DRAUGHTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16295, 30 January 1915, Page 3

DRAUGHTS.

COKBOCTED BY JOS. ABKENETHT. PROBLEM 4172. (Author unknown.) [Black.]

[White.] White to play and draw. PROBLEM 4173. By J. lawis, Mountain Ash. [Black.]

[Whtte.] White to play and draw. Opening with a "stroke," the above requires correctly-timed moves to recover the balance of power. It is from the Yorkshire Post. GAMES. Dr Newafl Banks is an expert blindfold player, as will be admitted on studying the following samples of his skill, contested at the last Cedar Point gathering. Game 3178—"Switcher." Black: Banks. White: Alfred Jordan. yl3 a U t> 15 19 1U 19 24 21 17 815 28 24 2 6 21 17 11 15 17 14 4 8-0 30 26 13 22 25 21 10 17 32 28 615 26 17 5 9-A 21 14 811 25 21 II 16 29 25 12 1« 24 19 711 18 11 9 14 24 19-B 15 24 14 10 IS 20 23 18 16 23 28 1» 15 IS* 810 7 14 -3 26 11) 11 15-D 22 18 Drawn. (a) This is the lino adopted by Hugh Henderson against Jordan in the last American tourney, and which wan first prize for Mr Henderson. (8) Probably better than 24 20, as played by Jordan against Henderson. (c) 7 11 is probably stronger, but only draws. (d) As good as anything. (e) A good original game, and evenly contested throughout. The following blindfold game waa played with Fair L. Scott, of Toledo. Gaxx 3179—"Denny." Black: Scott. White: Banks. 1U J4 s5 22-a 918 19 15 710 22 17 14 18-B 17 .ls-C U )6-D 27 21 6 10 22 15 10 14 23 22 10 17 24 19 11 18 29 25 E-5 9 *-17 1 16 23 14 811 22 17 Banks won. (a) Same as game played between Banks *nd Hnderson for the American championship. (b) 9 13 is probably beet. (c) Varies from the Banks v. Henderson game, and is much stronger. 26 23 as played by Henderson. (D) Bad. 12 16 looks best, yet White has a powerful game, with winning chances against anything. (e) Mr Scott must have made a miscalculation at note (b) owing to his bad blunder at this time. (p) A game of such short duration is a rare thing against a player of Mr Scott's rank. Here is a sJrirmiea between Messrs Best and Egan. respective captains in a team match in Melbourne recently.—Prom Weekly Times. Game 3180—"Xelao. Black: Egan. White: Best. 10 15 -26 22 4 11 27 11 19 *6 13 6 24 19 11 16-c 17 13 7 16 3D 23 10 15 15 21 18 15 3 7 31 27 2 11 18 14 £8 19 7 10 25 22 • 10 15 23 19 117 9 14-A 22 17 11 15 17 10 16 23 P-2I 14 22 IS-B 811 22 17-D 15 19 27 18 Draw. 5 9 15 8 15 24 10 7 6 10-x (a) 6 10 is more popular. (b) 19 15 is weak. (c) 7 10 is preferable. (D) In another game Best played 30 26 thus: —30 26, 15 24, 2*ll, 7 16, 22 17, 16 13, 23 16, 12 19, 29 25, 14 18, 17 14, 10 17, 21 5, 18 23, 26 22, 23 26, 32 2T, 26 30, 25 21, 30,25, 21 17, 25 18, 27 23, 18 27, & IS, 69, 13 6, 1 19. Draw. (e) 12 16 only disws. (f) An interesting game. DBAUGHTS ITEMS. For and Against Restriction.—A writer in en American contemporary eays:—"Some recent notions received quite a shock in the Pomeroy-Jordan match. It is usually thus wfien theory struts up in front of practice and invites a combat. Two-movists seem to forget that checkers is checkers, regardless of style of opening. As Mr Pomeroy aptly remarked to me in person not long since, If we find ourselves in a fine ending, I do not see that it makes any difference in what manner the position was brought up, as regards the opening.' Well said, and nowadays, if not always, the wins are in the endings, and the tight draws are there, and all we need do is play away from conventional 'book' (and there is plenty of latitude, as Pomeroy has demonstrated), to get all the excitement necessary. Shaking dice or shuffling cards to secure variety is entirely superfluous." Another American writer says:—"lf Jordan canot hold bis own against Pomeroy, allowing Pomeroy to play his 'best, what sense is there in compelling Pomeroy to play in some way so that Jordan can beat him? If it were a fact that experts could play and play without being able to score a win, then there might be some reason in arguing for a plan or system that would result in bringing about a decision; but it looks as if that day has not yet arrived, and that the possibilities of cross-board checkers have not been exhausted nor the limitations of human skill and knowledge of the game set." Newell Banks writes:—"The idea of restricted checkers, as I understand it, is to make each player play all-ronnd checkers, and to get a man away from the plan of getting a few openings down so fine that no one can beat him on them, and then play nothing else." The leading British players are almost •unanimously in favour of the restriction as against the go-as-you-please style; and New Zealand and Australian opinion is of the same colour. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. Problem 4165 (By A. Smith).—Black: 13, 21, 27. White: 22, 30; king 26. White to move and win. 2H 31 MS 24 9 5 11 15 31 24 25 30 27 32 14 9 £0 16 6 9 17 22 27 2* 22 18 13 17 5 1 15 18 914 22 25 32 28 30 26 16 11 26 23 21 25 14 17 IS 14 21 20 16' IS 27 24 27 25 £9 Then 17 21, 29 25, 23 18. White wins. Problem 4166 (By J. Whyte).—Black: 17, 18, 22. 23; king 1. White: 8, 11; kings 10, 24. Black to play and win in five moves. 23 19, 24 15, 18 14, 10 7, 22 18, 15 13, 14 9, .13 6, 1 20. Black wins. Problem 4167 (By Judge Gibbons).—BlackI, 13, 31; king 6. White: 5, 14, 30; king 23. Black to move and win. 21 25-A* (i !.* 13 17* B-9 fi 30 21 1-23 18 UlO B. wins. (1) 23 27 13 17 17 E4 27 23 32 28 23 19 918 27 23 2i 31 32 28 15 19 21 17 27 :-2 17 22 24 28 14 18 28 32 24 *7 J8 11 23 19 31 27 28 32 1(1 H J7 |.j 32 27 22 26 28 32 18)5 3'2s 1915 Black wins. (a) A shock to the champion. (b) Completion of the shock. Problem 416R (By W. Dunn).—Black: 3, 4 11, 12, 20, 23, 26. White: 9, 10, 17, 18, 25,' 28, 30. Black to play and win. iO 2i it* \-t i s iu 19 19 26 18 19 3 8 3 12 2-i 31 31 19 12 l<i 12 3 II Ki Blark wins. Problem 4169 (By J. R, Yeoman).—Black: 6 25; king 30. White: 17; kings 18, 31. White to play and win. 17 u* v 5 21 14 111 14 9 23 27 25 30 25 £9 2« ii H 15 22 17 18 22 26 22 18 23* 29 £5 A £9 lb 913 27 31 SO 25 22 2i 17 11 17 14 22 25 White 31 it* 21 17 £5 ii 15 18 31 21; wins. (a) 21 25, 23 38, 25 21, 18 15, 21 25, 22 17, 25 21, 17 13. 29 25, 14 9. White wins.