DRAUGHTS

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 73

DRAUGHTS

CONDUCTED BY

JAS. BEECOT.

Solutions of problems, games, and analyses art Invited for this column. Games should be written |n si* columns as below, and all correspondent addressed to the Draughts Editor, Otago Witness Office. Dunedin.

PROBLEM 5997.

By

W. J. What.

(Falkirk Mail.)

Black on 2,5, King 27.

White on 12, 15, 19. B’ack to play and win,

PROBLEM 5998.

By

F. Oliveb,

London.

Black on 3,9, 11, 13, 15, 22. 26, Kings 1, 32.

White on 6, 10, 18, 21, 23, 27, 29, 30, Kings 12, 24.

Black to play and win. A brilliant* and complicated problem,

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

J. O'N.. Waitati.—Your problem will appear next week. A. R. M., Waipukurau.—At the fourth move of your solution, instead of Black taking 7 14 he can take 8 15. Then Whtie must take 10 3, and the “stroke” won't come off. Always pleased to hear from you; P. K. K., Wellington.—Have written you. G. A. 8., Christchurch.—Games received write again. J. A. S., Mossburn.—Thanks for letter. I " will be pleased to get book, as I have not Been it. G. C., Moonlight.—Thanks for problem. Will examine play. GAMES. Following are two of the games played between Messrs G. A. Brown (Christchurch), winner, and W. M'Kinna (Gore) in the final round of the New Zealand Championship just concluded at Dunedin. Game 6327—“8ri5t01.” Brown. Black. M'Kinna, White. 11 16 30 26 811 22 18 17 22 15 19 22 18 9 13 22 18 1 5 10 15 23 18 10 14-a 18 9 2 6 19 15 22 26 14 10 26 22 13 22 18 14 16 19 18 14 59 16 20 25 18 10 17 23 16 26 31 10 6 24 19-b 514 21 14 12 28 27 23 914 811 18 9 13 17 15 8 31 26 6 2 28 24-c 613 26 22 610 23 19 24 27 7 10 29 25 17 26 8 3 26 23 32 23 22 17-D 11 16 31 22 10 17 19 16 f-18 27 4 8 25 22 3 7 3 10 E-20 24 Drawn (Annotated by Mr G. A. Brown.) - (a) If 8 11, then 18 14 is best for White. (b) 22 17 is a good 'alternative here, and holding back the man on 24. (c) The idea of this move is to entice 11 16. (d) 11 16 loses. (e) This is Black's best move. (f) A well-played game.—Ed. Game 6328 —“Bristol.” M'Kinna, Black. Brown, White. 11 16 22 17 613 18 2 30 25 914 22 18 710 29 25-b 16 30 31 27 18 22 10 14 30 26 2 7-c 25 22-d 25 22 14 18 24 19 9 13-A 32 28 1 5-e 27 24 22 25 8 11 18 9 11 15 24 19 22 18 15 11 26 22 13 22 25 22 10 14 19 16 W. wins 4 8 25 18 8 11 18 9 12 26 28 24 5 14 23 18 5 14 31 15 16 20 18 9 11 16 27 23 14 18 (a) Both plaj-ers adopted text; 11 16 is now quite safe. (b) 32 28 is the popular reply at this point. (c) This move is not given in the books, but the two next moves bring the game back to published play. (d) If 24 19, Black plays 20 24, and White has to struggle to get the draw. (e) Losing move. 12 16 is the move to draw. The following game, taken from Reynolds’, waa played in the tourney for the Canadian championship recently. Mr S. Cohen, the editor of the abovementioned column says: “It contains a brilliant finish, which I think will prove interesting as well as instructive to all grades of players.” Game 6329—“Ke150.” Black, Mr New. White, Rev. Edgar. 10 15 22 15 6 9 23 19 27 31 22 17 24 20 10 28 81 27 1 5 11 15 13 22 710 25 22 10 14 48 28 32 25 18 28 24 11 15 27 24 31 27 19 16 A-3 8 913 26 23 4 8 32 23 32 27 12 3 28 19 610 20 16 14 17 15 19 26 30 12 16 23 18 11 27 21 14 2 7 310 39 12 811 18 4 927 30 25 27 23 16 18 27 23 ,27 31 811 81 26 19 26 then 80 7. Black wins. (a) Leads to a pretty finish.

BEGINNERS’ SECTION. The following (in which Barker beat Reed) it an example of bow the greatest sometimes get trapped. It i* well worth knowing*

