DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 67

DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Two-move Restriction.— The introduction of the two-move restriction in the game of draughts proved a listinctly embarrassing el nent in match play, as previously preparation for » match had been along th« lines of orthodox book openings. Most) players can be speculative enough in a game when nothing is at stake, but wnen a serious undertaking is on .hand "better to be sure than sorry" is the maxim. This conservative spirit naturally had a stultifying effect on the evolution of the game, as only a few daring spirits ventured into uncharted! waters. This produced a sense of monotony in play, which ultimately gave rise to m desire for some " restriction," as it is called^ although in reality it means more liberty—" freedom from the thraldom of conventional play. Various styleß of restriction have been tried, but the " two-move " restriction had shown its fitness to supply the need by| becoming popular. It is now "all the go • at Home, and in some of the clubs it ia adopted in every friendly game. This wiw course has been adopted in the Otago Club; iof a long while back, the apparatus fo* deciding the opening moves being always oq the table. As a preparation for this styk 1 of restriction a few prominent players m Dunedin- make a practice in their seriou* bouts with one another of " playing acros< the board"— that is, take, say, 12 16 ioi Black's first move, nnd play a game on everjl possible reply, and so on with each Black move across the board. Messrs Hilliker and Boreham have been engaged on such a scheme for a while, and so far the score* are:— On the opening 913 and all replies—Hilliker 3, Boreham 5, drawn 6; 11 15 and all replies— Hilliker 6, Boieham 4, drawn 4; 10 15 and all replies— Hilliker 2, Boreham. 3< drawn 9. Totals— Hilliker 11, Boreham 12 f drawn 19. Such a percenatge of wins would, of course, be almost impossible with th« orthodox book openings in the play of twtf such experts. ■ "Intellectual Games!"— We often hear discussion about the most intellectual games that are played by some of the most learned and intellectual men of the day. Some of the most learned men play chess; large sums of money are given aa prises at chess tournaments as an intellectual pastime, and it is favoured by the better classes. But, as a famous chess master once said — and, by the bye, he was also a very good draughts player—" Draughts is a most intellectual game, but there's money in chess." "11 15 Variation !"—" I am now prepared," announced the professional draughts statistician with empresaement, "to inform any gentleman present the number of variation! to any position he may choose to submit." " Really, exclaimed a sceptic, " I shoul^ like to know how many possible variation! there are in a game after 11 15 is played?" " Certainly, sir, certainly ; there are exactly 17,700,707, and if you can prove that I un wrong I will pay you five pounds." — Peewit. "A Great Tussle!" — The following incident (says the Pittsburg Despatch) occurred in Pittsburg recently, and is strictly true, but for obvious reasons we suppress the names. A prominent 'business man, on leaving his office at noon on a recent Saturday, left an - old soldier and a well-known chess player engaged in playing checkers. When he returned on Monday he found the following score, which they had neglected to cVastroy: Old soldier, 25; chess player, 110; drawn, 17. He lias been wondering ever since how long they played, and where they got their medals, or if their distressed families had searchers out for them. "An Atwellian Advice!" — Seek that whicii is positive, shun that which is negative; be quick to congratulate, slow to depreciate; ready to confirm, reluctant to condemn ; ftinf to propose, hesitate to oppoEe; remembeif that construction is the higher and noblei law, destruction the lower and baiter one Finally, never be discouraged or surprised when you meet with apathy, envy, and ingratitude. In every sphere of life there arc enemies of progress, whose range of intellectual vision does not extend beyond tbei( own insignificant personalities, but, like th< paupers who refuse to be washed, they ar< eventually forced into the bath of enlightenment and reform. — London Chatter. The Falkirk Mail publishes a letter advo eating another international with England It does not appear to have evoked much enthusiasm across the Border, and we (Wallasej Chronicle) doubt if many care for it in Eng« land. The "scramble for -the dubloons in an all-round tournament furnishes to the playeri % far greater attraction, it would seem. L. W. James, of Dayton, Ohio, » prominent attorney, who visits Chicago and other cities two or three times a year in connection with law cases he is interested in, met the juvenile champion, W. B. Banks, at his city, and succeeded in making ait even score with the boy, winning one sitting and losing one. Mr James was the only player in the State of Ohio who succeeded! in defeating Charles Francis Barker upon his recent tour of the UniUd Stafoa.-Chicago Inter Ocean.