CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14566, 31 December 1910, Page 8

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

WEARING THE END. .t| MASON AND DUN LOP LEADING?^'"'' [BT TELEGRAPH. ASSOCIATION.] i'i TtMARtj, Friday?. " - " At the chess championship tourney tad • ' '4 sixth round of pawns commenced to-day. 'k G. Mason v. Mara. (French Defence)} • V Mara played the McCutcheon defence : >; i against which Mason failed to make any'; headway, and the game was adjourned! - ' with a perfectly even position, on the! ; twenty-fifth move.

Grierson v. Dunlop (Ruy Lopez): The* ; well-beaten track was followed for a doken' ' moves, but when the books were departed/ from, Gricrson's mental languor again, showed itself in his unusually weak pl a ; • permitting Dunlop, who played well, to win a piece and a pawn and the game a few moves later. Barnes v. Gyles (Danish Gambit) : Accepting the Gambit, Gyles alternated tha - book moves. His first error was in accepting the Gambit, the sacrifices of which always port-end danger to the defender, Barnes wasted no time in securing compensation for the fallen pawns, and. olayinf his favourite game with his old dash, forced a win on the twenty-fourth move. Davies v. Fox (Guico Piano): The Auckland champion developed on safe lines, before •commencing any onslaught, which gained two knights for a pawn, and Boon after his opponent resigned. Beck v. Hicks (Scotch Gambit) : Hicks who is not a book student of openings, took an original line defence, and gained a pawn the fifth move and a bishop on,, the seventh with a strong attack. From this Doint the game was won, but Beck struggled on to the twenty-fourth move before admitting defeat. . W. E. Mason a bye.

SEVENTH SOUND. Beck v. J. Mason (Scotch Gambit):) Fifty years ago a game between Kolisch and Anderson demonstrated the unsoundness of this gambit, to which Beck patriotically adheres still. He got a good fighting position in the early development, bub blundered and lost a piece. No chance was given for recovery, and his collapse followed. Mara v. W. E. Mason (Sicilian defence) :j In his treatment of this game Mara showed wonderfully improved form. Throughout) a carefully played game on both sides Mason got no advantage. The end game was reached with two rooks and two pawns each, Mason's being well advanced. -A rook and a pawn were swapped, and after an interesting finish a draw was agreed upon, for which Mara was applauded. . . Dunlop v. Barnes (Ruv Lopez): Dunlop has evidently made a close study of this • opening, and got in such a good position, that he induced Barnes to give, up a queen for a rook, after Dunlop had avoided it clever trap set by Barnes, who resigned oa the 41st move. ' -

Gyles v. Da-vies (Centre Counter Gaam I bit): Gyles played in quite his best form, iwhile Davies showed symptoms of Jaxicy, possibly under- his youthful opponent. He went in for one of his sacrificial attacks, which Gyles took advantage of, -V, and secured a piece. •' Then forcing tho. ; V exchange of Davies's remaining piece, he , S obtained the Aucklander's resignation when. ■> queening was inevitable. Fox v. Hicks (Queen's. Gambit "De- St dined) : Playing with far greater preci- - sion than hitherto shown in this tourna* ment, Fox worked up a strong attack, fop : ;j'£ which he wisely let a bishop go. with trio / d certainty of regaining it at will. The i. J immobility of Hicks'* forces strengthened ~ . j the attack as the game advanced, and matei '.? was announced on the 29th move. V Grierson a bye. ■ : ' "fi The adjourned' game, Barries v. J l ,. Mason, was resumed at an even position^:> and drawn after two hours' play. V The only outstanding' game now is 0 Mason v. Mara. '•*. j The score at the conclusion of thg. seventh round is as follows:— :- t i .- Won. Lost.- To play, W. K. Malfon 5 1 0 ,V Dunlop 5 1 0 . ' Davies • ... 5 2 0 ; • . Gyles 4 2 0 v, . • .7. Mason 4 1 3LVr-". Barnes 3 4 ' o~~^ ' Fox 3 3 OA • Mara 2J 2i 1:, P Hicks 2; 'ij o'' . Beck 0 6 0 Grierson G 6 0