CHESS CONGRESS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 84, 3 January 1935, Page 2

CHESS CONGRESS

Positions of Leading Players Unchanged ,

ABBOTT’S BRILLIANT WIN

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Christchurch, January 2.

The New Zealand chess championships entered the fourth and final round to-day, and at the end of the evening’s play two games in this round remained unfinished. In addition one game in the sixth final round and two in the seventh were played, the two latter being won by J. Dunlop, who beat F. K. Kelling and L. J. Darwin. K. Beyer, who is lying second on the rounds so far completed, gained a further point by beating E. Hicks in the other ud'-nnee game., Tk feature of the day’s play was the sensational defeat of Kelling by 11. R. Abbott in IS moves. The positions of the leading players remains unchanged. Results of games to-day are as fol'°Tbird final round: Le Petit beat DarW Fourth final round: Abbott beat Kelling, Dunlop beat Hicks, Beyer beat DarWin, Le Petit drew with Scott; Severne v. Gyles (unfinished), Erskine v. Watt (unfinished). , , x FT- , Advance games: Beyer beat Hicks (seventh final round), Dunlop beat Kelling (sixth final round), Dunlop beat Darwin (seventh final,round). Following are notes on the games (white names mentioned first) :

Third Final Round. ‘ • Darwin v. Le Petit (queen’s gambit declined). —The game proceeded on usual lines. From move 24 to 28 there was a series of exchanges of the heavy pieces, leaving each side with six pawns and three minor pieces. At move 36 Le I etit had to sacrifice his bishop for two pawns. Darwin failed to make the best of the end game and Le Petit eventually queened a pawn, Darwin resigning.

Fourth Final Round. Kelling v. Abbott (Ponziani opening). —A slip at the eighth move lost Kelling a knight, but gave him a lively attack. Abbott defended successfully, however, and then instituted a strong counterattack which proved irresistible, enabling him to announce mate in. three moves at move 18. „ , ■ Hicks v. Dunlop (Ruy Lopez).—This opening Dunlop met with the marshall defence. An interesting game developed and Dunlop bpened a strong attack with doubled rooks through the open knights file. In fending off the attack Hicks lost his queen for two rooks, and resigned at move 49. , . . , Beyer v. Darwin. —Beyer obtained a slight positional advantage as the opening moves proceeded, and alter a series of exchanges Darwin’s pawn position was somewliat disordered. Beyer won a pawn on the queen’s side, and Darwin gave up another to push forward the pawns on the King’s side. Beyer gave up a queen’s side pawn to fix Darwin s rook at Rl, preventing a pawn queening Eventually the rook had to. be sacrificed for the pawn. Darwin’s king was then ready to attack the white pawn from behind. but Bever was able to give up rook for pawn, being left in a winning position with one passed pawn. . Le Petit v. Scott (uneen’s gambit declined). The game proceeded normally •till about tile tenth move. At the twentysecond move a series of exchanges left the players with a knight and five pawns each. As neither player could gain any ■advantage, a draw was agreed to at move 44. Advance Gaines.

Dunlop v. Kelling (French defence). Dunlop enterprisingly gave up a pawn for a lively atta.ck, which quickly gamed three pawns and dominated an ending which was very instructive. Kelling resigned a hopeless struggle at move 22. Hicks v. Beyer (Reti opening) :, Beyer replied with a Nimzowiteh defence, which rather upset Hicks's c'alculations. Beyer worked up a very strong attack, and Hicks defended well. At move 22 Beyer forced exchanges, winning a pawn A very hard end game followed, Beyer haying a knight and six pawns to Hicks s knight and five pawns. Finally Beyer threatened to queen a pawn, and Hicks resigned at move 48. . Dunlop v. Darwin: Darwin used the Sicilian defence, which developed in rather, unorthodox fashion. Dunlop gradually wore down Darwin’s defences, building up a strong attack, which Darwin could not resist. Darwin resigned at move 30.

CAPABLANCA BEATEN AGAIN

(Received January 2. 7.35 p.m.) London, January 2.

At the Hastings chess tournament Lilienthal, Hungarian, beat Capablanca in 26 moves.

A message dated December 29 stated that after a live hours’ chess battle at Hastings, Sir George Thomas surprisingly beat Capablanca in the second round in 53 moves. Capablanca lost a piece in the middle game and was unable to recover.