DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 45

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BI JOS. ABEKNETHY. Solutions of problems, games, and analyses inrited for this column. Games should be written in six columns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draughts Editor. PROBLEM 5573. By the late Jas. Smith, England. Black.

White. White to play and win. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A. E. J., Albertown.—You are correct in solution to Problem 5566 and 5567. In the latter the terms were evidently wrong Out this is holiday season, when things are liable to go wrong. GAMES. The following pretty game was played recently in Birmingham, between Messrs W. Jones and J. Alexander:

White wins. (a) One of Mr Jones’ new moves, hut critical. |b) Second thoughts suggested 29 25. (c) Mr Jones has his moments of genius, and no doubt in fancy saw 22 17, 10 14, 17 3, 27, 3 10, 6 31, etc. (d) This coup is not as spectacular as the other, but is more effective from White’s point of view. (e) A choice of evils. If 7 10, 26 23, 10 14, 22 17, or 7 10, 26 23, 27, still 22 17, as the two-for-two, is hopeless; and 6 10 looks bad.

paedia,” page 22, note J; but the continuation here given makes a good draw. Evidently White’s resignation was premature, illustrating that a game is lost only when it is won.

(g) In a game with L. Collingwood, of Glasgow, I tried this for experiment, half hoping for his reply. (ii) R. T. Ward draws by 17 14 here. Mr Ward, who was present when the game was played, took note of the 15 19 move, and got it ready for the English Championship. Mr T. Biggs, the ..Sheffield expert, obliged. (i) He took 26 19 first, and his game was hopeless; there is no draw after 18 14. (I note the history of the move, net for any special credit attaching to it, but simply to show how cue party gets into the limelight, and another, though perhaps the original, is forgotten. Does not Heffner comment on how it came original with him, got some half dozen of moves of record, while a later played game flourished a full length trunk?—J. A., Melbourne Weekly Times. Some years ago a number of players of New York were watching a close and cleverly played game between P. Swainn, president of ihe Checker Club, and John Joli n try. Belli players were young men. The game was the “Glasgow” opening, Swain moving the Black pieces and Johntry managing the White men in this fashion:

Having got thus far, Johntry cast a triumphant glance across the board and said: “That’s a rather good position; Black to move and White to win.” Other players in the room, eager at all times to see something novel in the way of a checker problem, gathered about the board and looked hard at the pieces, which were arranged as below. Black to play and White to win: Black.

White. Swain stroked his glossy beard and eaid with emphasis:—“You are very much mistaken. It is Black to move and draw.”

“Go ahead and draw it if you cad,” was Johnstry’s reply. The game continued:

“Well, I admit there* is a draw that way, but there was a win in the position,” Johntry said doggedly, as Swain chuckled softly. W. Colgan agreed with Johntry, and tried several times to win from the position by going 20 16 with White, after Black’s first move, but Swain drew again and again. Johntry meanwhile did some studying in a corner and he returned to the charge. “Here, up that position again. I can win with White easily, he said. He kept liis wortf, as the ending was played thus:

Swain tugged at his whiskers awhile, reset the position, and said: —“My first move was wrong. The best way is to start for your man right away.” He moved 22 18. Ail right! That loses just the same/' replied Johntry, moving®? 10. Swain took the jump. 18 11; Johntry jumped 10 1; Swain moved, 11 7; Johntry made another capture, 13 6, and Swain moved 7 2, remarking:—"Where is your win now?” Johntry looked! disconcerted while the crowd -aligned, but lie said:—"Just do that again, will you?” With pleasure,” responded Swain, placing t.ie pieces in position. Again he moved, 22 18. Johntry looked hard at the board and then moved his King, 7 11. Swain saw that his own King must be moved to avoid a. White 16 > alldi took the best move, IS 22. Johntry moved, 19 16; Swain took the jump, 12 19; Johntry won by 15 10, c i had established his position at last and the laughter was on Swain. DRAUGHTS ITEMS. Mr F. E Hilliker is enjoying his annual holiday at the seaside, where he manages to maintain his reputation as a successful angler. Probably his skill in draughts is in some -way allied to the patience and skill required to beat the wiles of the scaley denizens of the ocean. Certain it is that successful rock-fishmg requires a great deal more than bait and a rod and tackle. tv r Boreham has been absent from Dunedin for several weeks, having taken on the shearing again. He is sure to have some draughts experiences to relate when he returns. Mr Whitfield, of Melbourne, was in Dunedin recently on a brief visit, continuing to Christchurch and the North Island. II 3 had letters of introduction from Mr H. Egan and )I1 a sittnig or two with Mr Hilliker he showed considerable ability over the board, although not the weight of the Dunedinite. It is hoped that through Mr Whitfield a bet.er understanding on the Australasian Lnampionsmp question may be arrived at.

Game 5625 v. 2 16, 21 . 17 Opening. BlackW. Jones. W hite— -J. Alexander. 12 16 18 11 15 24 25 22 20 27 16 7 21 17 8 15 28 19 8 12 19 15 2 11 16 20-1 25 22 4 8 27 23 10 19 22 17 17 13 14 18 20 25 5 9 23 16 11 16 9 14 23 14 7 10 21 27 12 19 17 14 22 18 10 17 22 18 3 7-c 32 16 1 5 11 15-a 24 19-b 17 21 27 24-D 7 11-E 26 23 And 16 20 . 23 19, 20 24 , 19 15, 24 27, 14 10,

(V ar. i.) 0 13 16 19 8 12 19 26 3 8-f 10 26 24 20 14 5 25 21 30 23 23 19 19 16 8 12 19 28 16 19-2 7 10 8 12 Draw 28 24 25 21 27 23 31 27 32 27 H. 5 9 12 16 6 9 15 19 28 32 Seward 23 18 21 17 23 16 23 7 27 23 10 15 4 8 12 19 2 11 32 27 17 14 29 25 26 23 27 23 17 14 (f) Left as a Black win in the “Encyelo-

(Yar. 2.) 15 19-g 27 18-1 16 19 31 26 7 16 17 14 18 14-h 6 9 23 16 11 15 20 11 25 29 19 '23 26 23 12 19 18 11 9 25 B.W.

Gai, IE 5626— -“Gla sgow.” 11 15 7 16 3 9 1 6 21 25 23 19 24 20 25 22 30 2G 7 2 8 11 16 19 10 15 28 32 25 30 22 17 25 22 32 28 31 27 IS 15 11 16 4 8 6 10 32 28 30 26 24 20 29 25 13 6 21 17 23 10 1C 23 19 24 2 9 14 21 26 22 27 11 17 13 28 19 27 24 2 7 7 16 9 14 15 24 28 29 20 11 26 23 22 17 23 7 3 7 8 11 24 28 10 14 28 24 22 18 17 13 26 23

14 17 10 1 17 22 2 6 31 27 7 10 18 11 6 2 26 31 9 14 21 18 13 6 22 26 6 9 27 23

11 17 10 1 17 22 59 31 27 7 10 18 11 1 5 26 31 14 18 22 18 13 G 22 26 9 14 White -wins.