Telegraphic Chess Match.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 56

T elegraphic Chess Match.

OTAGO C.C. v. TIMARU C.C.

The match between the Timaru and Otago •Clubs was resumed on Saturday evening. Ten jfames remained to be (fought out. That at 'board ,4 was disposed of by the players agreeing to a drawn game. The play at board 9 resulted :<n favour of Timaru. Having lost a. piece, and ;lhe game being hopeless, the Otago player re--signed. At board 7 the Otago player, by a skilful sacrificing combination, mated his opponent jearly in the evening. At board 8 the Otago had been in a hopeless position fiom the 'Toss of tv/o pieces at the first sitting. The (player, however, did not know when beaten, ©lid struggled bravely on until he was on the £)oint of being mated. At board 13 the Otago i-V>layer retained the advantage gained in the !|irst evening's play, and, gradually improving iiis position, he gained such a strong attack us to render further resistance hopeless, and Vihe Timaru player resigned to avoid being iOiated. Some interesting play occurred at (board 11. The positions were so evenly balanced that up to a late hour a diaw seemed '/inevitable. The Otago player then advanced n pawn, which was taken by his opponent, S»nd resulted in giving the Otago player a passed jSawn. Timaiu had already a passed pawn, and >yen after his mistake might, by correct end

game play, have given his opponent a great deal of tioubie, and at least secured a draw. In addition to his mistake in giving his opponent a passed pawn he then tried to force a win by the capture of another pawn, which brought about an exchange of his last piece. Even after this he might have piolongcd the game for the rest of the evening had he played his king forward, to lead his pawn to queen. He, however, played his king in such a way that the Otago player hs.ving queened a pawn was able, by skilful play, at once to cut off all hope of further resistance, and the Timaru player resigned. This example shows the necessity of devoting more attention to end game play. A few spare half hoius devoted by players to the study ot end game play, and m particular pawn endings, wou'd have a very maiked effect in raising their l^lay stiength. At bopid 3 the Timaru game had been desperate since the incident mentioned in last report, but the Timaru player also proved one of those who did not know when he was beaten, raid only resigned when he had no longer any force left. As neither ' night nor Bluchor arrived " he finally resigned. But the greatest interest centred in the game between the cajrtains at board 1. It was a long and hard fight with " hairbreadth scanes and perilous instances " on both sides. The Otago captain,- with his habitual tenacity in attack, Held firmly on to his opponent until he left him hopeless. The best of good feeling on both sides has ruled the contest. The i.et result is: Otago, 8S; Timaru, 3o ; with two games left for adjudication.