CHESS CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 179, 24 April 1908, Page 8

CHESS CONGRESS.

YESTERDAY'S PLAY. Though nearly all tho competitors wero nioro or less late in commencing, the progress mado at tho Chess Congress yesterday was greater than on any previous day. Not only was tho fifth round completed, and soveral games of the sixth, but outstanding games from other rounds, which required a third sitting were also .wiped off. The. first King s Gambit of tho tourney was played in oho fifth round by Council (AYairoa) against the Rev. B. G. lox (Tinwald), and this was also tho first accepted gambit. Tho players lunched together at tho Kelburno Kiosk, at the invitation of f.lie committee. A number of tho bity councillors showed a keen interest in tho games, • after tho Council meeting in tho evening. The sixth round should bo finished this morning, and tho seventh is expected to start in tho afternoon, and bo completed in tho evening. Tho results of yesterday's play woro as follow a SECOND ROUND. Kelling v. Kummer.—-This was a game which stocd over from the second round. It should really, have ended in a draw, each player having a king and five pawns. The. contestants, however, decided; to'break up the position, and tho game was a race for queening,- which resulted in favour of Kelling, who scored at tho 58th movement; Kummer was too preoccupied with a'certain lino of play to notice a not too obvious sequence of moves, which would liayo given him a win.- ■ FOURTH ROUND. ; _The adjourned game between Barnes and Kummer, in tho fourth round, resulted in a draw, as was expected. FIFTH ROUND. . Rutherfurd v. Davies.—Queen's pawn open-' ing. Davies got slightly tho advantago of tho opening, and a few exchanges followed, leaving him with a better pawn position. At movo 16, Rutherfurd offered the exchange of quoens, which was accepted, but'later ho got his knight iu trouble, and eventually lost the piece, resigning on the 34th move, mato being inevitable. Kelling v.. Barnes. — Barnes declined tho Queen's gambit offered by his second string. After a few exchanges a somewhat unusual pawn arrangement was arrived at, which, however, Barnes dissolved. ■ 'A, very open and highly interesting game, was then reached before the luncheon adjournment.' The legiti-mate-outcome of'the-game disclosed by. the inevitable post-mortem should have been a long fight'of queen-and bishop against two rooks and a knight, ' but,, unfortunately, 'Barnes's, first movo on:resuming in 'the.afternoon was ■ an oversight, allowing Kelling'to mate in two. / , . • Connell v. Rev. B. G. Fox.—Cpnnoll offered the King's Gambit, which was ac: copied. The game was. conducted on-boolc lines' - till the ejglith movo, when - Connell offered a sacrifice of a piece for a'pawn, and • the /attack resulted in the recovery of tho pieco and disorganisation, of his-,op-, ponont's defence.' Fox , showed a;' better knowledge of tho play than :in : any of .his previous game's, but tho attack was: irresistible, and. resulted in mate on tho twentyseventh movo, in 36 minutes actual time. The time might have boon extended but for a slight oversight on Mr. FoxV part, but -the result could not have been affected.. Stowart v.'Freeman.—Ruy Lopez opening. A hard-fought game was won by Stewart on the fifty-first : move. . , " SIXTH. ROUND'. . Davies v. Freeman.—King's Gambit opening. On the ninth move Davies sacrificed a knight for a pawn, and on the eleventh' offered a bishop for another pawn, obtaining' a powerful"'attack. ■ Freeman resigned on the- soventeentli move. • '. ; . Kelling v. Rev. B. G. Fox.—The-former played a opening very indifferently, and; liis'opponent 'won a knight.'for two pawns.' A double series-of exchanges ensued,'- in which Kolling-gradually, 'made- up tho lost, ground; in tho end' having-, two bishops and a pawn- against a, rook, .with .which- advantage he was, able to claim, a win in 4S.mqves.' / -■ Ruthorfurd v. Mason.—Ruy Lopez opening. Rutherfurd had 'soon a good attack. The' game was keenly contested till the adjournment, there being no'advantage on either side.- : ' '■ Kummer v. Connell.—French defence. Connell dragged his -opponent out of the books at the fourth move, losing a. pawn for the attack, which lie sustained ; with promising results to about the twentieth, move,. when Kummer stalled it off, .andi.by careful play weaken-"! tho attack. The gamo'is now eveii and full, of possibilities.' " Barnes v. Stewart.—Danish gambit led to a rather lively sortie, and the game was adjourned at a very critical stage-