DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2561, 6 May 1903, Page 59

DRAUGHTS.

Conducted b? Jos. Abernetht. " CLUB MEETINGS ~ Otago Clt/b.— Mcet9 Wednesday and Satui^ay evenmgs, Old Police Coiut Buddmgs, Maclaggan street, Dunedin. Visitors imite'l. PROBLEM 2086. By Zacii Beogaii [Blace.]

[White.] Black to play a-d win. [Looks as if Black hiid !u^ «ork cut out. Have a try at it.— Dr. Ed O.W ] PROBLEM 2087. By C. F. Barker. [Black.]

[White.] White to play and w.n. [Xot too hard, but very neat.— Da Ed.] GAMES. CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT. Game 6109. — ' Ayrs ire Lassie. " Black— F. E. Hilhker. White— J. Gardiner. 11 15 25 18 11 25 23 !!) 7 23 £1 14 24 20 10 15 S9 2-2 7 10 31 £7 10 17 8 11 2G 22 5 14 27 23 23 £6 19 15 28 24 15 19 £2 18 3 7b 30 23 7 10 4 8 24 15 8 11 23 18 2 7 Is B 12 16-a 914 IS f» 11 15 23 19 110 15 22 IS » 0 13 18 H '3 17 Drmvn (a) This is not a common line in match play, that being propab'y the leason why White here adopts <it. Black, however, appears to.be on quite familiar ground. (b) Bcok to this stage, but tiu digression involves no risk. 11 15, 32 23, was the Wylheilartms continuation. Game 6110.— "Rfe." Black— D. A. Brodie. White— J A. Scott. 11 10 1.") 24 10 15 4 8 3 7 13 22 2 - J 19 £8 19 19 10 )7 14 a 30 2K Cfi 17 9 14 13 22 7 23 8 12 7 10 W 23 22 19 £5 9 £7 18 119 14 7 3 8 5 9 6 13 12 IB 15 5 14 £3 2G 2G 23 2-» 25 25 £2 18 14 7 3 31 22 9 13 8 11 16 19 11 15 14 18 IS 25 24 20 23 18 21 17 32 28 22 17 Dr..wn (a) So fai same as Jewitt-Martms game. The succeeding play presents no special feature. Game 6411.— "Double Corner." Black-J. A. Lucas. White— E. Boswell. 914 £8 19 '10 15 22 18 l<r, 26 c-22 17 22 17 4 8 19 10 15 31 22 19 24 11 IK 22 18 6 15 18 fl Ifi 19 7 10 f5 £2 8 11 22 IS X, 14 5 1 b 24 31 8 11 IS 9 15 22 13 9 2 7 in 19 24 19 5 14 £15 10 8 11 1 I! n-'S 23 16 20 25 22 7i4 9 5 711 B. wins. 29 25 11 15 30 2(5 11 15 6 2 11 15 32 28 12 16 5 1 11 ) i 17 13 15 2* 26 22 15 19 2 7 15 24 18 1» 3 8-a 1 5 34 18 (a) Best heie, if, indeed, it is not the on'y ni"~s (b) Black's moves have been so nicely tuned that White's seeming advnrtage is nullified. (c) Lo?ing move; 711 ''uws. Boswll probably was under the n-'-Sconcept'or. that 7 11 allowed Black to capture mun on. 27, by going 19 23. A denouement overlooked by White. Game 6412 -"Bi*=to' " Black— D A. Biodie. White— Jas Gaid:r.er. 11 IS 8 12 19 24 2 IS 3 8 5 H 24 20 22 17 28 19 17 H 15 10 17 10 15 19 4 8 15 24 7 11 ?2 2* 18 22 23 16 £9 25 30 25* 32 -28 10 7 10 6 12 19 8 11 10 15 15 Ift 11 15 8 11 22 18 25 22-a 26 23* 21 17 7 3 Drawn 9 14 11 15 1 5 19 2:; 18 23 18 9 17 13 23 14 2S 19 25 21 5 14 14 18 fi 9 n 32 15 \8 S5 22 £2 17 13 6 ID 15 p, 14 9 (a) Off published play fiom th.s slage (a) Kow quite plain sailing for both parties. Game 6413.— "Single Cornel " Black— J. A. Boreham. White— Jas. Gardner. 11)5 £5 18 4 8 25 22 10 14 a3O 25 22 18 8 11 24 2J 5 9 21 19 15 22 £!) 25 9 13 28 24 0 10 (a) Gardiner believes this to be a. vcvr venture, and it seems to pan out we'F To fiicihtate examination we diagram the position. — [Black.]

