DRAUGHTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15892, 11 October 1913, Page 3

DRAUGHTS.

CoifDUOTBn b? Jos. Aebbnethy. PROBLEM 1059. By M. H. C. Wakobll. [Bucx.J

[WhttiJ Bkck to play and win.

PROBLEM 4060 By R. Holding. [Black.]

[Whitz.j I Black to play and win. The foregoing are from "Midget Problems," to illustrate how' Black wins "with the move by better than first." The phrase "better than first," Bays Mr M'Call, "is commonly applied to situations that resemble somo stago of First Position, but may be solved m a more direct way. Tliorc are about 20 reputable problems of thi3 class." I TO CORRESPONDENTS. J. BittrcE.—Should bo pleased to have a oopy of the ntles,

GAMES. &ame 3800. —'"Denny." By W. Vul, Southampton, England. ID 14 2D 22 '-G 22 30 18 9 18 ii 19 811 A-ll 15 II 15 11 15 27-3. 14 18 27 23 24 £0 32 28 M fi «in ii 15 !) 14 15 24 15 24 15 24 15 l!' UlB 22 18 28 19 I 28 19 l-W IS 14 Hi 20 22 G 111 711 3 7 811 II 15 711 18 9 2i 18 2D 22 8 2 9 Ii 22 15 514 1 5 B-7 11' 21 27 32 28 11 18 312tJ 18 9 22 18 . 2 0 6 2 25 22 2 7 814 4 8 10 15 15 18 18 25 Drawn. (i) I offer this to draw, and correct Game '351, Aberdeen W. Journal, where I S loses. (b) If, 4 8, what result ? (1) If 6 x 10 15, 2 6, 15. 19, 23 16, 12 19, 6 10, 24 28, 10 15, 19 24, 20 16, 8 12, drawn. Following, from tho Pittsburg Leader, is tho first game played in the match for 2GO dollais between J. D'Oiio and G. M, Tanner:— . Game 3391.—"Denny" (10 14, 2! 20). Black—D'Orio. White—Tanner. 10 14 4 8 8 12 18 25 i() 14 24 20-i 17 13 27 24 30 21 18 9 11 15-b 9 14 II 10 15 18 5 14 22 18-c 29 25 20 11 U 8 8 II •15 22 1 tl 7 lfi 18 23 25 22 25 18d 28 24 24 20 20 22 11 15 12 lti-E 6 10 lfi 1« 23 26 19 23 20 11 31 26 23 16 8 3 15 10 8 22 8 11 12 U> £6 30 22 17 26 10 24 211.0 20 16 3 8 10 15 6 18-F 3 8 14 18 30 25 23 2<i 21 17 25 22 18 11-H 22 18 15 18 Drawn. (Notes by, J, D'Orio.) (a) Forme the "Denny Lassie," which is an elegant oipenhig, equally strong for both sides. There are a good many lines of attack and defence, each assuring a fine game. (b) This seems to be the choice ove, as it is invariably taken; but Black may choose other lima with safety. '• (c) Preferred to the alternative, 22 17, because Black gets awfully etrong, compelling White to < play _ along a weak lino of the "Ayrshire Lassio" if other shaky defences are to be avoided. (d) The double jump is considered superior to the teit, and invariably taken. We believe otherwise, and these games are a good criterion. , (e) Black hag two alternatives, 6 10, and 14 17, and each gives a Sm game; 8 11; is simply bad, as it allows White to come out 29 25, thua leaving Black with a problematical' draw. Wo will deal with the 6 10 move in the next game, aa it was played by Mr Tannor. (f) The 7 14 jump is also safe. (0) White has held the piece back on 25, thus avoiding a weak Searight v. Barker game. (h) This just saves White, as Black cannot get the grip in time.

NORTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP. Laflt year a tournament for tlie .North Island championship was held in New Plymoutk, but the' contest was hardly heard of hi tho_ south. The fact that the event clashed with the N.Z.D.A. championship has prompted inquiries about the New Plymouth tomrcey, and Mr J, Bruce, winner of first prize, liaa sent us detaib to satisfy inquiries. The idea of a North Island championship took definite -shape at a match held in New Plymouth in May, 1912, Mr Bruce being the prime nioror. A ; few pounds were contributed at the mooting, and tho proposed tournament eventuated this year, at the BanM timo the Australasian and New Zealand' championships were contested in Gore. There were 14 entries, J. Bruce taking first prize and £5, with D. Gibson runner-up. There was a sealed handicap, in which everyone had a show but the winner of the cham-. pionship. Mr Bruce has competed in a number of the N.2.D.A. championships, and at the last one held in Dunedin he won the handicap event. This fact, no: doubt, gives some weight to hi 3 words- in tho north, where he is reported as making tho following statements after winning the North Island championship:— "Mr Bruce stated that tho reason a North Island tournament wis held was that a large number of players objected to some of the rules of the New Zealand Draughts Association (e.g., that players paired must finish their two games at one sitting, even.' if it took a day or two); consequently, some players had to play from 7 o'clock in tho evening till 1 ot 2 o'clock in the morning. The second objection was tho time limit of five minutes to a move, which was broken altogether, some players talking "half an hour, and even an hour, to move. Thirdly, that a tie for _ the championship was decided without being played off, on a proportional scale, more points being given for the defeat of a good player than for an indifferent player, a thing unheard of in any other part of /tho world. Tho rules observed in New Plymouth in regard to the first objection were that the player Ecaled his move, and gave the envelope to the referee, and at tho opening of tho next sitting tho referee made the sealed move, and the rclnyers proceeded. Tho time limit, five minutes to a move,, was strictly enforced. If there bad been a tie- it would have been played off." Wo do not propose traversing the pointft raised by Mr Bruce—that can be left to readers. Supposing his statements were correct, however, they would hardly suffice ns a reason for holdin.? a tournament in opposition to tho N.Z.D.A. If any player his a good case against the N.Z.D.A, rules lie will surely find support enough among competitors to have the wrong righted without iniurin? the Tiilinc bodv. The attitude adopted in too much lik» tTint of the little girl who quarrelled with her cliumv— "I won't let you play in our yard, I won't love you any more; You'll bo sorry when you see me Sliding down our collar door." It is to 'be hoped the' North Island championship next year will either be held ,at somo other than Easter, or mcrfocl with Oie N.Z.D.A. championship, to be held at Auckland, which could easily be done. DRAUGHTS ITEMS. New Plymouth—The handicap tourney of the Now Plymouth Draughts Club was concluded recently, after running several months, W. M'Pherson took first prize, with a score of 17, plus 'U of a handicap, J. F. Eustaco second, and J- Bruce third, with 19J ; tfom scratch. Quick Play,-fii the course of a letter to us Mr J. Bruce, New Plymouth, says:—"lf the enforcement of the timo limit in tho N.Z. championship were adopted, it would shorten tho time of play by 6pvoral days. In New Plymouth we had. 11 entries, and completed the tournament in 22 hours." Tho New York Tribune editor says:— 1 "S. Crumb, of -Boston, in behalf of Newell w! Banks, challenges Alfred Jordan to a 40game match for the world's championship, and a large stake—forfeit now in my hands." The match of 40 games, irOrio v. Tanner, for a stake of 100 dollars a-side, resulted in a victory for D'Orio. Score: D'Orio, 7; Tanner, 3; drawn, 27. The Pittsburg Dispatch comments thus:—"Now that the match is,over, all excitement, or proraiso of excitement, during the hot season Bcems to 1 . bo ended. There appears to be little chance of Banks and' Jordan getting info a serious Gcrap. Indeed, it is very unlikely that the much-agitated subscription match between i these will over take place at Cedar Point, Even if 1 it did, it would cause little or no 1 interest, as what we all want is n battio for blood between theso two checker giantß."