DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 53

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BY JOS. ABEENKTHY. Solutions of problems, games, and analyses Inriled for this column. Games should be written in six columns as below, and all oorrropondenoa wldreased to the Draughts Editor.

PROBLEM 4369. By W. O'Malley, Invercargill. Black.

Whit©. White to play and draw

TO CORRESPONDENTS

W. 8., Sydney.—Thanks for game, which is

a fine example. W. O'M., Invercargill—Your letters to hand •with...play and notes. Should be pleased to have the. ending, with the Black win. Thanks for problems, etc. A. S., Waimate.—Yours of the 7th, 9th, and 17th to hand. Apology really not needed — we .are all fallible. Enclosures appreciated W. T. K., Pittsburg, U.S.A.—Thanks for kindly greetings, which are heartily reciprocated. The war has deepened the sense of kinship, and' seems to bring nearer the possible day when "man to man the world o'er shall bathers be." *■ _______ _______ _ ■? GAMES. "We are indebted to Mr Wm. Beasley, St. Peters, Sydney, for the following communioation: In response to your request for a game wherein 15 men are taken off the board by continuous play, I am sending you a game, not With any desire to eclipse Mr Canwell's splendid example, but to give another instance of the possibilities of the good old game. It is ancient, but that does not matter. It is from America.

‘(A) Completes a continuous give-and-take play which removes 16 pieces from the hoard. Is this the maximum?

A CLEVER ESCAPE'

There is no greater exhilaration experienced than that of the player- who, by" an ingenious combination, succeeds in extricating himself from what seems a hopeless position. In the following game, which was played recently by two American experts, the position of White towards the end seemed utterly hopeless. Many players would have given up in despair, but Mr Shaw is not built that way, and secured a draw by very clever play. The game illustrates the old adage that a battle is never lost until it is won. The game of draughts is' ftill to the brim with cunningi devices and clever strokes, and these invest the game with a charm which never dies.

(a) 26 19 is perhaps "better. (b) State Champion Shaw cleverly relieves his badly cramped position.

DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Mr F. E, Hilliker is enjoying his annual holiday at the seaside at present. He is upholding his record as a sea-coast angler. Time tells, and it will be with deep regret (says the Yorkshire Post) that many Leeds players will hear the news that genial Jimmy Deans, of Shotts, owing to the state of his health, has hadi to resign the secretaryship of the Lanarkshire Draughts Association, a position he has held for the long period of 36 years. The success of the Lanarkshire tournaments has been largely due to the energy and taotfulness of Mr Deans. He has also taken great interest in the Scottish Draughts Association, whose annual contests he has described f«r many years for a number of the British newspapers, and in this he was greatly helped by his own skill as an. analyst and cross-board player. At the annual meeting of the Wells Memorial Checker Club, Boston, Mr Robert Stewart, Blairadam, the famous Scottish expert, was unanimously elected an honorary member. Our readers will be glad to hear that Mr Stewart is in good) health, and keeping his "eye" in at the game. The "(first-off-the-board" style of players will read with interest the following anecdote related, by Mr C. Hefter, at an. entertainment given recently in honour of Mr Newell Banks:—"lt was about 1883 I chanced

in the headquarters of the Chicago checker players, and found an old Chicago 'scrub' playing a stranger. The stranger looked like n, high-class old gentleman of about 65 to 70, white-haired, a perfect gentleman. The •scrub,' on seeing me, quit immediately, asked me to eit down, and left the room. There were no introductions; but, as I began to place the pieces, the old gentleman remarked that, while he was very fond of checkers, it really was not his game. 'What may your game be?' I asked. 'Why, I'm the champion west of the Mississippi River of tho losing or give-away game/ he answered. I was rather astonished', to say the least, especially at the peculiar title he assumed!, though X have frequently run across champions of counties, cities, and even run against topnotchers of oertain streets. But I only expressed slight surprise, and told him I could play a'fair game of give-away, and wouldl be pleased to take a- chance against him. - Well, he won five games from me before I really began to get my bearings. I had not played the game in years, so was quite 'rusty,' ana while being defeated had been _ trying to recall the principle or governing idea of the game. It finally dawned on me to give all of your pieces or not start pyrotechnics, so I mustered all my checker ability to attack, and began to dlraw the enemy. When four trenches had been taken in rapid succession, the old gentleman begged to be excused. He really could not stay a minute longer. He had to leave for the west, and the train was accommodatingly waiting for him. No later train would do, no inducement of any kind prevailed, and I had to let him depart victor by 5 t.o 4 and no draws. (And, by the way, are there any draws in the losing game?)" /

DRAUGHTS IN WELLINGTON. THE WATEHSIDE'RS' CLUB. "We are indebted to Mr F. K. Kelling, the enthusiastio official of the "Working Men's Chtb, for the following report of the Watersiders' Club:—The above club's 1917 season, which has been a very active one, concluded with a handicap tourney open to the Class A players only. There were originally 18 competitors, which number was reduced to 17 by the regretted departure for "Westport of the club champion, Mr Eirickson. Each competitor thus had to account for 64 games, it being a four-round tourney. The handicappers, Messrs Burgess, Connor, and Kent, were successful in bringing about a close finish, as will be seen from the. appended table. The first prize was won by Mr E. Butler, the second by Mr J. Burgess, and three players tied for the third prize—rviz., Messrs W. Connor, J. Grant, and J. Kent. The scores of those who aggregated over 40 points are as follow: Score. BEdcp. Total.

Game 3593 —“Will-o’-the-wisp.” 11 15 22 18 5 9 * 27 23 6 10 82 28 28 19 16 22 24 20 8 11 29 25 3 8 9 13 25 18 10 14 28 24 1.6 Forming this position: — Black.

White. Whit© to play. 19 16 11 16 80 25 13 17 81 24 12 19 20 11 29 22 21 14 a-2 9 24 6 8 29 26 8 9 27 Drawn.

Butler, E .. 44 9 53 Burgess, J .. 47 5 52 Connor, "W .. 43* 7 604 Grant, J -.. 4l| 9 504 Kent, J .. 83J 17 50£ G-reen, J. A - .. 34 16 50 Casey, J. .. .. 324 17 494 Roberts, W. A. .. 33 16 413 Wright, W .. 38 9 47 Rei<l, J .. 361 9 454 Wilkinson, Qt .. 30 15 45 Siadbolt, A .. 33 10 43 Bradley, B. .. .. .. 23 20 43 James, J .. 23 18 41