CHESS TOURNAMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18750, 2 January 1923, Page 10

CHESS TOURNAMENT

SATURDAY’S AND MONDAY'S FLAY. (Pee United Pbess Association.) ‘ CHRISTCHURCH, December 50. At the Chess Championship Congress the sixth round, to the end of the first session, resulted as follows: Anderson v. Dunlop.—Anderson adopted the Vienna opening, to which Dunlop replied with pawn to queen’s fourth. Pawns were exchanged, and, with bishop at. knight’s fifth and knight at king’s fifth, Dunlop was open to an attack on the queen’s side. Anderson, with queen’s pawn, drove back Dunlop’s knight, and followed this by caeck, w'ith queen at knight’s fifth. He won queen knight’s pawn, and should have come out of the play better than he did. Dunlop used his knights skilfully in providing for defence, and the exchanges left him with only a pawn down, but with a chance ■. f winning Anderson’s centre pawn. Tins be , managed, and later worked up a combination that forced an exchange of rooks and lost Anderson a pawn. Dunlop got rid oi Anderson’s isolated king rook’s pawn, and, securing his queen side pawns, cleverly pushed on two pawns on the king’s wing, getting so dangerous a position that, Anderson resigned on move 41. Gyles won from Friberg by default. CHRISTCHURCH. January 1. The adjourned game from the second round was played to-day; Kelling v. Roberts.—Roberts played the Morphy defence to tlje Ruy Lopez opening, adopted by Kelling. The former obtaiped a well advanced pawn position on the queen side, and apparently the .freer game. Kolling attacked with a knight on the king’s side, and Roberts, in getting rid of the menace, gave KelL’ng the' opportunity of changing off minor pieces, and doubling Roberts’s pawn on the king’s file. Roberts, however, was able to command the ooen bishop’s file with his rook. During the late middle game Kelling out-manoeuvred Roberts, and won a pawn on the king rook’s file. A great end game ensued with a rook and a bishop of tne opposite colour on each sine. Roberts, in facing the advancing paiwn with a king, had to avoid a mating position, and had ultimately to let the pawn through, whereupon he resigned. SIXTH ROUND. Pihl v. Kelling.—This was a queen’s pawn opening, which developed .into the Queen's Gambit Declined. Both players got satisfactory positions, though Pihl’s seemed the more aggressive. Kelling commanded the opened king’s file, with rook and queen threatening to win Pihl’s pawn ' at king's third. This Pihl frustrated by a disturbing move, knight to . queen. Knight’s fifth threatened to fork queen and rook. Kelling withdrew his queen from kino- file attack, but Pihl was able to take the bishop’s pawn with a rook. Kelling defended well, so that Pihl had to be satisfied with a bishop and two pawns for a rook. Later Pihl by two bright moves won Kelling’s queen’s pawn with a check, forcing the exchange of queens. At this point Kelling,played more actively, but had still to suffer loss for his former lack of enterprise, Pihl being able to win back the exchange. Kelling played on gamely, but was unable to avert defeat, which came at move 36. Coombs v. Severne.—This was in effect a Queen’s Gambit Declined. There was little advantage to either player in the opening, but in the early middle game exchanges Coombs was left with , gti isolated centre pawn. He, however, maintained a good attacking combination, with promises of success. Severne carefully avoided the danger, and played to take advantage of Coombs’s weak centre. Pawn exchanges followed, and the middle game ouietly led into the end game. Coombs made no mistakes in this part of the game, and Severne oh move 44 accented a draw. , Stevens v. Hicks.—Hicks adopted the French Defence against Stevens, who advanced a pawn to king’s fifth, and later a queen to king knights fourth. Pawns on both sides pushed forward, leaving littlp' security for castling. Hicks's pawn position seemed (he preferable, and Hicks played offering pieces, for exchange. Stevens made good use of the open queen bishop's file, and in tho exchanges consequent noon his pawn advailce obtained a strong position for his bishop on queen’s fifth. He failed, however, to get his queen into the best working position, and the end game developed so evenly that a draw was decided upon.

Buchan v. Roberts. —Roberts again adopted the Morphy Defence against rhe Huy Lopez played by Buchan. The inttor worked up a good attacking combination, but Roberts, by his enterprising defence, was able to change off the while bishops, though his men) knight in consequence remained long inactive. At rook's fourth Buohan combined for attack, and offered a series! of exchanges to make an c-nening. Roberts followed a line of play that had escaped Buchan’s observation. - and the latter came out. of the bout with the loss of a bishop. Buchan used every endeavour to equalise matters before the end game was reached, hut Roberts played correctly and won. Buchan resigning on the sixty-third move.

Miller v, M’Orae. — Hie latter plaved the French Defence. Miller adoring the ttledhill attack, pawn to king’s fiftb.'and 'Queen to k’ng knights fourth. M'Orea counter, attacked on the queen’s side with knight, bishop, and queen pninnvr knight, changing it off for a bishop, winning knight’s pawn, checking and forcing the exchange of queens. M’Crei won a second pawn, hut faded to gee the strength of his position, and did not maintain his advantage. Miller brought up a strong attack, and posted his Pawn at king’s seventh, protected by a knight. Very critical plav centred round M’Crea’s king's position ; n front of the advanced and Miller Avon the exchange. M’Crea defended well, hut he had for a time to maintain a, somewhat, cramned position, which enabled Miller to reduce ’tf’r'ren’e pawn advantage, and though Miller failed to hold the pawn threatening t'l queen. M'Oea. gave up - the struggle on the fifty-seventh more.

the seventh round, (P*e United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, .I,nr,,ary 1. Hicks v. Pihl.- For the third time in ilio congress Hicks nlayed the Scotch game. Botli sides played book moves, concentrating on the centre. Hicks, by the advance of king bishop’s pawn to the fourth square, broke up Pihl’s game, but lost a pawn in the exchanges. Pihl was unable to retain the pawn, and mameivred for position. The. middle game was a struggle with queen’s rooks and knights for command of the centre. In tne exchanges that followed Hicks played queen to queen bishop’s second, whore it was immediately attacked by Pihl’s rook at queen’s seventh. In saving the queen Hicks had to lose two important queen side pawns. Queens were now exchanged, and j/ihl, in winning a pawn, lost his knight. However, he played his difficult end game very well, and scored a win.

Gyles nnd Coombs.—Uyles played the Vienna game, Coombs taking (lie Gambit Pawn. The game then developed, Gyles sacrificing his knight for the advanced pawn. Coomibs, with superior forces, now played tor security, while Gyles patiently worked up his attacking combination. Prom the eighteenth move onward there was a most critical time for Coombs, Gyles forcing him to yield three minor pieces for one. In order to save the game Coombs now castled on the queen’s side to free his king, but brought his king to queen’s second to attack Gylos’s rook. " Gyles’s scheming to win Coombs’s queen for a. rook left his rook to be captured for nothing. Subsequently he won Coombs’s blaok bishop, and changed

off queens. Gyles had now a bishop against .Coombs’s two king side pawns, each player having in addition a rook and four queen side pawns unbroken. Coombs, in changing off rooks, enabled Gyles to break un the former’s pawn position, and to win a pawn. The two passed, pawns on the king’s side were a menace to Gyles, but he skilfully exchanged pawns on tho queen’s side and pushed a passed pawn on to queen, when Coombs resigned. Buchan v. Anderson. —This was the Queen’s Gambit opening, with the mores transposed, and Anderson, taking the gambit pawn, onenod his queen’s file, Jnd developed his white bishop. At knights second Buchan commanded the bishop’s file with liis rook, and threatened exchanges that would allow him to win Anderson’s queen bishop's pawn, dhe latter saved by a counter-attack noon . Buchan's knight. This gave Buchan the opportunity of playing his knight to Queen Bishop’s fourth. This menacing piece was changed .off by Anderson, who then had to bring all his pieces to bear on his thrice attacked pawn. At qiiijcn bishop’s third Buchan at once pushed forward his pawns on the king’s side, winning a pawn and opening the knight's file as a medium c£ attack. In a critical position Anderson sought to stave off, (he attack bv playing rook to rook’s square. Buchan checked with a queen at king’s fifth, and was able, when the king moved, to win Anderson’s rook. A mating position being apparent. Anderson resigned. Stevens v. Roberts. —This was an Irregular Opening, something on the lines of a Philador's Defence. Roberts obtained a very cramped position, and Stevens was tempted to give up a bishop by checking at bishop's seventh. With knight play he won another pawn, and forked queen and rook. The latter he captured, but was unable to save his knight. Roberta quickly opened up his pieces for the attack, and a very interesting middle game ensued. Stevens, however, wag unable to gain any advantage over Roberts, and got his rook booked up in a forward position, where Roberts won! it. With rooks exchanged, and with two •minor pieces down. Stevens continued a boneless struggle, and resigned on move 40. Dunlon v. Miller.—Miller played the French Defence. Dunlop adopting the Gledhil! attack. Dunlop placed queen from King’s knights fourth to fifth, and castling on (he king’s side brought his queen’s rook to king’s ooen file, and posting a rook at king's (bird built up a strong attack. At move 15 Miller changed off Dunlop’s valuable white bishop, and in the exchange of pieces which he instituted to break up Dunlop’s attack in the puddle game he retained two minor pieces ns against Dunlop’s rook and two pawns. Dunlop played the end game very skilfully, and Miller, who failed to see the need for the knight’s play in conjunction with the king, could not prevent Dunlop’s pawn from queening. He resigned on move 68. EIGHTH ROUND. . Gyles v. Anderson. —This was a Vienna game, in which Gyles opened the bishop’s file when' taking Anderson’s king’s pawn, and then castled to command the open file with his rcok.. Quite early Gyles brought about exchanges that, lost Anderson a bishop. The latter got a pawn, however, 1 and later won two more pawns; aiid got the passed pawn posted at queen’s sixth. Anderson moved pawn to bishop’s third to attack Gyles’s pawn at king’s fifth. In the resulting exchanges Anderson gave up a queen for rook, thinking that he had a mating position against Gyles. Gyles's position, however, was made secure by the interposition of a bishop supported by his queen. Anderson thereupon resigned. Miller Buchan. —Buchan offered the Sicilian defence to Miller's opening, and obtained a very cramped position for a time. Miiler developed his pawn at king bishop’s fourth, and get a very free open (position. Buchan delayed castling until late, and gained nothing by the delay, for in the middle game exchanges he lost a pawn, and liad' his queen side pawns isolated. Later Miller won material, and the end game began with Buch with rook and three pawns,and Miller with knight •, bbhop and five pawns. Buchan manoeuvred with rook and king; and won two pawns, and in his anxiety to capture a third pawn with his king he left his rook to lie taken by Miller’s knight. Biiclum saw that further effort was useless and resigned.