DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 67

DRAUGHTS.

By J. S. Heyes, Leigh, Lancashire.

Conducted by Jos. \bernetht. Solutions of problems, games, and analyses Invited for this column. G-ames should be written in six columns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor. PROBLEM 4227.

White. White to play and win. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A. S.. Waimate.—Your latest play will be handed to Mr Brodie. Have not yet received a reply on the first lot. GAMES. A request for “Martin’s Rest” reminds us that a disputed point about “Martin’s Draw” was referred to by Wyllie, the “Herd Laddie,” during bis visit to Dunedin. Mr Wyllie was on one occasion the guest of Mr J. Shore, now of Otokia, and “Martin’s Draw” cropped up in conversation. Mr Shore asked Wyllie if it was true that Martin drew it against him, and Wyllie said it was not. Mr Shore recounted the story to us some years ago, and he gave the story in the Witness. Wyllie’s assertion was republished at Home, and Mr Wm. Beattie also gave the game in the Liverpool Mercury in the following form: Game 3265. —“Glasgow” (Martin’s xvest).

(a) The position universally known as “Martin’s Rest” is introduced. Tlie play is a classic example of scientific draughts. Variation I.—“ Martin's Draw.” (By John Way).

(a) Forms, with reversed colours, a problem by John Way, but widely known as “Martin’s Draw.” The play to note (a) is credited to Barker and Reed by the British Draughts Player, where the position is diagrammed with an accompanying note that the problem was given in “Bohn’s Handbook” by Martin. Mr Shore’s comment in our issue of the Gth inst. gave a repudiation of the statement that Martin drew it against the great Wyllie, and in the new “.Encyclopaedia of Draughts” Mr Lyons makes the note that Martin desired it to ho generally known that John Way was its author. Gaaie 326 C Corner.”

(a) 9 13 draws. (d) Corrects M'Millan in “Gould’s Match Book,” for, although he won with White by playing 12 8, etc., he should have lost to Tonar (who missed the Black win later), as I hero show by Variation 3. (1) 9 14, 18 9, 5 14, 19 16, 1 6, 16 7, 14 18, 23 14, 10 26, 7 2, 0 10.—Drawn (2) 32 27, 7 10. 24 19. 15 24, 28 19.—Drawn. (3) 12 8 loses; *lO 14(c), 8 3, 7 10, 3 7(d),

10 15, 7 16, 15 19, 18 15, 19 16.—Black wins. (c) Corrects Tonar, who miss :d the Black win by playing 1 5, allowing the tables to bo -turned with 83, 9 14, 18'9, 5 14, 22 IS White (M'Millan) won. (d) White has no better. (4) 1 -5. 12 8, 9 14(e). 18 9. 5 14, 8 3. 14 17, 21 14, 10 26, 3 10, li 15. 19 16.— Drawn. (5) 30 25. —Drawn. See my Game Xo. 8052. (5) 32 27, 10 15(6), 19 10, 6 15, 30 25, 9 14, IS 9, 5 14, *22 17.—Drawn. See my Game Xo. 7714, trunk at 26. (6) 9 14, 18 9. 5 14 loses; *22 18. 1 5, 18 9, 5 14, 26 22, 6 9, *3O 25.—White may win. (7) 3 7—Drawn. Game Xo. 8052.

9 14 22 18 13 17-9 25 22 5 14 *2 6 18 9 3 7 21 14 7 10 26 22 5 14 18 9 10 17 22 18 *ll 17 27 24 *6 13-f 30 25 10 14 22 13 1 51 32 28-8 17 21-11 18 9 Drawn. (4) 3 7 may lose by *32 28(g), 1 5, 22 18, 11 15, *lB 9, 5 14, 20 11, 7 16, 24 20, 15 24, 28 19.—White wins. (4) Corrects M'Millan, who played 3 7. (e) 10 11 Joses by 83, etc. White wins. (f) Again corrects M'Millan, who played 5 14, and White (Tonar) won. (g) Corrects Tonar, who played 22 18(x), 1 5, 18 9, *6 13(f). —Drawn. Second Variation 7 at 9. (8) 26 22, 10 14, 22 18(10) —Drawn. Game Xo. 8052, Variation 4 at 12. (9) 10 14, 26 22, 7 10, 22 18, 27, 18 9, 5 14— Drawn. Xo. 8052, Variation 4 at 17. (10) 32 28. —Drawn. Variation 9 at 2. (11) 7 10. 25 22, 17 21,—Drawn. Variation 7 at 17.—Glasgow Herald. DRAUGHTS ITEMS. Xew Zealand Championship.—-So far no definite pronouncement lias been made about the championship tourney for next Easter. Wellington had assumed the responsibility for next year, but local circumstances have not been too encouraging since last tournament, and any enthusiasm there is would have to work overtime to make things go. Apart from that, however, wo are strongly cf opinion that no tournament should be attempted next Easter, the circumstances of the war making it undesirable that people should be called upon for money for the prize fund. When the central executive come to deal with the matter we believe the lion, ■secretary (Mr P. Hiliiker) will express similar views, if wo gauged his feelings aright in the last conversation on the subject. Tho Queen of Egypt’s Draughtsmen.—There was presented to tire British Museum some years ago a curiosity which will be interesting to both chess and draughts players. It is the set cf boards and men wliich were exhibited at the Manchester Jubilee Exhibition as the “Chessboards and Chessmen of Queen Hat-a-su, of Egypt, who lived about 160 D b.c.” The pieces, of which there are 20, arc little blocks of wood and ivory, with, a lion’s head carved in relief on the top of each. Some of the pieces are of a darker colour than the others, but they are nearly all alike in shape and size. The collection forms two sets, and there are two boards for playing upon, and two boxes for bolding the men. The top of the box forms the board on winch the game was played. The board is divided into 30 squares, which are arranged in three rows of 10 each. The game was evidently played by two persons, who faced each other, as in a. modern gams of chess. Each player had five pieces arranged in a row in front of him, and there was a vacant space between the opposing forces. Further than that, however, our knowledge docs not go. How the pieces advanced to the attack, and how they overcome each other, can only be conjectured. Obviously, however, it was a misnomer to call this Egyptian pastime a game of chess. The authorities of the British Museum appear to think that it was a game of draughts, for the articles arc now labelled “Draughtsmen and draughts boxes of iueen Hat-a-su.” That is. of course, taking the “Egyptian chessmen” down a peg. Still these ancient boards and men are valuable curiosities, and will be studied with, great interest by those who believe that chess was gradually evolved out of a much simpler game. The case containing the articles stands near the centre of the “First Egyptian Boom.” Mr H. D. Lyman, the eminent problem composer- states that he has the Glasgow Weekly Herald draughts column nearly complete, having been a subscriber for about 37 years. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. Problem 4214 (by F. E. Hiliiker). —Black: 1,6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17. White: 19, 20, 22, 23, 21, 26, 27, 30, 32. White to play and win.

