CHESS TOURNEYS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6274, 30 December 1921, Page 5

CHESS TOURNEYS.

FOURTH ROUND

AUCKLAND, Dec. 29. For the chess championship a summary of the fourth round shows: Severne beat Connell, Gyles beat Miller, Dunlop beat Roberts; fpur games are unfinished, the positions being even. The position of the players is as follows: Dunlop 4 wins, Severne 3 wins, Davies wins (2 games to finish), Kelling 2 wins •(2 games to finish), Pickett 1-)- wins (2 games to finish), Roberts If wins, Miller 14 wins, Grierson 1 win (2 games to finish). Evans 1 win (1 game to finish), Hick, no wins (3 games to finish), Hokard no wins (1 game to finish), Stevens no wins (1 game to) finish), Connell no wins (1 game to finish).

Detailed reports of the games are as follows:

Dunlop v Roberts,—This was another instance of a Queen’s Gambit declined, in which Roberts failed to retake in the right order. Dunlop thereupon gained a pawn. Roberts had a rather cramped game. Dunlop built up a strong attack at one stage, offering the sacrifice of a queen to get checkmate. Roberts made the correct reply, _ but to save the position had to give up a knight with the exchange of queens and rooks. Roberts’ game was hopeless. He resigned on the 29th ,move. Miller v Gyles.—This was a bright and interesting game. Gyles accepted a King’s Gambit, which Miller by a furtner sacrifice of a knight turned to advantage. Miller playejl boldly. At one stage he had given three minor pieces to sustain an attack. Two of these he regained. To break up an attack Gyles, gave up a queen for a rook and a knight. Miller failed to find the correct continuation of Gyles cleverly« worked up mating position, when Miller resigned. Connell v Severne. —Severne declined a Queen and Bishop’s Gambit offered by Connell- Advancing a bishop’s pawn to the fourth square he obtained an open position in a series of exchanges towards themiddle of the game. Connell’s, replies rather weakened his position, giving Severne a chance to even or exchange. Severne, with * a queen, attacked an unsupported rook, and threatened mate at the same time. Connell failed to make the best of the defence and lost a rook. When at moye eighteen Severne exchangdd Queens. Connell resigned. Pickett v Hicks.—Pickett played a Stunton opening. An oversight by Hicks enabled Pickett to exchange Knights and win a pawn. Later Pickett forced an open king Bishops file and castled, to command the opening, immediately changing off rooks. Hicks thiew forward a knight to block Pickett’s Queen, but the move cost Hicks another pawn. With two pawns up Pickett offered one to double queen and rook. Hicks saw the danger and moved to> pin Pickett’s queen but the -advance of the latter’s queen 1 pawn shut off; Hicks’ queen, forcing the queen and rook. He was unable to set up a defence and resigned to Picket on the thirteeth move. Howard v Stevens. —Howard played the Queen’s Gambit, which Stevens declined. A very cramped position developed, and Stevens sacrificed a pawn to get an opening. Later, he gave up a Bishop for two pawns, and his attack proved so strong that Howard gave up a Rook to save his game. Stevens now should have had the game in hand but he failed to provide a reply t<* a move, by which Howard won two pawns and got into a winning position.' Howard, under the impression that he could only give a perpetual check, offered a draw, which was readily accepted. Davies v Evans. —This was the Centre game. Evans castled early and developed well, until he gave Davies a.chance of winning a pawn and changing off bishops. Evans strove hard in the game to even up positions, but changed off a rook and queen, which was to Davies’ advantage. . Davies then pushed on his centre pawn and, to save this from queening, Evans had to give np a knight for a pawn. From this, Davies had the game won he being able to queen the rook’s pawn and. prevent Evans’ pawkn from queening. Evans resigned on the 43rd move. In the fifth round Hicks beat Stevens and Roberts beat Miller. Stevens v Hicks—. Hicks again adopted the Centre ;• counter. The o-ame was weak. The opening moves by Stevens allowed Hicks to win a pawn and to follow this by offering a rook for a pawn, intending to win a knight and a bishop, but Stev.ens exchanged queens,* to spoil' Hicks’ combination- Stevens, later, won an exchange at the expense of another pawn. Hicks cjeverly exchanged pieces and forced Stevens king°on to the diagonal with a rook. Then checking with the bishop, he won the rook and tho game. Roberts v Miller.—Miller played the Dutch defence to the Queen Pawn opening. The pawns' on each side were well forward, and each player established a knight at Kings l fifth in exchange. In the middle rrame Miller los. a rook for three pawns, but he was out-generalled by Roberts, who threatened to queen, a pawn. Miller resigned on tho 3;>.

m In C the chess championship in todav’s ulav in the fourth round, Severne beat Connell, P/ckett heat Hicks, Davies beat Evans, D»nlop beat Roberts, Gyles beat -Miller, Howard drew with Stevens. lhe Grierson ' v Helling game is unfinished. , , The position of the players now is: Dunlop 4 .wins, 1 game unfinished. Davies 34 wins, 1 game unfinished Severne 3 wins, 1 game unfinished. Roberts 2J wins', 1 game unfinished. Pickett 21 wins, 2 games unfinished. Helling, 2 wins, 3 games unfinished. Gyles 2 wins, 3 games unfinished. Miller lfrwins, no games unfinished. Evans 1 win, \l game unfinished. Hicks 1 win, 2 games unfinished. Emerson 1 win, 2 games unfinished. Howard, 4 win, 1 game unfinished. Stevens i win, no games unfinished. Connell no wins, 2 games unfinished —Press Assn.