DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3833, 30 August 1927, Page 69

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BY

JAS. BEECOT.

6«lu»i»ns of problems, games, «nd analyses Invited for this oolumn. Game* should be written in six column* as baiow, and all correspondence addressed to the Draught* Editor, Otago VfitneßO Office, Dunedin.

PROBLEM 6135. By A. Shepherd, Morven. Black on 18, 19, 22, 23.

White on 28, Kings 13, 30. Elack to move ; White to draw. I reproduce the above problem from a very old file of the Witness, with the terms ’* Black to move and win.” Mr Shepherd did not see the solution given, but maintains the position is a draw, and gives some interesting play to prove it. PROBLEM 6136. Author Unknown. Black on 9, 10, 11 12.

White on 18, 20, 27, 32. White to move and draw. The above gem is taken from the Draughts Review. It is a natural setting, and looks hopeless for White. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A. S., Morven.—Thanks for two budgets of play and analysis. See s> lution of Problem 6131. Can you correct it? A. E. G., Petone. —Game and analysis received. Correspondence games always welcome. L. F. E., Enfield.—Suggested play received and noted. J. 8., New Plymouth.—Your play in Problem C 129 is correct. You will notice the terms were Black to win. Souter, Dunedin. —Hope to hear oftener from you. After 3 7 play 14 18, 7 10, 12 8, 11 4, 18 15, 10 14, 15 11, and White draws. Is this right? W. O'M., Port Chalmers. —Thanks for second problem ; always welcome.

GAMES. Probably most of my readers will remember that our well-known contributor, Mr Jas. Bruce, of New Plymouth, paid a visit to America in 1915. He carried a letter of introduction from the late Mr D. A. Brodie to Mr O. J. Darling, of San Francisco, with whom the former had been in correspondence. Mr Darling, who has also passed away, introduced Mr Bruce to the president of the Technical Institute, where all sorts of games were played, including draughts. Our friend contested games with some of the leading San Francisco players, putting wins to his credit. W’hile there, Mr Bruce was shown a game which Mr O. J. Darling won from Mr N. Banks, the American match champion, and has kindly sent it to me for publication. Game Gs3B—“ Cross.” 11 15, 23 18 line. Black : N. W. Banks. White : O. J. Darling.

Notes by Draughts Editor. (a) This is an old line of play, but it is not recommended. 18 14 is known as the •• W’aterloo.” (u) 30 26 is the more usual. (C) 9 13 appears to draw easily here. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. Problem 6131 (by W. O’Malley). Black 1,3, 28, King 16; White 15, Kings 9, 14, 27. Black to move and win : 16 19 28 32 1 5 5 9 3 7 19 1 14 10 27 31 9 13 13 6 10 38. wins Problem 6132 (by A. Roach). Black on 5, 8. 11. 16, 18. 22, Kings 24, 26, 32; W’hite on 9, 14, 23, 27, 31, Kings 6, 15, 20. White to move and - win :

KEEN CRITICISMS AND ANALYSIS. Mr L. F. Elliot, Enfield, writes;—At the 19th move of Game 6534, played between Messrs Brown and Penman, we have the following position—Black 1,2, 3,6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 20; 'White 13, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27. 28, 30, 31, 32. White to move. Instead of 30 26, as played, go 19 15, 10 26, 17 10. 6 15, 30 14. and where is the draw for Black? As the game to this stage is well-known published play, the draw will be there, but our correspondent’s suggestion will make an interesting variation. Will either Mr Penman or Mr Brown favour us with it. — Draughts Editor. Mr A. E. Greenwood, Petone, writes :—On Julv 19 I gave play showing a draw in Game 6507. On . August 9 Mr Shepherd endeavoured to correct my play by showing a

Black win ; his play Is, however, in error. Take the original position at the 31st move of game—Black 3. 5,6, 7, 12, 17, 20; White on 14, 18, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32. White to move :

(a) My play to draw. (b) Mr Shepherd's move to win for Black. (c) This draws and corrects Mr Shepherd. (d) If 3 8, 28 24, 7 11, 14 10, 11 18, 10 1, 18 22, 23 18, 8 11, 19 15, 11 16, 15 11, 22 25, 18 14, 25'29, 1 6, 29 25, 6 9, 25 22, 9 13. W. wins. Re Mr Allan’s criticism of Game 6520. At the 12th move this position stands: Black 2,5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 20 ; W’hite on 18, 19, 21. 22, 23, 27, 30. Black to move. Instead of 27, which allows a W’hite win, 10 14 seems stronger; thus 10 14, 30 25, 26, 19 15, 12 16, 15 10, 6 15, 18 11, 20 24, 27 20, 14 17, 21 14, 9 27. Drawn. Mr Shepherd, Morven, writes;—Re my Problem 6129. Mr O’Malley says it is identical at the 17th move with a problem in Gould’s Problem Book. I may say that I got the idea from Problem 5767, Otago Witness, by " Hazam,” published on July 24, 1923. I saw that by setting the problem back several moves some pretty variations were brought in. Re my Problem 6117, which two correspondents corrected. The Black piece on 11 should have been printed as a King, and thus my original solution stands good. Re Problem 6127 (by W T . D. Benstead). At the 12th move this is the position : Black 8, King 16 ; W’hite Kings 10, 23. White to play and win. 23 27 is played, but this can be improved by 10 14 running into easy first position endings. Re Problem 6128 (by J. L. W’ood). Here appears to be a dual solution by 1 6, 10 1, 19 15, 1 6, 14 17, 30 26, 21 25, 6 9, 15 19, 9 14, 17 21. 14 18, 25 30, 18 23, 19 24. Crown the piece on 21 and Black wins.

