DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3881, 31 July 1928, Page 67

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BY

JAS. BEECOT.

pr ? blemB> games, nnd analyst, tB . O ffl “ U nX he DraUShto Edit ° r * W-

PROBLEM 6251. By W. H. Madill, Coromandel, New Zealam Black 5,7, 20, King 25.

White 6, 27, 31, 32. White to move and win

PROBLEM 6232. By W. H. Madill., Coromandel, New Zealand. Black 1,8, 9, 21, 24, Kings 17, 25.

White 5,7, 19, 20, 28, 30, King 2. White to move and win.

[The above positions are contributed by the author. They originally appeared in an American column edited by the late Hugh Henderson, who made the following remarks concerning them: “ No. 9231 is a very pleasing and useful end-game. The terms are scientifically forced. No. 9232 is a unique. and delightful beauty.” Such praise surely warrants the attention of our solvers, and we invite solutions.— Draughts Editor.] TO CORRESPONDENTS. J. 8., Hull, England.—Review to hand. G. M., Launceston.—Thanks for slips. J. A. 8., Dunedin, J. M‘K., Wellington, J. A., Wyndham, and A. S., Morven.—Solutions to Austral prize problem to hand, and forwarded. H. E., Melbourne.—Slips to hand, with thanks. “ Chequers,” Melbourne.—Thanks for slips received. ' > GAMES. DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIP. The following pair of games were played in the 1927 tourney held at Wellington :— Game 6654—“ Paisley,” Black : G. A. Brown, White : A. Lyon, Christchurch. Marton.

Notes by G. A.* Brown, Champion. (A) Not so strong as 8 11. (B) Better than 8 11. (c) 26 22 is stronger. (d) This probably loses; 30 25 or 22 17 will draw. (e) Essential to the Black win. Game 6655—" Paisley.”

(A) Very weak, turning the game into an " Edinburgh ” ; brought up as follows : 9 13, 22 18, 12 16, 24 19, 8 12. (B) 26. 22 is a very strong move; 18 14 is very popular, but Black gets an equal game by replying 6 9. (c) 5 9 is preferable. (d) 30 25 is stronger. (b) Appears to lose, 11 16 is correct. WITHOUT A KING. It Is not often that a game is played in which a player fails to reach the crowned row. so we give an instance which occurred in America so long ago as 1857 :— Game 6656—" Defiance."

