Biography of the Contestants in the Recent Tourney.

Otago Witness, Issue 2082, 18 January 1894, Page 38

Biography of the Contestants in the Recent Tourney.

The following concludes the biographical notices : —

Mr Edwards (the champion) is 36 years of age. He learned to play chess in 18S4 at the Timaru Chess Club. He played in the Club Handicap Tournament the following year, receiving pawn and two moves from the best players, and won the first prize (a silver cup). In 1886 he removed to Invercargill and joined the club there. In 1888 he won the second prize in the Club Handicap, starting from scratch. In 1890 he was transferred to Wellington and represented his late club in the New Zealand Congress held in Wellington in 1890-91, at which he was unplaced. During '92 he decided to ease off chess, as he found it occupying too much of his time. Mr Edwards has practically no book knowledge, relying mainly upon his own conception of moves as the game proceeds. He learned his chess mainly by solving problems. In the last Canterbury Solution Tournament he tied with Mr Hasell, of Timaru, and Mr Fish of Geraldine, the first three prices were divided. As already indicated, he is not strong ih book knowledge, and is very uncertain. His winning the championship of 1893-94 # is a great surprise to nearly all who know him. He is undoubtedly a plodder, and his abilities as a proproblem solver are of very great service to him. When almoet overwhelmed in a difficult position he invariably finds his way out. Mr Brown (Wellington Working Men's Club Chess Club) is 54 years of age. He learned chess as a boy, but did not play much until he was 23, when he joined the club at Leicester. The next year he was one of eight who played Mr Rankin, and the only one wno succeeded in winning a game. During the next 19 years he did not play much, as his business arrangements prevented it, in 1880Jhe joined the Bath tClub, of which Mr Thorold was president. Mr Brown came to New Zealand in 1882 and settled in Wellington, joining the local club. He represented the Wellington Clubinthe Christchurch Congress 188. 3-89, in which he failed to secure a place ; after this he joined the Wellington Working Men's Club Chess Glub, of which he is still a member. He has represented his new club twice— first in the JB9O-91 congreßS, held iv Wellington (when ho was again unplaced), and at therecentDunedincongress, at which he sepured fourth prize. Mr Brown has not much faith in book knowledge, but at the game time he has a good knowledge of the openings in a big match. His nervous disposition often stands in bid way, but apart from that he ranks with the best players in the colony. It is to be regretted that in the recent Dunedin congress, when he looked almost a certainty for the championship, .that his health should have failed him: •

Mr J. B. BonTON (Otago Ohess Club) is a native of Warwickshire, England, and is 61 years of age. Whilst quite a young boy, about seven years old, I he was taught the game of chess by his. father, and practised it as a pastime only, until he left England for New Zealand in 1854. Having during his colonial life resided almost wholly in the country Mr Borton has had few opportunities of play, with the exception of a correspondence game now and then. On -coming to reside in Dunedin about four years ago he had the advantage of playing several of the leading players, but it is only about 12 months since that Mr Borton studied the various book openings. The recent congress in Dunedin is the only occasion on which : he has taken any part in public contests. He has not done so well in the congress as his club record promised. While having a good knowledge of some of the openings he is deficient in others, and his fault would appear to be that he confines himself to one or two. He is a very brilliant player, but occasionally unsound and inclined to pc un- ' certain, bub when in good form a difficult man to beat

A. Lelievre (Wellington Chess Club) was born in Normandy in 1865. He learned chess in Paris when about 13 years of age, and continued to play when he left college for London in 1881. He joined the Athenoeum Chess Club in London in 1890, and played in several matches in the metropolis with a clean record of 12 wins and no losses. On arriving in the colony in 1891 he joined the Wellington Chess Club, and ha* taken part in the two tourneys of that club in 1892 and 1893. In the first tourney he came out second, and in the last he tied with Mr T, Kelling for the second place. Mr Lelievre is about the fastest and most brilliant player in New Zealand, but Iftosp very qualities prevent him . taking his prdper position in match play. When his opponent takes&is full-time limit Mr Lelievre is manifestly at a disadvantage. If he could manage to restrain his national impiuaiveness he would probably bo one of .the ftrst players in the colony. He is good company, and wetf liked by all who have the pleasure of knowing him', It is Worthy of note that Mr Lelievre won his game against Mr jid wards, the prevent champion, in 11 minutes.

