DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3467, 24 August 1920, Page 45

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BY JOS. ABERNETHY. Solutions oJ problems, games, and analyses Incited for this oolumn. Games should be written In six oolumns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor.

PROBLEM 5549 (By J. Way.)

White to play and draw. This is selected for its vahie to the student on how to &ave an apparently lost situation.

TO COBBBSPONDENTS

A. C, Timaru —You are correct in solution

to Problem 5547. D. J. Wilson, Bluff. (?).—A letter from the north is lying here for you., and will be forwarded on receipt of address. J. 8., New Plymouth.—Your latest solution to No. 5540 is mainly correct. You will be interested] in examining the solution. T R, Havelock—Your chatty letter enjoyed We endeavour to make the problems of general interest, although occasionally one may be very difficult. Doreen did. very well, and we hop© she continues her study of the game. Your solution of Problem 5545 is very promising, though not correct. You would no doubt see the solutions of the three related problems which appeared last week after you wrote. They will show you where you go astray.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM 5540 (By A. Boss.)

As announed last week, the first prize for best solution to this difficult position was won by Mr Alex. Shepherd, Warmate, who deserves the highest praise for h:'s clear grasp of the possibilities for Black. We reproduce the position:

White to play and Black to draw.

Th© terms were "White to move, what result?" As will be seen by Mr Shepherd's solution following, the correct terms are Black to draw. Herewith is the prize solution:

(s) 15 11 is no good.—[The judges remark: —"We differ, as it opens up many pitfalls for Black, and only allows a very marrbw drawviz., 15 11, 1 6, 5 1, 6 10-*, 24 19, 10 14-*, 11 15, 14 9-*, 15 18 (15 10, 9 6 draws), 27, 18 22, 7 10, and now if 22 17, 10 15 draws, or if 22 18, 9 6, 18 15, 12 16 draws."] (a) 19 23-b, 59, 23 18, 24 19, 27, 96, 18 ,22, 28 24 22 18, 24 20, 18 22, 19 23, White wins. (b) 19 15, 24 19, 15 24, 28 19, 2 7-0, 5 9, 7 11, 9 14, 11 16, 14 18, 16 23, 18 27, White wins.

(c) 26, 5 1, 6 9, 1 6, 9 13, 6 10, 13 17, 10 15, 17 22, 19 16, 12 19, 15 24, White wine. (d) 27, 9 14, 7 11, 14 18, 16 20, 24 27, 20 16, 28 24, 16 20, 27 32, 20 27, 32 23, 11 16, 23 19, 16 23, 18 27, White wins. (e) 11 16, 19 15, 16 20, 15 11, 12 16, 9 14, 16 19, 14 18, 26, 18 14, White- wins. 2 7 may also be played here by Black, but the result would be a White win. (+) This move requires thought, as it seems to allow Black to dominate the double corner and thereby secure a draw; but if 9 14, Black replies 26, 19 15, 12 16, 14 17, 7 10, 15 18, 6 9, 28 24, 9 13. ' Drawn. Or if 19 15, 12 16, 9 13, 7 3, 13 17, 3 7. Drawn.

(f) 2 7-g, 6 9, 7 11, 24 20, 11 15, 9 14, 15 24, 14 17. White wins by first position. (G) 26, 24 20, 10 7, 19 15, 7 2, 15 11, 6 10, 5 9, 12 16, 9 5. White wins. (H) 1 6, 5 1, 6 9, 15 18, 27, 1 5-1, 9,6, same as trunk at (j). (l) 18 23, 7 10, 23 18, 9 5, 18 22, 5 9, 22 17, 10 15, 19 10, 9 14. Drawn. (J) 7 11, 5 9, 11 16, 18 23, 1 5, 9 14, 5 1, 14 10, 1 5, 10 15, 5 9, 15 11, 16 20, 23 27, 9 14, 11 15, 14 9, 15 10, 9 5, 19 15. White wins by gaining a piece. (k) 7 10, 18 22, 1 6, 22 17. White wins by gaining a piece.

(l) The text move is the only one to draw. 12 16 loses thus: 12 16 11 8 7 10 9 13 10 7 12 16 15 11 711 8 8 24 28 812 82 28 6 2 15 19 11 15 13 17 711 23 26 18 15 2 7 19 23 28 82 17 14 28 82 16 20 6 9 20 24 8 8 U 7 26 22

White wins. 7 10 would also lose by 5 1, 10 19, 1 10, White wins by first position. (m) White could vary here by 14 9, which would force 12 16, 1 5, 16 20, 9 18} but there is no advantage gained, as Black can crown the piece on 20 and ctra-w quite easily. (n) Should Blaok play 12 16 here, White would win, being able to force First position 1 . (p) 12 16 here draws.

