DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 51

DRAUGHTS.

OOKDUCTBD BY JOS. ABERNETHT. Solutiono ot problems, games, and analyses tw Sited lor this column. Games should be written tn six columns as below, and all correspondent addressed to the Draughts Editor.

PROBLEM 5725. By M. H. C. Wardei.e. Black.

White. White to play and win

PROBLEM 5726. By M. H. C. Wardell Black.

White. White to play and win. The above are two selected tit-bits that should please solvers. They are both useful, yet without being abstruse.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. J. A. L.—Should be pleased to have correct ending to Game 5786 in last issue. A. S., Waimate. —Letter received just in time to acknowledge. Various items next week. Your remarks on Problem 5724 are surprising, however. Thanks for contents.

GAMES. During the last week in November Mr R. Stewart, world's champion, continued his professional tour of Scotland, playing in East Lothian. At East Linton he contested 45 games at 18 hoards, winning 41, with four draws. Following are two of the games, taken with notes from Glasgow Weekly Herald: Game 5789 —“Dyke.” Black—A Dunbar player. White—Stewart.

Black resigned. (a) 8 11 is unquestionably the best move here. (b) Assuming the aggressive. (c) Black is gradually getting weaker (d) If 8 12, 23. 16, 12 19, then 30 25 and 25 21, etc. Game 5790—“ Single Corner.” Black East Linton player. White—Stewart.

(a) Premature; 4 8 or 12 16 is preferable. (b) 28 24 is also strong here. (c) Obviously played with the object of sacrificing a piece and winning the ending. As already announced in this column, tire American championship was won by the 18-year-old “boy wonder,” Asa Long, who defeated A. Jordan in the final. Such a victory naturally quickens interest in the winner, and play by him will be scanned with pleasure. At the preceding Cedar Park outing week a ten-game match was arranged between Jordan and Long, and! resulted in Jordans’ favour by 1 win to 0 and 9 draws. The following games were played in this match, and are taken, with notes, from the American Checker, Monthly. Game 5791—“Aldllburv.” Dong’s Move.

(a) As played by Louis Ginsberg. (b) More aggressive than 18 14. (c) If 24 19, 1 6 looks plausible. (d) Avoiding the trap, of course, if 11 15, 32 27, White wins. Game 5792—“Millbury.”

(a) Varies from previous game. (b) Trappy, but not so difficult to meet as 25 22. (c) Makes a complete finish, and leaves no chance for monkey business in the ending. A COINCIDENCE. Mr J. S. M'Millan, Sydney, writes to Glasgow Weekly Herald, under date October 27: In the Glasgow Weekly Herald, February 4, 1922, you give a solution of Problem No. 3154 by J. M. M’Gregor, Kirkwall. Black 11, Kings 25 and 26; White 9 and 18, King 24 Black to play and win. Last week, playing in thfe o-pen air in Hyde Park hero, the end game was:—Black 5,6, 7; White, 14, 19, King 17—Black to play and win:

You will observe the- ending is the same as your problem. DRAUGHTS- ITEMS. World’s champion, Robert Stewart, had a good time in Aberdeen during first week in December, playing 223 games in six days, or which he won 164 and drew 59. The Granite City is the home of many strong players, and Stewart appears t-o have played slowly, one board one game beng the rule for an afternoon or evening. Indeed, in most of his exhibitions that has been the- case, but, of course, the players may have been reluctant to pay for two games at a sitting. The Glasgow Weekly Herald gives the champion’s total score to December 8 as 707 games—--580 wins and 127 draws. As far as we have noticed 31 boards w-as the largest contingentopposed to Stewart at any one time. No win has yet been recorded! against him, notwiththe talent opposed to him at times. The (Newcastle Weekly Chronicle (Eng.) draughts column reached its jubilee last August. During that time there have been only two draughts editors—Mr A. Scorer began and carried on for 17 years, being followed by the present editor, Mr J. W. Dawson. The record is a good one, and eeems to stand alone.

11 15 27 24 5 14 29 25-d 6 10 6 2 22 17 7 10 27 24-b 3 7-c 23 16 19 24 15 19 21 15 2 6 17 14 10 17 28 19 2-1 15 10 19 24 15 12 16 22 13 15 21 10 19 32 27 10 19 25 22 a 12 2 7 23 16 6 10 17 10 16 20 13 9 10 14 12 19 22 18 6 15 31 27 12 19 26 22 25 22 9 14 21 17 4 8 9 6 8 12-a 18 9 1 6 27 23 i 10

11 15 25 22 5 14 21 14 17 21 31 27 22 18 7 10 24 19 16 17 27 25 ■White 15 22 24 20 15 24-c 18 14 10 17 won. 25 1S-B 3 7 23 19 6 10 18 14 8 11 27 24 4 8 23 18 6 10 29 25 9 14 22 18 1 6 23 18 10 15-A 18 9 14 17 32 27 2 0

J1 16 18 9 7 23 25 22 15 19 18 23 22 18 13 22 27 18 1 5 5 9 d-31 27 8 11 25 18 20 27 24 20 19 23 23 19 24 19 5 14 31 24 5 9 9 14 27 31 10 14 18 9 4 8 10 6 23 26 79 23 26 22 6 13 18 14 9 14 14 18 31 27 16 20 23 18 10 17 6 1 26 31 23 19 22 17 3 7 21 14 14 18 18 22 27 31 7 10 29 25-b i 8 11 1 5 2 7 Drawn 28 24 11 15 14 10-C 18 25 22 18 9 13-a 18 11 11 15 30 21 7 11

Jordan’s move. 11 16 7 10 13 22 11 18 1 6 C-23 27 22 18 30 26-a. 18 9 23 7 18 16 32 23 8 11 11 16 6 13 3 10 10 14 13 17 24 19 26 22 25 18 27 23-b 15 11 21 14 10 14 9 13 4 8 2 6 14 18 9 27 26 22 18 9 29 25 25 22 23 14 31 24 16 20 5 14 8 11 6 9 16 23 20 27 22 17 22 18 18 15 22 18 14 10 Drawn

6 9 18 22 25 29 7 11 5 9 19 10 19 16 14 18 16 12 15 19 3 7 9 14 9 18 22 25 29 25 25 221 11 15 17 14 18 15 12 8 8*3