CHAMPIONSHIP CHESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 861, 3 January 1930, Page 13

CHAMPIONSHIP CHESS

NINTH ROUND COMPLETED SEVERNE STILL AHEAD Press Association WANGANUI, Thursday. The Dominion chess tourney was continued, today. The results of the ninth round are as follow: Hicks v. Purdy.—Purdy adopted the Caro Kann defence, the opening giving him a safe defence and Hicks a very straggling pawn position. Hicks combined for attack, but just lacked the one move to make it effective. Purdy now attacked and gained two minor pieces for a rook. He was able to force the exchanges, which gave him an overwhelming pawn position; when Hicks resigned.

Severne v. Jeffreys.—Jeffreys adopted the French defence, and in the opening got a bad pawn position. With pawn advanced to king’s bishop’s four, Severne was unable to make good his attack, and a critical position arose. In the exchange of pieces Severne’s pawns were doubled, but he otherwise had a good diagonal. A weak move by Jeffreys gave Severne a pawn, and he also won a second pawn, when Jeffrey’s game fell to pieces. Beyer v. Kelling.—This was a very interesting queen’s bishop’s gambit. The opening was even, but in the middle game Kelling won the exchange, and set up rather a good attack. Here exchanges gave Beyer an opening, and his threat was so strong that Kelling was impelled to give up the exchange to extricate the king. Although Kelling had two connected pawns to Beyer’s one, the latter’s clever play with rook forced the draw that Beyer was hoping for. Scott v. Topp.—Topp accepted the Danish gambit offered by Scott, and the latter’s free development gave him great chances of attack. Topp was kept hard pressed for several moves, having to provide defence in unexpected places. Scott won a piece and exchanged queens to leave Topp’s position more hopeless, and thus won a game which if more carefully played might have proved brilliant. Anderson v. Gundersen.—The queen’s bishop’s gambit was offered by Anderson. The exchanges in the opening left a most unusual queen’s pawn game. Anderson castlecr* on the queen’s side and advanced his king’s rook’s pawn, supported by the rook. Gundersen skilfully provided the necessary defence and at the same time prepared for attack. Anderson was perhaps too careful and played two safety moves which delayed his attack. Gundersen, with a pawn at King’s seventh, pushed it on to make it a queen and Anderson was unable to give perpetual check and resigned. THE ALEKHINE DEFENCE

Pleasants v. Erskine. Erskine adopted the Alekhine defence, the first time it has been used in the tourney. A very carefully-played and most interesting game resulted. Pleasants set up a good attack, which Erskine was able to repel by advancing his king’s side pawns. Pleasants missed the chance to win a pawn and by two hurried weak moves gave Erskine the advantage, which he turned to good account, and Pleasants resigned. Fairburn v. Rutherford. —This was a queen’s pawn game, in which Fairburn built up a steady attack, but could not drive it home. In manoeuvring for position in the middle game Fairburn left his queen unsupported, but Rutherford, moving quickly, missed winning a piece. The end game was a pawn struggle which resulted in a draw. The position of the players after round nine is: Won. Lost. Drawn. Pts.

Severne .. 7 0 2 8 Gundersen .71 1 75 Anderson ..5 1 •» 65 Erskine .. 5 2 2 6 Purdy .... 6 3 — 6 ICelling .. 4 2 3 BJ Jeffreys .. 3 4 2 4 Pleasants ..4 5 — 4 Rutherford 2 3 4 4 Scott .... 3 5 1 35 Beyer .... 2 6 1 2 5 Hicks . . .. ft 4 5 21 Fairburn .. 0 6 3 15 Topp .... 1 7 1 15