CHESS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 80, 28 December 1921, Page 8

CHESS

CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNEY.

By Telegraph.—Prese Association. Auckland, December 27.

The chess championship was continued to-day, the second round being finished. The games are as follow;— Severne v. Miller.—Miller adopted Lasker’s variation of the French Defence and early gave Severne a chance to exchange minor pieces and break up Miller’s pawn position, though the latter occupied an open file. The exchanges instituted by Severne continued on both sides, making it impossible to build up a combination of forces, and the end came early. At move 31 both players had a rook and four, pawns in equal positions, so a draw was decided upon. Stevens v. Dunlop.—This was a most interesting game, developing from King’s Gambit Declined. An early check by queen at knight’s fifth square enabled Stevens to win a pawn and isolate Dunlop’s queen bishop’s pawn. He failed, however, to develop his bishops, and Dunlop commenced a strong attack, involving some clever moves, .a very fine combination in which. Dunlop offered the sacrifice of a rook and kent Steverm constantly on the defence. Though the latter played ingeniously, he was unable to find an adequate defence and resigned a very well-contested game on the 28th move.

Davies v. Howard.—As in his first games, Davies opened with King’s Gambit. but in this case Howard replied with the Falkbeer counter attack. Davies soon forced an opening in the centre and made an attack upon Howard’s king, castled’ on queen’s side. Davies exchanged bishops, winning a pawn, and commenced an assault upon the centre. Howard made a miscalculation in repelling Davies’s advance and lost a knight. Davies Inter gave up a knight for a pawn, making his own position more secure. At move 31 Howard left, a mating position undefended and resigned. Evans v. Grierson. —Grierson played Two Knights’ Defence, which Evans followed up with pawn to queen’s fourth. Grierson played a steady defensive game, but Evans got the better development. Grierson doubled queen and bishop in a diagonal attack upon Evans’s castled king. This the latter countered, and by a series of exchanges improved his position with queens exchanged. A few' moves later Evans si ill further improved his position, and with two bit,hops and a rook brought about a pretty threatened mate cu move 31, when Grierson resigned. Three games, Pickett v. Roberts, Gyles v. Kelling, and Connell v. Hicks, are unfinished, and aie very evenly contestctl • Miller v. Dunlop - -This developed into the Queen Pawns game, and on the eighth move Dunlop offered an exchange of pawns at queen's bishop fourth square. A series of ’exchanges a few moves later seemed to give quite an even game, but Dunlop made the most of his position, and, offering the sacrifice of a rook, threatened to mate -Miller failed to see the strength of the attack, and Dunlop was able to announce mate in the 35th move.

The position of the iilnyera to date is: —Davies, 2 wins; Dunlop, 2 wins; Soverne, ll’ wins; Gyles, 1 win; Kelling, 1 win; Pickett, 1 win (each one game to play); Evans, 1; Grierson, 1; Miller, i; Hicks, 0; Connell. 0; Boberts, 0 (each one game to finish); Stevens, 0; Howard, 0.