/onnoll resigned eight moves later.

FIFTH ROUND. ' , Tho fifth round commenced this evening. C»y!cs (white) beat Miles (black). ■ bainsbury (white) beaUourdain (black). bovorue (white) and James (black) played a. draw, while tho games Grierson (white v. Mason (black), Conncll (white) £. felling (black), and Jones (white) v. Hicks (black) arc- unfinished. Iho following arc tho official comments:—.

Miles v. Gyles.-Miles played » the Queens Gambit declined, and Gyles defended with that form of defence in which the queen's bishop's pawn is advanced on tho iourth' move. Miles on the nintli move took a pawn with his queen, which enabled Gyles 'to play bishop takes knight, check. This move left Milcs's quoen without support en priso to Gyles's queen. Miles immediately resigned. bainsbury v. Jourdain.—Ginoco Piauo opening. Jourdaiu look a pawn on his fifth move, giving Sainsbury an overwhelming attack, which resulted m Jourdaiu s resignation on tho thirteenth move.

boverno v. James.—Four Knights game. White goined a slight attack in ' the early stages of the game, but was met by sound defence. Pieces' were freely exchanged, leading to a very even pawn position, and neither biilo being able to lorce tho situation a draw was agreed to on the twenty-eighth move. At the close of tho play this ercning tho position was as follows:— UnWon, Lost, finished. Gyles 110 Grierson 31 0 1 Mason ,')" 0 2 Roverno 2. 1 , 1 0 Miles ]J ■> 1 Hainsbury 11 .1 0 James 1 1 2 Hicks 1 1 3 Jourdaiu 1 2 2 Kelling 1 0 ■( Conuell 1 ;i i Jones 0 0 2