[White.] 2 G 21 14 7 11 20 16 25 22 £3 19 18 1.") 10 17 10 7 25 30 11 4 24 15 11 18 27 24 310 £8 24 10 14 C 1 22 15 17 21 24 20 30 25 20 1C k 12 13 1 5-B 25 22 £5 30 24 2U c 810 2G 23 20 IU 21 25 22 18 J3 17-d 15 « 19 26 !14 17 32 28 30 £5- 16 11 22 24 31 6 Drawn. (b) Only move. (c) The learner will now see that this man had to bt brought here before going 16 11, to

prevent Black playing 12 16, which would have drawn easi'y.

(d) Black's second stej towards recovering the man by a clever manoeuvre.

(E) Ar.d this cctnpletes Wfote's aria>-gemer>t3 for a fine feu-de-jo-.e. by which he celebrates the co.:c'iision cf a brilliant game.

J. A. LUCAS, THE NEW CHAMPION

Mr J. A. Lucas, champ on of Xow Zealand, is no stranger to our rcadeis, as he has been piett\ continually before the public as a nla/er for quite a number of years, aed more than o;.ce we have given a v gnetle skstch of him Jlr Lucas is ana »ye of Duuedin, and 13 still a young man, being on the eastern &.de of 30 years. \\ hen he first took to ths game of draughts he paid little or no attention to books, but played according to what ha cou'.d sej. As he had the opportunity of meet.ng good placers, he mostly coiildn'i sse enough. But the more he was beaten, the more he wouldn't give m, so that he soon acquired skill and came to be recognised as a strong natural player Thus, before commencing or. the books, he had developed his perceptive facultie? to a degres that many book pLuers neve, ki.ow.. Bcok play he never has studied extersivdy — 010l.ab'y ro player of note in Key.- Zealand has done so little in that line. For the tournament recently concluded he practically m&ds no preparation, and yet h s score was foi the 23 games. 17 wins and 11 draws. Beyond a bout « th tho \ el.?ran, W. M'llwr.ck, played en camera, he has never played a set match, but lips been \ery successful in team matches, in •which, his score leads — Played 27, won 12, lost 1, drawn 14. T'u.s includes town and country matches. His opponents were —Messrs Scott (who scored the game against Lucas), W. M'llwrick, H. Montgomery, J- Christie, Uwicc), Hcrnsby, J. A. Boreham (tw.ee). and D. Watson, of Waitahuna. In championship pvents he shows a good record als^. He took second p!a.e at the Oamaru tourney for the championship, tied with J. Mulvey for second place at Wellington, was ninth at Dunedni, and fourth at Invercargill. He did not attend at Paimeiston North, and this year won the laurM.

Mr Lucas is a member of the Otago Draughts Club, and holds the office of treasurer. On Saturday evenings he is invariably to be found at a tab!e. and accepts a game v. ith anyone, not excepting the veriest tyic; In even accommodates the club's chess fi (( 1"1« l. 1 «l with a bout at the s.ster gams when no other victim is to bs had. And the chess fiend ooeau't have it all h:s own way ether.

Tournament Notes.

