DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3724, 28 July 1925, Page 61

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BY JOB. ABEBNBTHT. Solutions o! problem*, game*, and analyte* in* Vtttd lor this oolumn. Game* should be written In *i* oolumns as below, and uli correspondence addressed to the Draught* Editor.

PROBLEM 5929. By the late Harby Jacob.

[Black.]

[White.] White to play and draw. A neat little touch, reminding one of a famous problem which will be mentioned in solution.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. R. K.. Tapanui—ln solution to Problem 5925, you will have noticed by published play where you go astray. You are correct in solution to Problem 5926. In ho. 5927 you begin correctly; but at eighth move play 20-24 instead of 23-26, and Black draws. L. ’ R. M., Palmerston.—Yours to hand. Acknowledging without a board, blit you seem to be right. Penalty of a hurried reply. In the way of fallibility, 'Were a John Tamson’s bairns. ’ Next week. games. * The following instructive games and notes are from the Melbourne Weekly Times, ye lecall the incident mentioned in note (g) , of the second game. The masterly handling of the White pieces by Egan marked the ending as the finest thing in a good tournament, and revealed possibilities m the Australian which have since been fu.ly j realised. Here are the games: Following is a pretty win scored by the late Richard Jordan, champion of the world, in the early days of his career. Kear s Encyclopaedia" points out that it waß one of Jordan's first published games; being contributed by him to the International Draughts Magazine, January, 1891. The game was played with an Edinburgh player and the win is very neat; but at the critical stage of the ending Jordan’s opponent missed “the essential move," which would have given him a powerful game (see Game 6212), instead of a loss. •Strange to say, "the authorities make only a brief reference to this move, as will be seen in the notes to Game 6212, yet it puts quite a different aspect on the game. It will be seen that the position comes up m various ways—from the regular Ayrshire Lassie,” from the "Denny,” and from the "Chicago Fife.” Game 6211.— "Ayrshire Lassie.”

17 13 23 16 30 26 23 19 W. wins (a) 32 28 is preferable at this stage; in fact, it is ‘•starred" in TeetzeTs ‘'Ayrshire Lassie” compilation in the Canadian Checker Pl (B) ei fhe weak spot in Black’s game, and no doubt it loses. * 15-18 is much stronger, giving White a very critical game. The position seems to be a forced win for White. . (d) Forms Times Problem Go3—White to move and win.— Solution follows. The game following was played between Messrs F. E. Hilliker (Dunedin) and H. Egan (Melbourne), at Dunedin, N.Z., m the 1911 tourney for the championship of Australasia. It soon crosses into the "Player - Jordan game, and proves quite a different proposition for the Black pieces. Score:

Game 6212— " Denny.” Black—Hilliker!' White-Egan.

(A) This is the same as Game 6211 at (a). (b) "The essential move” that makes Black’s prospects look very bright. The Edinburgh player moved 14-17 against Jordan and lost. (C) 25-22, 18-25, 29-22, 14-17, 21-14, 10-26, 30-23, 9-14, and in his notes in The Draughts World, January, 1912, where the game appears—a little mutilated—Mr Hilliker says: "Black for choice.” (d) At this stage the Scottish Draughts Quarterly leaves it with: "and White draws with careful play," a remark also quoted by Dr Schaefer in his "Chicago Fife” Book. Something similar is said in Vol. 8 of the "Encyclopaedia,” but neither of the three works goes any further in the matter. In lieu of 27-24, however, 25-22 is also auoted by Schaefer as a lose for White—see Var. 1. (e) Leaves a very awkward ending for White. (?) Forms Times Problem 664 —White to move and dfaw. Solution follows. (o) The Otago Witness said of the ending at this stage: "Here the onlookers were pretty unanimous that the game was over, and a Black win. They were therefore eurprised. and moved of! to analyse the position when Egan played 21-17.” (H) 15-18, 17-14 f 10-17, 18-9, 6-14, 11-7, 2-11 8-18 is a neat draw. In lieu of 15-18 or 10-6, Black can try Mi but White is quite Mf«. /

(I) 11-15, 14-17, 15-22, 17-26, fo, 26-22, 1-6, and Black wins by the last stage of “first position.” (j) White is under pressure until the very last move. If White fails to take advantage of the 24-28 escape, and moves 24-19, the resulting win for Black makes a fine little study. Variation 1. Off note (d), 27-24.

