CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 857, 28 December 1929, Page 10

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

PLAY IN THIRD ROUND

CLOSE COMPETITIONS Press Association WANGANUI, Today. The chess championship was continued today. Helling (Wellington) v. Erskine (Melbourne). —This was a very steady Sicilian game, in which Erskine early developed a strong attack. However, he was eventually forced to accept a draw. Severne (Nelson) v. Scott (Wanganui). —The French defence adopted by Scott gave very even ‘positions, and the early exchanges and those of the middle game all tended toward a draw. Correct play could produce only a draw, and this Severne offered. Scott refused to accept the offer, and later, making a weak move, suffered defeat. Anderson (Wellington) v. Hicks (Wellington).—This gueoco piano game proved tire longest in the tournament so far, reaching 67 moves. Both players manoeuvred their pieces most carefully and soundly until the midday adjournment, when Hicks sealed a weak move. Anderson saw his advantage, and won a pawn, and built up a strong attack down the open king’s file. Hicks defended strongly, but was gradually worn, and was forced to resign on the 67th move. In the third round the results are: Severne (Nelson) v. Purdy (Sydney). - —This proved a short, exciting encounter. Purdy replied with the Sicilian defence to Severne’s opening, and allowed Severne to develop a series of threats. Instead of changing off pieces. Purdy weakly attacked Severne’s wellposted knight at queen’s fourth, but a series of checks drove Purdy’s king to knight square, locking up his rook. The latter’s queen side pieces were undeveloped, and Severne threatened to win queen for rook. Purdy's reply was not sufficint, and Severne brought off a very pretty checkmate.

Pleasants (Wanganui) v. Rutherford (Stratford).—Rutherford played the Sicilian defence. Rutherford, playing carefully, made some good exchanges, leaving him with a well advanced’ passed pawn on the rook’s file. In his search, for adequate defence, Pleasants exceeded his time limit, and lost the game.

Anderson v. Topp.—This was a Ruy Lopez game in the development of which Anderson seemed to get the better position. Topp, however, made a good recovery by forcing the exchange of queens ‘at a critical stage. A draw resulted, although Topp perhaps had the better chances of forcing a win. However, he did well to accept a draw from so seasoned a player as Anderson.

THIRD ROUND ENDED

Press Association WANGANUI, Today. In the third round of the chess championship Beyer (Wellington) met Scott (Wanganui). This game was a development of the French defence, Scott getting much the better of the opening. Pushing forward his centre pawns he had Beyer fighting hard to prevent the Queen’s pawn. Reaching the eighth rand, Scott failed to make use of his advantage, and in the counter-attack launched by Beyer had to give up a queen for two rooks. In the end Beyer outplayed Scott, and with some very pretty play won a hard fight. In the match Fairburn (Wellington) v. Hicks (Wellington), Hicks declined the queen-bishop’s gambit offered by Fairburn, and built up a very sound defence. The middle of the game was a stern struggle for superior position, but with the exchange of queens and minor pieces there was little to choose between the forces. Hicks won a pawn on the queen’s side, but could not see a way of pushing it on to the queen. He offered a draw, which Fairburn accepted.

Erskine (Melbourne) v. Gundersen (Melbourne) was the next match. This was a well-played queen’s pawn game, in the first exchanges of which Erskine was left with an isolated pawn. When the end of the game was reached Gundersen had a pawn advantage. Fine play followed, in which Erskine threatened to fork a rook and knight, but Gundersen played without an error and brought off a pretty chess mate. Jeffreys (Auckland) then met Kelling (Wellington). Jeffreys opened with the Zukertort game and, developing quickly, soon had a strong attack on Kelling’s castled king. Kelling played soundly and quietly built up a counter-attack with the advance of kingside pawns. Jeffreys looked like forcing the decision against Kelling, but the latter, playing great chess, forced an exchange of queens and won a bishop, whereupon Jeffreys resigned.

The position of the players at the end of the third round follows: Anderson, 2 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw 2J points; Kelling, 2,0, 1, 2* ‘ Severne 2,0, 1, 21; Beyer, 2, Y, 0,2; Jeffreys, 2,1," 0,2; Erskine! 1, L 1,1 J; Gundersen, 1, 1, l, itRutherford, 1, 1, 1, 11; Pleasants Y 2, 0. 1; Purdy, 1,2, 0,1; Scott, 1,2, o! 1 Hicks, 0,1, 2,1; Fairburn, 0,2, 1, ■ Topp, 0,2, 1, l.