CHESS TOURNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5760, 2 January 1897, Page 4

CHESS TOURNEY.

SEVENTH BOUND.

The seventh round of the New Zealand Chess Tourney is being played to-day. Andersen and Barnes, who were running sec6nd for the championship with 3J games each, met this morning, and the Wellington representative soon had the Christchurch man beaten, and is now leading with 4A- games, but as Cocks who has four games to his credit is likely to win his game to-day, this will again put him in the lead with five games won. The following are details of the play up to the luncheon adjoiu-nment : — Board I—Pleasants1 — Pleasants v. Hookham. Pleasants offered the King's Gambit, wliich was declined by 1 P — Q4. Tho. first player had some little attack, threatening to win a Pawn, which ho should only have been able to do, but Black, in his fourteenth move, made an error which cost him a piece, and, rather than prolong a hopeless game, ho resigned on his sevententh move.

Board 2 — Barnes v. Andersen. Barnes adopted the Euy Lopez opening, and won a piece on the twelfth move, and Andersen resigned on the twenty-ninth. Board 3— Gilford v. Mellor. Ruy Lopez opening. Crifford kept the attack all through, and the pieces remained level; but some of Blade's Pawns are in a rather weak position.

Board 4 — Grierson v. Mason. Another Buy Lopez opening. At the 11th move Grierson got an attack by advancing his Pawns in front of the Kings. This, however, Mason answered cleverly by forcing an exchange of Queens, leaving the game fairly even. Soon after wards Mason won a Pawn.

Board s—Cocks5 — Cocks v. Edwards. Cocks used the Zukertort Opening, and has won a Pawn, leaving him a slight advantage. Meldrum a bye.