DRAUGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15169, 7 December 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

DRAUGHTS.

, TO CORRESPONDENTS. P. Jlafkay.—Many thanks.

PROBLEM! No. 1707. (By MR. \V. Veal, Southampton.) White men on 24, 26; king on 6.

White.

\, '" : Black. . .Black men on 12, 13, 27. ' ■ Black to ploy, and win. An old friend dressed in .new clothes. —Yorkshire Weekly Post.

TO. BEGINNERS.

We wish this column to be helpful to amateurs of all grades. It is not easy to attain this object '■ within • the small space of half-a-column. Nevertheless, .we shall endeavour, to cater tor the novice as well as for the expert. ■ It may be that sometimes the latter will have to go short, or vice versa. In fact, this can hardly be avoided. We intend to deal in turn with notation, " the move," how to win with two kings against one, three kings against two, and four kings against, three. Incidentally we shall adduce cases where an inferior force can .draw. :■ We shall also give " first .position," "second position," " third position," and " fourth position," with notes on the. play. . We shall deal with these subjects in any order that appears to us convenient, without regard to their logical sequence. Those who know all these things cam, of course, look the other way. -We will begin now, right away,,with the notation. It may be that some beginners do not know how the board is numbered, so we will start by explaining it. Place the board in front of you so that a black square is at the right-hand corner nearest you. (We are going to play en the white squares. It is usual to piny on the black squares, hut you will notice that in the diagrams in books and newspapers the pieces are invariably shown on the white squares.) Place | a label containing the word "black" at the fur- , ther end of the board and another labelled " white" at the end nearest you. Now, number the white squares in the top row, 1, 2. 3, 4 (from left to right) in the next, row 5, 6, 7, 8 (left to right), and so on. The row nearest you will, of course, read (from left to right) 29, 30, 31, 32. Observe that the squares forming the two double corners are numbered 1 and 5, and 28 and 32. Now we will proceed to show how to win with TWO KINGS AGAINST ONE. Place a black king on 8, a whit© king on 28, and another, white king on 23. Suppose it-* Black's turn to move. His first object must be to get on to the chain of squares connecting 1 and 28 or that connecting 5 and 32, and not jo stray away from these chains. Anything else would speedily prove fatal. Suppose, Back moved i£-12, Whit© would reply 28-24. if Block then moved 12-16, confronting the K. on 24, White would waste a move by 29-25 (24-27 would allow Black to gain the « r chain by playing 16-19, and thence- make a bee-line for the double corner). Now Black has to retire, 16-11 (16-20 would lose for him at once, as White would reply 24-19). White replies 24-19, and Black has again to retire, say, 11-7.. White replies 19-15 (constantly confronting the Black Sng)Tthe7 follows 7-2 (or 7-3). White follow. up wth 15-10 (or 15-11, a. the caw may be). and the game is over. You will readily infer that if tlte Black king started on 4 (instead of 3) the king on 28 could prevent his ever reaching the double corner. ... _ „„j i.i. m.-v Return to the original position, and!let Black make for the double comer *» to there, is yet time. , The play will proceed B—ll. 28-24, 11-15, 29—25, 15-18, 24—19, 18—14, 19—15, 14-9. 15-I©, 9—5 ' Now 10—6 would be a wasted move, became Black would reply 5-1, and Whits.would have to retire. .. Leave the on 10, and bring no the other king, 25—22, s—l, 22—18, i— lfLl4 5-1 Now comes the real business of prevent his returning, Then follows 6-2, ,14-18 (net 14—10) &-7, 18—15. and whether BlacK Slavs 7-2 or 7-3 White replies 15-11, and wins. P We nc4l hardlv add that 1 when the White kings were on 10 and "14. it would make no difference m. principle whether the Black king -««?.«' 1 or 5 «he Were on 5, White would playlo-6, etc To thoroughly familiarise yourself, withprocedure, try it. at the other end of the board. The S set of figures will .em, but subtract each figure from 33. Thus .8-11 will, become 25-22, etc. ..'.'",'

Wales lias cliallcnfred England, and the. challenge has been accepted, subject to certain coniSr l-be is to be played next year.