Game 6330—" Dundee.” 12 16 22 17 7 16 23 16 4 8 22 17 24 20-a 3 8 24 20-G 12 19 27 23 31 22 812 26 22-d 15 19-b 17 13 F-19 24 W. wins 28 24-b 11 15 2011 5 9 31 27 9 14 c 20 11 8 15 30 26 24 31 (a) Regarded as one of the weakest of the regular openings, but difficulties are being gradually cleared up for Black. (b) White endeavours to hold a grip on the cramped piece on 12. (c) This ie probably best, though 3 8 is coming into favour rapidly. (d) A fine attack used by Barker against Reed. (E) The most natural move, but White wins brilliantly. This stroke has to be watched at various points. 16 19 is the correct continuation for the draw. (F) If 8 12, 23 16. 12 19, 31 27, 1 5, or 27, 27 23, wins similarly. (a) A. B. Scott the well-known Scottish master, adopted 23 18 with success on more than one occasion. AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP. The above tourney has just been completed at Adelaide; following are the first four prize-winners with their scores:— Champion, H. Egan (Vic.), 10 wins, 20 draws, three loses; second, V. Richards (N.S.W.), eight wins, 13 draws, five loses; third, J. Boyles (Victoria), six wins, 32 draws, three loses; fourth, J. Armstrong (Vic.), eight wins, 22 draws, four loses. Mr Egan, the winner, made his first appearance in big tournaments in 1906, when at the age of 17. he competed in the Victorian championship. His record is as follows: 1909, Brisbane, unplaced (won losers’ consolation;; 1911, Dunedin, fifth; 1913, Sydney, first; 1915, Melbourne, thira; 1917, did not compete; 1920, Brisbane, first; 1922, Sydney, first; 1921. Melbourne, first; 1926. Adelaide, first He has also won eight Victorian championships and been third in such contests on three occasions. AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP ENDINGS. / Following are a few end games in the above contest. The first is the ending of the game which decided the championship in Mr Egan’s favour: Bovles (While), 13, 19 , 21, 22, 23, 26, 27,. 32, (White), 14, 18, 21, 24, 26, 27, 29. Black to play. 7 10, 14 7 3 10, 26 23 , 9 14, 18 9, 5 14, 21 17-a, 14 21, 23 18-A. Egan won. (a) Moves to win. The following is the winning game. V. Richards (N.S.W.) v. J. Boyles (Vic.). Richards (Black), 1,3, 7,8, 10. 12, 14, 20; Boyles (White), 13, 19, 21, 22. 23, 26, 27, 32. White to play: 13 5 22 17 32 16 22 17 9 6 6 9 811 14 18 520 24 27 31 26 22 27 31 19 16 16 12 17 14 14 10 6 2 9 13 12 19 15 19-A 11 20 714 20 21 31 26 23 16 27> 23 26 22 17 10 2 6 13 9 10 15 18 27 24 27 31 26 24 27 26 23 then 9 6, 23 18. Black wins. (a) 18 22 allows White to draw by 12 8. Armstrong (Vic), Black, 1,2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; Moodie (Tas.), White, 19, 21, 23, 25 . 27, 31, 32. White to play. 25 22-a 9 14-b 27 24 10 17 24 20 27 24 11 15 18 9 2 7 21 14 27 32 20 6 32 28 1 5 23 18 15 18 7 3 24 20 15 24 31 26 14 23 14 10 22 25 15 11 28 19 514 22 17 18 22 3 8 c-25 30 811 26 22 711 10 7 32 27 B wins 22 18 11 15 17 14 23 27 8 15 (a) 23 18 is best. (b) The move that wins. (c) 20 24 allows a draw. A good end game between J. Boyles (Vic.) and J. Armstrong (Vic.). Boyles (Black), 5, 8,9, 10. 16; Armstrong (White), 18. 23, 25, 27, 28. White to play: 27 24-a 15 10 22 17 2 7 23 18 18 14 16 20 14 17 25 30 14 17 26 23 19 16 24 19 10 6-b 17 13 710 19 15 Drawn 812 17 21 914 17 21 23 19 18 15 *25 22 6 2 10 14 14 10-C 10 14 21 25 30 26 21 25 20 24 (a) 25 22, 10 14, 2S 24, 16 20, 24 19, 8 12, Black wins. (b) 25 21 is a short d-aw. (c) Only move to draw. NOTES. The Draughts Review for March is to hand from the publishers (this is No. 3 of Vol. II). ar.d is replete with the usual good things to interest and instruct the student or the expert It contains over twenty games with annotations, principally Scottish championship, and Bryant’s correspondence tournaments, also a fine selection of problems. The Review mentions that attention is being focused on the first British championship tourney to be played at Sheffield at Easter (we should soon be getting particulars of this tourney.—Ed.), and hopes are expressed that Wales and Ireland should each send at least one man to join in the general melee. It also refers to a special meeting of the Scottish Draughts Association, whose secretary read a long letter f’om U.S.A. dealing with the coming British v. American contest. The S.D.A. also referred to the great loss draughts had sustained through the untimely death of Mr H. T. Shearer, of Dundee, at the early age of 52 Mr Shearer was undoubtedly a master in all branches of the game He was a skilled cross-board exponent of the highest rank, one of the pioneers of simultaneous blindfold play, and a fine problemist, a profound analyst, and last, but not least, a successful author and first class draughts journalist. He was the author of the well-known Handbook (now out of print), one of the most original and valuable works ever compiled in connection with the game. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. Problem 5993 (by W. D. Benstead).—Black on 6, 6, 9, Kings 23, 30. White on 13, 14, 18 28, King 15. White to play and draw. 28*24* 26 22 *l6 11 23 19-b 14 10 11 2 30 26 20 16 25 22 15 24 15 11 Drawn 24 20*A 22 25 *ll 7 22 15 10 1 (a) 24 19 , 23 16, 14 10, 16 19, 10 1, 19 10. Black wins. (b) 6 10, *ls 6, 22 15, 14 10, 15 11, 6 2, 9 14. Drawn. Problem 5994 (by D. McKay).—Black on 5, King 2. White on 28, King 10. White to play and win: 28 24, 5 9, 24 19. 9 13, 19 15, 13 17, 10 14, 17 22, 15 10. White wins.