Mr J. W. Mellor (Otago Chess Club) is 23 years qf age, and was born at Hudderafield. v He started to learn chess five years ago, and' is "self-taught. He became a mem!)e,r of the Dunedih Chess and Draughts Club nj£B9and remained so' for about a year, during 1 which fie received very valuable instruction from ; Mr D. R, Jfay. He joined his present club— the ' Otago Chgss Club— at the close of 1892, and hold i a good position in £hg ffenjor Club Tournament of last year, which, however. ws3 pot finished. His present i 3 his first publiG -appeiu'ahce. He is a youug player of great promise, and in looked upon as the coming man of his club. He is rather weak in the attack, but is surprisingly strong in defence, displaying great resources when hard pressed. The way in which he defended himself against Mr Hookham reflects great credit upon him. We expect to hear more of Mr Mellor in the chess $orld. Tax Pleasants, who represented ABhurst at the congress just closed, is a native of London, and is 22 years of ago. He has resided in the colony since he was about two years of age. He started chess about six years ago, but living in an out-of-the-way place, has not had muGh opportunity for practice, seldom meeting a good player. He owes a great deal of what he knows of the game to Mr Sexton. Mr Pleasants, under the circumstances, made a very creditable display, and more can safely be looked for from him. Some of his games played in Dunedin are> fully up to congress form. A little more experience cannot fail to make him a strong player. Mr F. H. Smith (Nelson Chess Club) did not seriously take up chess until about 12 months ago. He lives in the country and has little opportunity j of practice with good players. His appearance at fofe congress just concluded was a maiden attempt, aaa altjiou^h he lost most of his games he displayed raincrjWible" talent considering the short time he has been $" pjayer. He is an ardent supporter of the game, and with good practice would be a tough man to beat. The experience he has gained during the congress just concluded should be of great assistance to him. While in Dunedin he made himself deservedly popular in chess circles.

Tarrasch -Tchigorin Match, Eleventh Game--Ruv Lopez. White. Black. (Dr Tarrasch.) (M. Tchigorin ) 1 P-K 4 P-K4 2 Kt-K B 3 Kt-Q B 3 3 B-Kt 5 P-QR 3 4 B-R 4 Kt-B 3 5 Kt-B 3 P-Q 3-a 6 B x Xt eh P x B 7 P-Q 4 Kt-Q 2b BPxP P x V 98-K3 B-Q3 10 Castles Castles 11 Q-Q 2 Q-K 2 12 Kt-Q R 4 R-Kt 1 l.rP-QKt3 B-Kt2-c 14 P-B 4 Q R-Q hi 15Q-R5 P-QB4 16 P-Q Kt 4e Q-K 3 17 P x P B-K 2 18 Kt-Q 2 Kt-B 3 19 P-B 3 R-Q 6 20 X R-K 1 X R-Q 1 21QR-KU B-B3 22 Xt-Xt 2 It (Q 6)-Q 2 23QR-B1 Kt-R4 24 Kt-Q 1 Kt-B 5 25 B x Xt P x B-/ 26 Xt-Xt 3 B-KRS 27 Kt-B 2 Q.R 3 28 R-B 2 Q-Kt 3 29 Q-B 3 Q-R 4 30 P-K 5-sf Q-Kt 3 31 R-Q 2-fc B x P 32QxB RxR 33 Xt x R Ex Xt 34 R-K B 1 PR 3 35QxP B-Kt 4 3HQ-B3 B-K2 37 K.R 1 R x P 38 Kt-Q 3 B-Kt 4 39 Xt-Xt 4 R-Kt 7 40 Kt-Q 5 P-Q B 3 41 Kt-B 3 R-Kt ti 42 R-Q 1 K-R 2-f 43 PR 3 B-K 2-j 44 R-Q 3 B x P 45 KtTk 4 R-Kt 8 oh 46 K-R 2 B-Kt 8 eh 47 K-R 1 B-Q 5 dis eh 48 K-R 2 B x P ch-Jfc 49 P-Kt 3 R-Kt 7 eh 50 K-Kt 1 P,K B 4 51 Kt-B 5 P-Q R 4 52 Kt-Q 7 B-B 2-1 53 Kt-B 8 eh Resigns. (a) {n the fifth game, which he lost, and in the seventh, which he won, Tchigorin played 5,,. B-Kt s— the Double Ruy Lopp?. The defence adopted now is no improvement,

(b) As good as anything else ; besides, this knight's move is one of fchjgorin's favourite manoeuvres to avoid oxchanging queens.

