CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 20375, 6 January 1930, Page 7

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

THE TWELFTH ROUND GUNDERSEN STILL LEADING [Pxu United Press Association.] WANGANUI, January 5. • The fallowing are the results of the twelfth, round of the dominion. chess championship:— Erskine v. Hicks.—Erskine played the Queen’s Bishop Gambit, and a! careful development of the pieces gave no evident advantage to either player. The .exchange of queens and minor pieces simplified the play, but left the game very even. Erskine brought pieces to bear upon, the centre, Hicks meeting evbry threat correctly. Unfortunately Hicks failed to defend a. piece that Erskine threatened, and when it fell Hicks resigned. ‘ Topji y. Beyer.—Beyer again adopted the French Defence, and Topp, failing to' advance the queen’s pawn, got the weaker position. Topp sought relief by exchanging minor pieces, but Beyer manoeuvred to improve the strength of his attack. Topp saw the danger, but moved back the supporting bishop instead of bringing up further support, and Beyer checkmated the king in tli’ee moves.

• Gunderson v. Jeffreys.—Jeffreys adopted the French Defence, making five pawn moves in succession! Gundersen was soon able to win a pawn and build up a sound forward pawn position. The game fluctuated, but with Gundersen always the _ more aggressive player. Jeffroys’s .king'was in danger, and Gundersen threatened to add to Jeffreys’s trouble by advancing a passed pawn at. the sixth. Jeffreys thereafter resigned. _ ' Kelling y. Pleasants.—This was a bright Ponziani game, which led to an early attack by Kelling. Pleasants met Kelling’s threats in quite good style until the latter broke 1 through with pawns on the queen’s side and established a pawn at .knight seven. Pleasants sacrificed a rook in making a counter-attack, but Kelling managed to move his king to safety, and Pleasants resigned. . , i Pprdy v. Anderson. Anderson adopted the unusual Fianchetto Defence to Purdy’s pawn to king four. Purdy built up a solid position, while Anderson’s pieces seemed to lack development at tbe correct time. Purdy cave up the exchange to open the-' knight’s file, and brought up a strong attack. At a critical situation Anderson capture©! a pawn, thus opening up the rook’s file, and this enabled Purdy to' force a win on the thirty-eightu move. ■ Scott v. Faiihurn.-—Scott played the Guico game, and Fairburn allowed bis opponent to adopt the Maxlange attack, which broke down with the exchange of minor pieces and of queenj. Fairburn later won a pawn, and Scott, instead of capturing a pawn to even up tbe forces, was content to make a 1 draw by perpetual check. Rutherford v. Severne. —This Queen’s Bishop’.Gambit gave, quite an unusual development, Severne allowing Rutherford to establish a strong wedge of pawns on the queen tide. This somewhat cramped Severnc’s position. A great battle took place in the middle game, which was very extended, leading to the end game. , Severne forced the exchange of queen and robks, and very sound, careful . play f followed. • A draw seemed inevitable, but Rutherford inadvertently placed king and rook to be pinned. He lost the exchange, and a little later Severne Inoko through the pciwn position and won. Position of players after round 12: —

3 <n o is rt Points Gunderson ... > 10 i P 1 10ir Severne ..W 8 1 3 ‘Ji Purdy 9 o 0 9 Anderson ... G 2 4 8 Erskino "... i i 3 2 8 Kelling 5 2 5 7t Pleasants ... 5 7 0 5 Scott 4 6 2 5 Beyer ... ... A 7 1 4i Hicks ... ... 1 5 6 4 Jeffreys 3 7 2 , 4l 4 Rutherford 2 6/ 4, Fairburn ... 1 7 4 3 Tppp 1 9 2 -