CHESS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18593, 2 January 1935, Page 12

CHESS

DOMINION TOURNEY

ERSKINE IN THE LEAD

(Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, this -day

•The first three final rounds of the New Zealand chess championships were played during the last two da f ys. At the end of the third final round J. A. Krskinc (Southland) is leading with of points, K. Beyer (Wellington) being next with points. H. R. Young, a Canterbury player, and A. W. Gyles (Wellington), have, each four points. Abbott met. Erskine yesterday, and' suffered his'iirst defeat.

Notes on the games are as follows, white names being mentioned first. •

FIRST FINAL ROUND.

Col. Gyles v. Darwin. —Sicilian defence. Darwin exchanged a knight on the fourth move, leaving Gyles with a very free game. ■ Gyles prevented Darwin from castling, and in' defending a knight allowed' Gyles to fork a rook. Darwin received no compensation foi this, and resigned on the eighteenth move.

Erskine L. Pettit. —English opening. Black lost time in opening by an unneoessary pawn move, and, as a result, had a difficult game. He lost a piece on the twentieth move and immediately resigned. Scott v. Sevcrne. —Queen’s pawn game. Sevcrne defended with the Budapest counter gambit, which Scott accepted. The game was marked by a rapid exchange, and by attacking the queen Scott won a pawn, but failed to hold it. The players agreed to a draw on the thirty-first move. Beyer v. AVatt. Queen’t pawn game. Watt adopted the- king’s fianehetto defence. Though black was fairly cramped, the game was even. At the twenty-third move, Watt exchanged a bishop for a knight, giving white a commanding position on the queen ’s side and control of the queen’s bishop; In trying to free the game, black lost his king’s pawn. This was a weak move, as the pawn exchange gave white an advantage, resulting in all variations. On the queening of the king's pawn Watt resigned on the thirtieth move. Abbott v. Dunlop.—Queen's gambit declined. The game developed on usual lines. Dunlop’s eighth move cramped his queen’s bishop, and his sixteenth allowed Abbott to break up the black’s king side pawns. With this advantage, Abbott played decisively to force Dunlop’s resignation on the thirty-ninth move. It was a very interesting game, with Dunlop' setting a neat trap on his- twentyeighth move, with which Abbott took no chances.

Hinks v. Kelling.—King’s fianchetto opening. This long bout ran into three sittings. It was even till a late stage of the end game, when Kelling obtained a slight positional advantage, • which' enabled him to force a win at move 80. t SECOND FINAL ROUND.

Col. Gyles v. Scott.—Nimzowitsch defence. Gyles early obtained the freer game at the twenty-third move. Ho missed an opportunity of winning Scott’s queen for two pieces, but won a pawn instead. Scott made a great light for a draw, but missed his way when pressed for-time. Through taking a pawn to equalise, he left himself in a waiting net anil resigned at move nineteen.

Lo Petit v. Kelling.—Queen’s gambit declined. The game opened on orthodox lines. The attack soon passed into Le Petit’s hands and he gained a pawn at move 22. Heavv exchanges followed, leaving Le Petit with a king and five pawns against a king and four pawns. Correct, handling of a tricky ending- enabled him to score an instructive win at move 55. Beyer v. Erskine. —Queen’s pawn game and Slav defence. On move 21, Beyer began a violent attack, which resulted in heavy exchanges gaining him a pawn. The game finally resolved itself into a draw at. move 12, with bishops of opposite colors. . Severne v. Abbott. —Pour knights game. Severne very early had Abbott in difficulties through winning a pawn, for which Black received no recompense. Abbott regained the pawn on the twenty-fifth move, and a draw was agreed to at move 50. Hicks v. Darwin.—Caro Kann. There was an even game, with a good deal of exchanging till move 24, when an oversight by Darwin lost liini a rook for a pawn. He then resigned. Dunlop v. Watt.—Sicilian defence. White attacked strongly, and on. the forty-fifth move the pieces were efven, with Dunlop having a passed pawn. At this stage, Watt could have forced a draw, but missed his opportunity, letting Dunlop win with the passed pawn. Third Final Kound

Rolling v. Beyer. —French defence. Kelling did not follow up the.bfimzowitsch attack to the best advantage, and his club mate was thus able to work up a very strong counter attack, which carried all -before it. Kelling resigned a hopeless game at move 25. Erskine v. Abbott.—English opening. The game resolved itself into a Sicilian, with colors reversed, a line of play recommended by the Australian Chess Review. Abbott had a difficult game and lost a piece. Ho. resigned at move 44. Dunlop v. Gyles.—Sicilian defence, which developed normally. Dunlop

gradually, took command of the centre and ‘brought his knights into action, which enabled him to win at move 35. Gyles’ gamo quickly fell- away, and he- resigned at move 36, a mate being imminent.

Scott v; Hicks—Hicks played an irregular defence to Scott’s queen’s pawn opening. Both sides ■played very carefully. Scot t used the pinning motive in" winning a knight, but Hicks had' some compensation in two united pawns on the queen’s side, Scott offered exchanges of a rook and a queen, which Hicks accepted, thereby losing a certain draw. Scott stopped Hicks’ three pawns on the king’s side, and Hicks then resigned. ■Watt v. Scverne. —-Severnc played the Morphy defence. At move is, Severne had a chance -of winning a pawn, which- -he • overlooked. Thereafter, p, very cv.en struggle took place. Pieces were" exchanged, arid as there seemed to be no possibility of a break through by either player, a draw was agreed to at move 53.

AUSTRALIAN TOURNEY

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) • MELBQRUNE, Jan.,l. In the fourth round of- the Australian chess championship, Watson defeated Thierjung, Condon defeated Hastings, Hynd drew with Goldstein, Green defeated Coult'as, Koshnitzky ■ defeated Greenfield," i’urdy defeated Growl, Lamparter defeated Fillian. __ i lii the sixth round, Koshnitzky defeated Coultas, Growl defeated Gordon. Watson defeated Lamparter, Purdv defeated Greenfield, Goldstein- deleated Fillian, Hastings defeated Thierjung, and Green and Hynd drew.

The leaders are Koshnitzky, Goldstein, and Purdy, with points each.