DRAUGHTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10631, 28 March 1896, Page 7

DRAUGHTS.

Conducted by Jos. ABEMrarar. ' Solutions of problem;!, games, and analyses Invited for this Dl correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor. PROBLEM 163. , B« R. L Clegg, in New London Week. fBIACK.] [White.] ' White to play and win. : .. PROBLEM 164. . By M. F. Clouser, in New York World. '..' [Black.] '. . ... . . . LWiiite.] ~ < ■ Black to play and win. SCOTTISH DRAUGHTS CHAMPIONSHIP, The sixth, seventh, and eighth days of Hie tournament produced aoms stubborn contest", Battersby, the hero of the five days' contest with J'-ri den, having another close match with Kirk, I heir tie closing with the scaro Battersby 2, Kirk .1, drawn 11. Ferric and-Brown played 10 games—all drawn, and Brown had: then to retire on account' of business engagements. Battersby also retired for the same reason, and this left Ferric, champion of the ■world, and E. Jordan in for the final, play in which begin on the Friday morning, ninth day of Iferrie won the toss for choice of men, and took i the white; Jordan, though having lost the toss, had the, right to nominate the opening for first and second games and selected the " Dundee." As every draughts player knows, Jordan had the weak side from the very, nature of the opening. He did not at once rush and name the game when , Ferric made his choice of men, but sat in thought for a few minutes, and when his selection became"l known itiwas the pretty general opinion that, ! result liow the: first game might, the Edinburgh champion would.have something new to .show •when it became bis turn to handle the white pieces. A critical arid. interesting game ensued, ' that must have been doubly pleasing to the spec: tators from the quickness with which the play proceeded. There was no old. style waitiDg for 1 Time Vto be called when the move was obvioue, and when the game came to a finish as a draw in an hour, and twenty minutes tti'a. result, was received with a hearty round of applause for both contestants! The end game wa3 of an ev«n character, and so carefully had each player piloted his pieces 'that neither got a king, as the follow-1 ing will show^Blaok men on 1, 2, 8,5,15,19; White men on 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 30. White (Ferric) .- to play. . . ..'....-.. , .. :: /..- -../'

87 24- 26 23 17 33 24 20 23 19 5 9 19 1C 8 11 9 13 Drawn. 21 .17 ■,'■3o 23 13 fi BSM--1 0,6 10 2 9 10 14 The players took a waAk round the room fora few miuuteS, and then tackled their second "Uundee." The routine moves that the books have laid down as the best for cither side were eoou rattled off, and the pieces reduced to six a-side. Here both players put on their thinking caps, as the position was critical in the extreme. Few of the spectators at first noticed the force of 23 15 in the undernoted play; but when Jordan played 17 14, and then took the two for one, it was obvious to most that Ferric was into a bad, if not a lost,.position :— [Black—Feme.] [White—Jordan.] . r , , ' . <Black te play. - ' 7 IT 5 14 1» 24 16 20 18 22 17 18 8' 11 15 2 7 7 2 4 8 8 11 21 27 31 27 6 9 ' 23 18' 13 9 15 10 10 14 2 fi ! 11 30 11 16 27 31 27 24 17 14 2 7 S 6 14 17 16 r 23 16 ■19 ■ 12 16 84 19 - • ' 14 3 , 7 11 U 2 17 22 And Jordan ultimately won a man and the game. On resuming play in the evening there was again ft good attendance, and a large wall board, on which the moves were reproduced in played, had to be hung up to' accommodate the spectators. Ferris had now the right to nominate the opening of the third arid fourth eames, and his friends were sanguine that he would name something that would enable ,hiih to.get on level terms with his opponent. He named the " Kelso," his opponent having the black pieces, and adopted the 21 17 line of defence jn reply to' Jordan's 1015. But less than an hour dispelled the hopes, at no time very bright, in the.breasts of the champion's supporters. Without knowing it, until it was too Jo to, Ferric pursued the self-same variation that M'Kelvtc lost to Searight in their match iv Glasgow about'four years ago. The following shows the ending :—Black men on 1, 2, 6, 7, S, 10,12, 24; White men on 15,17,18,19, 26,30, 31,32. Black (Jordan) to move. 7 11 10 14 5 14 14 17 6 13 32 2S 18 0 28 19 22 18" 15 10 1 ,-5 11 18 . IS 23 17 21 17 13 19 15 26 32 13 9 And Ferric, being a mr.n down, shortly resigned. Flay was at once commenced with' their second E3osi3»a@g~|| " Kelso " game. Ferric showed JiJoiS fa E»l to ranch better advantage In SOiS^R B II thing like his usual style, and SoS^fPoH won the f"lowing fine ending, JIQW4^ Sjl Black (Forrie) to play :- -31 27* It! 20 19 2! 12 S 6 10 11 16 24 19 -25 22 10 14 14 7 23 18 ■■- 812 14 i) \ 22 18 220 3 8 18 14 J7 13 14 17 Black 27 24.' 20 16 9 '5 21 14 wins. * Ferric could have won at once by 23 2C, 30 23> 1015, &c Although it. was now the hour for stopping, the players S3id they would like, if possible,to finish the match thnt night,1 and requested a ballot for their next opening,"which turned out to be the " Double Corner." An exciting and very interesting game followed, in which one and then the other was a piece up. Ferric, although he kept the man np, had ultimi tcly to resign this, their fifth game, as a draw. I'obitions:—iilack men on 3, 5,10, 14, IS, 21; White men on 9,19, 21, 23, 28, 3U \Vhit3 (Ferric) to play. 9 .-6 ' G 15 19 16 15 H 10 6 15 27 3 S 27 23 9 13 26 30 C -2 15 10 28' 1(1 17 14 6 2 27 32 14 18 8 12 13 17 2 6 10 15 21 17' 14 10 32 27 IS 22 5 9 22 25 Given up as draws. Their next game also finished in a draw, whii'h won the championship for Jordan, with the score—Jordan, 2; Ferric, 1; drawn, 3. Fhiy waß not finished till a very late hoar on Friday night. The result does not, of course, affect Feme's claim to the world's championship, that title not being involved in the tourney, which was held to decide the championship of Scotland only.

