DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3250, 28 June 1916, Page 55

DRAUGHTS.

COKDUCTEIP BY JOS. ABERNETIiY.

Solutions of probfems, games, and analyses invited for this column. Games should bo written in six columns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor.

PROBLEM 4281.

By W. Hinton, London Black.

White. White to play and draw. This was contributed by Mr J. G. Carruthers. the well-known Scottish player, some years ago, and has been "lying low" since. The draw doesn't look very probable, and wo will be surprised .if any solver gets the draw first attempt.—Ed.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. "New Chum," Winton.—Pleased to hear from you. Your solution to Problem 4279 is correct every move. What you gave as second solution, however, simply gives it away. J. F., Wanganui.—You are correct in solution to Problem 4272, but at ninth move 18 22 is cleaner and shorter. You are astray with No. 4279; play given is Correct, but not Black's proper play.

"Woodhen." —Lav/ suits in connection with draughts must be very rare. In writing wc can only recall one, in which three years ago in a London court W. Scott was mulcted in £o for slandering W. Hilliord and A. R. Northcott, of the London Draughts League, and J. M. Roberts, draughts editor of the People, in connection with the tournament for the draughts championship of London.

GAMES. The following two interesting games were played in the final of the Dumfriesshire championship tournament between Messrs W. Wilson, Dumfries (champion of both Dumfriesshire and Galloway), and A. Stoddart, East Middlebie: G-AME 3373. —"Kelso."

(a) 7 10 can .bo played with safety. (b) 8 11 gives Black a good strong game. (c) 2G 23 appears quite safe. (u) A capital move which Kcema to force a neat win. (e) 9 G gains the piece at once. (y) 0 4 is certainly preferable. Realising that he had tiie game in hand, Mr Wilson, it is evident, captured the single piece without a moment's hesitation, quite overlooking tho "take" of three pieces. A slip of this kind is often made by experts. Game 3371.—"Whilter." Black: "Wilson. White: Stoddart.

(is) 15 13 here seems to draw easily for Black. (c) The champion could have drawn here as follows:—10 14, 95, 14 17, 23 18, 17 21, IS 22, 32 27, 5 1, 27 23. Game 3375. —"Denny." This was the seventh' game in a subscription match between A. Jordan and Hugh HenderEOn. Jordan had the Blacks.

(a) 31 26 as played by Bonar against Ferricis best here; if 7 10 in reply, then 32 28 stops the dangerous 2 6 move. (b) A powerful move. We wore planningfor the same sort of attack on Black's single corner. (c) All that's left. (d) And at this stage felt quite pleased ■with our gamo % (e) Of course'. (f) Wo spent our five minutes here trying to draw with 30 26, which loses by 18 22, etc., and at call of time hastily moved 29 25. Wo fancy there is a narrow draw by 21 17, thus:/ 21 17, 14 21, 23 7, 3 10. 27 23. 10 14, 39 26, 14 18, 23 14, 9 18, 26 22, 18 25, 29 22, 21 25, 22 17, 25 30, 17 14, may draw, but Black has all the best of it. (g) With the White side Jordan varied thus:—

then 23 19, followed by 22 18, would give White a gocd game, and if 12 16, 17 13, 9 14, 18 9, 5 14, 32 23 seems to hold the draw.— Home paper. DRAUGHTS ITEMS. The Otago Club. —On Saturday night there was an excellent attendance at the club, and everyone was keen on play. Some attention was given for a while to Yeomcns's problem in this column, and it was voted a gcod thing. Members are eager for practice for the next tourney. Responding to Mr Jordan's provisional acceptance of his challenge, Mr Banks sends the following to the Pittsburg Leader:—"l stand ready to meet Mr Jordan or any other player in the world on reasonable terms. Personally I will not meet Mr Jordan f<y any title for a less amount than 500 dollars a side, as the expenses of preparation is too great to make it worth while, even if one should play and win. However, if Mr Jordan's Californian friends wish to arrange an exhibition match between Mr Jordan and myself for 250 or 300 dollars per side, I will agree to play him another match on 'winner tak-e all' basis, I standing, my own railroad fare to and from California; they allowing me 3 dollars per dav expense money while in Los Angeles. Prom past experience I find that the best place to stage a checker match is in the town which offers the best terms to the players, and in case of a match for a larg'e wager I will play in that place, each player standing his own expenses. In case Mr Jordan's friends wish to arrange an exhibition match in California, I can come any time within 90 days' notice." An American paper gives the following" problem by O. H. Richmond:—Black: 9, 11; king 25. White: Kings 17, 19. Black to play; White to draw. A footnote reads: "It is human to err. Let those who have never erred throw the first brick." Can the terms be sustained?

