CHESS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1610, 7 January 1903, Page 59

CHESS.

All communications for this department should be addressed to the Chess Editor, “New Zealand Mail,” Lambton quay, Wellington.

Wednesday, January 7, 1803. •*■*# Wellington Chess Club meets every Tnesdav and Eriday evening at 7.30 at No 21b, Willis street. Visitors are cordially Avelcomed. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM No. 2352. 1 Q to Q 2 IK takes Kt 2 B takes Q mate 1 Q to Q 2 1 Q takes Kt 2 P to Kt 4 mate 1 Q to Q 2 1 Q takes Q, or Qto K 6 2 R to B 6 mate 1 Q to Q 2 1 Q takes P 2 Q to Kt 5 mate 1 Q to Q 2 Any other 2 Kt to Kt 3 mate PROBLEM No. 2353. (By Robert Inglis, GlasgoAV.) Black.

White,

White to play and mate in three moves. Position:—Kt 1 k 1 kt 1 E 1; 8; E 5 b 1; 1 It 3 p 2; 8; 8; 8; 8.

One of 21 simultaneous games' played by Mr Blackburne on the 25th of' October, 1902, at the Liverpool Chess Club. The notes are by his opponent, Mr E. Macdonald, the present champion of Scotland:— “Sicilian Defence." White. Black. J. H. Blackburne. E. Macdonald. 1(Pto K 4) . I(PtoQ B 4) » 2 Kt to K B 3 2 Kt to Q B 3 3 P to Q 4 3 P takes P 4 Kt takes P 4 P to K 3 5 Kt to B 3 5 Kt to B 3 6Kt(Q4)to Kt 5 6 B to Kt 5 7 Q B to B 4 7 Kt takes P The only satisfactory continuation m reply to 7 B to B 4, and a line to play which usually results in the gain of two minor pieces for the Q It 8 Kt to B 7 (ch) 8 K to B sq * 9 Q to B 3 If 9 Kt takes R, then Q to It 4; 10 B to Q 2, Kt takes B; 11 Q takes Kt, P to Q 4; 12 Castles, P to Q 5, with a good game. 9 9 P to Q 4* 10 Castles 10 Kt takes Kt 11 P takes Kt 11 B to It 6 (ch) 12 K to Q 2 12 K to Kt sq would have been less astrous for Whit©, e.g., 12 K to Kt sq, It to Q Kt sq; 13, Kt to Kt 4, P to K 4; 14, It takes P, Q to Kt 3; 15, K to It sq, P takes B; 16, Kt takes B, etc. 12 12 P to K 4 13 Kt takes R 13 P takes B 14 Q takes P 14 B to Q 3 15 Q to B 3 15 B to K 3 16 It to K sq v 16 Q to Kt 4 (ch) If Q takes Kt, of course White replies It takes B. 17 R to K 3 • The only move to save the Queen. 17 17 B to K Kt 5' 18 P to K R 4 18 Q to R 4

19 R to K 8 (ch) 19 K take® R 20 Q to K 3 (ch) 20 Q to K 4 21 B to Q 3 21 Q takes Q (ch) 22 P takes Q 22 K to Q 2 23 Rto Q Kt sq 23 R takes Kt and wins. —“Liverpool Mercury.”

NOTES.

An exhibition of living chess aves given in the Victoria Hall of the Borough roa-d Polytechnic, London, under the auspices of the chess club attached thereto, on November 29th. The, game was played betAveen Mr 11. N. Pillsbury and the president of the club.

On November 12, in the Royal Hotel, kindly granted for the occasion by Provost Philp, Mr Blackbnrne, the chess champion of Britain, an exhibition of simultaneous play. Despite the unfavourable Aveather, there was a good turnout of players and spectators, and m every respect this, the second exhibition of the kind given by Mr Blackburne in the "Bridge,” Avas a success. He had 18 opponents, 12 belonging to Bridge of Allan Chess Club and six to Stirling. At the close of tAvo and a half hours’ play, it Avas found that Mr Blackburne had won 12 games. Avhile the folloAving obtained draws:—Messrs T. A. Cumming, P. E. Russell, J. A. L. Dunlop, G. Smart, Bridge of Allan; G. 'Owen and W. Brown, Stirling.

CHESS TOURNEY.

