CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21068, 30 December 1931, Page 10

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

DOMINION TOURNAMENT. THIRD AND FOURTH ROUNDS. [BY TELEGRAPH- —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] XAPIER. Tuesday. Tiie New Zealand chess championship was continued to-day. Results- in tlie third round were:— J. A. Er.skifie (Southland) beat K. O'Halloran (Napier). Sicilian defence. O'Halloran was outplayed early in the game and Erskine had no difficulty in forcing a win. E. H. Saverne (Nelson) heat the Kev. A. Miller (Westport). French defence. Miller advanced his queen's side pawns. Saverno blocked them and shortly won an exchange. Later he won a piece and Miller resigned. C. J. S. Purdy (New South Wales) lost to F. K. Kelling (Wellington). Queen's gambit declined. Purdy castled on queen's side and advanced king s side pawns. Kelling retaliated with his queen's side pawns and shortly developed a direct attack. Purdy S ingenuity could not save him and he resigned on his 27th move. _ W. J. iFairburn (Wellington) lost to H. N. Maddox (Auckland). Queen's pawn game. Maddox picked up a couple of pawns and later launched a successful attack with queen, rook and knight. E. L. Smith (Napier) lost to A. W. Gvles (Wellington). At one stage of the game Smith seemed to have a royal chance, but Gyles' longer experience, together with several weak moves on the part of Smith, brought about the champion's third win. J. C. Gjrierson (Auckland) lost to E. S. Rutherford (Taranaki). Queen's gambit declined. .Ail the adjournment this appeared to be a draw.'but Rutherford managed to score. R. 0. Scott (Wanganui) lost to G. Gundersen (Victoria). Sicilian defence. Scott made a blunder on the ninth move and resigned. Games in the fourth round resulted:— Gundei'sen lost to Purdy. Sicilian defence. Gundersen won an exchange, for two pawns, but later had to give up a queen for two bishops. Purdy had a great chance, but threw it away. Gundersen, however, missed his- opportunity and so lost at least half a point. Gyles beat Grierson. Queen's gambit declined. Gyles developed a strong attack. Kelling beat Fairburn. Ruv Topez. Kelling got both rooks and queen on the open file, and with his own king in safety the attack was irresistible. Rutherfurd lost to Scott. Queen's gambit declined. Rutherfurd, through an oversight, lost a rook on the 18th move. O'Halloran lost to Severne. Queen's pawn game. Severne won an exchange and with an extra passed pawn secured the win. Miller beat E. Smith. King's gambit. Smith looked like giving trouble at one stage, but was quite outplayed'in the finish. Maddox lost tn Erskine. The position of the players is as follows :—Gyles. 4 wins: Gundersen, Purdy, Erskine, 3: Kelling, 2i (game unfinished); Rutherfurd, Severne. 2£; Maddox. 2; Miller, Scott, I 3: Fairburn," O'Halloran, ; Grierson, 0 (game unfinished), Smith, 0.