Many a. time (says the Yorkshire Post) on© hears an argument clinched with tho assertion: "It is correct., because I can show you in print,." And yet even cold print is not infallible, as the experienced student of our game well knows. As we glanced over our latest Pittsburg exchange we were interested by a game from Mr P. L. Lee,, correcting an "Old 14th" that has stood in "Janvier's Anderson" and "M'Culloch's Guide" and other works for many years as a win for White. Here is the critical stage:—Black: 6,9, 12, 15, 17. 21. White: 7, 13, 20, 22, 26, 30. Black to play. 15 19 is given by the books, and White,wins. Mr Lee proposes to show that the old prints are in error, and that 9 14 will draw. He continues: 7 2. 11 18, 29, 13 25, 9 14, 25 30, 13 9, etc. Brawn. Instead of the last move, however, try 14 10. Now if 15 18, 26 22, 18 25, 10 14, 17 22. 14 17, 22 26. 30 23, 25 30. 17 22. and the White win holds good. If 15 19, 10 15, 19 24. 28 23, 24 27, 23 19, and, after crowning all his men except 30, White wins also. We leave the wins at these embryo stages for the benefit of tho novice, who will derive some rjrofit by working them cut to the end.

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. Problem 4270 (by J. R. Yeomens).—Black: 9. 22; Idn.s? 32. White: 30; kings 16, 27. White to play and win.

* Only moves to -win. (a) One or "two solvers played 9 14. 1G 19, 14 17, the latter movo allowing White to win with comparative ease. (i!) 28 32. 23 26, 14 17. 26 23, 17 21, 23 2G, 22 25, 31 27.—White wins.

Black: Wilson. White: Stock! art 10 15 4 8 14 18 27 31 23 18 22 17 20 16 17 14 11 7 21 14 11 16 2 7 10 17 18 23 18 9 17 13 16 12 21 14 7 2 11 7 16 19A 8 11 23 27D 23 27 27 23 23 16 29 26 30 24 20 16 8 4 12 19 11 16 11 16 27 32 E-23 18 25 22 32 27 13 9 16 11 4 8 9 14 7 11 6 13 32 27 18 15 27 23 27 24 19 15 11 8 10 6 8 12B 19 23 10 19 27 23 F-l 10 23 16 20 19 24 20 2 7 7 14 12 19 16 23 19 23 31 27 9 IS 22 17 21 19 14 10 7 11 7 10 15 24 23 27 13 17 Black 24 20C 28 19 15 11 25 21 wins.

11 15 28 19 5 14 8 3 2 6 23 19 15 21 29 25-A 11 15 5 1 9 14 27 20 6 10 8 8 C 9 22 17 4 8 31 26 21 28 1 C 7 11 22 18 11 15 13 9 9 14 25 22 8 11 19 16 17 21 6 9 11 16 32 28 12 19 30 26 15 18 26 23 1 5 23 16 21 30 23 19 5 9 28 21 14 18-n 8 11 32 28 18 13 14 17 16 12 30 23 19 15 3 7 21 14 18 23 11 17 • Ijt OQ 10 17 26 19 28 82 Whito L5 -/ ■. ! j i 15 24 27 23 wins. ■ ■ t 1 '■ 12 8 10 15-0 .J J S I) 7 11 9 5 nr uti. L-whu.; similar to a var. by Drum-

10 u 28 24 15 18 26 23-D 10 17 27 23 21 20 8 11 25 21-A 1 -5-E 23 14 6 10 11 15 21 17-G 7 10 23'25-F 9 18 22 18 4 8 31 2G 3 7 25 21 Black 15 22 17 13 2 6-B 30 26 18 22 ■wins. 26 10 9 14 32 28-C 14 17 21 14 6 15 23 19 5 9 21 14 22 31 (Notes by H. Henders ■on.)

23 ■2-2 22 17 23 19-H 27 23 30 26 31 26 7 10 3 7 15 18 18 27 9 13 9 14 9 25 25 22 22 15 32 23 26 22 Black1 6 4 8 11 18 8 11 6 9 wins. (II) 23 18 looks O.K. If 9 14, 18 9, 5 14,

27. 81* 19 23 27 32* 30 26* 31 27 32 28-A 28 2-1-B 28 24 14 17 16 19 23 27 32 28* 28 32' Whits 9 14 2-1 23 24 19 19 15 wins.