CHESS TOURNAMENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15810, 28 December 1911, Page 8

CHESS TOURNAMENT.

[Per Press Association*.] NAPIER, December 7. The Chess. Congress was opened to-day. Play in the first round resulted:—Mason (Wellington) beat James (Wellington); Griorson (Auckland) heat Miles (Auckland); Connell (Carterton) beat Jourdain (Napier); Gyles (.Westport) beat Sainsbury (Gisborno); Severne (Canterbury) beat Jones (Masterton). The game between Hicks and Kelling v/as unfinished when the second draw v.-as made and was adjourned till Saturday. Tho following are authorised comments on the respective games: Grierson v. Miles—Grierson played the Kuy Lopez, whioh proceeded on book lines for the first few moves. After the first adjournment Milos established a somewhat troublesome-looking attack with his two bishops, which were rather stronger than Grierson’s bishop and knight, but the advance of his king’s bishop s pawn was badly timed, leading to a dangerous fork of queen with knight. This resulted in Grierson winning the exchange. Milos, being short of time, then made a hasty move with one ot his bishops, leaving himself open to mate on tho move with the queen. Gyles and Sainsbury—This game, was a French defence, which proceeded on orthodox lines to the sixth move. Sainsbury then made a weak move, allowing Gyles to get his knight at Q 6. Gyles kept the advantage (ill the twenty-fourth move, when Sainsbury resigned. . Jones v. Severne—ln tins game the open-, ing was tho Kuy Lopez, Severne adopting the Morphy defence. The game proceeded on the ordinary lines till the ninth move, when Severne, departing from the usual , defence, made a weak move, losing a knight and getting into an awkward position. A 1 series of exchanges took place after the sevenI teenth move which placed Black’s game in a more favourable position, and although not following up his advantage to the best effect I Black was enabled to win the exchange. I Pressing his attack he- wen a bishop on the thirtieth move. Other exchanges left White's position hopeless, and on the thirty-eighth move he resigned. Hicks v. Kelling, Ponziani opening.—This stubbornly contested game is tho only one outstanding from the first round. Hicks played tho better middle gamo and won a pawn, which advantage he carries forward to the third sitting on Saturday afternoon, with the preferable position, i Connell v. Jourdain—Connell opened with tho Ruy Lopez and the game proceeded on hook lines for some time. On tho twentyfifth move White gave up a pawn which resulted in his winning the oxchangn on tho twenty-eighth move. Black resigned on tho thirty-sixth' move. TV. E. Mason v. H. L. James—James adopted the Sicilian Defence. Mason won a pawn on the fifteenth move. James, incautiously oaptured a pawn on his twentysocond movo, leaving his king open to an immediate and fatal attack by combined rook and bishop. Ho at onco resigned.’ SECOND ROUND. Grierson beat Sainsbury; Gyles boat Connell. The following games were unfinished when the evening session closed:—James v. Kelling, Mason v. Hicks, Miles v. Severne, Joiudain v, Jones.