DRAUGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9157, 25 March 1893, Page 12 (Supplement)

DRAUGHTS.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Draughts Editor Queonslander.Thanks for slips. Will comply with your request. Problem No. 679, —Collect solutions received from .T. Wright and " Checker," Auckland, and T. Dunn, Thames.

SOLUTION OF PROBLEM No. 678. 9— 0 31—26 20—30 22-13 29—25 30— 2- 9 9-13 13—17 White wins.

PROBLEM No. 680. (By Ma. M. Linithan, Hawick.)

Black.

White. White to play and win.

A Glasgow correspondent sands tho People's Journal the following position which occurred between Mr. Wyllie, who played Black, and a promising young Glasgow player. It arose from an interesting variation of tho " Fifo," which was carefully played by both parties all through till tho position was loft as follows :-Black (Wyllio) to play. The more that was previously made by While was 21—27. At this time he was looking' for nothing but a simple plalu draw, tho men being free on both Bides to go to tho crown; but Wyllio hero Introduced ono of his enticing trappy moves with which he has ho often deceived and surprised tho unwary and played 12-18. Ills youthful opponent now fancied he could easily capture ono of tho three single men loft at his mercy, and he could not at

White.

Black. Black to move, first understand how Mr. Wyllie had left the position so that lie could capture a man apparently for nothing, and fancied, after all, that there must bo some truth in the reports of the waning abilities of tho Herd Laddie, and so he immediately went for the man by in—l 9, when Wythe played 16—"0 19-28. 20-24, 23-20, 31- 0. iflack won. And the youthful opponent was lost in astonishment, the wonderment of the spectators was only equalled by their general hilarity, and Wyllio's face was beaming all over. "Single Corner-" Played recently in Aberdeen between Mr. ,T. C Brown (White), tho Border champion, and Mr William Scott (Black), of Aberdeen. Scott's move. 11—15 12—18 24— 6-15 23-18 0-25 22-18* 25-22 16-24 18-14 2- (J i S _ 8 15—22 B—l2a 28-19 3— 7 27-23 13—31 25—18 27—24 9—130 21—17 "- 9 20— 2 8-11 10-151) 30-25 1— (3 31-27 31-24 29—25 32—27 c 10—15 25—21 35—19 23—16 4— 8 7-10 10-10 0-10 18-15 12-19 2-4-20 Black wins. * Tho " Single Corner." (a) Better than 10—15, which allows White an easy game. (b) Strongest ; o—l3 and 10—14 »ro also good moves. (c) This seems to bo a losor. 24—19 or 21—17, 9—13, 17—14, <stc., draws. (See variation 2.) (d) 30—26 also lose.-., as follows :— 30—25 22-17 5-14 20-17 22-25 20—22 10— 7—lo 27—24 9-13 31—213 11—lfif 24—19 25—22 0— 9 18— a 25—30 19—10 16-24 o—l3 22—18 13-22 17—13 30—26 28-19 18— 9 13-22 21-17 10-14 20-11 3— 7 Black wins.—"Sinclair." Variation : 2—24—19, 15—24, 25—19, 7—lo, 3".—27g ("Andoreon"), sarao as "Trunk" at eighteenth move. («) This is a most important move; for if anything else, White gets a good game— XV. Scott. (f) A beautiful finish, and is a good specimen of some of " Sinclair's" endings.—J. H. Strudwick. (g) 31—27 followed by 10-14, or 10-15 or 3—7 draws. 32—27 loses. TUB MANUFACTURE OF DRAUGHTS MATERIAL. "Your tournament lias been a groat success " remarked Mr. Phillips, factory manager to Messrs. Marr, Downia, and Co., manufacturing stationers. when we (Mr. It. M'Call) met him on Thursday. Talk alter a while turned on the popularity of the game. " feme up and see what our firm turns out in the way of boards and men." We accepted the invitation, and were astonished. Wo were n>«t shown folding boards that sell retail at Id each with men to suit at the same price. "Can be chucked aside after a railway journey, and cost no more than a paper for each if two aw travelling," was the remark passed, finer and better boards and men were shown, ranging from the nimble threepenny to the silver shilling, for all of which Mr. Phillips remarked, there was alarKe and eveiincreaaing sale But it was at the quantity of men we were more surprised than anything else. Leans in a chest" is hardly a comparison, but it i.i the readiest to hand, Piled up >. thousands lay the Black and White men in their respective bins. We suggested t'aat red and white made a better contrast on the black squares. This was admitted. The men, wo learn, are marie in America, and come by the hundredweight. Now and again the firm found themselves, say, short of the black pieces in proportion to the white, but this has been rectified, and we learn that the Yankee machinery now not only makes the men from the rough wood, but counts the output as well, "somethinglike the way your machinery counts tho papers," was the apposite illustration. Popular as wo know the gnine to be, we had no idea that a firm in Glasgow —the headquarters, by the way, for tho supply of draughts necessaries—in tho course of the year sold something like 1,200,00) men, which, at 30 pieces to the set, moans 40,000 boards and men annually bought by the public—Glasgow Mail

A challenge thro out by Mr. Foreman, Dnnedin, has not waited long for an acceptance. The Otago Witness says that Mr. D. A. Brodie has taken up the gauntlet, and matters have progressed so far that tho articles of agreement wen 1 to be signed shortly, and tho first deposit, mads. By mutual agreement the draughts editor of the Witness was appointed stakeholder and referee. The match is to consist of 2 > games—l2 unrestricted and 8 restricted, each player to name two openings—for the championship of Dunedin and a stake of £5 a-slde; play to commence on April 17. Ttie system of so many moves per hour will probably be adopted.