CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 20987, 29 December 1931, Page 3

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

SECOND ROUND GAMES [Pkk United Press Association.] NAPIER, December 28. The New Zealand chess championship was continued to-day. The results of the second round were as follow A. W. Gyles (Wellington, the holder) beat It. S. Severne (Nelson). Queen’s gambit declined. After exchanges Gyles had an extra passed pawn, which Severne could not prevent from queen-, ing. E. S. Rutherford (Taranaki) beat E. L. Smith (Napier), Queen’s gambit declined (Slav defence). White won a pawn, and after a later exchange Black resigned on his thirty-eighth move. G. Gundersen (Victoria) beat J. C. Grierson (Auckland). French defence. Black got a very difficult game, and had to make several hasty moves on account of clock trouble. The winner played remorselessly throughout. F. K. Kelling (Wellington) drew with R. 0. Scott (Wanganui). Sicilian defence. Scott won an exchange, and appeared at one stage to be likely to win. Kelling, however, maintained his reputation for end game play, and a draw was agreed upon at the fortyseventh move.

H. N. Maddox (.Auckland) lost to C. J. S. Purdy (Now South Wales). Bird’s opening. This game caused considerable interest. At one stage Maddox, with a pawn, appeared to have a splendid game, and the opinion was freely expressed that he would win. Purdy, however, played- with his customary care, and with a passed pawn and a .threatened exchange-of greens Maddox resigned on Iris forty-third move. J. A. Erskine (Southland) beat W. Pairbairn (Wellington). English opening. Erskine, whose clock registered twenty minutes before he arrived, soon ontpla'yed his opponent, and registered the first win of the round. The Rev. A. Miller (Westport) drew with K. O’Halloran (Napier). King’s gambit. Local interest ran high when O’Halloran, with an exchange and a commanding position, appeared to have a win in sight. Miller, however, outplayed him in the end game, and secured a draw. The points after the second round are as follow : Gundersen ... 2 Miller 3 Gyles 2 Kelling ... Purdy 2 O’Halloran ... A Rutherford LJ Scott i Erskine ... 1 Severne ... * Fairbairn ... 1 Grierson ... 0 Maddox ... 1 Smith 0 Kelling and Grierson have each one unfinished game.