(a) As shown in Mr Shepherd's solution, 16 11 draws. Mr Wilson gives play to win on 16 20, and on 16 11 line follows Shepherd's play to note (s), where he goes 15 11 to win. The judges' note corrects this. (b) Mr Wilson's play to win on 19 23 and 19 15 is anticipated by the ■ main solution. '*

Mr W. O'Malley, Queenstown, sent in a very good solution, designed to show a draw; but the judges finally decided on points to give second place to Wilson, who, though failing to show the draw, adopted the most critical lines of play. This problem is a striking illustration of the- difficulty of the game of draughts. Here we have a position with only six pieces engaged, yet so difficult that all the play given above does not nearly exhaust its Twenty problems could be taken out of it, and there would still be more to follow. Here is an actual incident illustrating the difficulties. Two strong players met in Dtaiedin and were discussing this problem. "A" hadi made a very exhaustive study of it, "B" thought he had mastered it, and said it was an easy win. "Come and try it." said A." Six or seven times "B" tried to win and failed—all drawn. Then "A" said: "Now you take the Blacks and see if you can draw." This was done, and five times in succession "A" won with Whites! "B" agreed there was sometihing in it, and said he would "have a go at it again." The author's solution covers similar ■ ground! to Mar .Shepherd's, and will not require to bo published separately.

20 24-1 F-10 6-4 18 14 15 19-N 23 27 12 16 19 16-A 19 15 16 14 18 28 32-N 28 32 5 9 6 1-5 5 1 19 24-n 18 23 16 20 16 11-D 24 19-S 6 2 18 23 32 28-N 32 28 24 f 9 2 7-H 15 10-M 24 28-N 27 32 19 16 11 7-E 15 18 7 11 9 14-A. 28 24-N 18 23 28 24-+ j-1 6-K 1 5 28 32-N 23 18 16 11 7 10-3 19 15 11 15-N 14 18 24 19-P 9 5 6 1-L 5 9 32 2S-N 32 28 Drawn.

(Var . 1.) 20 16-2 11 15 1 6 6 10 15 11 11 15 19 23 23 27 9 13 16 19 24 20 23 27 16 11 5 1 15 18 10 15 18 22 15 19 2 6 6 6 12 16 (Var 27 24 • 2.) 19 23 27 32 Drawn. 5 1 ' 20 16 16 20 28 32 23 18 15 24 19 15 10 14 18 22 %% 18 12 16 20 27 28 24 1 6 20 24 82 27 9 6 : Drawn. 15 10 14 18 22 18 i8 15 16 20 24 19 6 9 24 28 27 23 6 15 2 7 7 10 18 22 (Var. 15 24 . 8.) 24 19 7 11 10 7-A 16 20 7 10 18 22 30 26 24 20 U 8 24 28 » e 15 18 28 24 ll 7 7 11 12 16 10 14 22 26 26 22 20 16 8 3 8 8 6 10 18 23 11 6 7 10 11 16 2 7-B 14 18-c 26 30 22 17 16 11 19 24 8 11 10 15 23 27 8 12 White wins. (a) 10 6, 9 £ !,6i,: Ll 8, 2 6, 8 3, 6 10, 6 9, 1 5, 9 18, 5 1, 3 7, 10 : L4, 7 10, 14 18, i3 17. White wins. (b) 16 19, 8 : Ll, 19 23, 11 15, 23 26, 15 19. White wine. (c) 14 17, 10 14, 17 21, 14 J 8, 10 1'J, 18 22, 19 23, 11 15, 23 27, 28 32, 27 31, 15 19. White wins. (Var. , 4.) 10 7 2 7 4 8 8 3 3 8 15 18 19 15 9 14 10 14 23 27 18 14 24 27 7 8-E 8 4-D 8 3 8 7 8 3 White 24 19 15 10 18 23 27 24 14 10 wins. 3 8 7 11 8 8 7 3 11 15 5 9 14 18 14 18 24 20 20 24 (d) 7 11, 15 18, 11 16, 18 23, 8 11, 14 18, 16 20, 23 27, 11 16, 18 23, 16 11, 19 15, 11 18, 23 14. White wins. (e) 12 16, <2A 1 20, 7 3, 20 11, 3 7, 11 8, 7 11, 15 10, 11 4, 5 9, 4 8, 9 14, 8 3, 14 18, 2 7, 18 14, 7 11, 14 18, 3 i 8, 18 23, 8 12, 23 19. White wins. (Var. . 5.) 2 7 7 10 14 17 9 5 1 5 21 25 5 1 24 20 15 18 1 6 22 17 10 15 6 9-6 10 14 17 21 5 1 5 14 25 30 15 19 19 15 18 22 6 9 17 10 20 16 White wins. (Var . 6.) 6 2 24 20 14 17 18 22 7 11 22 18 15 19 10 14 15 18 2 7 6 10 White 7 10-F 19 15 17 21 1 6 12 16 wins. (f) 7 11, 24 : 20, 2 7, 1 6, 7 3. 6 10, 11 15, 19 24, 15 18, 24 19. White wins. - A. Shepherd. Mr Wilson, Second Prize Solution , gives a, mass of good play for the White win. but space and time forbid arranging and publishing it. His trunk play runs thus: — 20 24- 24 19 14 10 15 18 25 22 20 16 19 16-B 7 11 15 18 19 28 32 28 19 24 5 9 19 23 10 15 18 25 2<t20 16 19 2 7-A 11 15 18 22 28 32 16 19 24 27 9 14 23 27 23 24 27 24 22 26 26 31 16 20 20 16 16 19 12 16 28 32 White wins.