DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 69

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BY

JAS. BEECOT.

Celutiens of problems, games, end analyses in* vlied for this column. Gnmcv should be written .1" columns as below, and all correspondence addressed to the Draught* Editor. Otago Witness * Office, Dunedin. - w

PROBLEM 6073. By J. O. Brown, Edinburgh. (From Manchester Weekly Times.) Black on 3,5, King 2.

White on 13, 15, 26. White to move and draw. A critical correction of a published problem.

PROBLEM 6074. By Percy M. Bradt. Black men on 13, 21.

White Kings on 14, 32. ; White to move and win. '• TO CORRESPONDENTS.' G. A. 8., Christchurch;— New address noted. Progress.—See this week’s issue. Other remarks noted. Thanks. J. 8., New Plymouth.—Your letter ■ received and information noted. You are correct in solution of Problem 6065. ' J. A., Wyndham.—Play received with thanks. ERRATUM. In publishing a copy of the letter sent to Mr H. D. Egan in our last issue, the last sentence was made to convey a wrong meaning, by using the word Australian instead of Australasian. The sentence should have read thus:-—“The question of the Australasian title is in no wise involved.” GAMES. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP. The following pair of games were played in the preliminary rounds of the above tourney held in Dunedin during Easter, 1926: — Game 6460—“ Edinburgh.” 9 13, 21 17 line. Black: G. M> Longstaff. White: J. A Murdoch. 9 13 4 8 10 19 2 6-c 1 6 3 19 21 17 26 23 30 26 29 25 27 24 25 21 11 15 15 19-B 6 10 11 16-n 8 12 6 10 25 21 23 16 17 14 27 23 24 15 18 15 8 11 12 19 10 17 6 9 7 10' 10 14 23 18-a 24 15 21 14 32 27 14 7 22 17 W. wins Notes by Draughts Editor. (a) There is nothing ~Ber strong as 17 14 here. (b) Mr Longstaff takes the best line. (c) 1 6 as played in a game between Messrs Freeman and Barker is the correct move. (n) Black might draw here by 19 23, 26 19, 6 10. Game 6461—“ Edinburgh.” 9 13, 21 17 line. Black: J. A.-Murdoch. White: G. M. Longstaff. 9 13 8 15 16 20 9 14 6 9 14 23 21 17 24 19 26 23 25 21 19 15 B. wins 11 15 16 23 20 27 4 8 11 18 23 18-a 27 11 31 24 23 19 22 6 12 16 7 16 59 8 11 13 22 18 11 28 24-b 32 28 30 25 25 18 (a) This move is weak. There is no need to get away from 25 21 here. (b) White allows himself to get tangled in the Single Corner. 22 18 would relieve the cramp somewhat. ■ ENGLISH SIMULTANEOUS GAME.,' Below I give an example which will show the keenness of the play in the simultaneous .exhibition given ,J>y Mr S. Cohen (English champion) at Cheltenham, when he won 23 games, drew two, and lost two. His opponent was Mr C. F. Carter, of Winchester, former secretary of the English Draughts Association. Game 6462—" Double Corner.” . 9 14, 22- 17 line. Black: C.~F. Carter. White: S. Cohen. - 9 14 14 17 3 7 14 17-H 12 19 6 15 22 17-A 21 14 20 11 31 26-1 23 7 26 22 11 16 9 25 8 24 11 15 2 11 18 25 24 19-B 29 22 27 20 32 27-J 22 18 n-30 14~ 5 9-c 10 14-b i " 4 8 15 24 10 15 Drawn 17 13 28 24-f 23 19 28 19 18 14 1 5-d 7 10-g 8 11. 7 11 15 18 25 22 24 20 26 23 19 16-k 14 10 - ’* .. •' Notes by -Mr S. Cohen. . . . (a) This reply ty the "Double Coinef” . brings . out some fine mid-game combinations well -worth the • attention of the student and expert. ... • ■ .• 7'. ; (b). Made to prevent. Black' “Dyking? ' by 16 19, which, forces an easy going gaffie; with

