DRAUGHTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13288, 20 May 1905, Page 3

DRAUGHTS.

Conducted ej Jos. Abep.netht. TOWN v. COUNTRY MATCH. This event is fixed to take place in the Choral Hall, Moray place, Dunedm, on THURSDAY, June 15. Town secretary, Mr P. E. Hilhker, 181 Princes street. PROBLEM 872. By J. A. Borbhau, Dunedin. [Buck.]

[WntT* ] Black: kings 13, 22, 23, 28. White: 20, 31, kings 6, 14. White to play, Black to win. [The above is tho position left at the end o! Game 1637 below. Some players aro strongly of opinion that White can draw, and we shall be pleased to receive criticism and play in support of either view.—Dn. Ed., O.D.T.]

PROBLEM 873, By J. A. Barkeb, Liverpool. [JjIJ.CS.]

[WHITI ] Black: 2, 3, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20. Wliito: 15, 22, 25, 2G, 27, 28, king 1. "White lo move and draw. End game played between Mr Barker and a friend.—Liverpool Mercury. GAMES. Played in Duiiedm between Messrs J, Mulvcy and J. A. Boickam. Gamo IGB7.—"Alma." Black—J. A. Borehain. "White—J. Mnlvey, 1115 (i 10 27 32 711 V 5 3D 2.1 19 25 £2 2(i J5 8 21 17 811 a-2 7 Bill 2) 4)1 32 i 8 22 17 32 C 8 i>, IS) ill 1« i 7 i 3 3 8 16 111 32 27 1219 27 33 .5 22 23 Iti tl 15 « 2 13 3 11 111 1419 UlB 19 23 24 IS 27 23 22 17 2i 17 30 25 18 14 711 !l 14 812 23 27 3D 25 £4 211 18 'J c 1!) 15 2 7 tl (i 15 24 514 18 23 11 15 25 22 £S 111 17 13 iS 11) -.5 21 (i 2 10 14 14 18 27 24 15 18 28 24 17 11) 13 II 1711 710 2 G 11 24 18 23 23 27 18 22 32 27 22 18 9ti 14 1) 10 14 (19 1 « 23 27 27 32 22 2o t7 2! 29 25 0 2 9 8 14 18 9 8 D-24 28 (a) C. F. Barker v. R Martens play ed 24 23. (b) Mr Mulvey remarked that 32 27 would lose. (c) X think this premature; White should mako Black forco the position.—J. A. B. (d) At this stage Mr Mu'.vey had to hurry away to catch the car, believing the position to be a draw, Mr Borehain claiming the position to ho a Black win. We give the position as Problem 872. TOWN v. COUNTRY. We are now almost within speukiug distance of Show Week, when what should prove a record gathering of diaughts players' will take place. We learn that Mr Gardiner, conntiy captain, has not so far received many communicftions from members of his party; but probably most players lmagmo it is too early yet to get "certainties." Wo hope, however, that something is being done by the com,try representatives towards rssurmg a record muster. Any and every visiting player is invited to take part in the match, and they will greatly assist arrangements if they Fend early word of their intention to paiticipate to Mr Jas. fiardinci, Coquette street, Oaniaru, organiser of the visiting team; oi to Mr F. Hi.liker, 181 Princes street, Duncdin (town secretary); or the draughts editor of this column.

Mr Hilliker''desires us .to announce that players (or the Town 'will oblige by intimating thtir willingness to take part 46 any of the following gentlemen:—Messrs H. Montgomery (Port Chalmers), James Dickson (Portobello), J. Sim (Highcliff). M.' Davis, (Sandymount), J. Gilmour (North-East Harbour), —Davidson (stationmastera, Sawyers' Bay); J. Ilutton (Ravensbourne), R. Mmr (North-East Valleyl, H. Holiday and J. A. Boreham (Eoslyn), F. W. Langston (Caversham), A. Lucas, J. Smeaton. J. Abernethy, P. Mirks, D. Brodie, and F. Hilliker-(Dunedin). ,

It will bs noticed that Port Chalmeis and the -Peninsula will be included in the Town district. This is deemed necessary 011 account of the expected numerical strength, of the Countiy team.

THE MOVE AND ITS VAGARIES. ' By James' MtTLvrr. No. V. .

I had intended dealing with the three-for-three exchange before touching on the points raised by Mr Marsh, but my spare time has been too limited lately-to deal adequately'with it. I will therefore answer Mr Marsh's queries first, nnd will try to treat the treble exchange next week. Mr Marsh asked it anyone could explain tho peculiarities, of the "move" as, illustrated in this position:—Black on 14, 18. 20, White on 28, kmg on 10. (Mr Marsh had the king on 0.) Biack can draw by 18 23, but will logo by 14 17. In the first instance Blpck has the move, and m the latter White has it, although in each case a man was captured. Another example-—Black on 5, 9, king 31; White kings on 17, 23, If Black goes 9 13, White wins by 17 14. -Whichever man Black throws away White has the move; bul if Black threw the man by 9 14 at once, he would have the move. Mr Marsh wished to know why this was thus. It will he observed that in each of the above examples Black has a piece more than White, and also that he must part with it sooner or later, aud the questions to decide are which pieco to saorifice, and what the result will he, Referring to positions whero one side,has an extra piece, "Dunne's Guide" says: "We invariably find that one player hss tho 'move' in one system, and his opponent in the other. To find in which sjstem you lwye the 'move.' when it is your turn to play count the pieces in either system. If tho number is even, you ha\e the move in that system, if odd, you have it in the other."