—Wendemuth and Gilday.— (x) The Encyclopedia, Vol. 8, gives 24-19, etc., by J. Hynd, to draw, and, at 16-12, is shown a Black win for 13-9. DRAUGHTS ITEMS. A match between North and South of England took place at the Junior Training HaQ, Wolford street, Leicester, on Whit Monday. Owing to the unsatisfactory railway connections the attendance from the North was not so good as had been expected. There were 29 players a-side, and at the close of play the score was:—South, 19 wins; North 16; drawn, 20. R. T. Ward, who captained the South, beat T. Briggs by 1 win to 0 and a draw. The English Draughts Association afterwards held their halt-yearly meeting, to which all players were invited, Mr J. H. Bruce, Sheffield, president, presiding. Mr Ashworth presented a financial report of the England v. Scotland match, showing a deficit of £6. Mr Chisman, Leicester, reported subscriptions of £ll towards the expenses of the North v. South match. After some discussion it was decided that the first British Championship be held at Sheffield during Easter Week 1# 1926. It is hoped there will be a good entry from Scotland as well as Wales and Ireland. The meeting also approved the idea of Great Britain v. America match to take place in America during the autumn of 1926. Mr Ashworth, of Harle Syke, was appointed secretary pro tem., subject to next annual meeting voting a yearly honorarium. The secretary was requested to send a challenge to Wales. In the May number of the Morris-Systems Checkerist, Mr N. W. Banks writes:—“Mr R. Stewart has offered very reasonable terms and has acted the part of a true sportsman in venturing to visit America in defence of his title. I would suggest that the Executive Committee of the A.C.A. get busy at once and select an -America representative to meet him. If Mr Gonotzky feels at this time that he wants to meet Mr Stewart I will J give him first choice. I in turn will meet the winner. In case Mr Gonotzky does not care to meet Mr Stewart, or the association does not care to select any other representative, I will gladly open negotiations to meet him in a return match. If I am successful! 1 shall be willing to defend my title in any part of the world under reasonable conditions." __ A Glasgow player, in the Herald, points out that the reason why James Wyllie did not play in the 1884 international match with England was that he was touring America at the time. R. Jordan was unable to take part in the 1899 contest because he was busy meeting all comers in Australia. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. Problem 5917 (By S. S. Brown)—Black: 25, 7,9, 11, 16, 20 21; White: 17, 18, 24, 25 , 27, 28, 29, 30. Black to pl*y and win. 11 15 2 6 913 13 22 532 16 23 18.11 11 22 9 25 18 24 19 B. wins

Black: White Edinburgh Plaj er.” R. Jordan 14 11 16 15 18 18 23 9 14 17 21 18 24 20 26 23 26 19 27 23 26 23 10 17 11 1 6 14 17-B 6 9 2L.25-D 19 3 23 4 24 31 26-a 21 14 13 6 22 17 12 19 8 11 15 9 18 2 9 13 22 24 8 19 32 28 25 22-c 16 12 12 8 26 30 a 14 8 11 18 25 9 13 3 12 28 24 22 17 19 16 29 22 19 16 23 18 30 26 5 9 12 19 5 9 14 17 22 26 24 19

10 14 8 11 18 25 23 18 15 19 21 14 01 to 19 16 29 22 16 12 12 1 6 8 3 11 15 12 19 14 17 18 14 19 23 6 10 22 17 23 16 21 14 12 8 16 19 3 7 6 10 18 23-2 9 25 6 10 .23 2G 10 15 17 13 26 19 30 21-e 8 3 19 23 7 11 10 15 18-b 19 23 10 15 26 30 15 18 28 24 19 15-c 28 24 3 8 23 18 1-11 16 8 11 10 19 23 27 14 10-r 30 25 18 23 23 19 24 8 24 19 21 17-0 11 8 16 19 4 8 3 19 27 31 10 6-B 25 21 23 27 26 23 27 24-d 20 16 8 3 18 14 19 24 15 18 7 10 31 27 6 1 5 9 27 32 31 26-* 24 16 19 15 3 8 14 5 J-24 28 11 15 10 19 27 23 2 6 Draw. 32 28 25 22 15 11 8 12

25 22 14 17 30 21 19 23 19 16 2 11 18 25 21 14 7 11 24 19 23 27 28 24 29 22 9 25 27 24 6 10 16 7 10 15 Black wins.— J. P. Reed. Variation 2. Off Game 6212 at 21st move— 18-23. 14 17 29 22 17 21 24 19 3 12 16 12 21 14 9 14 1$ 9-k 15 24 19 16 11 15 10-17 27 23 14 17 28 19 12 19 12 8 25 22 6 10 22 13 2 6 23 16 etc. 18 25 16 12 5 14 12 8 14 18 Draw.