DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 59

DRAUGHTS.

Conducted by Jos. Abeenetht.

Solutions of problems, games, and analyses invited lor this column. Games should be written IB six columns as below, and all coi respondent:* addressed to the Draughts Editor.

PROBLEM 4064. By G. A. Wild, Aberdeen,, in Free Press.

f Black to play and win

PROBLEM 4065. By A. Champkins, Hucknall, in Northampton Mercury.

Black to play and draw.

GAMES. The following games, from Jordan’s ‘‘American Checker Player,' contain points of value to students of the game. Notes by A. Jordan. " Gam© 3890. "Fife.”

(a) A -trappy line, favoured, by WylHe and Reed.

(b) The correct reply. If 22 18, 2 6, 18 15, 11 18, 23 14, 10 17, 21 14. 1 5, 30 25, 6 9, 31 26, 9 18, 26 23, 13 17, 23,14, 17 21, 25 22, 21 25, 22 18, 26 80, 27 23, 30 26, 14 9, 6 14, 18 9, 6 11, 23 18, *l2 16, 19 12, 3 b,.and Black wins -with a flourish.

(c) At this point a draw for White has been published by 21 17 here, but I purposely varied.

(d) G. Buchanan went 11 16 here against me, and lost by 20 11. 7 16. 21 17, 13 22, 26 17, 1 5, 17 14, 16 20, 31 26, 20 24, 18 15, 12 16, 15 11, etc. White wins. Instead of 19 23 or 11 16, R. M'Lay went 19 24 against me, 26 23, 24 28, and lost by 31 27, 7 10, 23 19, 1 5. 18 14, 10 17, 21 14. 13 17, 27 24, 17 22, 19 16, 12 19, 24 8. White wins. Game 3336. —“Switcher.”

(a) A well-known critic published about 20 variations to win by this move, and correct Wyllie and Buchanan. (b) But overlooked .this move, which settles Black. He gave 21 17, and, of course, White lost.

Game 3897.—“Ke150 Choice.”

Then 15 18. 32 27 c, 18 22-n. 20 Iti. Drawn (a) I did this in the hope of getting the Fife. (b) Back again to the Fife, colours reversed. (c) Mr Kenfield strikes oil, and corrects Wyllie and Bowe. (d) It will be seen that if 21 28, 20 IG, draws.

(a) For years I had been playing 22 17, 1 6, 17 13-C, 21 27, 18 15, 11 18, 20 2, 27 31, and allowing a draw; so I struck out for something different (b) Loses again; 9 25 looks like drawing. (c) After the game was over I analysed 18 15 here to force a win for White.

ADVICE TO PLAYEES. The San Francisco Call gives good advice to students of our game in the following “Ten Commandments”: 1. Be thoughtful, but not slow. 2. Be exacting, but not fastidious. 3. Be bold, but not reckless. 4. Be cautious, but not timid. 5. Do not form opinions hastily, but rely

on your own mature judgment, even in the face of authority. 6. Do not grow discouraged. Patience and eelf-reliance will overcome great difficulties. As long as there is hope, play with determination. 7. When sure your game is lost,’ resign at once. 8. The simplest and surest way to win or draw is the best; play to win, not to be brilliant. 9. Do not be over-confident against weaker players, or timid when opposing stronger. 10. Do not ask for favours outside the rules, and do not grant them. Abide by the consequence of your errors without “crabbing,” and expect youx opponent to do the same.

DRAUGHTS ITEMS. Jordan’s "American Checker Player.”—The May issue of the “American Checker Player” is to hand, and contains a number of games of more than average interest, annotated by Jordan. The magazine may be procured from A. Jordan, Wallaoeburg, Ontario, Canada, or from Mr W. M. Mills, 27 Jamieson street, Sydney. The leading scores at the finish of the Cedar Point tournament were: —A. Jordan, 22 points; Newcomb, 19; Hartshorn, 16; Goldsmith, 14; and Scott, 14. While A. Jordan was on tour recently he engaged in a subscription match of 20 games with T. Harrigan, Jordan winning by 4 to 0, and 15 draws. This was followed by a. subscription match with n. Henderson, resulting in a level finish —2 wins each and 16 draws.

