GAMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 62

GAMES.

The following game was played in the Town v. Country match between Messrs Jas. Gardiner (Country captain) and F. Langston:— Game 5958.— "Whiltei."

(a) A rather uncommon line, and new to Mr Langston. It is not given in all the books, but may be found in Anderson and others. <b) Anderson here takes IB 23, which gives the game quite a different complexion. This line has, however, been adopted by Strickland. (c) If 14 17, White wins. (r>) 30 26 here is stronger. (c) Black might have given White a problem here by going 2 7, 8 12, 23 18, and now White is limited -to 30 26 to draw. — F. L. BRITAIN v. AMERICA. Checkers (says an exchange) being 1 essentially a democratic game, there is no difficulty for the novice in securing expert guidance. Every other man there certainly is well \ip in the "books," as published play is called, and more than willing to point out the beauties gradually unfolding under the eye of the onlookers. There was, for example, the game ultimately won by Schaefer from Moxral, the English champion. It was peculiar in Being one ef tlie wseninia yfhw tke pppesws

players' arrangements of pieces are exact duplicates most of the time. It is also one of those games where among less skilful players the comment is almost invariably, "Something 's sure to break soon." To see such a game between experts, and be waiting anxiously for the lightning stroke to fall, is a rare experience. Below will be found the position when the initial rumble came. The heavens simply opened at once, and the play given herewith took less than a minute, and all was over. Black (Schaefer, American)— l, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 20, 23. White— lo, 13, 15, 21, 24, 25, 27, 30, 31, 32. Black to play. 2 7 24 19, 7 14, 19 16, 12 19, 15 10, 6 15, 13 6, 1 10, 20 22, 18 25, 27 4, 25 29, White resigned. The following is the ending of the last game, Dearborn v. A. Jordan: —

[Black.]

— A Dodger Uncovered. —

The appended games and the annotation drawn from two other games illustrate a wrinkle new to checker literature, though tolerably familiar to experts. The history of its development in this tourney is that Heffner threw it to Stewart one day. The next day Denvir offered it to Morrall, and the same day Barker tried it on Gardner. It turned out that Stewart was perfectly familiar with it, having won from Moir over seven years ago with the dodge. His game was, therefore, a draw. Morrall appears to have either overlooked the point or not to have knpwn of it, for he lost. Barker had an easy win with it, but slipped in the ending, and only drew. There are several points in the "cook" well worthy of study.

And drawn after a few more moves. (a) This is the dodger; not a very natural move, but deadly unless met just right. (b) Gardner played 26 22, which loses, as follows:— 26 22, 17 26, 30 23, 8 12, 19 15, (d) 5 9, 14 5, 7 10, 15 8, 4 11, 24 19. 10 15, 19 10, 6 22, 23 19, 11 16, 19 15, 22 26, 15 10, 26 31, 28 24, 31 26, 10 7, 26 22, 7 2, 22 18, 32 28, 16 19, 24 15, 18 11, 27 24, where Barker could have won easily by 11 16, but missed it and only drew.

(c) Morrall went wrong heie by playing 26 19, which is plausible enough, but defective. The play proceeded: 26 19, 17 22, 14 9, 5 14, 32 28, 22 26, ana the two-for-one threat is off. The game continued: 30 23, 7 11 and White resigns. fFerrie and Buchanan, who had finished their quota of games for the afternoon, were watching this play on the wall board, and with an "Ah!" and a "Tish!" the two experts mumbled, "He jumped the wrong way," and walked down the hall looking very much disgusted. Fancy Barker missing two for one by the 11 16 move — last line of note (b) — after showing the American team how to win with that self-same trick in, case 26 22, as played by Gardner, was taken. _A day or so before he missed a three-for-two snap by a like use of his "forgetter," after playing for and getting the trick on. (d) A neat little, manoeuvre that Black must on no account neglect. — Was it a Draw? — An ending came up between Messrs Hill and Buchanan that should be carefully noted by admirers of finesse in checkers. We leave the position unsolved, in lieu of the usual problem. Black — Hill (American).

6 9, 19 16, 20 24, 28 19, 11 20, 19 16, 8 12, 15 11, 12 19. 11 2, 19 23, 2 6, 9 13, 6 10, 22 26, 10 14, 26 31, 18 15. What is the result? The position makes a neat thoxigh not specially difficult problem.

A. J. Heffner, in Boston Heiald : — Anyhow, Buchanan won. After the finish of the sitting George Dearborn reproved Hill for missing the draw. Buchanan thought the four-by-four stage was too late. Big George.: "He shoiUcl have 'wiggled the king.' " Wee Geordisi "Aye, but ha wadna wiggl© the king very long." Big to Wee: "Well, Geordie, if you can win it I'll buy you a suit of clothes." Wee to Big: "Oh, I didna say it was a sure win." The draw is very pretty, and well worth knowing, as th« proof of this game

Hack— Gardiner. VV 11 15 3 10-b 514 23 19 25 22 29 25 7 11 16 23 4 8 22 17 27 18 31 26 1116 5 9 12 16-C 26 23 21 17 24 20 8 U-A 15 16 19 17 14 17 13 25 21 9 18 9 14 19 24 23 7 18 9 28 19 vhite — Langston. 15 24 24 27 22 17 16 11 11 15 27 31 26 23 11 8 8 12 31 27 32 28-d 8 3 15 1» 27 23 23 J6 3 8 12 19 el 4IS 20 16 17 14 Drawn.

(a) A pretty variation would !1 17 IB 19 ?0 26 15 18 8 12 23 16 7 10 22 8 12 28 12 19 18 14 [ go thus: — 33 31 2 11 14 7 Drawn.

10 15 32 28-A 8 12 24 19 15 24 28 19 7 10 21 17 6 ft 30 25 9 14 J8 9 1115 20 11 15 21 9 5 24 27 5 1 27 31 1 5 SI 26 10 lo 23 18 14 Xl 26 23 15 18 18 14 Drawn.

[White.] Black (Dearborn) to play.

Black— l 11 ]5 22 18 15 £2 25 18 12 16 29 25 9 13 18 14 10 17 Heffner. \ 21 74 13 17 16 20 31 26 23 18 7 11 6 10 23 L 9 25 21 A-3 7 10 17 B-19 15 21 14 8 12 2 6 15 8 2(5 23 4 11 White— Sl 24 19 6 10 28 24 11 16 18 15 16 23 15 6 C-l 10-t S7 1S itewart. 20 27 32 23 17 21 14 9 5 14 18 9 10 15 9 6 7 11