.DUNEDIN, December 30

In the chess tournament to-day, Barnes, the champion, lost a second game, this time to Balk, a local player. Barnes resigned on the sixty-sixth move. In the match Grierson v. Edwards, the latter claimed a draw under rule 7 of the NeAV Zealand Association rriies. The point Avas referred to the management committee, Avhich decided that the game should be pla3~ed off later. Casheu v. Kelling—This match in the fourth round Avas completed this morning. The game was till the fortythird move, when a slip cost Cashen a rook, and he resigned tA\ r o moves later. The fifth round of the contest Avas entered upon at 2.30 p.m., with the following results:— Kelling v. Balk—Balk availed himself of the Sicilian defence, and early in the game Kelling gained the exchange of a rook for a knight. Balk, however, built up a splendid position, and after Kel-li-ng’s thirty-second move Avas enabled, amidst applause, to announce mate in five moves.

Warsaw v. Grierson —Grierson played the Sicilian defence, folloAvlng up %vith B to K Kt 2. Oh the tAveifth move the advance of Grierson’s queen’s pawn'led to WarsaAV losing a piece, at the same time giving Grierson a strong attack on Warsaw’s castled king. This led to WarsaAV's resignation after the thirty-first move.

Forsyth v. Cashen —Cashen played French defence rather feebly, and Forsyth got up a Avell ‘ developed game. Subsequently Cashen made an oversight, but his opponent did not take full advantage of it. Later on Forsyth lost a minor piece, but having gained paAvns in exchange he forced a Avin with his extra pawns at the thirty-ninth moye, after all the pieces had been exchanged. Edwards v. Mason—At 11.45 p.m. this game was agreed upon as drawn. Miles v. Barnes —This game Avas proceeding at midnight. Barnes is making a desperate struggle for a win. Up to the present Forsyth and Balk have each four Avins and one loss, Mason being close up. DUNEDIN, December 31.

The sixth round of the contest for the New- Zealand chess championship was commenced at 10 a.m., and concluded at 5.30 p.m. The Rev E. S. Howard and Mr J. L. Flint acted as stewards in supervision of play. . The round resulted as follows: Balk v. Grierson —Grierson “defended with the Sicilian, Balk attacking with knights and bishops on the- queen's side, making Grierson's defence a difficult task up to the twelfth move. At this stage Grierson managed to get his queen into play ana Avon a knight for a pawn. Balk attacked vigorously with rooks and won another pawn. During a long struggle Balk queened a pawn and forced Grierson to give up a rook for it. Balk subsequently exchanged his rook for an advanced paAvn, hoping to win with his paAvns, but an interesting and well-play-ed game terminated in the resignation of Balk.

Warsaw v. Miles —This was a Queen’s Gambit, which A\ r as declined after both players had emerged from the opening. Miles made the attack on the king's side, which resulted in his winning an exchange. Afterwards Warsaw advanced a pawn on the queen's rook file, making an opening for his rook by further advancing Q to Q 5. Warsaw gained attack with his queen and bishop. Eventually Miles overlooked an important piece and was mated on the thirty-eighth move. Cashen v. Mason—Mason played the French defence. On the fifteenth move Cashen won a pawn, in endeavouring to retain which he exposed himself to a strong attack, and- was obliged to resign on the twenty-seventh move, as mate was inevitable.

Edwards v. Kelling—At the fourteenth move Edwards lost a bishop for two pawns. Kelling thus obtained a considerable advantage, which he maintained throughout the game, queening a pawn at the forty-fourth move. Edward's resigned shortly afterwards. Barnes v. Forsyth—Barnes played' the Rny Lopez opening, and adopted that form Avhich leads to Tarrasch's trap, bnt his opponent kept a wary look-ont. At the twentieth move Forsyth had to lose a knight for two pawns, and for a time was subjected to vvhat looked like a win ning attack. Later on, as the effect of some weak play, Barnes had to give up his queen for a rook, and resigned on the fiftieth move, after about five hours’ play. This completed the sixth round. Grierson v. Edwards —-The Management Committee having ruled against Edwards on a technical point on which he claimed a draw against Grierson in the fourth

round, ordered the game to be proceeded with. Grierson played the Ruy Lopez opening, and got a good attack upon book line®, but Edwards, by careful play, overcame the Avorst of it by the advance of the king’s knight’s paAvn on the eighteenth move. After the exchange of minor pieces Grierson Avon a paAvn on. the twenty-seventh move, and pursuing his advantage won three more paAvns. After rooks had been exchanged Grierson Avas left Avith a queen and five pawns, to Edwards’s queen and one paAvn. This led to Edwards resigning a few moves later on.