No examples are given where it is necessary to sacrifice the extra piece, lijit we can adapt the rule'to suit the circumstances. First of all find out in which system you have the move, then sacrifice the odd man so that your opponent leaps into that system. If you do this you will find that you will retain the "move," othenvise you will lose it. Apply the rule to M> Marsh's first example, and we find tliat there is an even number of pieces in the Black system; therefore Black has the move in that system, and Tie must allow White to capture into that system in order to retain the "move." This he does by playing 18 23 immediately. In the second example Black has the "move" in tho Black system, so he must sacrifice by 9 14, making White capture into the system in wliich he has the "move," if He wishes to re'.iin it. Tho following position ll.uatrates clearly how the move may he altered or not by the sacrificing of the e*tra man:— [White.]

(BiApx.l Black to piny.

There is an even number of piocca in the Black system, so Black has the "move" in' that system, and lie must sacrifice 19 24 if he wishes to retain it. If lie plays 21 25 we lint! that White now lias the "jnove" as the capture was not made into the Black system. (To be continued) CHAMPIONSHIP OF OTAGO. A cflrrespondent, in the courso of sv letter, takes exception to the proportional method of counting scores, smd says-—"This system was tried in a chess tourney ut lionte Carlo, and was a failure; and hov, c,m anyone make up a handicap on such a system?'' We desire to point out, first, that the new idea is to b; applied to the championship only; the handicap tomney not he affected, Secondly, the committee did not adopt it without consideration, it was applied to past tourneys, and the result was its adoption.

INTERNATIONAL DRAUGHTS MATCH. BRITAIN v. AMERICA. This great match, which was played at Boston, U.S.A., and lasted foi 10 d.iys, has resulted in a brilliant victory for the British team, 'the scores being —Britain, 73 wins; Amerca, 31 wins; drawn, 28-1 games; total games played, 331. The British team consisted of five Sco(ch and five English players, and tho 10 Amciicau players were selected by a committee from all the expert players of tho States Each player had to play four games with everv contestant of the opposing team, so tho match was ? thorough test of the capabilities of the players. The scries of four games between Dearborn and Morrall (lingland) and Searight (Scotland) mere unplayed owing to the sudden and serious illness of Dearborn. The scoies aie given below. BRITISH TEAM.

Totals . ..34 73 284 It will bo seen from the above lists lhat the Scottish-players did remarkably well, having won 4G games, and lost on.y two, whereas the English players won 27 and lost 32, Halliwell and Morrall, tor England, fared rather badly, as they lost 10 games, and only won nine. R Jordan, Stewart, and Buchanan (Scotland) did splendid sfcrvice for theii side, by winning 28 games without a loss of a single game This is it tecord to bo pioud of, as it must have been a trying qideol to encounter 10 of the best p.ayers oftfejncrica and play each of them four games for 10 days, without incurring a single defeat. It was understood when the British players accepted the American challenge, that an American team would return-the compliment, antl .visit Britain on a similar eriand. The Americans will now see that they wilj have to make strenuous preparations Wore tliey can hope to beat the cream of British experts. We trust their present defeat will only have the effect of making them all tho more eager to retrieve their lost laurels. DRAUGHTS ITEMS. Mr Jas. llulvey.—This well-known southern player arrived from Invereargill on Tuesday evening, 9th inst,, aud'next morning proceeded to Timaru on pleasure bent. While there he, manifested his usua!_ skill with the gun in "arresting" hares. He returned to Puncdin last Saturday evening, and we had the pleasure of his company as guest'until Monday morning, when he returned to his home m Invercargill. During lus brief stay in Dunedin ha got through a good number of games, and quite surprised himself by his strong play, as he had imagined that he was "completely off." His principal opponents were Messrs Boreham. Lsngston, Lucas, and Hilliker, and, taking the aggregate, the visitor had somewhat the advantage. Against such opponents, that means good foiffi, even though the games could hardly bo classed qs "serious." Mr llulvey won the handicap, che=s tourney in Invereargill last lesson., ' TO CORRESPONDENTS. D. A. B.—Could you give any idea as to time of its publication—near opening or close of Exhibition? Shall endeavour to find it. P. IT.—Thanks. No .room la?t week. B. F., Alton, Taranaki.—Your solutions of Problems 868 and 869 are correct. J. A. B.—Thanks for game.

Won. Lost. D'wii. Stewart ,, .... 7 0 3J Buchanan .. ., 8 0 32 Joidim 13 0 27 Ferric 9 l 30 Scaright 9 1 2G A. Jordan ,, G 3 31 Gardner 5 3 32 Ily-nd 7 7 2li Halliwell 5 10 2-1 Morrall 4 9 23 Totals .. . 73 31 281 AMERICAN TEAM. Won. Lost. D'wn. Heffner 4 1 35 Barker 5 3 32 Seha.'fcr 5 7 28 Horr 3 C. 31 Head 2 c 32 Dearlorn 2 0 21 Grover 2 7 31 Denvir 3 9 2G Hill 6 12 22 Reynolds 2 15 ' 23