CHESS TOURNAMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 December 1934, Page 3

CHESS TOURNAMENTS

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP. [per press association.] CHRISTCHURCH, December 30. The fifth round of play in the New Zealand Chess Congress was completed yesterday. This was the last of the qualifying rounds to decide which players shall enter the finals. The games unfinished in the previous four rounds were also played. On the five rounds, J. A. Erskine (Southland) is leading, lie having won all five. The next are: A. W. Gyles (Wellington) and H. R. Abbot! (Canterbury). Gyles having won lour and lost one, while Abbott won three and drew two. ‘ The following players will enter the final rounds: —J. B. Dunlop. E. H. Severine, E. A. Le Petit, K. Beyer. F. K. Kelling, J. A. Erskine, B. D. Scott, L. J. Darwin, E. E. Hicks, A. W. Gyles, H. R. Abbott, and the winner olf the game R. Watt versus N. Friberg. The results of Saturday’s play were. First round; Erskine beat Scott; second round: Hardy beat Scott; third round: Friberg drew with Hicks; fourth round: Severne beat Dyer. Fifth Round—Beyer drew with Dunlop, Abbott drew with Hicks, Scott beat Kelling. Fairburn beat Watt, Le Petit beat Dyer, Erskine beat Hardy, Darwin beat Gray, Gyles beat Friberg, and Severne drew with Armstrong. CAPABLANCA DEFEATED. LONDON, December 29. In <t. five hours’ chess battle at Hastings, Sir George Thomas surprisingly beat Capablanca in the second round, after fifty-three moves. Cltpablanca lost a piece in the middle game, and was unable to recover.