CRITICISMS. Mr G. S. Templeton,* Glenham, writes: Game 6642, L. R. Morris v. J. Shadbolt, the following position is left as a White win: Black 3, 21, 25; White 13, 30, King 6. Black to move. " Now play 3 7, and I would like to see the win demonstrated.” [The game was published complete as recorded on the score sheet, and our correspondent is justified in asking for the win to be shown. Probably the contestants will oblige. We have repeatedly complained about errors and omissions in the score sheets, some of which are quite unintelligible. Tourney committees in the future will, we hope, pay more attention to the recording of the games, and see that It Is done correctly.—Draughts Editor.] A RETROSPECT. The English draughts championship has been decided (says the Manchester Guardian) after a week’s intensive play, and the champion is (though there cannot be much in the advantage Of playing at home) .a Manchester man. Apparently the struggle was a severe one; the six games contested in the final round lasted 13 hours between them. This arduous progress towards victory should do something to correct the notion of the ignorant that draughts is a somewhat trivial game, a poor relation to chess, or a parvenu distantly akin to that miserable pastime, fox and geese. Despite the scorn of the ungodly, draughts has been going steadily on its way since Penelope’s suitors filled in time and delighted their hearts with it in the Halls of Odysseus; but the suitors, although they had plenty of time at their disposal, probably did not enjoy the exacting game known to the moderns. Scientific draughts, of the English or Scottish variety, was not properly worked out until the middle of the nineteenth century, when the openings and their variations were analysed and tabulated. There are 49 possible openings, 47 of which are recognised as sound, and it is the custom that when two evenly-matched opponents persist in drawing, each in turn has to play one of the riskier openings which will either hasten victory' or ensure defeat. All of which is to show that in the draughts championship Manchester has something worth winning. THE CHRISTCHURCH TOURNEY. Following is a • list of subscriptions and donations , (as per lists) received by the treasurer on behalf of the championship tournament recently held at Christchurch Donations: —G. A. Brown, L. R. Morris, C. Millington, W. Young, each £5; R. Betting £3 ; J. Shadbolt and Christchurch Working Men’s Club, each £2 2s; H. Anderson, T. Costello, F. K. Kelling, and" J. K. Archer, each £1 Is; J. Gardiner and R. C. Watson, each £1 ; D. C., J. A.S., C. S., and W. H. 8., each 10s; J. T., 6s; F. 8., A. S., D. N H and J. A., each ss; R. C. C., 4s. Per Mr C. Millington :—C. M. and W. F each ss; A. J. W„ J. R. M„ S. W„ A. A., F. L., S. W., H. V., each 2s 6d; T. J. A. W. L„ J. A., F. J. W„ C. J. 8., J- J., H. 8., J. G., each 2s; and 39 at Is. Total, £4 2s 6d. Per Mr J. Leggatt:—J. L., T. R., F. M„ P. S. W , E. L., J. H. L., each 5s ; E. W. E., 2s 6d ; H. M’M., J. S., F. M., R. C., R. H, W- E - C-, J - G-. S. F. D., A. B„ H. J. S. C. R. R., each 2s 6d ; P. M‘G., E. S., G. H. J- each 2s; and 5 at ls - Total, £3 13s. Per Mr W. B. Rendall :—W. B. R 21s • P. C. G., 20s; D. H. R., 10s 6d; W. W., W. S. w „ T - R-, J- A. L„ D. R„ J. A. 8., each ss; J. M„ D. N. W„ R. M‘D., each 2s 6d. Total, £4 9s. Per Mr H. Holden :—R. C., W. M., J. C C. S., R. B„ each 2s 6d; W. O’M., 3s;' F. J„ F. P„ W. T., N. D„ J. C., J. S., H. H., M. C., each 2s; K. A., ss; and 34 at Is each. Total, £3 10s 6d. Per Mr E. Gibbard :—E. G., 21s ; G. R J. H. jun., each ss; J. E. H., P. L , A W S. A. N. B„ E. A., each 2s 6d;’ J. d' 2s. Total, £2 5s 6d. ~ Per Mr W. H. Templeton:—J. H. and W. H. T., each 2s 6d; G. D., 2s; and 25 at Is each. Total, £1 12s. Per Mr W. Davis: —J. W. and W. D.. each ss; J. C., 4s; F. C., A. L. P., C. A., W. S., T. C. S., and A. W., each 2s 6d; G. W. 2s. Total, £1 Ils. Per. Mr A. Lyon, W. H. 8., A. L.« D. G., R. H. C., each 10s. Total, £2. Per Mr F. Hutchins :—F. H., 10s ; J. M’P., G. A. 8., T. H., T. D. L., each ss. Total, £1 10s.

Per'Mr Jas. Beecot:—J. 8., F. E. H., R. M., W. M., -each ss. Total, £l. Per Mr S. J. Crook :—“ Old 14th,” " Ills,” each 10s; C. W„ ss. Total, £1 ss. Per Mr A. MacDonald :—A. MacD., 10s; T. L. W., A. N., each ss. Total, £1 Per Mr P. J. Molloy:—D. J. M„ ss; R. F., and E. M., each 2s 6d; M'G., Is. Total, Ils. Per Mr M'Clatchey:—W. M'C., 20s; -W. H., Is. Total, £1 Is. . Per Mr W’m. Penman:—W. P., ss; T. 8., Is. Total, 6s. Per Mr A. G. Norton: —l2 at Is each. Total, 12s. Per Mr J. O’Neill: —J. O’N., ss; and 10 at Is. Total, 15s. Per Mr K. Manson: —K. M., E. 8., J. M‘K„ each 2s 6d; T. 8., 2s; and 6 at Is each. Total, 15s 6d. Per Mr L. R. Morris.—W. B„ ss. Per Mr H. Morris:—H. M., 10s J. A. M., 2s 6d; J. O’N., 2s. