DRAUGHTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24325, 15 June 1940, Page 14

DRAUGHTS

Conducted by R. Weir. Solutions of problems, games, and analyses are invited for this column Games should be written in six column? as below, and all correspondence addressed to Mr R. Weir. Otago Daily Times Office. Dunedin. PROBLEM No. 835 By T. J. Simmonds, Thorndon Heath. Black 18, Kings 2, 23, 29.

White 30, 32, Kings 11, 16. White to move and win. PROBLEM No. 836 By A. C. Hews. Black 2. 4. 21, King 29.

White 12. 14, 31. King 0. White to move and win. The selected problems given above are taken from the Australasian. The first position after a few forced moves makes a pleasing finish. No, 836 is not too difficult, but the solver is likely to miss the point at the first attempt.

GAMES DOMINION CORRESPONDENCE CHAMPIONSHIP The following pail of games were played In the third round of the above competition. They are taken together with the notes by Mr G. A. Brown, ex-New Zealand champion, from the Evening News, Dannevirke:— GAME No. 831.—" Edinburgh," 23 18. Black: E. Gibbard, Dannevirke. White: F. Hutchins, Invercargill.

(a) Forms one ot the most equal of openings. (b) Best reply. Any other move gives White the advantage. (c) The most popular reply; the other alternatives 27 23, 24 20, and 18 15 are seldom adopted. (d) 22 17 is a good safe defence. Text is not a strong move. (e) This was adopted by Stewart against Grover in the first Anglo-American match. It is a good defensive move, but offers little prospect of a win. 24 20 is another standard reply. (f) 14 18 is the book reply. 1 adopted the text against J. A. Boreham at Invercargill, and he secured an excellent game by replying 26 23. (g) 26 23 is best, as- White has no opportunity of scoring a win. GAME No. 862.—“ Edinburgh,” 23 18.

(a) 10 14 is often played to coax White to go 18 15. (b) As good as 30 20. (c) 22 17 and 18 15 give White an excellent game. (d) 7 10 Is favoured by many players. (e) 3 7 is better. Text is the old defence. (I) White can win against 1 5. (g) Standard game. AMERICAN DRAUGHTS This game was played in the first round of the seventh American tourney, held recently at Cedar Point, and should be of interest to our readers, as the contestants are high-class players. The notes arc added by Messrs T. J. O'Gradv and Albert H. Clair, and are taken from the American Checker Monthly:— GAME No. 863.—" Kelso," 22 18. Black, L. Ginsberg. White, L. Held.

(a) Teschelcit uses 29 25 and 23 18. (b) Ginsberg plays it short. He is usually dangerous when a piece down.

(C) 15 11, 7 16, 19 12, 24 28. 14 10. 28 32, 18 15. 32 28, 15 11, and White is very strong. (d) Ginsberg coaxed his opponent into this trap. If vve go back to the 1 6 move, followed by 6 9, it can be seen that Ginsberg was fishing for the shot from a distance. This game was played in the first round of the same tourney as the game. The play of this pair also is of a,-: very high order. H GAME No. 864.—“ Edinburgh,” 22 18. Black. L. M. Lewis. White, Basil G. Case.

White wins. (a) 16 20, 30 26, 11 16 is O.K. (b) The position at this point comes up also from *" Bristol Single 1 ’ as follows: 11 16. 22 18. 8 11, 25 22, 16 20, 22 17, 4 8, 24 19, 9 13 (d). 30 25, 13 22, 26 17, same. It comes up in various ways. In an intercity match between Buffalo and Rochester it was reached between T. J. O’Grady and George O’Connor. O’Grady cut 10 14, and later won when O’Connor miscalculated on a shot. This same position also occurred between Sam Cohen and O’Connor. Cohen went 11 16 and lost. This 6 9 must be classed with 11 16. (c) The route to win is a question of choice. (d) A note in the O’Connor-Cohen Match Book says: “ This move is generally avoided nowadays: II 16 is sound." YOUTHFUL GENIUS James Wyllie, the “ Herd Laddie.” champion of the world for nearly 40 years, made an extended tour’ of Canada and United States many years ago and met his Waterloo During his conquering itinerancy he scored about 11,000 victories out of about 12,000 encounters, hundreds of draws, and a few losses in a period of about three years. Then he met in match play the youthful American prodigy, Robert D. Yates (about 18 years of age), who defeated the seasoned veteran by 2 games to 0 and 22' draws. Wyllie. somewhat disturbed, demanded a second meeting. This took place the month following. Yates again demonstrated his calibre by winning 5 games to 1 and 20 draws. Still not satisfied. Wyllie insisted on a bona fide match for the championship of the world. This was arranged, and once again Yates won by the score of 7 to 1 and 42 draws. All was not over yet. Still another match was arranged, and again the amazing American won by 2 to 1 and 47 draws Truly a splendid achievement. Yates, after pursuing his medical studies, was appointed staff physician at a New York hospital. A short time later he took up duty as ship doctor on the Rotterdam line. On the first trip he was stricken by typhus fever and died at sea.—By “ Expertus.”

9 13 16 19 7 16 18 27 24 28 9 14 23 18•a 23 16 24 15 32 16 11 8 29 25 5 9--b 12 19 4 8-f 8 11 28 32 1 5 26 23■c 15 ll-i e 28 24 15 8 8 4 11 16 8 15 14 18 3 19 32 28 Drawn. 30 26 22 17 24 20 20 16-g 4 8 10 14 13 22 16 19 19 24 28 24 18 15•d 25 11 27 23 16 11 8 11

Black. F. , Hutchins. White. E. Gibbard. 9 13 30 26 13 22 31 26 1 5 19 15 23 13 8 11 26 10 11 16 22 17 16 19 5 9 28 24 7 14 29 25 9 13 e-7 3 26 23 16 20 24 19 3 7 18 2 11 16-a 19 15-c 2 7-e 32 28 11 18 Drawn. 24 19-b 4 8-d 25 22 7 11-f 23 7 10 14 22 17 7 10 28 24 13 31

10 15 11 16 16 19 9 14 10 15 24 19 22 18 29 25 23 16 18 9 8 3 16 12 15 22 4 8 12 19 5 14 1 6 18 22 25 18 22 18 27 23 15 11 3 8 12 8 9 13 6 9 19 24-b 24 28 6 9 22 26 18 14 25 22 28 19 19 16 8 3 31 22 11 15 16 20 20 24 28 32 9 13 d-14 18 24 19 30 26 14 10-c 16 12 3 7 15 24 8 11 7 14 32 28 15 18 Black 28 19 19 15 22 17 10 7 23 19 wins. 8 11 11 16 13 22 3 10 28 24 26 22-a 32 28 26 10 12 8 19 16

9 13 30 26 10 17 28 24 6 13 5 1 22 18 16 20 21 14 1 6 14 9 7 10 12 16 22 17 9 13 14 9 7 10 c-22 18 24 19 13 22 25 21 5 314 25 22 14 17 8 12 26 17 11 16 18 9 10 14 18 14 26 22 6 9-b 29 25 13 17 9 5 2 7 4 8-a 17 14 8 11 21 14 3 7 1 6