ERSKINE STILL LEADS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 552, 3 January 1929, Page 6

ERSKINE STILL LEADS

PROGRESS OF CHESS CONGRESS SEVENTH ROUND PLAYED Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Following are the results of play in the seventh round of the New Zealand chess congress: Gyles v. Miller—Gyles adopted the Queen’s pawn opening and the game developed similarly to the queen bishop’s gambit. The positions were identical for several moves, until Gyles played a line of attack that Miller was forced to counter. Both players adopted the long diagonal attack with queen and bishop, and Gyles, in a series of exchanges, invited Miller to displace his knight, which was well placed for defence. Gyles moved the knight to attack at knight’s fifth and Miller moved a pawn to knight’s third to threaten Gyles’s white bis nop. Gyles took time to open up the long diagonal to his queen’s bishop, and then “capped” a brilliant combination by also offering bis queen as a sacrifice at rook’s fifth. Miller had no adequate reply and captured the queen, giving Gyles the privilege of demonstrating the checkmate. Fairburn v. Scott—Fairburn offered the queen bishop’s gambit, an unusual development ensuing. Fairburn obtained the forward centre pawns, which dominated the position. Scott gave chances of attack, which his opponent failed to take advantage cf, and the exchanges in what was a patchy game left Fairburn with a winning pawn position, whereupon Scott resigned. Erskine v. Kelling—This game, also was a development of the queen bishop’s gambit. Attacking boldly with queen and knights, Kelling offered a knight and Erskine, failing to make the best reply, lost a pawn. In the resulting exchanges Erskine changed off queens and was later able to double his pawns on Kelling's rook file. The gam© from this point was very finely played, Erskine taxing' Kelling’s ingenuity, which at times seemed to have mad© his position safer. However, Erskine was able to get ■ a double attack on Kelling’s bishop, which was pinned. Kelling won pawns with a series of cheeks with rooks, but he drove Erskine’s king into a strong supporting position and the latter player announced mate in .three moves. Hicks v. McCrea—Again the firstnamed player adopted the Reti game, which gave equal development to both players, the pieces even occupying identical squares for the first 11 moves. The middle game exchanges gave advantage to neither, and with one minor piece left a survey of the position was made and a draw agreed upon. Following is the position of the players: Erskine, 6 wins, losses, draws, 6 points; Gyles,*s, 1, —, 5: Miller, 4,3, —, 4; Hicks, 2,2, 3,3 i; Kelling, 2,2, 2,3; Severne, 1,2. 3, 21 ; Fairburn 2,4, —2; Scott, X. 5-, —,'l; MeCrea. —, 4,2. 1.