CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 243, 4 January 1928, Page 13

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

EXCITING CONTESTS PLAY AT CHRISTCHURCH Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. Exciting play was witnessed at the chess championship contests held here, a position having occurred similar to that which took place at the 1922 competition held in Christchurch. Kelling, last evening, started the last round game against Davies a full point down. Dunlop was similary placed when the 1922 final round commenced, his opponent, A. W. Gyles, leading for the title by one point. Dunlop won the game, this also deciding the bout. Kelling established a good position and played excellent chess. On resuming this morning he won the 49th move. Davies conducted a very fine sporting game. All the way through he went for a win. Had he been successful, his record would have been one of the best ever accomplished at a New Zealand chess championship congress. Not until the last few moves this morning was the result certain. Davies held Kelling under a strong threat and was really only one step from his goal, but Kelling blocked that step move by move until his pieces were in position for the final dash.

When the advance sounded for the final assault, Davies’s king was so heavily attacked and his position imperilled that the defence crumpled and he resigned when enmeshed in a mating combination. It was a hard game —one of the best of the tournament and one worthy of the occasion. The deciding game will be played to-morrow morning. Severne won from Summers and finished third. The Nelson representative has been well placed at many Dominion championship tournaments, but he has yet to succeed to the title. McDermid drew with Fisher and gained fourth place. The prize money is allotted on the Sieger system and the amounts won are as follow: Davies and Kelling, each £l4 15s; Severne, £6 6s; McDermid, £ 4 4s. The silver rook, a large silver challenge trophy, goes to the ultimate winner of the championship, to be held by him for 12 months. There is also a special prize for the brilliancy game, but the result will not be known until the games have been examined and a decision made by the judges.