THE CHESS CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1635, 31 December 1912, Page 5

THE CHESS CONGRESS.

FIFTH HOUND, (By TolejraDh.--Press Association.) Nelson, December 30. The fifth round of the chess championships tournament was concluded this afternoon. The following are the details, of the games:— Hicks v.' Barnes.—Barnes's reply to . Hicks's opening constituted the Gambit form of the Two Knights' defence. Barnes forced an exchange of pieces, ; which left him with a good attack. Hicks, however, made a counter-attack. Barnes's seventeenth move was perhaps not his strongest, and iris attempt. to save a i bishop gave a further oliance to Hicks, , whoso subsequent onslaught taxed-Barnes's ingenuity in defence. Hicks, in the end, 1 made a beautiful sacrifice, which'brought J about Barnes's downfall. Sainsbury v. Mason.—This was aGuioco >: Piano opening, which Sainsbury- turned - [ into a Max Lango attack. From move 12 the position was exciting, but, by covering the open file by his knight, Sainsbury gave Mason a chance to push on an. attack on the king's wing, . his pawns ultimately forcing a way for queen and rook. On move 19 Mason won the exchange, and pressed the attack', exchanging rook for bishop. -Sainsbury -was checkmo, ted on the thirty-sixth move. Gyles v. Grierson.—This was . a Centre Counter ,-game. The position was fairly even until* an. exchange of pieces'left Gyles's position rather open. Further exchanges, and an advance of the pawns improved Gyles's position, but .he unwittingly offered a knight for nothing. Grierson -did -not take advantage of this, but won two pawns, and -forced an exchange of queens. 'Gyles later tried a ! pretty combination, which was-not quite sound,\ and a' stubborn end gpme was fought, Gyles prolonging it against great odds. He could- not, however, prevent ' Grierson from queening a pawn, whereupon he resigned. Dodds v. Kelling.—This game opened on the -lines of the French defence, but a transference -of Moves enabled Kelling to win a pawn. Dodds then set up a determined attack which, however, Kelling . was able to 1 meet at every point, a Tegular ' pawn duel occupying the early middle game. At move 36 Kelling took a pawn, with the -rook, and Dodds, exchanging off the rook, opened up -an attack which looked very promising. He played hurriedly, however, and Kelling was able-to make-a counter attack which Dodds failed to stem; Kelling mating Dodds on the 44th move. _ Cole y. Maunsell.—A queen's pawn open- ' ing which led to a very even middle game.. Towards the end of the game Maunsell won a pawn which ; he, later, . gave upwith the.'hope_ of getting a passed pawn. He succeeded in this manoeuvre, and thegame now "stands adjourned at a very interesting stage. Severne v. James. —Severne's opening was met by the Caro-Cann defence. A series -of exchanges by Severne doubled James's pawns but gave James an openrook's file. Severne, accepting the exchange of queens offered ■by James, the game developed into a rook and pawn end game. James got his rook into a bad /position, Severne eventually winning it. .Severne, by neglecting to go ■on with pawn to queen, missed a sure win, and has now a very troublesome ; end game, which will be completed to-' I morrow. Positions of the Players. ... The positions of the players at the end of the fifth round are as follow:— i. ' v•. Un- •; * Won Drawn Lost finished Hicks 3 2 0 0 Grierson 3 0 1 l ' ■' Mason 3 0 2 0 Gyles 3 0 2 ■. 0 Severne 2 .0 0 . 3-; Kelling 2 ■ 0 : 1 ""2 i Barnes - ............ 2 0 2 1 Dodds 2 0 2 1 Cole 1 0 2 1 Sainsbury ....... 1 1 3-0 James 0 1 - 3 1 Maunsell 0' 0 4 1