DRAUGHTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23691, 24 December 1938, Page 17

DRAUGHTS

Conducted by R. Weir. Solutions ol problems, games, and analyses are invited for this column Games should be written in six columns, as below, and ail correspondence addressed to Mr R Weir Otago Daily Times Office. Dunedin PROBLEM No. 669 By A. E. Cresswell. Black 10, 18, King 2.

White Kings 9, 11, 26. White to move and win. "A Christmas Cross." PROBLEM No. 670 By S. J. Pickering. Black 1,2, 3,7, 12, 13, 16, 20, 24, 26, Kings 17, 27.

White 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30, 32. White to move and win. TO OUR READERS A MERRY CHRISTMAS By the time this issue reaches our readers the Christmas holiday season will be again with us, and the chequered board will undoubtedly be laid aside for a few days. We have therefore served up something of a lighter nature this week in accordance with the usual custom. . The selected problems are appropriate to the season; they were contributed to the now defunct Draughts Review several years ago. Mr Cresswell designates his problem "A Christmas Cross," but. this peculiarity apart, it is still a fine composition. The second problem can best be described as a Christmas curiosity. The Review remarks: "It does look a little indigestible, but there is a delicate echo at the end." Wishing all readers a merry Christmas The Draughts Editor. MR WYLLIE VISITS THE MAGPIE CLUB Mr Wvllie visited us for the first time last week. When Dr Throttle, our worthy president, formally introduced "the Herd Laddie" within the luxurious precincts of our club he was visibly awed with its sumptuous appointments. The Turkey carpets, the inlaid mahogany boards and ivory men, the generous supply of cuspadores and match boxes, the elegant easy chairs, the portrait in oil of the great Anderson over the oak-panelled mantelpiece, and finally the ceremony of passing round the champagne cup by our venerable president left our visitor giddy with pleasurable wonder, so that it was some time before he was in a fit state to encounter such an array of masterly strategists. It had been arranged that our members should play Mr Wyllie in the order of their ability, beginning with Corporal Blithers; but the old war horse sent word at the last moment that he was unable to honour the gathering with his presence. In fact it was to be noticed that all our leading players discovered urgent business elsewhere. The Rev. Tony Boyle had therefore to begin. Here is the game:

(a) The Rev. Tony has a theory that this is the most forcible reply to a side openir/g, and the cut which follows a powerful continuation. (b) The 9 13 threw the dominie off his base. 24 19, 4 8, 28 24, 7 10, 32 28, 27 7, 25 22, 5 9, 30 25, 1 5, 19 16, etc., is the correct play to draw. I suspect he was waiting for 7 10 instead of 9 13, when he has some pretty traps in the end play. (c) All is soon over after this; two for one is soon forced. (d) "I resign, sir, and congratulate you on the original development of your game," graciously remarked the Rev. Tony at this juncture. "But I may-tell you, sir, I am mentally fatigued, having devoted the greater part of the day to the composition of an original sermon, so you will readily understand I was unable to do myself justice." " Oh, I ken it is as hard to write an original sermon as it is to play an original game," replied the Herd Laddie politely. After our chaplain arose there was some delay in finding another opponent—not that they feared the result, oh, no!; but they wished to give the veteran time to adjust himself to his surroundings, etc., etc. Finally McNib filled the vacant, chair, shook hands, and said: " How are ye. Mr Wyllie ? " " Very weel, thank ye." " That's braw. Ye min' me playing ye at Pollokshaws ? " " Hey ? " "Ye kenned me at Pollokshaws ten year ago." " What's your name ? " " Captain McNib." 'Aye, I remember ye noo. Ye broke a bobby's nose for huffing ye in a game for a shilling. I min* it well." " Ya, ya! dot vos de same man. He tried vot drick mit me," cried Professor Muzzelhofrer, " and he was run in for it.' •' Then if ye're to play with me we'll bar huffing," said Mr Wyllie with his usual prudence. "Very weel," rejoined McNib, Im no particular," and the game opened as follows:

(a) When Mac saw this he exclaimed: " Just the game I wanted. I'll give him a drubbing he'll no soon forget! I have it all analysed." , . ~ (b) " He'll never draw this wi me. Just watch how I'll surprise him in a few moves," said Mac, sotto voce, and we all watched. " , ..... (c) So far Mac had played with the assurance of a bookmaker, but now he began to silently scratch his head and grumble at the crowding and the talking. He finally moved 3 8, observing. '• That'll give him something to think 3 But' apparently it didn't, for Mr Wyllie, with alacrity, replied 22 18. 13 22. 18 9, 6 13, 31 2G, 22 31, 30 25, 31 24, 28 3, 10 14 25 22, 1 6, 29 25, and presently Mac had to bang doon the sixpence, exclaiming as he did so, " Yc'll no catch me wi' that again, my laddie." "Do you think you'll draw it ? asked the veteran. , " Draw it, mon! By the great Macgregor I'll beat it! and would just noo, but for the blethering chatter that is always going on in this club! Besides I had the lumbago a' nlcht, which upset my nerves, ye ken." ■ „ He then made room for Professor Muzzelhofier, who contested the next game. A BOOMERANG SHOT An entertaining game culled from the Melbourne Weekly Times which demonstrates an amusing " boomerang" shot. Examples of the " boomerang " in match play, while not of great frequency, occasionally occur, and they imvariablly embarrass the victim as much as they delight the audience:

GAME No. 729.— "Bristol," 22 18. Black, Mr Vfyllie. White, Rev. Tony Boyle. 11 16 18 15 7 10 15 11 14 18 23 19 22 18 11 18 31 26 10 15 19 15 c-26 23 10 14 22 15 10 19 28 24 18 23 25 22 9 13 24 15 13 17 27 18 Wyllie 8 11 26 22-b 3 7 22 13 20 27 wins. 29 25-a 5 9 25 22-c 15 31 32 23 16 20 22 18 7 10 23 19 31 26

GAME No. 730.—' ' Switcher. Black, Captain McNib. White, Mr Wyllie. 11 15 25 21 12 16 21 17-a 5 9 18 11 9 13 23 18-b 8 15 24 20 9 14 20 11 7 16 26 23 3 8-c

GAME No. 731.—" Kelso Cros; 10 15 15 24 16 10 19 19 24 9 14 23 18 28 19 29 25 27 24 28 19 18 9 12 16 11 16 4 8 20 27 3 8 5 14 21 17 26 23 32 28-a 31 8 4 11 10 7 16 20 9 13 6 10 16 19-b 7 30 25 18 17 14 25 21 21 17 23 16 25 21 17 10 8 12 6 9 8 11 12 19 30 25 2 11 24 19 30 26 19 15 8 4 14 10 Black wins. ia) 19 15, 7 10, 14 7. 3 19, 32 28 , 9 14, 18 9. 5 14, 22 18, 6 9, 25 22, 8 11, 27 24, 20 27, 31 8, 16 19, 23 16, 12 19, 18 15 will draw. (b) Actually the sequel to 32 28 at (a), which virtually loses.