An interesting figure in the tourney wa.s Mr Robert Bc=well, of Hornby, near Christchurcb Iv \ears gone by "Boswell" was a n«(ine to tor.jure by, but for a decade and more circumstances conspired to keep him from the game, although he never actually lost his love for the swec-t charmer. During the past year or two, however, he has shown, by published play, that he has not forgotten all he knew, to which our reader 1 ? can bear testimony. He then decided to erter the tourney, although, considered as a physical feat alone, the task is severe enough to sorely try much younger men. But theie he sat through it all, a splendid example of tho old school, his play commanding lespect, and luis true gentTemanly bearing winning the esteem of everyone. Southern p'.ayers who have nei-er met Mr Bo3we!l may form same idea of the. way he strikes one from the remarks of a competitor mads to u<? privately in Chnstciuuch "Mr Bos'vell is another Hugh Montgomery!" In lecord-ng that remark we make it a tribute to the characters of two playeis in whom the gnme is honoured.

Mr J. N. Thomson, of Christchurch, is a player of great promise. He plays without appeaiung to woiry, and improved wonderfully caning the tourney. Should a Christchurch club start, he will no doubt climb up the ladder quickly. He was top score outside the prize libt.

Mes3i3 Crook and Fleming both failed to attain anything like their owii standard. That was not to be wondered at, as Crook was on the committee, and Fleming had quite sufficient to do as secretary -io kill his piospects.

There are always humorous incidents at a tourney. Watching a long game between M^-s-rs Gardiner and Fleming, a gentleman — a stianjrer — whispeied in our ear: 'That's an easy drpw, isn't it?" We gave a negative "hake of the head. "But, look here, it's a forced draw, clearly!" We were moving to a vacant table v.'.th him when, being called by a leporter, we left the stranger to Mr Boreham. Afterwards we irquired the result. J. A B amiletl, and put th? pipces on the Lbartl. The stranger played about half a dozen move', then said, "Now, that's a draw, isn't it?" For reply Boreham gave away three men as the beginning- of a stroke that cleared most of the pieces off, and won for Black hands down. Then the stranger left.

Solutions to Problems.

Problem 2030 (By Thoma-3 Spi°rs) —Black ■ 4. 8. 26 Kings 2, 21. White 5, 23, 30, kirgs 9, 16. White to move and win. 1(5 12 2T 18 it 14 12 8 30 26 5 1 8 II 28 31 2 6 11 1(5 4 11 W.wins

Prob'em 2081 (By "Sturgeon").— B'.aclc 12, 23. kings 7. 31. Whits. 19, 20, 2-i , king 15. White to play and draw. 20 16 7 3 11 8 3 7 14 10 12 10 •21 27(1) 11 l."> 32 27 18 14 23 19 1 <\ 24 CO 31 27-C2) lf> 11 27 21?2 1 ? 10 fi Ifi 19 27 32a 16 11 24 15 S 3 19 15 G 1 15 11 27 24 11 18 7 11 fi 1 Di^un

(k) If 31 26 Win to draws neatly Ly 16 11, 7 23, 2!. 16, etc

23 26b ].") 11 31 £7 11 « 24 15 IP It 24 ?0 7 S IS 11 . 30 2(i 11 18 711 2tJ3oc 1115 27 24 13 11 3 7 Di.iwn sam? a? tiunk, (b) :!1 27, 1G 11. 7.16, 2-t 20. etc.. diawr. (c) If 31 27, 10 11, 7 .2-3. 20 16, etc , drawn. (2)

Following is a critical variation, additional to the author's solution — :n 2rf 11 8' 22 ]7-d 4 8l8 l .0 7 £0 11 If. 11* 32 28 8 4* 24 15 811 Drawn. c Jo 2C 15 ir 23 24 11 18 7 Ifi Dr. Kd.

(d) Ii 22 18. 19 16, 12 19, 11 16, etc , drawn.— Dr. Ed Mercury.

TO COKRKSPOXDEXTS Jack — Received all right, for which thanks.

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