DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3035, 15 May 1912, Page 59

DRAUGHTS.

Conducted by Jos. Abbbnethy.

Solutions of problems, games, and analyses Invited for this column. Games should be written to six columns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor.

PROBLEM 3937.

[Black.}

Black: 21, king 31. White: 29, Mng 17. Black to play and win. The foregoing are more useful than difficult. The Birmingham Post recently related the two. Tho learner will note that if the White king be placed on 14, White to play, 14 17 will lose, but 14 18 draws.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. D. C. Huntly.—Thanks for contributions, which are appreciated. F. C. 8., Ashburton. —Your various letters received. Your solution of Problem 3936 is correct, although you only give one line. "Why not inake formal application for next tourney? It will be very favourably considered. Will bring it before executive. D. A. B.—Thanks. 0. I. Darling, California, U.S.A.—Thanks for game. Hope to hear from you again. H. D., Invercargill.—Position is not too simple. Send full solution. P. E. H.—Thanks for promise.

GAMES. The following interesting games were played in the .recent ftew Zealand championship tourney at Wellington between Messrs D Calderwood (runner-up) and J. A. Boreham (ex-champion). Balloted openings. Game 3218. —" Dundee." Black—Calderwood. White—Boreham.

(a) 24 20 runs it into "Bristol" play. (b) This move is superior to 29 26. See var. 1. <c) Best, and now "Double Corner" play; 9 13 is said to lose. (d) We prefer 25 22, 7 11 here; this position can be brought up from different openings. IE) 22 18, 11 16, 18 9, 6 22, 26 17 is best, but is a well-known draw. (f) Weakens White's game; 19 16 is sound. (0) Setting a trap. (h) Not to be caught. (1) For some moves previous I intended to play 6 9 at this stage, but all I could make of it was the following:—l3 6,2 9, 4 8, 9 13, 8 11, 13 17, 11 15, 25 22, 26 23, 22 26, 15 19, 26 31, drawn.—D. C. Var. (1). In the second game Calderwood varied here as follows: Game 3219.—" JJundee." Black— Boreham. White—Calderwood.

While immediately regained the piece, the game ending in a draw. (j) Played for sake of variety, although it is a weak line to adopt. (k) 9 13 is a very strong line. ■ (l) A strange-looking move, and it very much surprised me. —D. C. (M) There seems to be no draw after this; Black's Double Corner is very powerful. Still I thought I might pull through safely with the draw. If 31 26, White is very easy.— D. C. (K) The three for three shot only draws. (o) 1 5 as pointed out by Mr Horchum seems to win. (pj Can anyone show a Black win after 3 7 at (O)?—ED. END GAME. End-game from the late championship tourney. Black (Calderwood): 2,5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. White (Hilliker): 19, 20. 21, 22, 23, 24, 20, 30, 32. While to play—3o 25-(a), 5 9-(b), 32 27, W. wins. (a) Mr Hilliker told me he knew nothing whatever on the preceding moves in this game, and as I had it previously analysed I knew that 32 28 was the proper move lo draw. —D. C. (b) A move of this kind must be put down to excitement, as it ie a very obvious blunder. Had I played 12 16, 19 12, 14 18, 23 14, 10 26, 12 8, 15 19, Whit-e would have had a very difficult task to find his draw. — D. C.

