DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 40

DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

."The Fortunes of War."— The Otago Witness quotes an article by "Esau," who Rives some examples of interesting endings, and.amoirg others the following :-Black men on 2, 6, 7, 10; 12, 14, 1&.S0 ; White men on 13, 19, 21, 2-2. 23 X 4, 97. 28. White to play, and be pushed 21 17, 14 21, 22 17. At thin point 16 18 was found to he a draw, and 12 16, 19 12, 7 11, 23 19, 11 16, 27 23. 80 27, 17 14, Ac., was given for a Black win. Mr J. Sim points out that White could have kept the draw good by playing 12 8 instead of 17 14 at last move, at follows :12 8, 15 24, 28 12. 10 15, 17 14, and White can draw easily.— Temuka leader. An Early Column.— The record* show thai space was given to checker* in a monthly magazine named Home Thoughts in -1853. Mr Hodgkinnon, "Martin of ßobton" vrastiU nom de plume, contributed the first gatn^, » "Single Oornej 1 . Mr 11. was a checker acquaintance of our late lamented friend, Harry Liudsay, who often talked of him.— Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph. ■ . Hibernian' SporM Tourney*— The first prize in the first draughts tourney in connection with the Hibernian Sports has been-'* on by Mr J. H. Boardman, of the Melbourne Draughts Club. The other prize-winners and their clubs were as follows :— (J. Richards, Collingwood : F. Salmon, Melbourne : J. M«>nettl, F. T.JJest, J. Best. Colling, wood ; W. Houston, Melbourne ; and 8. Richards, Ascotvale Mr Boardin*n, Mr- 6. Richards, Mr Salmon, and Mr Menetti received gold ni«dalt, and the other four received silver medals. There were 32 eutrten, and the pairs for tho several rounds were determined by lot. The-toumty was conductod on the one-life syitem. It occupied a fortnight, the play beginning on Boxing Day and Doing brought to a conclusion on the 9th. " Go b!ow," »ayß the Boston Post, " when you have an easy win in band There is bo «t*fe of the game when you are to likely to be careleM mm when you think that you can ' play anywhere and win."* During Mr Pillshury's recent abort irtay Jn London he contested four games of draught* «.t the Cyprus Cafe with Mr W. 8. Lambert. Mr Pill»bury lost one of the games, and ibe other three were diawn. Richard Jordan, the champion of the world, recently gave an exhibition of simultaneous play at Denny Public Hall. He kept ten boards constantly going, and played In all 190 games, winning 160, loiing 1, and drawing 29. A very meritorious performance .