(c) We have tried here various other continuations, of these 13 .. Kt-B 4 seems to be the most favourable, assuming, however, that Black is not bent upon a counter-attack on the king's aide, as Tchigorin evidently intended.

Id) 14...P-Q B 4 would have condemned Black's X B to an inactive position. White would have replied with 15 Kt-B 3, and if then 15...P-B 4, then 16 Kt-Q 5, and Black would have probably remained ultimately with an isolated X P too. But he could have prevented 15 Q45with14...8-Kts,, if he intended to save the subsequent loss of a pawn, (c) This wins a pawn. Slack cannot take the pawn because of 17 P-B 5. But the question arises whether it was worth while to destroy his pawns on the queen's side for the sake of capturing Black's weak double 'pawn. Black gets a telling counter-attack at such a cheap price that it appears as if he had given up the pawn purposely. if) Black has now two bishops for two knights, the open queen's file, and White s queen is out of play, because the QR P cannot be taken without losing the queen. Black has, therefore, the better game, in spite of the pawn minus. (ff) Weakening ; but a natural sequence of an inferior position, which gradually must become worse as the game proceeds. (h) To prevent 31...R-Q6: 32 Xt xR, R x Xt ; 33 QKt 4, and Black wins the exchange by 33... R-Q 1, leaving both White's rooks attacked. 31 K-B 1 would have been better.

(i) 42...Q-B 7 would have won right off. Both players were, however, short of time, and had*, to move quickly. / 0) 43...Q-B7 is no more good? now, because of White forcing exchange of queens if necessary.* (fc) He might have played, first,! 48...P-Q B 4, leaving the pawrf attacked. t

(I) Of courae, an oversight?. Tchigorin should and deserved to win the game. — The Field. |

Chess Item* - f The "Sturm und Drang" /of the great contest being over, the Otago Club has taken up fthe unfinished tournament for Dr Stenhouse's prize. The 31st inst. is fixed for its termination/ The contest how lies b6tween/Mr E. P, Grinsted and Mr A. MMooriald. All 'the others are out ,df Xt: • The Playing Committee contemplate publishing thje games of the late congress in pamphlet form. In the meantime the secretary retains the scores.

The Queenslander gives as one of its Christmas items I the position fojllbwing— K at Kj l, Qa t X B 3, Rat Qf'B 1, pawns at K'R.4, KKtS;KBU, K7, Qj6, Q B 5 QKt4, QR3- : Q5. White to play and mate without nWing anything. -fhere are sigftt whjte p.awns, bujb only two are indispensable. • ( ' Mr a G. Heydojn, lately appointed Attorney-general of New South Wales, wais about 20 years ago one of thij strongest chesa players in Sydney. Mr Edwards, the Jfew Zealand champion, now resides in Dunedin, and has becomie a member of the Otago Chess julub. Great chess masters sometimes plunder, as is shovvn in the 52nd move of the game/ between Tarrasch and TohiKijrin published in this issue. The latter leaves his king and queen to be forked by a knight, an ; d consequently loses. A blunder, but a less flagrant one, w& s made by the same player in, -the fifth game of the match at, his tenth move, where by moving 10...Kt-K2 he gave his opponent a chance of trying for £ very old and wellknown mai;e. The critics characterise his ojpponent's move 11 Xt xKP as a yy cry e ry brilliant stroke. Undoubtedly it would be so if made for ,the first time, but assuredly Dr Tarrasch would recognise 4t a glance a position so well kfcown, and Tchigorin had overlooked it. "There ia nothing nc-w under the sun," not even in chfegg. Mr Johni Clegg, a leading member of the 'otago Club, is about to i proceed/ to the Antipodes, and will be Rbs^ent for some months