CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18754, 6 January 1923, Page 12

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

YESTERDAY’S PLAY. (Peb United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 5. The chess championship was resumed today. Tile twelfth round was notable for the defeat of the mighty, no less than five topscorers falling victims to lower-placed men. M’Crea continued his attack upon Gvles in a .very sound manner, and threatened to win an exchange and pawn from Gyles, who later resigned. Kelling fell a victim to Stevens, who gave up a rook, bishop, and pawn to win the former’s queen. A hard game should have been the result, but Kelling, through an oversight, lost the rook and resigned. Hicks defeated Dunlop. Having set up a very secure defence, he doubled queen and rook on the open queen file, and launched an attack, threatening to win a bishop. Dunlop saved his bishop only to lose ms rook, whereupon he resigned. Anderson made the most of his attack upon Severne’s position and won a knight and four pawns. Severne continued a hopeless game for a few moves and then resigned. The final round resulted as follows: — Anderson v. Kelling.—The latter adopted the Caro Kam game, while Andersen, having castled on the king’s side, pushed on the king’s side pawns and neglected to develop his queen side pieces. Kelling opened his king knight’s file, and massed his rooks on the king side for attack. Andersen secured his position and pushed on king bishop’s pawn to the sixth, supporting it with a queen and a rook. He forced an exchange of Kelling’s dangerous black bishop, and with a knight forced Kelling s two rooks end queen, winning the exchange. A most tricky ending was played most carefully by Andersen, who queened a pawn and forced Kelling’s resignation at move 4Z ALf.ier v. Stevens.—Miller played the Blackmar Gambit, which Stevens accepted. The latter got into a very cramped position, which Stevens freed His game and attack and counter-attack were the order of the day. In none of this did Stevens win materially or become really dangerous. Miller was more fortunate with one of his attacks, he winning the exchange and later a piece. This advantage enabled Miller to force a win after a very lengthy game. Buchan v. Hicks.—This was a Queen’s Pawn game, in the opening of which Hicks changed off both knights. Hicks delayed castling, and pushed on strongly with his kingside pawns. Ho forced open the king rooks file, and castling on. the queen side commanded the open file with two rooks and a queen supporting the attack. With the black bishop Buchan defended securely, and Hicks changed his attack to the queen side, breaking through at queen bishops square. He made no better headway hero, so the two players agreed to a draw. M’Crea v. Roberts.—This game was the Queen’s Gambit Declined. Roberts early attacked at'M’Crea’s queen bishops third; threatening to w’n a piece. M’Crea, however, saved the position, losing only a pawn, Roberts having to reireat his queen. M’Crea arranged a fine, long, diagonal attack, but failed to press it, far some reason changing bis tactics. P,oberts made good use of his knights, and of the open king’s file in changing off M’Crea’s pieces . dangerous in attack. A very tenacious fight by M’Crea, with the exchange down, ended in a draw op move 49. Gyles v. Dunlop.—This was an irregular defence to the Queen Pawn Opening. Gyles got a strong centre, establishing his knight at king’s fifth. With this knight he changed off Dunlop’s white bishop, and with the other knight he occupied the point of vantage. Dunlop required the long black diagonal, and refrained from changing off the knight. Knights were exchanged, and both players had a queen, two rooks, and a bishop with six pawns. Towards the close of the middle game Gyles, to prevent 'Dunlop occupying his (Gyles's) king rook’s third with a queen, placed his queen on his own knight’s second. This, in some measure, shut his queen out 01 play, giving Dunlop greater freedom for developing Ids rooks and establishing his centre pawns. A very stern fight is still in progress between these two players, Dunlop having his pawns in an advanced position, and Gyles defending quite correctly. Pilil v. Severne.—Severne played the Benoni Counter to Pihl’s queen pawn opening. Pihl obtained ia line free game, and white, bishops having been exchanged, he brought his knights across to support an attack which ho threatened with his queen and bishop. SeverneV defence was sound, and Pilil was forced to change his plans. Severne attacked the pawn position on Pihl’s queen side, the latter maintaining the position intact. This game is unfinished. and looks very much like a draw. The nosition of the players at the end of the second session of the final round is as follows

Gvlcb, Dunlop, Pihl, Sevorne, Hicks, and M’Ci'ea have cjioh one Kamo to complete.

Gyles Won. :i Drawn. Lost. 1 Points. 10 Dunlop .. ' 0 — a A n ->h A mlersen 7 Miller 7 :> I A -i Pilil 7 4 Kelling .. 6 2 ft ~ peverne 6 2 4 7 Hicks 4 7 Huciinn 4 a ii H Coombs 4 a C ft.5 ■H M'C'rca 4 a ft Holier is 4 a 6 ft 4 Stevens 3 0 n j