LEADER UNBEATEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 553, 4 January 1929, Page 10

LEADER UNBEATEN

CHESS CONGRESS PLAY IN EIGHTH ROUND Press Association WELLINGTON, Thursday. Following a.re the results of play In the eighth round of the New Zealand chess congress:— Scott v. Gyles.—This was another queen’s pawn game, Scott concentrating for a long diagonal attack with queen and bishop. Gyles provided an adequate defence and set up a counter-attack. In the late middle-game a critical position arose with queens and rooks, in which Gyles won another pawn. He played the ending very soundly, and, threatening? to give up a rook and pawn for a rook in order to safely queen his extra pawn, he forced Scott to resign. McCrea v. Erskine. —Erskine adopted the Sicilian opening, McCrea adopting a defensive rather than an offensive line of play. Erskine established a fine obliqu© of pawns and then changed off his queen s and king’s rooks. McCrea’s knights were somewhat hampered in their movements by Erskines good pawn position. Frskine played his knights with great effect and won McCrea.’s rook. Further exchanges improved Erskine’s position, whereupon McCrea resigned. Kelling v. Fairburn.—Fairburn played the French defence but failed to get a good development, allowing Kelling to establish a strong pawn centre and a free, open game. Fairburn. failing to castle, pushed his king side pawns forward to open the rook’s file. This was to Kelling’s advantage, for, with kings to bishop’s second, he was able to dominate the open file. Fairburn made several knight moves and won a pawn, while Kelling marshalled his forces f° r attack. Fairburn. in saving his queen, had to leave his king to be checkmated in two moves, whereupon he resigned. Miller v. Severne.—Miller opened against Severne with the queens* pawn game on similar lines to that adopts by Gyles against him (Miller) in the seventh round. The middle-game exchanges, however, left the positions very even and with no prospect of brilliant play. Miller failed to prepare for * series of exchanges which Severn© Instituted by winning a bishop. Th* ©nn game was a steadv chase for a passed pawn, but Miller had to give up a ro<* k ' for a knight to save checkmate. Hi* position was hopeless, so he resigned. The position of the players Erskine, 7 wins, no losses, no draws, * points; Gyles, 6,1, 0,6: Miller. 4. 4, 0. 4. Kelling, 3. 2.2 4; Hicks, 2,2. 3, Si; Se»* erne. 2.2. 3, *3l; Fairburn, 2.5, «. *• Scott, 1,6, 0,1; McCrea, 0. *. *, *•