TOWN v. COUNTRY MATCH. Early Settlers' Hall, 2.15 p.m. and 7.15 p.m., Thursday, June 6. All draughts players welcome to take part. Will secretaries of country districts or clubs kindly secure the uamea of visiting players from their districts, grade them, and forward to central secretary, P. E. Hilliker, 21? Princes street, Dunedin. WELCOME TO THE PEN MANS AT KELTY. A large company of droughts players met m the supper room of the Kelty Publio House Society, Ltd., on Saturday evening, March 2, to welcome back to their midst Mr William Penman, champion of Australasia, and his brother Alexander, who had just returned from New Zealand; and ate* to present another brother, Mr Archibald Penman, with a marriage gift as a mark of their regard. Mr James Stewart (the elder brother of the groat Scotch expert} occupied the chair, and after an ample t»past, said it gave him the greatest pleasure to have their two old friends amongst them again, and alluded to the successes of William in New Zealand, which h© characterised as being a great honour to his .native village. The toast of the evening—- " Our Guests " —was proposed by Mr Robert Stewart, Jun., who, after an interesting and lengthy introduction, said: —"I have had the privilege of scrutinising the principal play of the Australasian competition, and make bold to say. without the slightest exaggeration, that the best man won. an admission, I feel sure, that would frankly be mado by even the players themselves. The Kelty banner is now planted and waving high. in the New 'Edinburgh oveT the seas. To show the high respect in which the brothers were held by the inhabitants of Huntly,where they lived, William, on his return from Dunedin, was made the recipient of a magnificent table with appropriate inscription, and on which is a draughts board inlaid in nine different kinds of New Zealand wood. This table and the handsome silver cup which became his property at the Dunedin tournament, are not only worthy souvenirs, but are indelible marks of his achievements and the respect he gained while resident in the far south. I would now ask you all to rise and drink to the health, long life, and even greater success of William Penman, champion of Australasia, and his brother Alexander, our two old clubmates, who are, on this occasion, ' Our Guests.' " The toast was drunk with enthusiasm, to which Mr William Penman suitably replied. In the course of the evening Mr David Ronnie, on behalf of the club, presented Mr Archibald Penman with a handsome marble clock on the""occasion of his marriage. Songs, recitations, and " Auld lang syne' ' by the company closed a most ' enjoyable evening.—Draughts World. DRAUGHTS ITEMS. Champion Jordan.—The dinner in honour of Alfred Jordan, held at London in the last week in February, was a great success. Mr Hilliard presided, supported by Mr Cams Colliver and Mr W. H. Waller (of Manchester), and between 40 end 60 sat down to the festive board. Speeches were delivered by the chairman, Mr P. W. Lewis, and Mr W. H. Waller. Afterwards the tables were arranged for play, and Mr Jordan performed the prodigious feat of engag?ing 61 players simultaneously. The champion completed his task in just under four hours. The final score was: Jordan won 34, lost 2, and 26 games were drawn. The two games the champion lost were scored by Messrs J. K. Bailey and J. Tadgell. Mr Jordan returned to the United States. American comments on Mr Alfred Jordan's performance in winning the Scot tish championship are now to hand, and on the whole his victory seems to be s very popular one in the United States. Dr A. Schaefer, whose opinions carry great weight among the draughts fraternity, sayE: " Already some of the scribes are saying that Alfred Jordan, owing to his victory over Ferrie, is in line for the world's championship. He certainly is one of the beet, and is in fine fettle at present. Queer, however, if Ferrie allows one little win to push him into the background. And then theTe I* Stewart —he may suddenly wake up too, and have something to Bay. We hope that Alfred will not imagine we are trying to belittle his fine score; but we never did think that tournament play wa3 as conclusive as a match of a larger number of games. . . . When tho proper tiroe comes ho will probably issue a challenge to anybody in the world, with a suitable stake depending. And that is the way we will know who is the next champion of the world." Draughts by Telegraph.—The second annual draughts match by telegraph 'for the Daily News Cup took place on February 24 between Ijondon and Manchester over the private wire, the teams being accommodated at the London and Manchester offices of tho. Daily News. yjssara F. Handel Booth, ■ M.P., G. Thurston, and T. E. Williams were' referees for Manchester at the London end, and Messrs Townsend, MooTe, and Smithies acted in the same capacity for Manchester for the London team. The teams numbered 20 players a-sidc. and play commenced at 5 p.m. The instruments had clicked merrily for over three hours when the first win was announced for Manchester. For over fivo hours the play proceeded, but even then nine games wore left unfinished. London had secured four wins, Manchester two wins, and five games ended as drawn.

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