11 15 3 7 14 23 9 13 11 16 23 19 28 24 17 14 31 27 7 3 8 11 7 16 10 17 1 5 14 17 22 17 24 20 21 14 27 9 3 7 11 16 16 19 6 9 5 14 19 23 24 20 25 22 14 10 32 28 26 19 16 23 4 8 9 14 8 11 16 23 27 11 29 25 25 22 16 7 22 18 7 16 9 14-1 5 9 2 11 20 11 22 18-a 20 16 10 7 Diaivn.

10 13 32 28 10 28 7 2-a 22 26 17 13 9 14 17 10 19 23-b 18 27 2 7 25 21 6 15 2 7 28 32 21 17 5 9 13 6 10 14 31 22 8 11 28 24 1 10 7 10 32 23 26 23 11 16 11 7 14 18 21 17 19 26 20 11 15 19 10 15 23 26 30 23 1-5 18 23 16 IS 22 7 10 22 15 12 19 15 18 Drawn.

By J. T. Patterson , Jarrow -on .-Tyne. -11 15 12 16 7 10 16 19 15 24 4-10 14 22 18 27 24 81 27-5 23 16 23 19 19 15 15 22 8 12 10 15-7 12 19 9 13-1 14 23 25 18 25 22 19 10 26 23 19 16 15 8 8 11 10 15 0 15 19 26 3 7 7 10 20 25 24 192 27 24 30 23 16 12 22 18 4 8 15 24 2 7 7 10-A 5 9 24 20 28 19 82 28 24 19-B * 23 19-3Drawn.

20 16 27 4 19 10 23 16 30 25 16 20 11 20 20 27 6 15 12 19 17 21 30 23 23 18 32 23 4 8 8 11 11' 16 20 18 11 23 10 15 15 19 19 24-a 21 30 1 6 White wins. (A) 1 5 18 14 27 23 18 25 13 17 C 2 11 15 27 31 19 16 19 12 14 10 19 24 26 23 17 22 25 22 16 11 22 IS 81 27 15 18 12 16 10 6 Wh: ite 21 27 23 19 23 19 22 18 17 21 wins. Problem 4215 (by n. jJ. Lyman.— ■Black: 12, 16. 20; king 32. Wh lite : 23, 24, 27 ; kin gS 6, 15. White to play a aid win. 15 19 32 28 32 28 32 2S-a 19 26 19 26 32 28 15 18 22 26 15 18 31 22 22 31 G 10 28 32 28 32 28 19 16 19 12 16 28 32 18 22 19 15 26 31 18 23 27 24 10 15 White wins. (A) 6 19, 23 16, 32 30(n), : 15 19--W ’’hit e wins. (b) 12 23, 26 23—While v ,'ins. Problem 4216 (ant ho r unknown >)— >; 1 -Black: 13, ,21, 28; king 4. White: 5, 30 , 3; ting 12. White to ; play i and win. 5 1 32 27* 10 7 14 17 16 19 *30 26 13 17 23 32 32 27 27 32 27 32 25 29 1 6 27 24 7 2 17 22 19 23 19 15 17 22 32 27 27 32 25 29 32 28 21 25 6 10 24 19 2 6 IS 15 23 27 15 19 22 25 27 32 32 27 32 27 28 32 25 30 10 15 19 15 6 10 15 11 22 26 11 16 25 29 32 27 27 32 27 32 32 23 15 18 15 10 10 14 12 16 26 10 White 29 25 27 32 32 27 32 27 29 25 wi: ns. Problem 4217 (by H. D . Lyman).— -Black ; 12; 16, 28; king 20. White ; 23, 24, 27 ; kin Igs G. 10. While t( } play and win. 6 1 10 6 32 28 23 18 *3 19 18 15 23 32 W Lite wins.