Draughts in Otago.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 30 October 1890, Page 29

Draughts in Otago.

A GLANCB AT THE PAST SEASON The game of draughts in Otngo has been ve ry briik in Of ago during the pa6t winter months, especially in the country districts in the South, where the 2*me is very popular. Dining th'i summer months draughts suffers » relapse, as is only to be fXDect d owing to the nature of the employment of thee mnti-y residents ; but when the days shorten tho draughts players return to their old love with renewed interest and zeal. A deoided impetus was given to draughts throughout the whole colony by the visit of Mr James WyUJe, fcbe champion ; and though it was but a fitful start in *mne parts of New Zealand, yet his iv-

I fluence wtia of a more permanent I chiraotor in Otago. Following on the tour of Wylllo came the tournament (or the championship of the Aust.raluei.ui colonies, held in Dunedin nt thn beginning of the present year To this tournament may be attributed the increased interest ia draughts in Otago this season, several new cluhs having spnin«:int.oexiß'ence. One strong club is the Ka>kor<»i (a Bubuibof Dunedin) which bent tin 5 ''nnedin Clubby st substantial majority in their first matoh, a'thonjjh this is its first year aB an organised body. The Dunedin Club is perhaps rot bo well supported this Tear as list, having fe't the effects of the commercial depression. It ia, however, well held together by the, pruieewoithy efforts of Messrs H. Howes, H. Onl low, and D. Brodie. The Mosgiel Clu't, which once held a good position, appeared to languish for a time, but this season, has played several matohes. Sawyer's Bay has had a successful club tournament, and Is in a very healthy condition, with such old lovers of the g\me as Meßars Montgomery, Davidson, Foater, &c , in their midst. The South-rn clubs are too numerous to detail in onr limited space, although some of them are strong r-nou«h to muster a te*m of nearly 30 players. Invereargill can boast of four good clubs and many promising p'ayeis, one club having been organised this year. The North is not without its disinterred votaries of the game, who manage to keep the interest in the some from wnuing. The Fukeuri Point 01 ub was re-estab-liehed, and a tournament started with 20 competitors. Mr Jiis A. Horehatn managed to re'ain his title of champion of North Otago in another match with Mr Flannnry. Oamaru played a Town v. Ooiintry match, and a match against Timaru, resulting in a !oso for the latter. Taking the result of the season by tbo reports as published in this column, there have bt>en more matches plnyed this year thin last. Last vfar there were 37 matches rppoited, and this year there are 48— a very creditable Bcore. which is nob likelr to be bpaten by an-" dr-uights column published, '■specially when wb consider the ag<? of th • colony and the scattered p >pulation. The aggregate fi.'nrea of tho matches are interesting TliHre have beec 1837 gamrs lost and won, an<l 407 gnmea drawn — making a total of 2244 garaei plnrpd. Supposing w» strike an average length of game as 50 moves- n<st at all a high nvenige — and the result is 112 200 moveß m ido across the board in t< am matches during thp past winter. The percentage of draws is, perhaps, rather low, beir«g only about 1 draw in 4§ {"itieß. But thut may be accounted for l>y tlie fact- that, thn players in a team match Boeoa generally to ignore the draw and no straight for the w>n they want the whole hog or nothing. They nlso play too rapidly, aa though it were derogstory to appear puzz'ed by a position, especially if anyon« happens to be looking over their shoulder. All things considered, however, we must conclude that the past season has been a very healthy one. and we are pleased to notice, from tha remarks of our correspondents, that we have in some measure contributed to the general enjoyment of the game.

The Freeman-Barker Contest. This match was commenced on September 1, and by latest news ihe first week's play all ended in draws. The Turf says:— "The opinion at the close of the week's piny was that both Barker and Freeman never played checkers so well as they do now. Eaoh one watched the other closely. Every new move is closely studied, and neither player so far has made a mistake. The second week began, after Sunday's rest, with renewed vigour, and play opened with " Second Trouble Corner," and soon after the opening Freeman made an unusual move, and the result proved to ba the most exciting game so far In the confe»t, and Barker was compelled to succumb to the prowess of his opponent after five hours' fight over one of the toughest battles ever made across the board. The name was opened by Freeman playing— 11 15 28 19 22 18 25 22 22 17 24 19 811 11 16 16 20 913 15 24 varying from the authorities, which play 10 14 instead So far 16 g«mes have been played, with the score— Freeman 1, and the remainder drawn.

Answers to Correspondents Solution of Problem 823. (See Game 1637 ib we.) Solution of Problem 821. By T. 8. NICOL Invercnrgill. B/on 8, 12, 13. 18, 20; W on 21, 25. 27, 28, 30. White to play and Black to draw. 31 26 26 21 28 19 11 16 23 14 811 20 21 Drawn.

H Connolly, Makarora.— Solution of Prob'em 824 is correct. In Problem 8 1 6, 27is a loss, thus — B. on 1 . 10. 23. K22;W. on 5. 21.31. K2. 2 7,22 18.7 14.18 9, 21 17,9 13, 17 14. 13 17. 14 10, 17 22. 10 7. 22 25. 7 2, 23 26, and B. wins J Milne, Invercargill. — Hooks forwarded. W Dnnn, Dunelin'.— Thanks for problem.