PLAY CONTINUES IN N.Z. CHESS TOURNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19268, 3 January 1931, Page 6

PLAY CONTINUES IN N.Z. CHESS TOURNEY.

PROGRESS IN EIGHTH AND NINTH ROUNDS. Per Press Association. ROTORUA, January 2. The following: games were played in the eighth round of the New Zealand chess championship:— rieasants v. Fairburn—Fairburn played the Double Fianchetto defence to the King’s Pawn opening, a very even middle game resulting. In the end game Pleasants gave up knight to gain an extra passed pawn. This he was able to queen and Fairburn resigned. Miller v. Greenfield—A Cavo-Kann game, in which Miller appeared to get the advantage of position. He left an attacked rook without support and later made a weak move. Greenfield took advantage of it and soon pressed on to victory. Gyles v. Kelling—A Queen’s Pawn game. Gyles obtained a fine position. He won a pawn interposed to cover a threatened mate. A sparkling duel took place in Kelling’s repulse of Gyles’s attack, but with the exchanges Kelling was left with the w -aker pawn position and was outplc..ed in the end game. Erskine v. Kuramer—A Queen’s Pawn game. Erskine soon pushed forward an attack on the King’s wing, won a bishop for a pawn and prevented Kummer’s castling. Erskine held Rummer’s pieces, defending a weak position, and with his free queen harried Kummer's king. Finding his forces further weakened, Rummer resigned. Herbert v. Maddox—Maddox played an irregular defence in which queens and minor pieces were exchanged early. He made good use of his bishops. Herbert moved a knight to be taken, forgetting that the supporting pawn was pinned, and was soon outplayed by Maddox. Grierson v. Severne—A well-played Ruy Lopez. With a sound development in the later exchanges Severne won a pawn; but, with queens and rooks off, a hard struggle took place. Grierson was able to change off pieces, so that the players were left with bishops of opposite colours and he forced a drawing position. Ninth. Round. Greenfield v. Erskine—A Sicilian game, in which queens were early changed off. Erskine castled on the queen side and advanced his king side pawns. Greenfield also castled on the queen side to a position exposed to a bishop attack. Erskine threatened to win a knight, but was able to win knight, pawn and bishop, whereupon Greenfield resigned. Fairburn v. Miller—A Queen’s Pawn game. In the opening exchanges Fairburn won two pawns and obtained command of an open bishop’s file. Attacking through this with queen and rooks, he dominated the position, forcing the exchange of rooks and winning a third pawn. Miller checked with queen on the eighth rank, wasting queen strength to pin a bishop. Fairburn won the end v. Herbert—Herbert played an irregular defence which soon gave Kelling a dominating position. Piling up the attack, Kelling caused Herbert to draw upon every reserve Breaking through on the queen side, Kelling suddenly struck at the centre, checking with queen, winning a bishop and threatening to win a queen for a rook. Herbert resigned. Grierson v. Pleasants, Rummer v. Gyles and Maddox v. Severne are unfinished.