TALKS TO STUDENTS BY J. A. BOREHAM. FIFTH ARTICLE OF THE SERIES. This article deals with what I consider should be classed as the fifth position. I am taking Problem 899 in Gould’s Problem Book, by F. N. Johnson ; it is well known as Johnson's sition. My reason for taking it is because it contains in its solution so many fine points, which embrace and are included in what I designate as “ Bowen’s Exercises,” which I have frequently ex-

plained during my tours of the South Island. Now set the positio.. of this, No. 899, G.P.B. ; Black Kings 14. 15, 22; White man 29, Kings 6, 7. Black to move and win. Bowen’s No. 596 in the same book : Black Kings 10, 11, 14; W’hite man 21, Kings 1, 4. Either to move. Black to win. Also No. 597 by the same author: Black Kings 10, 11, 14 ; White man 21, Kings 1, 3. Either to move. Black to win. It will be seen at once that either of Bowen's positions may evolve from No. 899 ; therefore I take them in conjunction, as each is essential to the other, and to understand the various good things that may crop up out of these two master positions, I want our s'udents to follow me closely in the following c .planation : First, take Bowen's 896 and 897 with the man in both cases held on 29 instead of 21 (quite a common end game), and set the position as follows : Black Kings 10, 11, 22 ; W’hite man 29, Kings 1, 4. Either to move, and Black wins. This is quite a different setting to either Bowen’s or Johnson's, but I adopt it for explanatory purposes. All through these explanations I want the student to look upon the pieces on 1 10, 22 29 as stationary, and the bound King on 4 held by King on 11, as the lesson. Now memorise this so that you will know it always. W’hen this W’hite King is held on 4, Black can win, whoever moves first. W’hen held on 3, either to move and Black wins. Now on 2 (remember this) Black can only win without the move. W’hite to move here, and Black can't win. Now take the King from 2 to 12 (and this is important and extra useful for the weak side to know), with the 'White King held on 12 (and it can often get to 12 when it is impossible to get to 2), it is a draw' if Black has the move; but it is a win for Black if W’hite has the move.

Now, we will shift the pieces on 11 and 12 to 19 and 20. and here it is a Black win whichever plays fir>t. Again shift from 19 and 20 to 23 and 30, and I can tell you that this is nearly as useful to know as when the W’hite King is held on 12 or 2. It is only a draw if Black has the move, but a Black win when W’hite has the move. I will explain the play in solutions in my next article, but would like the students to try them out for themselves in the meantime. Sorry I had to prepare this article hurriedly, but when the data herein contained is understood by the student, he will be much advanced in his play.

As a supplement I give a couple of nice problems for students. They are twins, and I think they should be interesting (see diagrams). The finale is practically the same, but on different sides of the board. DIAGRAM 1. DIAGRAM 2. Black 23, Kings 8, Black on 22, Kings 30. 9, 31.

W’hite 21, Kings 29, W’hite on 24, Kings 31. 27, 30. White to move and W’hite to move and win. win.

The Draughts Editor has handed me the following query from a correspondent: Re Bridge positions;—Take Petterson’s Drawbridge—a beautiful position: Black on 1 3 18, King on 26; White on 9, 10, ~0, •>1 ’ W’hite to play and draw. White has the move. Now. if Black moves first, can W’hite still draw? One w’ould think that Black should win with the move in his favour. It is a Black win, as under:

11 15 10 15 2 9 11 18 5 9 24 27 23 18 32 28 20 11 22 6 24 20 1 6 8 11 6 10 8 22 1 10 9 13 27 31 26 23-a 22 17 30 25 24 19 20 16 6 9 10 14 15 22 22 26 14 18 10 15 31 27 24 19-b 25 18 31 22 25 22 19 10 9 18 15 24 3 8 4 8 18 25 12 19 W . wins 27 20 17 13 23 19 29 22 10 6 7 10 11 16 8 11-c 9 14 19 24 28 24 13 6 19 15 28 24 6 1

15 19 26 19 20 24 5 14 6 2 24 15 10 7 19 28 3 19 22 25 14 10 32 23 7 3 IS 22 2 7 W. wins

18 15-a 14 7 12 8 19 16 16 11 17 21-b 3 26 30 26 14 18 25 30 32 28-C 30 23 8 3 7 10 11 7 12 16-u 21 25 6 9 18 22 30 25 19 12 23 19 3 7 10 14 7 7 10 25 30 9 14 22 25 25 22 —2 6. Drawn.

29 30 26 27 23 23 27 8 11 22 25 9 14 26 31 25 22 26 30 24 19 30 26 11 15 31 26 31 26 W. wins 21 17 W. wins

26 22 26 30 23 19 14 9 23 26 17 14 9 6 6 9 6 7 11 21 17 11 18 23 30 26 22 18 9 6 26 22 1 5 6 9 66 2 11 15 17 13 B.wi ins 23 26 26 23 18 14 19 23 22 17 2 6 6 o 2 7 20 16 16 11