CHESS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 84, 3 January 1930, Page 16

CHESS

DOMINION TOURNAMENT PLAY IN NINTH ROUND By Telegraph.—Press Association.Wanganui, January 2. The Dominion chess tourney was continued to-day. Results of the ninth round are as follow: — Hicks v. Purdy.—Purdy adopted the Caro Kann defence, the opening giving bin. a safe defence, and Hicks a very straggling pawn position. Hicks combined for attack, but just lacked the one move to make it effective. Purdy now attacked, and gained two minor pieces for a rook. He was able to force the exchanges. He did this, and it succeeded in giving him an overwhelming pawn position, when Hicks resigned. Severue v. Jeffreys.—Jeffreys adopted the French defence, and in the opening got a bad pawn position with pawn advanced to king’s bishop four. Severue was unable to make good his attack, and a critical position arose in the exchange of pieces. Severne’s pawns were doubled, but he otherwise had a good diagonal. A weak move by Jeffreys gave Severne a pawn, and the latter won a second pawn, when Jeffreys’s game fell to pieces. Beyer v. Kelling.—This was a very interesting Queen Bishop’s Gambit. The opening was even, but in the middle game Kelling won the exchange and set up rather a good attack. Here exchanges gave Beyer an opening, and his threat was so strong that Kelling was impelled to give up the exchange to extricate his king. Although Kelling had two connected pawns to Beyer s one, the latter s clever play with rook forced the draw that Beyer was hoping for. Scott v. Topp.—Topp accepted the Danish Gambit offered by Scott and the latter’s free development gave him great chances of attack. Topp was kept hard pressed for several moves, having to provide defence in unexpected places. Scott won a pietee and exchanged Co leave Topp s position more hopeless and thus won. a game that if more carefully played might have proved brilliant. Anderson v. Gunderson. —Elie qufc.cn bishop’s gambit was offered by Anderson, the exchanges in the opening leaving a most unusual queens pawn game. Anderson castled on queen side and advanced king rook’s pawn, supported by rook. Gundersen skilfully provided the necessary defence and at the same time prepared for attack. Anderson -was perhaps over careful and played two safety moves, which delayed his attack. Gundersen. with pawn at king’s seventh, pushed it on to queen, and Anderson was unable to give perpetual check and resigned. „ , . , . . Pleasants v. Erskine. —Erskine adopted Alekin’s defence, the first tjme used in the tourney. A very carefully played and most interesting game resulted. Pleasants set up a good attack which Erskine was able to repel by advancing kingside pawn. Pleasants missed the chance to win a pawn, and by two hurried weak moves gave Erskine the advantage, which he soon turned to good account. Pleasants resigned. Fairburn v. Rutherfurd .— This was a queen pawn game in which Fairburn built up a steady attack, but could not drive it home in manoeuvring for position in the middle game. Fairburn left his queen unsupported, but Rutherfurd, moving quickly, missed winning a piece. The end game was a pawn struggle, which resulted in a draw. The position of the players after round nine is ns follows: — Won Lost Drjiwn Pts;

0 s Gunderson 1. 1 Anderson t) 1 o 64 Erskine .. . r. Q •? 6 Purdy 6 •> 0 6 Kelling . .. 4 3 ri a Jeffreys 4 4 , Pleasants 4 0 4 Ttutherfurd •J 4 4 ■ Scott .... 1 "Rever ... *> 6 1 O J. Hicks 0 4 14 Fairburn 0 0 *» 14 Topp .... 1 7 i 14