GAMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2303, 21 April 1898, Page 40

GAMES.

Sixth Scottish Tourney Games. Mr Laurence Gilbertson, editor of the West Lothian Courier, Bathgate, and editor of the forthcoming book of games, writes as 'follows :— "1 send you heiowith a liberal instalment of the forthcoming book cf the games played at the sixth annual tournament for the championship of Scotland, which jou are at liberty to publish in whole or in pait at your convenience. "The games have been annotated by Mr George Buchanan, of Glasgow, who has supplied a large number of original vdriaUoim illustrating the various Hues of play. This is the first occasion on which Mr Buchanan has ,been -entrusted with the lesponsibility of annotation ; but his ability both as a player and analyst of the front rank are widely recogtubed, and I feel confident that players generally will endorse my opinion that+he woik has been done in an uuusu*Uy atiie miHtitr. "The book, which will contain upwards of 200 games aud variations, mostly new and origiual play, has been arranged as a merits of compilations, all the games played being classified under their respective openings. This is the first outstanding feature of the work, and will fee found a great improvement on the style adopted in previous } ears'. It gives the play in a compact farm convenient for reference, and shows at a glance the various lines of play adopted by the several ,players. It has also the .inestimable advantage ot giving facilities for condensing book play and repetitiocs to the smallest possible compass, thus leaving more space in which fco deal with what is new and original ; and this forms the second great feature cf the book. "The sixth annual tourney was marked by a large representation of young playeis. .With young men come new ideas, and the play in the tourney bears their impress. Wot king on these lines, Mr Buchanan has rarely referred to standard play already published, and has only do no ipo in cassK of exceptional interebt. His efforts have been mainly directed to -illustrating the new lines by further new piny, and it need not be added that in doing so he has gieatly enhanced 'the "The openings are arranged throughout the book alphabetically, and an index gives a reference to the different rounds, and the games played in each between the several contestants. It will •be found, therefore, that both as a record of the match and a 'work of reference on the game the volume is oue.tbat lias .rarely i>aea ,e(iualle.d, aaxi never surpassed.

J "The games have been copiously .illustrated j with diagvams. Sketches and portraits of the ■ leading -players, together with a brief report of j the tournament, will be added." ; The book has been published at the low price of i Is, in cloth le 6d ; so that copies out here will i probably be only 3d T inore. I The following are a couple of sample pages of ! the book. It will at once be seen what a valuable • alteration has been made in grouping all the ! games of each opening — it really doubles the I value of the book as a work of reference. Game— " Kelso." I Terrie v. Freedman. Final, 3. 10 15 6-16 20 811 5 14 3 7 7 11 21 17-1 22 18 29 25 1-25 21 22 17 24 19 11 16 15 22 9 14 7 10 11 16 15 14 17 13 25 18 18 9 26 23 30 26 28 19 [t Variations 11, 15, and 16 spring from here, and so on through the play. — Ed. O.W ] The play haE now reached the following very critical situation ;— '

[Black ]

[White.]

I Black to move and draw. ! (l) I The following line opeus up some interesting \ featuies :— J24 19 2-30 523 25 22 28.24 ■35 10 7 2 ! 11 16 4 8 17 26 2 7 6 15 a-26 30 25 21 22 18 31 22 18 15 19 10 2 7 710 - 14 17 710 711 17 22 30 25 26 22 21 14 22 17 17 14 10 7 13 9 3 7 10 17 15 10 17 22 26 5)4 Then 23 19, 16-23, 27 9, 20 27, 7 16, 12 19, drawn. (a) If Black crowns the piece on 31 White-wins by 2 7. 31 £6, ?3 19, 16 23, 27 18, 20 -27, 32 23, 26 19. 7 23, White wins. (2) The following variation occurred in a game be- ] tween G. Buchanan and W. K. Campbell :— , 22 38-3 10 26 26 22 5 9 22 17 26 31 14 17 31 13 15 6 2 18 23 17 14 • 21 14 16 10 15 10 9 14 27 IS 31 27 i 30 17 18 15 6 15 2 7 15 22 32 23 > 19 15 4 8 9 6 8 11 10 14 19 26 I 710 3D 26 '29 710 22 26 14 10 il3 9 4 12 16 13 6 14 18 14 J8 26 tO Then' lo 7, 16 19. 73, drawn. (3) 22 17 loses as follows :— 22 17 30 >5 25 22 23 18 18 9 28 19 7 11 4 8 11 15 J5 24 15 16 23 27 IS, 5 23, Black wins. (4) If White goes 15 11, then Black plays 17 22, and , White has to play all he knows to draw. The j position is worthy a diagram. [Black ]

[White ] '"White to 5/iovc and draw. : 11 7 14 9 £7 9 30 21 14 10 2 7 I 211 6 10 20 27 35 22 22 25 29 25 2S 24 9 5 32 23 21 37 9 6 7 '16 10 15 5 10 14 32 16 16 19 25 29 12 19 IS 14 2< 19 2.-} IS 17 34 6 2 13 9 4 8 - 36 23 22 Co 19 2^ 8 12 25 22 Then 9 6, 23 26, 6 2, drawn. (5) The following was played between G-. Buchanan and JNeil Curtie :—: — i 4 S 24 19 15 18 9 14 18 23 J4 33 9 22 56 TO 25 5 14 22 !5 16 S3 6 13 31 2-2 10 14 25 21 11 18 27 18 Drawn (fi) M'Millanv. Brown. 18 9 2 7 13 9 11 18 22 15 6 13 29 25 11 18 35 10 5 14 31 26 19 54 28 24 7 11 27 20 8 11 19 35 IS 23 24 19 11 16 25 21 4 8 26 22 8 11 26 22 16 19 22 18 The game continued 23 27, 10 15, 18 22, 15 8, 3 12, 24 19, 22 18, Black wini. 6 Losing move ; 32 27 draws. *The games played in the tourney are distinguished by headings showing the names of 'he players, with the round and number of the game in the round.

L 4. 15 6 10 18 9 26 31 5 14 10 14 10 6 31 26 14 18 6-14 10 6 2 2S 22 18 22 32 OS 2 6 22 IS 22 26 £8 21

16 19 23 36 12 ]9 22 18 15 22 25 18 7 11 24 15 9 14

I 19 16 12 19 23 7 2 11 26 23 11 15 13 J) G 22 23 IS U 23 27 4

4 8 22 25 8 11 14 18 11 15 18 22 15 19 21 30 19 23 1 6