DRAUGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9491, 21 April 1894, Page 4 (Supplement)

DRAUGHTS.

SOLUTION OF PROBLEM No. 734. 14—10 15—19 10—14 19 -26 32—27 30- 25 19 -28 31—26 20—31 31 -22 28—32 W. wins 3 PROBLEM ISO. 736. (By James Wyllie, the World's Champion.) Black.

White. White to move and draw " Fife." Mr. Blakey writes:-" In re Mr. Hawkins'' Fif<game, will he oblige by givinit further play at Note a, which he says only resulted in a draw ? Seeing that lay play has already appeared twice in your column* for a Black win on that particular line I think I am quite tilled in asking him to extend his play snowing where the draw conies in. At Note e, if he will look up the para a as played between Messrs. tiunthorp and Wilson, he will find play for a draw on that line. Also at the fifth move of Var. 2, instead of 27—24 play 15 11, 7—lß, 21—17, and White has an easy draw." Mr. 0. (Gunthorp also sends a communication on the same subject:—" In looking over 'Fife' game by Mr. Hawkins at Note a he remarks that he tried 22-28, 31—22, 12—16, 19-12, 15-18, 22—15, 10—20, and so on, and foun<l it a draw. If I mistake i not I think Mr. Blakey proved this line was a win for Black. And further on at Note c he says: 'Only move 24—20, 22—20, 31—22, 11—16, and Black wins.' Let him carry it a little bit further, as follows2o—ll, 8 —31, 32—27, 31—24, 28—10, and if Black has a win now I am very much mistaken,' and should be very glad to see it. The above is the way Wilson and I played it, and I fail to see where 1 have let the win slip through my finger* after this." FAMOUS DRAUGHTS MEN. i ' ' WILLIE GARDNER. Undfer the above title the Dundee People's Journal has been publishing a series of portraits and brief biographical sketches of prominent draughts-players, and, in. a recent issue pays due tribute to the famous blindfold player, Mr. Willie Gardner, the Yorkshire champion :— Mr. Willie Gardner is a native of Leeds. He is 31 yeais of age, having been born in February, 1863. His father being a devotee of the "silent game," it is not surprising that he should follow in the paternal footstep*, and. becoming a member of the Leeds Club, he made such rapid progress that he was matched in 1881 to play Barrett, of Wakefield, the best of (1 games for £.>. This match he succeeded in ginning by one game, the final score Gardner, i; Barrett, 3drawn, 4. He was also successful in his next match, which look place in February of the following year(lß92), his opponent being J. Marsden, of Leeds. - The result was Gardner, 3 ; Marsden, 0; drawn,. 2. ; After this ; victory Gardner became • a noted figure in draughts circles; and. in November, ,1883, when Beattie, of Liverpool, visited Leeds, a

