CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20917, 6 January 1930, Page 8

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

TWELFTH ROUND RESULTS. GUNDERSEN IN THE LEAD.' (Pee United Press Association.) WANGANUI, January 6. The following are the results of the twelfth round of the Dominion Chess Championship:— Erskine v. Hicks.—Erskine played the Queen bishops gambit and a careful dcvelopment of the pieces gave no evident advantage to either player. The exchange of queens and minor pieces simplified the play, but left the game very even. Erskine brought pieces to bear upon the centre, Hicks meeting every threat correctly. Unfortunately Hicks failed to defend a piece that Erskine threatened, and when it fell Hicks resigned. ..Topp v. Beyer.—Beyer again adopted the Drench defence, and Topp, failing to advance the queen’s pawn, got the weaker position, Topp sought relief by exchanging minor pieces, but Beyer manoeuvred to improve the strength of his attack. Topp saw the danger, but moved back the supporting bishop instead of bringing up further support, and Beyer checkmated the king in three moves, .Gundersen v. Jeffreys.—Jeffreys adopted the French defence, making five pawn moves in succession. Gundersen was soon able .to win a pawn and build up a sound forward pawn position. The game fluctuated, but with Gundersen always the more aggressive player. Jeffreys’s king was in a . Gundersen threatened to add to Jeffreys s trouble by advancing a passed pawn at the sixth. Jeffreys thereafter resigned. Kelling v. Pleasants.—This was a bright Ponziani game which led to an early attack by Kelling. Pleasants met Kelling a threats in quite good style until the latter broke through with pawns oa the queens side ana established a pawn at knight seven. Pleasants sacrificed a rook in making a counter-attack, but Kelling managed to .move his king to safety and Pleasants resigned. Purdy v Anderson.—Anderson adopted the unusual Fianchetto defence to Purdy's Pawn to king four. Purdy built up a solid position while Anderson’s pieces seemed to lack development at the correct time. Purdy gave up the exchange to open the knight a file and brought up a strong attack. At a critical situation Anderson captured a pawn, thus opening up the rook s file, and this enabled Purdv to force a win on the thirty-eightb move.’ bcott v. Fairburn.—Scott played the Guico game and Fairburn allowed his opponent to adopt the Maxlauge attack, which broke down with the exchange of minor pieces and of queens. Fairburn later won a pawn, and Scott, instead Of capturing a pawn to even up the forces, ctuß;k on^ make a draw oy perpetual Rutherford v. Severne,—This Queen bishops gambit gave quite an unusual devclopmeut, Severne allowing Rutherford to establish a strong wedge of pawns on tbe .queen side. . . This somewhat cramped Severne s position. A great battle took place in the middle game, which was very extended leading to the end game Severne forced the exchange of queen and rooks and very sound careful play j • dr , aw seemed inevitable, but Rutherford inadvertently placed king and to Pinned He lost the exchange and a little later Severne broke through the pawn position and won. Position of players after round 12:

Gundersen . Severne .. . Won. Lost. Drawn. Points • 10 . 1 1 10J 8 T * ni Purdy .. . 9 3 0 9" 4 8 2 8 5 7J 0 5 2 5 Anderson 6 2 Erskine .. . 7 3 Kelling .. . . 5 2 Pleasants 5 7 Scott 4 6 Beyer .. . Hicks . 4 1 7 5 i 4J 6 4 2 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 Jeffreys .. . Rutherford . . 3 2 7 6 Fairburn 1 7 Topp. .. . 1 9