CHESS CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1944, 30 December 1913, Page 7

CHESS CONGRESS.

SOME STUBBORN PLAY

BARNES DEFEATS MASON. (By T«le°rfti-b—Prcm Afaoc.latlon.l Auckland, December 29. Tho chess championship play in the third round was resumed this afternoon. The games played were as lollow: Barnes v. Mason.-rMason adopted the Petrol! defence. Barnes sacrificed two pawns to obtain speedy development, and established a pawn on Q.C., wliioh hindered Mason's development, his Q.P. being unmoved. Mason forced n general exchange of pieces, which led, howover, to his having to give up a pieco to prevent Barnes trom queening his Q.P. Barnes was thus left witti two bishops and eno. Alason's king was confined, and Mason resigned a hopeless ending at his -IHrd move. Myers v. Miles.—Buy Lopez. Miles won a pawn in opening, and after an exchange of queens, Myers abandoned a second pawn to get an attack. For some time Miles had a cramped game, but eventually surrendered a pawn, in order to gain a counter-attack. This was not corrected by Myers, and Ilia king got into a mating net. To avoid "mate," ho was compelled to givo up a rook, and immediately resigned.

W'ingfield v. Stewart.—Wingfield played his old favourite K.B. opening. Ho lost a pawn in opening, and a knight later, though eventually got "exchange" for it. Stewart exchanged queens, and an interesting ending ensued. Wingfield having two rooks against rook, bishop, and knight. Stewart cfl'cctcd n neat niato at his 50th move.

Hicks v. Dodds.—Centre Gambit. Hicks startod a vigorous attack, which failed through want of development. Through being pressed for time, he made a weak movo in .the critical situation, which led to the loss of a picco. He played on, however, hoping, no doubt, to get a "stalemate," but Dodds was not to be caught. Hicks resigned at tho 68th movo.

Mooro v. Gyles.—Evan's Gambit declined. Monro obtained a slight advantage in tho middle game, but lost time with a knight, allowing Gyles to obtain a better position for the ending. This game was remarkable for the fact that till tho forty-first move neither player had lost a'pawn, and each had only ono rook let t. Moore then injudiciously effected a pawn exchange, thereby allowing Gyles to break through. Mooro resigned at the fiftysecond mave. Kelling v. James. —Poiiziani opening. A very even game. For a long time it looked very "drawish." Kelling was a pawn to tho good, but this was discounted by the fact that tho opposing Bishops were off opposito colours. In the. final stages, however, Kelling succeeded in ■ jjaining a positional advantage, enabling him to sooro at movo fifty-four. Tho'game between Sevcrne andGrier. son was unfinished at tho afternoon adjournment. It was decided that the evening Bes. sion should bo devoted to clearing off tho outstanding games in tho first round, viz., Stewart v. Miles, Barnes v. Dodds, and Gyles v. Hioks.

. Stewart v. Miles (Scotch). —Stewart had the best of it, but missed a win about tho sixtieth move. Miles, however, never gave him another chaiicn. When each side had a rook and two pawns Miles offered a draw, but it was not accepted till some fifty nioro moves had been played.

Grierson (Four.Knights). —Gi'ierson converted this into a Ruy Lopez. Sevcrne captured a pawn, but thereafter had to submit to a sharp attack which led' to tho tas of a' queen for a rook and pawn. However, ho put up a stubborn fight with" a rook and five pawns against a queen and four pawns, and managed to keep alive till tho seventy-fifth move. This ganio did not end till 10 o'clock. With the exception of this game, the evening session was devoted to clearing off arrears in tho first round, when the following wero disposed of: — Barnes v. DocMs (Ruy Lopez).—At tho thirty-fourth move Barnes was a pawn to the good, which ho retained to tlis end. Dodds made a stubborn defence, Barnes eventually scoring at the eighty-second move.