CHESS TOURNEYS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6273, 29 December 1921, Page 5

CHESS TOURNEYS.

RESULT OF SECOND ROUND

AUCKLAND, Dec. 27. In the second round of the Chess Championship— Dunlop, beat Stevens • Davis beat Howard; Evans beat Grierson ; Severne drew with Miller. The games Pickett v.. Roberts, Gyles v. Ivelling, and Connell v. Hicks were unfinished and even. Tlie position of players to date, is— Davies, 2 wins. Grierson, 1 win. Dunlop, 2 wins Miller, -$ win. Severne, 1£ wins Hicks, 0. Gyles, 1 win. Connell, 0. elling, 1 win Roberts, 0. Pickett, 1 win. Connell, 0. Evans, 1 win. Stevens, 0. Howard. 0. THIRD" ROUND. AUCKLAND, Dec. 28. In the second round of the chess championship, Pickett drew with Roberts. ‘

In the third round, in the match Miller v. Stevens, the latter adopted the French defence. Miller made an early attack, failing to develop his king side pieces. Stevens quickly advanced pawns and drove back Miller’s attack. Miller then attacked on the queen’s wing. In endeavoring to break this combination, Stevens made a. weak move, which gave Miller a fine opening, Stevens being compelled to give up a queen fer a knight in order to save checkmate. Miller eventually forced Stevens to resign, but the ending proved labored and uninteresting. Dunlop v. Howard.—Howard declined to accept an Evans gambit offered by Dunlop. A free and open game resulted. Dunlop checked at bishop’s third, taking a bishop. Preparing to keep his own bishop, pinning a knight in the middle, he gave exchanges. Howard took a bishop with a queen on the bishop’s fifth, threatening to break up Dunlop’s castled position, but Dunlop exchanged queens. Thereafter, Howard was out-manoeuvred and lost several pawns. He struggled on uselessly, and resigned on the 38th, move. Roberts v. Evans.—'Roberts offered the queen’s gambit, which was declined, but took the queen’s pawn, opening up the bishop’s ffile. Both players adopted the Fianchetto development. The game gave promise of a strenuous encounter when it was discovered that Evans had exceeded his time limit and had to lose the game to his opponent when things gave promise of a good attack. Severn v. Davies.—Davies played the French defence to Severn’s opening, the Tatter's pawn going to the king’s fifth very early. An advance of pawns cn the queen’s side led to an exchange of rooks, but against Davies’ solid defence Severn found it difficult to continue an effective attack. With the queen exchanged in the late middle game, the positions for the end of the game were very even. Manoeuvring for advantage for twenty-odd moves without avail, the players decided upon a draw. Rolling v. Connell.—This game was the Ponziani, and it. gave a quick and lively development. Kelling early obtained the exchange of a. rook for abishop, but Connell got a very open side and well advanced his pawns ready for attack. Connell’s attack temporarily failed, for Kelling worked up a strong counter-attack on the queen’s side, and forced a double open file on to 'Connell’s queen side pawns. Connell* provided a defence, but Kelling changed off a rook for the bishop, and by skilful moves forced Connell to resign on the 45tli move.-, ' v

jin the third round, -the games— Hicks v. Gyles and Grierson v. Pickett are unfinished. The position of the players is as followsDunlop 3 wins, Davies 2-J wins, Kelling 2 wins (one game to' finish), Severn 2 wins, Pickett 1-J Fins (one game to finish), Miller 1-1 wins, Roberts Lj wins, Grierson I win (one game to finish), Gyles 1 win (two games to finish), Evans I .win, Hicks no wins (two games to finish), Connell nc, games (one game to finish), Stevens no win, Howard no win.—Press Assn.