DUNEDIN, January 1.

The seventh round of the chess tournament was concluded at 2.30 p.m. The games resulted;.-as -follows: — Forsyth v. Kelling.—-In reply to P to K 4, Kelling played Kt to Q B 3. Before the tenth move, Kelling overlooked a check. This cost him a bishop. He resigned on the thirty-third move. Miles v. Edwards.—Miles attacked, and Edwards replied. Avith the Sicilian defence. On the fifteenth move, Miles advanced a pawn to king’s bishop five, breaking up EdAA'ards’s pawns on the king’s side. Later on, Miles took Edward’s queen for a rook, and mated his opponent on the forty-fourth move. Mason, v. Balk.—Mason adopted the Zukertort opening, developing an attack on Balk’s castled king (king’s side), and then castled himself on the queen’s side. His pawn position gave a chance for Balk to counter-attack, resulting in Balk winning a piece, forcing Mason’s resignation on. the forty-fourth move. Barnes v. Grierson. —Grierson adopted the Sicilian opening successfully. On the sixteenth 'move Grierson won a paAvn, and snapped up two more later. Barnes (after sacrificing a bishop) made a strong attack on the king : s side. However, Grierson fended the attack off, and Barnes succumbed on the seventieth move, after a hard-fought game, Barnes showing signs of the mental strain involved.

Cashen v. Warsaw. —Cashen opened with the Ruy Lopez. The gam© ended in a draw.

DUNEDIN, January 2. The ninth round of the championship, chess tournament was played to-day, with the following result:— s

Barnes v. EdAvards. — This was another Ruy Lopez, Barnes having the opening. On his twenty-second move Edwards made a weak paAvn move instead of playing Q to K 2, which would have left him A\rith a fairly even game. The paAvn move resulted in_ Barnes getting such a strong attack that his oppo- * nent resigned on the twenty-seventh: * move, after an hour’s play. Kelling v. Warsaw. —Kelling opened Avith a Aveak variation of the Giuoco Piano, by Avhich WarsaAV shortly won a paAvn. At a later stage WarsaAV lost a bishop for nothing, and at the thirtyseventh move he resigned. Cashen v. Balk.—Cashen opened, and . Balk played the Sicilian defence. A most interesting game followed. After a good deal of attack and counterattack, Cashen emerged with two rooks, knight and three paAvns as against Balk’s queen and tAvo pawns. Balk eventually resigned on the fifty-eighth move.

Mason v. Miles.—Mason played Zukertort’s opening. The game proceeded very evenly till the twenty-eighth move, when Miles initiated a brilliant attack on the adverse king, giving up a bishop on the thirty-fourth move. Miles should have won. immediately, but he failed to carry out the attack in the most advantageous manner. On the fifty-third move Miles won a pawn, and again the game appeared to have a successful issue in his favour, but through wasting a move with his king, Miles allowed his opponent to force a position by which he could secure a “ stale mate.” The game was accordingly a draw, Grierson v. Forsyth.—Grierson played a well-known variation of the. Ruy Lopez, and got a strong centre with his pawns,. isolating two of Forsyth’s pawns and Avinning them. After the queens and most of the minor pieces had been exchanged, an advance of Grierson’s centre paw*ns got Forsyth into difficulties, and led to his resignation at the fifty-ssixth move, after stubborn defence with rook, bishop and three pawns against Grierson’s rook, bishop and five pawns. Messrs Forsyth and _ Grierson, are champions of the Otago and Auckland Clubs respectively. _ r J. C. Grierson, of Auckland, is leading, with 6£ wins, 1£ losses. The positions of the other competitors are:— Forsyth (Otago), 6 wins, 2 losses; Balk (Otago), Mason (Palmerston North) and Kelling (Wellington), equal, with 5 wins and 3 losses each; Barnes (Wellington), 4 wins, 4 losses; Miles (Auckland), 3 wins,’ 5 losses; Gashen (-Auckland), 2-|- wins, 5i losses; Edwards (Otago) and Warsaw (Otago), 1£ wins and 6losses each.