match between him and Gardner was arranged, which Gardner won by Ito 0, and 5 drawn. Before leaving Leeds, Beattie.won a game against Gardner, thus leaving the total score equal. In 1884 Gardner was one of the English team which played in the great international match at Glasgow, but, like his comrade*, was defeated, his score for three days' play > being—Gardner, 1; others, 4; drawn, 13. During Easier, 1885, ha played a 20-gaine match with the late W. Strickland, of Leeds. The result was 2 wins each, and 10 games drawn. In a later match he defeated Strickland, with the scoresGardner, 4 ; Strickland, 2; drawn, 38. Mr Gardner has contributed many fine end-gauies and problems to draught's periodicals. In conjunction with Mr. W. G. W. Leggett, the eminent London problemist, he contributed to an Aberdeen draughts column an analysis on the 7—ll move in the Will-o'-the-Wisp opening, which has received the highest praise both of players and the press. As a blindfold player he excels, playing in this style as many as twelve boards simultaneously. He captains the Yorkshire team in their inter-county matches, is a great favourite in his club, and, being an agreeable and obliging fellow, is always open to play with the expert or instruct the novice. To the above interesting account of one of England's greatest players the Leeds Mercury adds a few particulars concerning his blindfold performances, of which it may truly be said there has been nothing to equal them since the remarkable exhibitions of the late lamented W. Strickland. Mr. Gardner's blindfold experiences commenced in Strickland's time. They occasionally played together when they met in the streets. As Willie graphically puts it:—"Picture two checker enthusiasts promenading the streets with gaze intently fixed on space, and consequently treading on everybody's coins, and evoking hearty comments from the ill-used pedestrians." Such were his first lessons. Tie first game he succeeded in playing right through was one ' with Strickland; it was played whilst they were at dinner together, anil concluded disastrously for Willie, in the following position :—Black man on 21; kings 29, 32. White men on 30, 31; king 17. White (Strickland) to move. Strickland called out 30—20, and Willie "seeing" the vacant "crown-head," rushed for it, by 21—25, when Strickland immediately administered the coup de grace by 31—27, 32—30,17 —21. Strickland encouraged him thus to study and p rsevere, but it was not until after the former's death that Gardner commenced to seriously practise blindfold play; anil then, casting about for something to enliven and inteiest the rising local talent, his ideas turned in that direction, with what results his opponents in recent performances can testify. In exhibition play Gardner always allows his opponents choice of pieces, and never asks for a move back. His opponents thus have a better chance of scoring, being able to open as they may wish. In connection with bis blindfold exhibitions Willie lias had some amusing experiences. At Wortley, the other day, one of his opponents went so far as to say that he would drown himself if a blind man defeated him. His game happened to be the first one lost; and solicitous friends, during the progress of the ending, when it was seen that he was in difficulties, went out frequently to see that the water was duly- aired for his purpose. Asked recently how he managed to keep the different games in mind, Gardner replied, "Suppose you take half a dozen of Dickens' or any other author's works, read half an hour at each in turn, and then start again with the first one at the point you left off, you know where to begin, and could, no doubt, describe the plot up to |that stage. So with me when I play blindfold ; and I ascribe my success in simultaneous play in a great measure to the habit of reading all the serial contributions in the various publications I have at command." With a couple of hours' perseverance, Mr. Gardner thinks he could teach any average . draughts-player, po.-sessed of a ready knowledge of the numbered board, to play blindfold; but to play a . number of games simultaneously requires various qualities, the chief of which he considers are self-possession and a strong will, the latter being very necessary to impel the blindfoldplayer to struggle onward when the mind becomes somewhat clouded, as will frequently occur in a noisy audience, or when a piece happens to have been inadvertently misplaced, and he has to overexert himself to bring the game to a proper state of order. The three games which follow were played on the occasion of Mr. Willie Gardner's exhibition of blindfold draughts-playing at Ossett, on the 13th February.

" Dundee." • Black, Osselt Player ; White, Mr. Gardner. 12-16 ' 7 -10 8-12 32-23 9-14 20-10 24—20 29-25 24—19 10—15 IS 9 1— 5 10—15 10—15 15—24 19—10 5—14 30— 22—18 25-22 28-19 0-16 22—18 5— 9 15—22 6—10 2- 6 28-24 15—22 23—18 25—18 27—24 White wins. " Cross." Black, Ossatt Player; White, Mr. Gardner. 11—15 4- 8 3- 7 29—25 5-14 18—9 23—18 19—15 25—22 2- 7 20-22 19-26 8-11 11—18 11-15 22-18 17-26 9-5 27—23 22-15 ' 32—27 14—17 31—22 26-30 10—14 6-10 15-24 21-14 7—11 10— 7 23—19 15— 6 28—19 10-17 22— 30—25 14-23 1-10 7-11 25-21 11-15 7- 3 19-10 24-19 27—23 -14 19-10 25-22 7-14 8-11 11—16 18- 9 16-19 5- 1 26—19 30—26 White wins. " WlIII.TF.lt." Black, Ossett Player ; White. Mr. Gardner. 11—15 23 - 7 7—10 7— 3 20-27 6—10 23—19 2— 17—14 5— 9 32- 5 1— 6 7—11 19-10 10-17 3— 7 12-16 10-16 22-17 0—16 : 19-16 4— 8 29-25 25 -22 11—16 24-19 12-19 7—10 16—19 19—24 26—23 16—24 25—22 8-11 31—27 27-20 16— 20 28—19 17—20 10—15 1- 6 15^-19 17—14 3— 7 30- 7 11—18 5— 1 6-10 9—18 21—17 8-12 27—24 White wins.