DRAUGHTS COLUMN.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7325, 27 September 1898, Page 4

DRAUGHTS COLUMN.

Any co .-respondent desiring to favor ns with games is requested to send them written in five columns ol figures, or short) games in four "columns. This facilitates the work of all parties concerned. Problems may be sent in on diagrams or the positions may be indicated by figures, as oar solutions are.] The Otepopo Draughts Club meets on Monday eveniDgs ; Maheno, Thursday All Solutions, Games, Problems, and Items, should be addressed to the Draughts Editor of tho Oamaru Mail, Oamaru, who will be only too pleased to answer any question (in his power) relative to the game. Solutions will be published weekly. September 27, 1898. TO CORRESPONDENTS. J. Rainfobth (Enfield) —Try the solution again ; Black wins your way, thus : 26-23 13-22 21-17 23-14 18-25 30-21 26-31 11-16 21-17 22-26 15-18 Black wins. Solution of Problem No. 485. End-game played between W. Forbes and G. Patterson (Otepopo). Position: Black men on 6, 8, 10, 11, 12,13, 14 and 15 White men on 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28 and 32 Black to play and draw. Solution: 1518 10-19 9-13 12-16 22-15 23-16 24-20 11-7 11-27 12-19 8-12 13-17 32-23 24-15 15-11 7-2 20-16 6-9 14-18 18-22 19-15 28-24 21-14 Drawn A scientific finish exhibiting an idea well worth remembering

Problem No. 487. By Mr J. Lindsay, Maheno, Given to correct the deciding game between Messrs Paterson and Barraclough, for Mr Boreham's trophy. BLAOErf

WHITE. Black men on 1, 3, 10, 12, 16, and 24 White men on 15, 19, 23, 26, 28, and 31 Black to play and win. Problem No. 488. Ending of a Second Double Corner Ganiei From the Liverpool Mercury. BLACK.

WHITE. Black men on 1, 5, 6 and 27 White men on 7, 13, 17. and 28 Black to play and win. FREE DM AN v. BATTERSBY. The following ending was played in the match between the above : Position . BLACK.

WHITE. White (Freedman) to play 22-17 10-15 7 3 27-31 2-7 19-10 19-23 19-15 30-25 11-15 3-7 18 23 15-18 10-7 23-32 15-10 32-28 16-19 7-10 23-26 7-11 23-16 20-27 10-17 17-13 12-19 10-19 And Freedman won Another ending in the above ; Position: Black man on 3. 4, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 White men on 19, 20, 23, 28, 29, 31 and 32 White (Battersby) to play The game was continued : 2925 23-18 32-28 24-15 1417 7-10 4-8 14-18 25 22 28 24 20-16 10-7 17-26 11-15 10-14 18-25 31-22 18-11 19-10 3-7 8-15 12-19 Drawn. MR BORE HAM'S TOUR, Mr Boreham commenced the second round of simultaneous play at the Maheno Draughts Club's room on Thursday even- [ ing, when a strong gathering of the | Maheno players turned out to try conclusions with the visitor. Eleven boards were kept going, and after two hoars' play the score stood : Mr Boreham, 12 wins; 4 drawn. Messrs H. Andrews, A. Lindsay. and T. Lindsay each lost 2 j Messrs A. M'Phail, G. Barraclough, W J. Frew, W. Yorston, J. Saville, and W. Davies each lost 1 game; and the draws were secured by Messrs W. J. Frew, R. Wilson, W. Davies, and D. Rodger. The latter and Mr Frew played capital draws, Mr Rodger having to sacrifice a man for end game position. Mr Boreham declared a win from here :—Black (Boreham) men on 14, 18, 21 and 22 ; k on 13, White (Rodger) men on 16 and 24; k on 10 and 15 Mr Boreham played 14-17, and Mr Rodger remarked " You'll na win tha game, noo; I'll just tab 'ma mon back " and he did so by 10-14, 18-23, 15-18 drawn ; 13-17 would prove interesting and require careful play. Mr Saville succeeded in working up a winning position, and with 4 kings to 3 afc the finish he made an unfortunate error and lost a won game. Mr Barraclough played with great care, but was enticed into making a hasty move, and fell into a neat trap, thus : Black men on 5, 12, and 13 ; k on 18, 26, and 27. White men on 21, 24, and 28 ; k on 2, 7 and 11. White (Boreham) to play. Mr Boreham said : " Here is a straight run to' the crown,"', as he pushed 24-19, "I'm after, you," said George, as he pushed 27-24 hurriedly. 14-17 went off like ; a bomb, and caused resignation. Young Lindsay is a promising player, and under bis father's tuition should soon come to the front at Maheno. The players generally show an improvement with this season's practice. At Otepopo, last evening, Mr Boreham played a simultaneous match. Score:

Mr BoreEam,l6 ; oihers,- 0; drawn, 4. Details next week. Mr Boreham is due at Enfield to-night. TOWN v. COUNTRY. The Enfield players in the Town and Country match are: Messrs L, Elliott, J. M'Kenzie, and N.-M'MuHeri. STROKE PROBLEMS: TO THE DRAUGHTS EDITOR, Sir,—The Witness recently contained several letters on the above subject, and while the argument .is at the top I will have a finger in the pie. Although I do not wish to continue a controversy ot this character, I.may, perhaps, be permitted to air my views on the matter, and I may Bay that I am a supporter of the opinion,, as publshed by yon, that, as there was no standard to gaugethe merits of the problems, no controversy on the subject (at least for that competition) was necessary. Yet if, now that the subject is opened, players make an attempt to rectify any evils which may haye been, and so lay down rules by which judges can be directed in giving theiir awards in the tuture, then the controversy will not have been carried on uselessly. Therefore I will throw out a suggestion, winch may be amended and Improved upon so as to be in working order for the next competition. In the stroke problem class each competitor must show clearly, how every piece could possibly be played into the position at the setting of the problem—some rule to this effect will bar unnatnral positions from taking part with" a draughts problem of the stroke order. Stroke problems are built problemsbuilt on an idea originated in the com- ; poser's mind and to my mind should consist of a solution which allows several plausible ways of going on the wrong track, but only one right way, that to be two or three forced moves leading up to a well-hidden key move to a series of exchanges finishing decisively; and the judge's award should be by points based nn lines something after this fashion : Usefulness in cross-board play, 5 points ; neatness of stroke, 3 points ; obscurity, 2 points. After this appearance and possibility should be considered. It is not one chance in five hundred of a problem such as those in the tourney just finished occurring in play ; nor should they be expected to ; yet each one is expected to convey an idea to the crossboard player which may be useful in actual play.—l am, etc., J. A. Boreham. Ardgowan.