DRAUGHTS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1726, 29 March 1905, Page 23

DRAUGHTS

(Communications to this column will be Avelcomed. All correspondence to be addressed. Draughts Editor. “New Zealand Mail.”) (Those forwarding games Avould oblige by placing record of play in four columns. S-olutions of problems are invited.) SOLUTION TO PROBLEM No. 211. (By E. E. Cresswell, Nottingham.) Position : —Black men on 6, 17, 19, 22. "White men on 30, 31; King, 13. White to play and draw.

(a) 17-21, 13-17, 22-25, 17-22, 25-29, 22-26, £O-25, 26-31, 25-22, 39-26. DraAvn. PROBLEM No. 212. (By W. S. Lambert.) Black.

White. Position : —Black man on 17; Kings, 19, 21. 32. White men on 26, 28; Kings, 9, 14. Black to play and Avin. SOME BRILLIANT PLAY. The folloAving game Avill be interesting to all students of the "Edinburgh” opening, Avhich is taken from the "Birmingham Post,” played between Messrs Ward and Ingram, in the Birmingham Draughts Club Tourney. Notes by Mr J. Alexander: ("Edinburgh.”)

(a) Not so much favoured as it once was; it has the defect of allowing great scope in attack, Avhich in a Aveak game is best avoided. This has led to the great popularity of the 12-16 and 6-9 lines, which have not that disadvantage. Wyllie stamped the 12-16 move 22 carat, and it has been adopted at one time or another by the Avorld’s best players, 6-9 being gradually brought into popularity by the GlasgOAV school, and when the points are well known it will be found little inferior to any other; 11-16 or 11-15 are much weaker. (b) 18-14 is also a strong line of attack. (c) 24-20. was much played at one time, but both it and 21-17 are inferior to the text move; and can best be described as puzzling. (d) Another resurrection! This move, rightly or wrongly, was put to rest in the Scots Tourneys several years ago, and was supposed to be quietly smouldering away; however, the rest does not seem to have reinvigorated it. (e) 29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 16-19, 18-15, etc., is the line that commended itself to tho Scots experts (see below for continuation). The text move runs it into another attack, but ignores the weakness of 5-9 after

(f) Bryden against Searight tried 2-6 , 25-22, 9-14, 21-17, and White got in a Avinning position, but allowed a drawj 10-15 is, however, a possible draw, as is 1-6 a.t second move. However, the line has been pretty well abandoned, but the same idea for White was at the basis of an attack, used during the Indian correspondence tournament of 1902. (g) This varies from published play, where 30-25 is played, the continuation being as follows:

(h) This was given as a corret*tion of a game, Henderson won off Cain in the 1899 international. There seems to be a draw in the ending, though Stenhouse lost it to Henderson in the 1902 Scots tourney. The above position also comes up from the “double corner.” (i) 31-26 is also strong. (k) This completes Mr Ingram’s discomfiture. 9-14 is decidedly best. _(1) Black explains that he played for 31-27, 8-11, 18-14, six moves later, when he intended to astonish the natives 23-26, but the other felloAV was hard At heart.

INTERESTING PLAY. The following interesting game, which' was played in the twelfth Scots charn» pionship tourney, appears in the January number of the "Draughts World, with accompanying notes: ( r< Double Corner.”)

(a) Leads to some fine variations. (b) 17-14 is also quite good. (o) In the Barker-Jordan contest the former went 3-7, and ultimately lost. (d) 26-22 is strong. (e) The Jordan-Barker book gives 12-16 at this point, resulting in a draw. (f) White has scarcely any option. (g) 23-27. also seems to lose thus: —23-2 ff, 33-23, 28-32, 23-18, 32-27, 18-14, 27-23. 14-7, 23-16, 15-11, 8-15, 6-2. etc., and Whit© wins. ’ NOTES. Mr George Buchanan, the present champion of Scotland, is iioav 28 yeara of age. When only sixteen he Avas knoAvn as the "bov Avonder.” He has played in all the tourneys since the inauguration. 1892. He has also played in the last three international matches, Scotland v. England, and done well for his country on each occasion. In the championship tourney just concluded he defeated four of his "fellow "internationals,” viz,, Ferrie, Brown, Seariglit, and Henderson, his total score being:—Won 8, lost 1, drawn 22. The quick time match lately played between Atwell and Jacob, of London, has been named "The catch me if you can” or "catcli-as-catch-can” stylo. It is rumoured that the E.D.A. intends putting all such strles down, as they consider it. detrimental to the advancement of the game. In the Jordan v. McKelvie match, for the championship of London, Jordan won the White side of the "Edinburgh,” which gave him 1 up and 3 games to play.

31 27 22 25 22 26 14 23 (a) 6 10 13 17 29 25 26 28 13 9 25 29 27 23 Drawn. T7 21 17 99 19 24 9 13 10 14 23 18

Black— ■Mr Ingr; am. White--Mr Ward. 9 13 (cl) 5 9 (1)19 23 11 16 22 18 (ejl8 15 17 14 9 6 (a') 10 15 10 19 7 10 3 8 (b)25 22 21 15 14 5 6 2 G 10 4 8 10 19 8 12 (c)23 19 (t?)29 25 18 15 2 7 11 16 (k)16 19 20 24 23 26 18 11 25 22 15 10 30 23 16 23 12 16 8 11 19 26 27 18 22 18 22 18 28 19 8 15 2 7 13 17 16 23 18 11 26 22 18 14 31 27 7 16 16 20 17 22 White 22 18 21 17 14 9 wins.

18 15 25 22 31 26 20 16 3 7 8 11 2 9 12 19 15 6 20 16 28 24 26 23 1 10 11 20 7 11 19 26 32 27 27 24 24 20 80 23 (f) 9 14 20 27 11 15 White •wins.

30 25 29 22 26 17 7 3 9 14 3 7 (h) 6 9 22 26 28 24 22 18 17 14 14 9 14 18 1 6 9 18 25 SO 24 20 32 28 (i)15 10 9 5 16 19 7 11 13 17 30 25 25 22 21 17 10 7 18 25 13 22 17 22 And after a number of moves White iron.

Black —W. Penman. White--A. J ackson, 9 14 (e) 4 8 24 27 13 6 22 18 27 24 3 7 3 7 5 9 18 23 12 16 27 31 25 22 24 20 7 11 11 16 11 16 2 7 16 20 81 2 7 (a)18 15 20 16 21 17 16 20 10 19 14 18 27 31 6 9 24 15 21 17 17 14 7 10 7 10 7 11 31 26 9 5 27 24 16 7 13 9 10 14 10 19 3 10 28 22 5 1 24 15 (f)28 24 14 10 14 18 16 19 19 28 20 24 1 6 23 16 2)3 19 9 6 18 22 12 19 18 23 24 27 27 31 22 17 25 21 6 2 20 24 14 18 (g) 8 11 22 17 6 10 (b)17 19 15 8 10 7 24 19 9 14 10 14 17 13 23 27 29 25 17 10 7 3 32 23 (c) 8 12 6 24 1 6 White (<rm .27 8 3 2 9 ■wins.