CHESS TOURNAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 707, 5 January 1910, Page 6

CHESS TOURNAMENT.

' NINTH ROUND. ■ GREERSON STILL LEADING. (By Tolegraph.-Preas -Association.) ..'■•"-. Auckland, January' i. The ninth round of the chess ohampionship tourney was concluded to-night, with Griersori; still leading. ;Barries's defeat by Daviesin fourteen ino,ves was another of the unexpected lappenings.

■ Barnes'v. Davies (Ruy Lopez): Davies chose to defend this .opening with the Eiga defence. ..Bai'nes played correctly up to the eleventh move, where he-had to give up the exchange. .At this stage he took 45 , minutes :to consider his next rnove, and, played - Ks;' disV ; eh., where Dr.; Lasker recommended Q—QB cli., in brder to get rid 'of the adverse"'■• queen. Daviee stuck to the book, and resigned three moves later. . . ; . ; . : .."-.-

; Mason and Grierson (Zukertort operiing): Mason again adopted the closegrained Zukertort. opening, every book variation of which he knows. As must be;expected with tbis opening, the usual stonewall position occurred in the middle of. the! game. ; Here Grierson blundered for'once, allowing Mason to gain a knight ivith a pawn. Queens ttere afterwardsVexchanged, and, , with equal pawns and rook.against rook and knight, there were, still; drawing. possibilities in the end ,of ,the. game. .Mason, however, played! too carefully to permit them, and Grierson met his;second loss on the-52nd move. ; : .--..■ '■.■■■■':,;■■ .■■'. ", ■ ■' ' ' ■''

Rutherfurd tv." Miles (Dritch. defence): "Fencing tactics-were pursued up.to the 12nd move, where 1 Miles had worked up an attack ivith the, freer development, both Eutherfurd's rooks-,being at home penned in,by Wβ king arid bishop.. Here Miles captured a paivn, threatening on the move out; of which there ..was no escape without, letting the.queen go for rook and !bishop.,- Miles ought to have won from this position,, but on the 30th ■move.Eutherfurd threatened "mate.in two and Miles's queen had to go for a rook ■and. two pawns. Eventually, the game, dwindled ', down to Rutherim-d's ; bishop, and pawn against .rook aid two pawns, ; and in this condition the game .was adjourned. ... '< ", \ ■-. . .. .- '')'• Freeman v." Kelling (Giuoco Piano): The game developed on \ the usual lines, and, at -every stage looked "drawish." '-It. might ha.ve been declared a draw at the adjournment/'but ..Freeman refused persistently until' the,, last; pawn fell, atter. two hours' further play with knight, and bishop:' '■ -;.-.■-. •.'.■■ ■ :.:■: ■.■■ .--. ■.•'■.'..■,. ,-

Hicks, v. i Sairisbury /(French: defence): Hicks,was evidently not prepared.for,the French defence in'reply, or he would pro-' bably.have stuck, to. his successful EB gambit. ■■.■:.-■ 'His': third move, P— K '5, -the authorities; do , not approve, yet he managed : to _, get a strong';' attack on ■' Sains-; bury's king's side, and/getting a pawn on Kt. 7, mate in two if Sairis-bury-captured.!'The. position was critical, ;-:but.:.: Sainsbury, ,by .excellent play, succeeded in drawing by! perpetual check. '' Seyerne : v. James' (Giudoo Piano): .A. very! even gaine; proceeded, to., the middle stage., Severne/whilo looking well to his . defences, showed more! than. usual enterprise, but made-no impression on his op-; ponent's strongly-built., foitTess. It was a battle -at close'.- quarters,.but - James found a weak spot and secured; the-game on the thirty-first move. -. ...

; ■/■•■■ SCORES.. ' : ■'; ' • At the conclusion of .the ninth Tound, the. Boores;.stood thus I .— ' . ■'.•' -yy. ■ '~'■ i.;;;■'' -."': ;' : ; Won. : Lost. To play. 'Grierspn..:....„ 7' ■..'■'. 2 : 0 ■ ;■■ Barnes ..........;.. 6':; 3 " ■■' 0 \ -Mason; .~;.™.. .6 "'■■.:.,. 2,, ,-1 ' ■ : Daviee ;" 3i . : 1' >'.;.Ratherfurd M ', .1' " ..jauies ........... ''4\, ,''■ i\ .0' .i Miles ............ ■ :i> .''■>. 4:■;..• ■: 0 : . ■■, Sainsbury' ;....;. 3J ■ '■ '•' Sf ■ 0 .: •■• Soverne .........v 3} :'. 5.J ' ■■ 0 -•■■• ■, Hicks :.;;...:.....; sj v--sjv, ;-o- ; : : 'Freeman .....:.. 3 .'. ,~6 ,'. 0. , ;' ■Kelljng ■:.:..;..;.... 2 ''y'o^,i:'\ : ' O'': ; .f<

v : ;,; •: '■■ The- follqwinß ■ is .the list of;, previous champions,' and the represented. , by them:r- : ;' : ;.'. ;■':'.;■:■-:.;' ■ : 1879.-H.. Hookham;. Chrietchureh/ , 1888.-A: -M.: OlUvier,' ; Christcaurcli. '1889.— H. Hookham, ..Christchurch., ■.':'. 1890.-R. r J. Barnes,'Wellington..:. ;'..,: , : 1891.—1?. V.v Siedeberß.rDunedin.' '-■['■ ;■; . 1892.-tP.sV.,SieHeberg, D.unedin. 'r''ily : , 1893.— J. ,Edwards, Wellington. ■:-■■'■■■ :ISM.—W.-- Macknyv Wellingtoi; ■' .■•.-■.'': , 1895.-W. -Meldrum, Eanprltikei. I ■■•- , 1898— B. J... Barnes, , ',Wellington.: 1897.-R.' : J. ': Barnes, 1 Wellington. ■ ; : -1898.-R.'A. Cleland,"Pnnedin.-.V'..■■■■-:■.• ; 1900 (Easter).—W. E., ! Mason, -Welling-'.i'-''•'-.ton.' ■' '■■::'■ . ■ ■.'■■■■■■ '•-:.... .-.:.■.■ .',•:-■.' : 1901' -(Easter).-]). Forsythjl'Dunedin. -/■ ' 1901, (Christmas).—B: Wei-: ■ ■■■'■ , ■...' ■.;.••■ . ' ■ '■•■ ' '•■' .•:■ 1902.— J.; O. Grierso.n, Auckland. ; ; 1903—W.E.:Mason': Wellington. '■--V--1904—A. W. O.: Davies, ;Wellihgton., ; •;■-1905.—8.- J. Barnes",-Wellington. ' 1906.-W- S. Viner,: Perth, W.A.:. ■'■': ■ .1908 ; (Easter).—A.- W.'vO. rDaviesi Wel- ■ 1908 (Christmas);—! , .'. K...Eelling.'SWel- ■\, ; lington. '"■':' ■ ,■ ~;; ' ■••; ; :: .■; :