DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9162, 20 July 1895, Page 3

DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

"The Draught's World."—The May number of thi3 magazine is fully up to date with games and problems of a high -order of merifc. Lovera of the "Double Corner" will find some food for thought on that popular opening of which Mr J. Lees is giving an exhaustive analysis. ■"'' Blackburne, the Eugland chess master, permitted himself t* bs interviewed by a London newspaper correspondent, and he raked chess fore and aft. He considers

I checker* of h.fi.utely more value. lie ; says: "Draughts is a ks-s nttraclire i g-vnc, but it is moret'scieiUific. You see, a *t«p at draughts is irreparable. At cueae, however, you can get back, change the disposition cf your pieces, and possibly j win." Che33 editors all over the world are reading the riot act to him. The game of checkers is eminently a trial of skill; it is nob iv any sense a game of chance, nor doe* it tend in any degree to cultivate a taste for games of chance. As an educator its value la inestimable in pressing on the ralnd the importance of taking into account every element having any bearing on the point under consideration before a reliable concluiion can bs reached; for, however well a player may have arranged his attack and however carefully he may think he has examined every move his antagonist can take in reply, if in that examination something important has been overlooked, or too superficially examined, his wily adversary thrusts forward a man which takes him by surprise; his plans are upset, and for all Mβ flue calculations he has only humiliating defeat. Prominent among its many merits as an educator may be classed Us admirable adaptation to teach the importance in all intense intellectual efforts of being cool, selt possessed, patient; without these qualities no amount of skill, proficiency, or experience will avail. IS teaches, too, how essential to success is self reliance. He who thinks he will be beaten is beat already. This distrust of his own abilities takes such possession of him that he cannot play up to his usual strength. It is not without arduous and protracted mental labour that the mind can be schooled to habits of methodical thought, nor without mauy experiences that it can be made to fuliy comprehend and appreciate the conditions which are essential in order that it may act with its greatest power. The trial of skill across the checker board is so attractive that this great labour is relieved of its irksomeness, and this disciplining of the mind becomes a recreation and amusement. While ordinarily the mind tirea of a purely intellectual exercise, in this game the antagonist keeps up a pleasing excitement, inciting a contestant to move wiih the greatest caution, the most cireful acruiiuy, aud exercising the most critical power o£ the mind.— Eaat&rn Weekly Leader. It is reported that Ferric is trying to raiee funds to accept; Jordan's challenge, but is almost hopeless. Most of JTerries's money supporters are workingmen who have been out of employment for months. They could never subscribe £209 to play Barker.—Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph. (Quite so, Friend M'Ateer, a very high flown paragraph. Let Barker challenge Ferric for £200 and the championship of the world, instead of issuing a broadly cast challenge to the winds, and be will probably find that the " bawbees" are ready for him. He will also likely get a chance to win Jordan's money when Ferric i 3 finished with him. — Dundee News.)