WANGANUI TOURNEY. TO TUB DRAUGHTS EDITOH.

Sic,—l note that you wish an expression of opinion from your readers. re the proposed championship draughts tourney at Wanganui. In response, I wish to say for myself and the brethren of the' "brod" in Temuka that we are" decidedly of opinion that no coinuiittee. has. a right, to offer , for , competition any title without the consent and concurrence of the present holder of such title. Some of us may hold that Mrßrodie may be morally bound to give his consent by promising to become a competitor at the tournament, onle3s he has some good reason to the contrary. Still that has nothing to do \with the matter in question, as it is evident that Mr Brqdie has not been consulted as he should, hayebeen before any steps were taken to advertise the tourney. Mr Beck, Se'adown (who you may remember was secretary to the South Canterbury tourney last year), is emphatically of opinion that the Wanganui committee have exceeded their rights. Will you kindly oblige by giving a plain account of how the Americans came to claim a forfeit of stakes and title from Wyllie come years ago'and oblige —Yours.&c, J. Sim. Temuka, March 11,1896.

IThe-facts, briefly stated, are as follows :—Tha match -with J. P. Reed for the world's championship h&d been talked of for a loag while, and letters bad passed between Wyllie on the one hand and Hefter, Reed, and Dunlap on the other. Id a letter to Dunlap dated June 30, IS9O, Mr Wyllie agreed to accept Heed's challenge for the championship and £100, and stated that the match "must commence on or before April 1,1891." The articles were accordingly drawn up withotit a date; and Bent to Wyllie in Australia for signature. Wyllie signed the articles, witnessed by Mr R. Mar, the match to be played 60 days after Wyllie's arrival in America. A deposit of lOOctol wao also Bent to America. From what was written in America afterwards Wyllie expressed doubt that the match would - come. off at all, and said he would not "go to 'Frisco on a wild-goose chase." Instead of going to America, he said he would go straight home, unless they sent him definite Word. On March 6, 1891, Hefter, on behalf of Eeed, wrote to Dunlap claiming the forfeit moaey "if Wyllie went to Britain before coining '"-'to America "to play the in:»t''h an April 1. Mr Dunlap gave his decision that " Mr Reed is entitled to both the title and forfeit unless Mr Wyllie is ready to play at' Chicago on or before April L" On the date mentioned Wyllie was still in .Aus-' fealia: lleed claimed and Durdao (stakeholder^

paid over the forfeit. The difference of opinion is on the qnention—Should Dunlap have paid over on'the strength of Wyllie's letters or on the" signed articles?-DR. Ei>. D T.] . . , v,