In giving details of his scores since leaving England in April, 1910, up to July 27, 1913, A. Jordan writes as follows, in the “American Checker Player”:—“Out of curiositv, I have since counted up all my scores since I left England, on April 15, 1910. 1 find I have played far more games in the United States than elsewhere, but, for single States or provinces, New Zealand leads, with 1967 games, and Ontario is a good second with 1962. For wine, however, Ohio ‘rolls home’ with 20, Illinois .being second with 12. 'Tor proportion of wins to losses, however, England leads by one win to every 23 lost Illinois being a good second with one win to every 30 lost. The ‘Boats win the booby prize by 333 to 0, with South Carolina second, with 266 to 0. Fishbume, however, got a win, and might have won another if it had tried hard enough while OUT of South Carolina. When comparing my scores with those of James Wyllie, it should be remembered that players have advanced in 6kill, and I always play the best players I can find. Nearly all my playing is simultaneous work, and includes a lot of two-move restriction, which makes it difficult for me to avoid losing a game occasionally.” . Apropos of the discussion on the relative merits of chess and checkers that has been going on for some time in an American paper, Mr F. Hopewell, of the San Francisco Post, contributes a fine eulogy of checkers, from which, we extract the following : —“Chess is the sport of kings; checkers is a sturdy, democratic game, which symbolises freedom from tryanny and equality before the law. Chee-s enthusiasts assert that their game is superior because it contains more moves tlian checkers; but this does not prove for it a greater depth; it simply show’s more w'aste. Loncoln s Gettysburg address can be written on a post-card, it is the combination of profound depths with simplicity that makes it great. The words of the English language are not many; every word of every great address cvei* delivered can be found in the dictionary; the genius consists in combining them for the greatest effect. .As well argue that the Chinese language’ has a greater depth than the English because it contains so many thousand more words. I have won prizes myself in chess tourneys, but I play checkers because I love the game best by reason of its more subtle combinations and its democracy." ,

Black--James Wyllie. White— -A. Jordan. il J5 21 20 8 11 27 18 3 7 18 lo 23 19 15 21 15 22 12 16 C-14 !) 2 7 9 U 28 19 A- 4 8 IS 14 D-19 23 9 5 22 17 13 22 B-23 18 10 19 20 19 12 13 5 9 25 9 10 15 22 18 a 13 15 a :« 23 C 13 19 10 8 12 20 11 7 10 9 13 29 25 7 23 30 23 7 23 *11 8 Then 10 11. 8 3, 11 ,8, 3 7. IS 22. 7 II. White wins.

Black— T. J. Harrigan White—A. Jordan. 1 1 15 23 28 12 Iti 24 20 3 7 £8 23 21 17 11 23 21 111 4 8 no 19 2« 1> 13 27 11 10 23 30 26 a- I 5 31 8 23 21 8 15 26 10 15 19 9 G 7 10 5 » 17 14 6 15 22 18 2 9 8 3 29 25 10 17 28 24 8 12 b-IS 14 10 14 2 11 21 14 7 11 25 21 9 18 3 7 Then 14 18 , 7 10, 18 23. 10 15. 23 2". 15 18. White wins.

Black— -A. Jordan. White —W, W. Kenfield. 10 J£ 8 11 ir, 19 9 13 fi 15 19 24 22 17 £5 22 23 16 10 22 17 14 14 10 11 1*5 9 14 12 19 A- 3 8 4 8 7 14 n 19 17 10 22 18 ~ 21 17 fu 21 22 17 It 24 8 24 5 9 1 L 45 b ■ 8 12 13 22 •28 In 27 SO 2 1 25 18 11 30 £6 20 10

Game : 1898.--“Dundec-L assie Glasgow." 12 16 6 8 15 4 8 8 11 19 24 24 20 2;; 19 22 17 22 18 25 22 £6 23 8 12 16 23 *9 14 14 23 2 7 12 16 28 24 27 11 £5 22 17 14 31 27 a-32 18 n 15 3 8 15 19 10 ■ 7 6 9 24 27 20 11 24 20 £9 £5 21 14 27 18 18 15 Then 11 £5 n, 20 2, 9 IS, £3 14. White wins