few winning opportunities for either side. (c) Very unusual on this formation, and seldom tried. ' It, however, is quite good enough for a draw, though not to be recommended to the student. (d) Now a variation of the “Denny” opening as favoured by James, Ferrie, of. Glasgow,' a former . world’s champion, and John F. Horr, the noted American master, and brought up thus: 10 14, 22 17, 6 10, 17 13, 1 6, 24 19, 11 16, 25 22, 14 17, etc. _(e) Varies from 8 11 as adqpted in the Long v. Horr match games by the latter, when White obtained a strong game by 22 17. (f) 19 15 leads to some interesting play. (g) Probably better than 16 20 when White secures a good game by 32 28. (h) Well played, showing good judgment on my opponent's part. c (1) Nothing better. I (j) Seems forced. If 19 -16, .-12 19, 23 16, t 7 11, 16 7,2 11, and Black should win. 1 (k) 22 IS also draws; but 23 18 loses as * follows. . < 23 18 26 23 23 7 20 16 11 7 B. wins 1 10 14 17 26 2 11 15 19 14 17 "18 9 19 16 30 23 16 11 7 2 1 5 14 12 19 11 15 19 26 6 10 (l) A very fine game. Mr Carter has conducted the Black forces in masterly style, avoiding the numerous pitfalls that this variation permits of. —(From Reynolds’s II- ] lustrated News). ' CRITICISMS? Re Mr James Bruce’s prize problem: In the author’s solution the following position is arrived at: Black on 3, 13, 14, Kings 18, 27, White on 20, 21, 30, Kings 1, 11 White to play. Mr Bruce plays 1 5, and leaves the position as drawn. Before the solution appeared'in print, Mr Jos. Allan sent in play also arriving at the position as above, but instead of 1 5 he plays 11 16. Whether the two moves 1 5 or 11 16 makes any difference to the result, we would like the critics to decide. Mr Allan says he believes the problem to bo a Black win, but, it is a laborious business, and would fill a volume with' variations. Following is Mr Allan’s play for a Black win: — 11 16 9 14 5 9 9 5 23 IS 17 22 27 23 18 22 31 26 18 14 12 16 16 12 I 5 14 9 9 5 5 1 18 14 15 19 18 15 22 26 26 22 14 9. 16 12 1 6 5 9 9 5 5 9 16 12 13 17 5 1 14 18 26 31 22 18 ' 9 5 12 16 6 2 « B. wins SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. Problem 6069 (by Jas. Murray).—Black Kings 11, 14; White 21, Kings 2, 6. White to move and win. 6 1 2 6 A 1 5 6 9 21 17-c 914 II 15 15 18 18 15-b 15. 18 14 21W. wins (a) If 1 5 then 15 10, or if 27, then 15 18, 7 11, 14 9, 1 5, 9 14, etc. (B) 14 17, 21 14, 18 2, 5 1. W. wins. (c) 9 13 allows B' to draw by 14 10, etc. Problem 6970 (By A. Mann). —Black on 2,4, 7, 13, 16, Kings 24, 29, 31; White on 8, 11, 15, 21, 23, 30, Kings 1, 9. White to move and win. 30 26 15 10 9 25 23 18 8 3 3 28 31 22 7 14 29 22 22 15 15 8W wins ITEMS OF INTEREST. A meeting of the Central Executive of the New Zealand Draughts Association has been called for Saturday evening, January , 29, at 8 o’clock. The meeting will be held in the club room at Mr H. Divers’, Princes “ street. DRAUGHTS. TOURNEYS OR BURLESQUE. TO THE EDITOR.

Snr, —What’s amiss with the mental calibre OJ New Zealand draughts players? All this piffle talk about three-day tournaments and one game to a round business. Hitherto, it has been understood, tournaments were primarily to develop champion players, but evidently, now, tourneys are to be held to divide up the prize money with as little effort and stress as possible. Shades of the past! What of the tourney struggles that produced the Brodies and Gardiners, the Hillikers and Borehams? No draughts tourney lotteries did that! “Tourneys to last three days, and one game to a round." Surely people making such silly propositions do not understand anything about the game. Future champions of any quality will not be developed by such burlesque gatherings. These who want easy division of the prize money on lottery principles ought to advocate that each would-be competitor forward his entrance money (£1) to the committee, and that then"the prizes be balloted for under the supervision of the newly-arisen geniuses. This would also save travelling expenses and loss of time at present entailed. If it’s to be a burlesque and lottery do it properly. But all admirers and lovers of the game of draughts will say, "No! a thousand tynes no.” Let the New Zealand draughts tourneys continue to be real tussles and tests of playing ability and endurance, arid so tend always tc develop and draw the best players.—l am, etc., Progress.