CHESS CHAMPION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1016, 4 January 1911, Page 4

CHESS CHAMPION.

W, E. MASON'S THIRD SUCCESS) DAVIES ETJNNER-UP, ■ < (By TelegraDh.-Press Aesociatlon.l TimarUj January 3. The eleventh, and last, round of thtf . New Zealand chess tournament: was con.'. eluded to-day, and W. E. Mason wins the.' championship. Details:— i Play in Eleventh Round, Dunlop v. W. E. Mason (Centred Counter Gambit).—Tho Dunedin and Wel*| lington champions fought an even game to-l tho middle stage, when Mason secured a;! pawn, and with this advantage in a safe l position for the Wellingtonian, Dunlop Sealed. On resuming, Dunlop made a stubborn defence, but Mason's ; force > majeure, slight though it wav limited his freedom, and when Mason .captured the knight on the forty-fifth move, the soutliern'ehampion .resigned. •• ■ >.■. ■ ■ Gyles v. Grierson (Scotch Gambit) .— Slight swaying advantages without altera-/ Hon of forces advanced the game to the thirty-third move, which was sealed by'. ■'■ Gyles,.who had the semblance of an attack. After the adjournment Gyles kept > tho attack going for a while, threatenins, to p scoro with passed rooks pawn. • Queens and rooks were exchanged, leaving' a minor piece each, with equal pawns in ; a practically drawn position. Grierson, however, made better use of his knight against the bishop, and scored a win. Fox v. Barnes (Albino Counter to th« Queen's Gambit) .—Adopting this defence, ■• Barnes essayed to follow the game played, by the world's champion, Dr. Laskeiv iaa simultaneous match at Moscow in 1900, but Fox declined, and offered sacrifice of.'a bishop, so precedents were upset. Fox, however, got a bad development, Barnes completely disintegratingwhat little combination there was, and Fox resigned on tha thirteenth move. A similar defence last year 'won H. L. ■• ■' James ' the brilliancy prize. Davies v. Beck iFaikbeer Counter).— Davies's second move placed a big handicap on Beck; Daries has made a special study of every variation of this' hazardous, gambit,- oud- he caught Beck's queen on the eleventh move, and Beck may Well have resigned at this >oint, but struggled on till mate was called, on the twenty-third move. Mara r. Hicks (Centre Counter).— Hicks adopted a Counter Gambit toavoid defending Ruy. Lopez, which Mara' has well studied. A freo game resulted' in Mara gaining, a pawn advantage,.', which Hicks, soon recovered, his greatest. anxiety being Mara's pawn. Hicksl notwithstanding, : had the preferable posi- ' Hon -. at tho call of time. On resuming ... Hicks soon secured two pawns, but still . had difficulty in overcoming Mara's ac- . curacy. Hicks queened just in time to ..... prevent Mara's pawn promotion, and won one o£ the best games of the.present con- . test. ;."":'•" ■' J. Mason had a bye. Tenth Round Adjournments.. Fox v. Grierson (Ruy Lopez).—On re» suniing Fox improved his position in an end game requiring very close analysis, and scored a meritorious win from last, year's second prizewinner. , ' J: Mason v. Dunlop (Zukertort).—With > a pawn up at the adjournment. Dunlop maintained the advantage in force ? 'and, after a couple of hours' play, failing to : queen,' a draw was agreed upon. The result of this game decided third place in Mason's favour. Final Score, i The following are the final champion-' ship points:- > ' Won. Lost, W. E. Mason v . 9 1 Davies J..... 1 ■ •■•■• 8 2 J. .Mason ••■•• 61. 3J Dunlop • ••■ 51 -*1 Hicks 5} 4i .Mara „ .-. ~.;.....,.....'.,........ 51,'4J .. Barnes 5 5 Gvles ~„,...- „....,. ~...-• i . 6...-,- ~ Key., Fox-....,...'.:.:....."...'.'...'..■;.....; i '6 " f ; Grierson. ..2. 8 Beck. .:.....,.........,........,■..'........ 0.; 10 ;':"This"resnlj: gives Mason; hjsthird win, -_■."' Davies has-won two former, contests. . '--: THE CHAMPION.; The Wellington Club has been worthily represented at tho; tournament by the ' two Masons (they are not related.to each I other). . Mr. John Mason won the cham- ' pionship 'when playing off a tie with Mr. Grierson in Auckland a year ago. On two previous occasions when he tied the previous honour tho play-off went , against him.'- He has taken part in nine of these, championship tourneys, and his consistent play has fcained him a prize an each of the last .eight occasions."■• It is also of interest to note that, whereas he ' has defended the Buy Lopez' attacks hundreds of times, he has never once used that;popular opening when having the . move 1 ■ ..,.'• ■ ' ■ ' Mr. W. B. Mason is the present champion •of the Wellington Chess Club—he won the title from Mr. Barnes over a .month ago,.thus retaliating, for. -Mr. ; . B.arnes having relieved him of the Pethcrick trophy a few'weeks earlier. • He' , ,has held.the New Zealand championship twice previously, both times through beingsuccessful in playing off a tie. His name would assuredly have been ofteher on ,the championship roll ■ but for the fact 'that ho so seldom competes; for.instance, . this is his first appearance since the . Oamaru Congress. He has been described :'. as "the New- Zealander with the greatest ■". possibilities"—this tribute commg_ from Mr. SandfoVd, an ex-Cambridge University representative, who himself exhibited " fine form in the 1903-Oi' congressJheld in this city) . . " previous champions; Thn following is the list of the winnersof.the New Zealand chess championship since, JB79:— . 1879—H.. .Hookham,- Christchurch. 1888—A. M. Ollivier, Christchurch. ISB9—H. Hookham, Christchurch. 1890— R. J. Barnes, Wellington. 1891— F.V. Sicdeberg, Dunedin. 1892— F. V. Siedeberg, Dunedin. : 1893— J. Edwards, Wellington. • 1891—Wi Mnckay,' Wellington. ' ISOo—W. Meldrum, Rangitikei •.' 1890— R. J.- Barnes, .Wellington. 1897— R. J. Barnes, 1 -Wellington. IfiOS —R. A. CleliUid, Dunedin. , 1900 (Easter)—W. E. Mason, Wellington'.. - 1901 (Easter)—D. Forsyth, Dunedin. . 1901 (Christmas)—R. J. Barnes; Welling' ton.--- '■-■—.. 1902—J: C. Grierson,-Auckland.. '- 1903— W. E.. Mason,. Wellington. 190-1 —A. W. 0.. Davies,- Wellington, 1905— R. J. Barnes, Wellington.' • 1806-W. S. Viner (Perth, W.A.)! 1958 (Easter)-A. W. O. Davies, Wet lington. . •' ■ 1908 (Christmas)-F. K. Kelliug, Wei-. ' lington. 1909— J. Mason, Wellington.