CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 548, 28 December 1928, Page 7

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

DOMINION TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND PLAYED Press Association WELLINGTON, Thursday. Following are the results of games played in the second round of the New Zealand chess championship to-day; Fairburn v. Erskine. —Fairburn played the queen bishop’s gambit, which Erskine declined. The latter played the queen to rook’s fourth, to pin the knight. With Erskine’s queen so placed Fairburn built up a strong attack on the king’s side, with his two knights, queen and a bishop. He, however, sacrificed the wrong knight first, and in consequence lost two pieces for four pawns. lie played solidly, but Erskine, by exchanging rooks, established a mating position and Fairburn resigned. Properly played from the middle game Fairburn should have won. Miller v. Kelling.—Miller offered the king bishop’s gambit. Kelling did not take the pawn, but his development en-* abled Miller to obtain a very strong pawn centre. Miller attacked strongly in the middle game but, in capturing a pawn, he gave Kelling a chance to win the exchange. Kelling subsequently was pressed for time, and Miller was able to win two pawns. Miller played the ending most carefully and scored a win in a most interesting game. Gyles v. Hicks.—Hicks adopted the Philador defence, playing liis queen to bishop’s third, and in consequence a very cramped middle game resulted. Gyles changed off the centre pawns, giving Hicks a more open game. In the exchanges leading to the end game, Hicks lost a pawn. Gyles then had the better position with an advanced passed pawn, and Hicks failed to take a chance offered of winning a pawn and perhaps drawing the game. Gyles then forced Hicks’s resignation. Severne v. McCrea.—McCrea offered the French defence, Severne pushing on his pawn to king’s fifth. A very even middle game resulted, the subsequent exchanges leaving a somewhat blocked pawn position. With the exchange of the last minor pieces there was no prospect of either player forcing the pawns through, and a draw was agreed upon at the 40th move. Scott had a bye.