English Championship Tourney.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 40

English Championship Tourney.

News of the English championship tourney came to hand just too late for insertion last week. As stated last week, play commeuced on Saturday, April S, at Liverpool. The entry of Mr Sculthorpe, of Liverpool, wbs received late, and was rejected on the vote of the players as being contrary to the rules. There were 14 entries, which necessitated.

two byes in the first round, the draw for which took place in the presence of players and spectators, and resulted as follows :— Wray (Halifax) v. Jacob (London), Jordan (London) v Lewis (Burslem), Dover (Biyth) v. Cain (Liverpool), Blakeley (Manchester) v. Kear (Bristol), Benson (London v. Morrall (Liverpool), Gardner (Leeds) v. Brown (Liverpool). Curiously enough, the" byes fell to the two Birmingham players, Me*srs Smith and Edwards. The following shows the full details of scores for the tourney :—

FIRST ROUND. Wins. Draws. - Wins. 1 Jordan 5 Lewis ... ... 0 2 Cain 3 Dover .1, .„ 0 2 Jacob ... .„ 3 Wray ... .„ 0 . 1 Gardner 7 Brown ... v . 0 8 Blakeley. 9 Kear 2 3 Benson „. ... 1 Morrall 2 Smith and Edwards received byes. SECOND ROUND. 2 Jordan 3 Benson ... ... 0 3 Cain 1 Edwards ... »., 0 2 Jacob 5 Smith 1 1 Gardner; 0 Blakeley (retired) 0 SEMI-FINAL. 2 Jacob 9 Cain ... ... 1 1 Gardner 5 Jordan 0 FINiL HOUND. 1 Gardner (££o and

title) 7 Jacob (£10) ... 0 1 Jordan (£6) ... 5 Cain (£i) 0,0 The prizes :—Fir3t. Gardner, £20 and title c second, Jacob, £10 ; third. Jordan, £6 ; fourth. Cain, £4. During tho interval after the morning' 3 play on Monday, the tecond day, a match for a small stake came off between the London expert, Benson, and the well-knowa Lancashire player. J. &ettle, of Darwen. The conditions were the first two wins up. Five gamßs were sufficient to settle" the match in Benson's favour, the latter snoring two to his opponent's none. " Ben. son," as has been stated, is another name for Mr Bebro, who did so well against Martina in London last year.

jhe following are a few of ths ending*, which we cull from the Liverpool Mercury: —

Jordan v. Lewis. — Black men on 1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. White men on. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 30. White (Lewis) to play. Continuation — 22-18, 1-5, 18-9, 5-14, 30-26, 11-15, 19-16, 12-19, 23-16, 14-18, 16-11, 15-19, 11-7, 13-17, etc., »nd Jordan won ths game and the heat, this being the first heat concluded.

"Wray v. Jacob.— On the first board Wray, the well-known Yorkshire secretary, was unfortunate enough to lose his first game with the White side of the " single corner," Jacob scoring a clever win from the following position:—Black 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 20, 24.. Whit* 14, 18, 19, 22, 23, 27, 28, 31. White (Wray) to play. The game proceeded — 19-15, 7-10, 28-19, 10-26, 31-22, 3-7, 22-17, 9-13, 17-14, 13-17, 14-9, 5-14, 18-9, 17-22, 9-6, 1-10, 16-6, 7-10, 23-18, 22-26, 6-2, 26-31, 27-24, 20-27, 2-7, 31-26, 7-14, 26-23, 19-15, 27-31, 15-11, 31-26, 18-15. 26-22, 14-10, 22-18, 10-6, 18-14, etc. Jacob won.

G-ardner v. Brown. — Gardner, the Yorkshire champion, came in for a great, share of attention in his contest with Brown, the Liver pool "North Ender." Both played very steadily and slowly. In their third game, " Dundee " opening, which was very slowly played on both sides, Brown introduced a new move with the blacks and got on a fine game, many of the onlookers expressing an opinion that he would win. Gardner, however, played; his pieces splendidly, and finally secured a draw from the following position: — Black 4, 7, 14, 19, 26. White 12, 21, 22, 25, 28. White (Gardner) to play. Continuation— 22-17, • 14-18, 17-14. 26-30, 14-9, 7-11, 9-6, 11-16. 6-2, 19-24, 28-19, etc Drawn. In the" fourth game Gardner" again had the worst of the ending, but by fine play manipulated his pieces to a safe draw. Gard ner's experience told in the seventh game of the match, and he forced a win from the following position:— Black men, 3, 5,-7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19. White 13, 14, 20, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31. White (Gardner) to play. 14 9 27 18 22 18 8 4 6 2" 610 514 14 23 15 £2 .17 "21 710 And 13 9 26 22 24 "8 9 6 2 6 Brown 18 23 10 14 14 17 22 25 10 15 resigned

Jordan v. Benson. — The heat between Jordan and Benson in the second round was soon decided. The ending of the second game exhibits very fine strategy on Jordan's part? Black, 2, 4, 7, 11, 12, 13, IT. White, 18, 19, 20, 23, 27, 31, 32. Jordan to play and draw. . 19 15 27 24 31 27 23 18 • 32 28 24 8 17 22 22 25 -2 7 710 30 26 26 23 15 8 24 19 18 14 27 24 19 15 Drawn 4 11 7 10 10 17 25 30 10 19