DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3183, 17 March 1915, Page 64

DRAUGHTS.

DRAUGHTS ITEMS

Conducted by Jos. \bernetit7. Solutions of problems, games, and analyse* Inrited for this column. Games should be written In six columns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor. PROBLEM 4182. By H. D. Lyman, New York.

White to play and win. A little thing from the Glasgow Herald

PROBLEM 4183. By Dr Schaefer, Newark Call

White to play and draw.

PROBLEMS 4179 and 4180,

These two problems, by D. A. Brodie, have excited considerable interest, yet not so much as they should. They appeared a fortnight ago, but no correct solutions have been received. W r e shall withhold the solutions for a little while to give further opportunity to solvers, and will give the latest available edition of Lee’s Guide for the first correct solution to the pair. If more- than one entry should arrive the same day, the variations will decide the matter. This offer is to all players outside the city and suburbs of Dunedin, where the play has been shown and studied. Following are the positions:

Problem 4179.—81ack: 16. 17; Kings on 4, 9. White: 25, 26; King on 10. White to play. Black to win. Problem 4180—Black; 1,5, 10, 13, 14; King on 15. White: 8, 21, 22, 23; King on 2. Black to play and win. Solutions to be in hand by the 29th inst.

PROBLEM 4181

This problem, by D. A. Brodie, appeared last week. Mr Brodie writes that the position is wrongly diagrammed, though the fault is not ours. The correct position is as follows: Black: 3,5, 7, 16; King on 30. White; 12, 24, 27, 31; King on 4. White to play, Black to draw.

This corrects Problem 777 in Horsfall’s Problem Book.

GAMES

A correspondent who dropped in at Sweeting’s Restaurant, in Rattray street, recently saw the following game played between two friends who reckon themselves “scrubs,” and he forwards the play and notes because of the smile he got out of it. Game 3189—“Ayrshire Lassie.”

(a) One player is as careful as the other, and more so. The three for two offering might have been a trap 1 (b) A hawk-eyed onlooker suggested that White should go for a king and “a few men up,” and (c) After a bit of hard thinking White proceeded to do so this way.

(d) And one en prise. Excuse the French. Good-night.

For the following games, which were played between Newall Banks and Alfred Jordan, we are indebted to the Newark Call. The notes are by Jordan.

(a) In all previous contests 1 had adopted 11 15 here, nmniiw the came into my

favourite “Old Fourteenth,” but L. Ginsberg had played this 2 6 on me in Brooklyn, and obtained a good position, so I thought I would try it. (b) This seems weak; the proper draw appears to be 3 7, 27 23, 7 10, 22 18, 8 11, 13 9, 6 13, 23 19, 12 16, 19 12, 5 9, etc.—Drawn. (c) 1 had bargained for 22 18 here. (D) I could see that 12 16 would lose, but the win is very difficult. (e) If I had played 19 24, the following would have been the result: —8 11, 12 19, 11 18, 24 27, 14 10, 19 24, 10 7, 24 28, 7 2, 28 32, 26, 27 31, 6 10, 32 27, 10 14, 27 32, 17 13 ,32 27, 14 17, 27 32, 18 22, 31 27, 22 26, 27 31, 17 22, 31 27, 26 31, 27 24, 22 18. —White wins. (f) This destroyed all my hopes of drawing by “Bowen’s twins.”

Game 3191 —“Kelso.” ,0 15 27 i 3 ic 18 to 30 26 17 14 .2 17 11 15 15 22 13 2c 7 3 31 27 i 1 IB 24 l;i U Id 15 6 26 31. 14 to U 18 15 24 22 H e 7 H 27 24 27 lb 15 2 2 28 19 6 9 6 2-D 20 27 19 15 .5 18 10 20-A 30 26 22 -5 3 8 20 24 914 31 21 * B 2 6 21 i 731 26

15 9 4 8 26 22 25 30 b 15 6 22 17 14 6 10 2 7 27 31 Jordan 26 17 8 li 22 17 3 10 15 11 won 811 29 25 9 13 14 7 i" 20

(a) The idea of this move is to coax 32 27; to this Black replies with 7 11, 29 25, 11 16, 25 22, 38. R. T. Ward won this against R. Sallaway in a match. (b) The correct reply. (c) It is surprising that Banka should be caught by this old stager. Probably the colours being reversed caused him to overlook it. J. A. Rear played 22 17 against me and drew. If 30 25, then the following position arises. 09 9 18 38 711 59 21 17 ‘-2 15 25 22 22 18 17 i 3

(d) 19 15 gives the most trouble, but will not draw. The usual way to play up to this win is as follows: —9 14, 22 17, 11 15, 25 22, 15 19, 25 15, 10 19, 23 16, 12 19, 17 10, 6 15, 21 17, 5 9, 29 25, 8 12, 25 21, 7 10, 17 13, 2 6(b), 27 23(f), 48, 23 16, i2 19, 32 27, 9 14. Then 22 17, 8 12(g) same. (e) Safe enough when well known, but not so good as 1 6. (f) The artful move. (g) The following draws; —3 7, 27 24, 14 18, etc. —Drawn.

AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, 1915, AT INVERCARGILL.

Entries will close on Thursday, April 1 (Good Friday Eve), and play will commence at 1 p.m. on Good Friday, April 2. The Australasian Championship will be played on the two-life knock-out system. There will also be a Sealed Handicap tourney, open to all residents of the Dominion, played on the two-game all-round system. Entries and donations to be forwarded to the secretary, Mr D. Cameron, 79 Ness street, Invercargill.

We have received an official communication from Melbourne giving arrangements for tile “Australasian Draughts Championship Tourney, 1915,” which takes place at TSaster in Melbourne. It is to be regretted that two tournaments should be held presumably for the same title. New Zealand has the legal right in the matter, 'but with Australia standing out the title is rather an empty thing. On the other hand, even if Australia had the right side of the question, to call their tournament an “Australasian” event with New Zealand standing out is a misnomer. The Melbourne committee are charging a guinea entry, with prizes £2O, £lO, and £5 for first three; and play begins on Good Friday. Mr H. Egan, of the Melbourne Weekly Times, is acting as secretary. At the closing sitting of the Scottish Championship the draw for fifth and sixth games was 11 16, 22 18. and play went on slowly and cautiously. The game developed into something like a double-corner formation, and Scott made strenuous efforts to get the better of his opponent, but Boyle hung on, and although after two and a-half hours’ play he had a little the worse of the ending he played so well that he improved his position to such an extent that 'Scott had to concede the draw. The following shows part of the ending:—Black 1, 4. 6, 6. 15. King 27. White 13, 27, 20, 26. 30. King 3. Black (Scott) to play: 15 19, 3 7, 19 24. 7 11. 24 28. 20 16, 28 32, 16 12, 39 28, 12 8, 27 31. 26 22, 28 24, 8 3, 24 19 3 7, 19 23. 30 25, 31 27, 2 S 21, 23 26, 11 16, 26 30, 22 18, 30 26, 18 15, 2-6 23, 15 11, 23 18, 16 20. After a long and tedious ending Scott had to concede the draw. This game lasted two and a-half hours. In the sixth, game Scott struck a different line from Boyle in the fifth game, and got a strong mid-game, but Boyle seemed to know his ground and played confidentlv. The game developed into a variation which Scott won off Ward in a Scottish Tourney a few years ago. Scott got on a fine game, and after a severe struggle looked like winning, but Boyle by splendid play drew.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

D. C., Invercargill.—Telegram to hand in

time. Thanks. D. A. B.—Problem very welcome, and will be appreciated by readers. See above. J. A. B.—Thanks for your trouble.

Black: 0. Bulmer. White; A. E. Arundle. 11 16 23 19 5 9 31 27 12 19 32 16 24 20 9 14 26 22-a 14 IS n 25 22 8 11 22 17 9 14 20 16 c 18 25 27 24 14 18 22 17 11 20 27 4 M hit I 4 8 17 13 18 2! 19 10-D 20 27 wins

Game 8190 —“Ayrshire Lassie.” 11 15 31 20 18 i'5 22 17 18 23 16 -0 24 20 14 17 29 22 7 11 17 14 23 19 8 11 21 14 8 ll-n 14 10 23 27 10 7 28 21 10 17 27 23-c 19 23 15 18 19 15 4 8 23 14 11 15 10 7 27 32 7 3 83 19 9 15 23 18 23 27 18 22 31 27 9 14 32 28 15 19 V 3 32 27 3 8 22 17 17 22 24 15 27 31 28 24 27 23 15 18 £6 17 0 9 3 8 27 32-d 22 17 26 23 11 15 13 6 11 15 24 19 23 19 6 9 19 10 1 19 8 11 32 27 20 1(5 17 13 7 21 18 14 15 18 19 15 k 19 23 2 e-A 25 22 3 7 11 15 27 23 Banks f-8 11 won.