DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 59

DRAUGHTS.

Conducted by Jos. \eeenetht.

By H. D. Lyman-, Nbw York,

Solutions of problems, games, and analyses Invited for this column. Games should be written in six columns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor. PROBLEM 4120. By Leo E. Moeeis, Palmerston.

White to play and win. Neat, and not difficult. PROBLEM 4121.

White to play and win. A useful little study which will please every solver. TO CORRESPONDENTS. L. R. Mi., Palmerston.—Thanks for problem. Always welcome. . W. H. S., Wellington—The ending yon send is good, and is bound to create inteiest. See next week. A. 8., Dunedin.—Thanks for the problem enclosed. It is, however, too obvious to make a problem, as White wins at once by 23 18. Practice makes perfect. You are correct in solutions to problems 4116 and 4117. Alien, Dunback.—Pleased to hear from you. You would observe in solution to Cleary's problem that it is only a draw. GAMES. The following game was played in the championship meeting at Auckland last Easter: Game 36S8 —“Edinburgh.”

The following game was played by correspondence between Messrs S. J. Neal and 'VV.

E. Glasson. Notes by the former in the Plymouth Mercury.

White resigned. (a) By this move the balance of power is pretty equal. (b) 16 20, 24 19, 15 24, 28 19, 8 11, 22 18, 11 16 loses (G. M. Bonar v. A. B. Scott). Instead of 11 16 play 11 15, and you may draw as shown by Mr J. Alexander in Volume IV “ Encyclopaedia of Draughts.” (c) For 25 22, etc., see “Kear’s Guide to the Two-move Openings.'’ 24 20 also draws. (d) 4 8 draws, but 16 20 loses. (D’Orio beat Henderson). 610 will also draw.

II iU 06.1 io 1 u l«y I.F (a) Offered to draw and correct Scottish tourney game when Clarkson played 26 22, and Ferris won. (b) 11 15 also draws here. According to the appendix to the B.D.P. the game at (a) is a White win. There was controversy on the point some 20 years ago. If 19 15 stands the tiro of criticism, it restores another draw to what was deemed “a line of play gone under.'' DRAUGHTS ITEMS. The annual tournament at Johannesburg for the Transvaal championship has again been won by the old Scottish expert, Mr Harry Freedman, who came out ahead of his seven competitors -with 25 points, not losing a game, Messrs Brooks, Dobie, and Taylor following him with 15 points each. The general play has not bean up to the standard of previous years. Mr Freedman is admitted to stand in a class by himself, the only interest being who will be runner-up. This state of things militates against a large entry, and doubtless tends to dampen hard practice, a fact that Mr iPreedman seems to recognise, as he annuounces his intention of refraining from taking part in future tourneys in connection with the Transvaal title. Speaking of playing for stakes, Willie Gardiner says;—“We are of the opinion that any player who goes around with a chip on his shoulder and money in his hand eager for a match, will lose out in the end. At the present time no one can safely do this, except a champion, as the times have changed, and real good * player® are far more numerous than they used to be. Yet we have always felt that if a cigar rested on the rubber we could give closer attention to the play, and feel more satisfied with the result. We picture a scene, that we may witness any day, of people who play the day in and day out. Quantity, and not quality seems to bo their aim. A little variety sometimes is introduced by the loser being unmercifully chaffed, or by some onlooker pushing one of the moves back and advising another, th; merits of which are frequently decided in • the same lightning-like manner. Would a cigar on the rubber atop such frivolity? Probably not, as this class of enthusiast looks on the game as a light pastime, into which he need not put a great amount of mental energy. It is useless to look to him as a probable star in the checker world of the future. In regard to the more serious plaver, though, our opinion is at variance with Mr Finn’s. We know, from observation, that where small stakes rest upon the rubber, and in centres where rivalry is keen, and matches result, the game flourishes. When the ‘incentive’ is not there interest languishes, and Draughts become a thing of the past.”

Black : AG. Norton. White; W. Young’. 13 6 9 1.4 26 12 16 25 22 6 10 21 2") 26 23 30 23 £0 11 23 18 31 26 10 i5 13 17 4 11 7 16 22 15 14 18 2.! 1810 28 21 32 28 8 4 16 11 19 16 12 17 22 22 i5 25 30 15 8 10 15 18 14 24 19 29 22 28 21 4 11 26 23 8 12 1 6 n is 16 £0 5 9 £0 £4 22 18 19 15 18*11 24 19 11 15 23 14 22 16 19 9 25 E0 £5 9 14 24 :il £5 18 15 815 11 8 19 16 15 19 B wins (a) Now “Kelso Cross (b) White should have taken 23 16 Played : in the Australasian championship tournament at Gore. G a me 3089— “Dundee.” Black : D. A. Brodie. White : J . Gardiner. 12 16 30 26 1 6 26 22 14 17 8 3 22 IS 13 22 29 25 9 14 21 14 225 26 16 20 26 17 6 10 IS 9 10 17 3 10 20 22 11 16 31 26 5 14 19 15 £6 31 8 12 17 14 10 17 28 21 16 19 10 15 24 19 10 17 21 14 2 7 23 16 White 4 8 21 14 7 10 £8 24 12 28 Wits, 22 17 6 9 14 7 8 31 15 8 9 13 25 21 3 10 22 18 17 22 G ame 3090 — “Dundee.” Black : J. ' Gardiner. White: D. A. Brodie. 12 16 7 11 11 15 6 9 13 £2 18 22 22 18 21 19 22 17 17 13 26 17 27 24 16 -.0 15 21 15 1!) 4 8 1 6 22 26 25 22 28 i9 29 25 13 6 23 19 16 11 l! 15 9 14 19 24 2 9 20 £4 8 15 18 II IS 9 25 22 £2 17 27 20 17 11 8 15 5 14 24 £8 9 13 14 18 10 17 23 18 19 10 26 23 30 26 31 £7 19 1 \\ hite vvius

Black : Game Neal. 3091—“ Kelso.” Waite : Glasson. 10 15 15 18 18 23 24 28 16 19 22 17-a 17 13 27 18 11 8 18 3 11 16 11 15 , 29 l • 10 22 13 17 19 ‘.4 17 14 13 8 8 4 23 -9 9 18 4 \ 21 1> 6 13 17 21 5 9 23 14 14 10 4 8 19 It, 8 1 l-B 8 11 11 15 22 25 24 2; 21 17 c £5 21 24 20 8 11 32 23 6 9-d 7 10 16 19 25 29 2S 32 26 23 14 7 £0 16 11 15 23 19 9 18 3 10 19 24 29 25 32 27 £3 14 17 14 23 19 15 18 16 11 1 6 10 17 15 £4 12 10 9 12 25 21 21 14 16 11 31 16

G ame 3092—“Bristol.” By W. Veal, Southampton, England. 11 10 :iO 25 19 24 18 9 11 18 1 6 22 18 10 14 2S 19 5 14 9 6 24 28 8 11 17 10 9 14 25 22 2 9 6 10 25 22 0 24 ■ 18 9 3 7 21 17 28 32 18 20 28 19 5 14 22 13 14 21 27 23 24 11) 7 10 26 22 7 10 23 5 £0 24 4 8 a-19 15 8 11 18 9 10 19 or 22 17 10 19 22 18 B-10 11 5 1 12 10 11 10 ■ 32 28 1 5 19 i£ 19 £4 Drawn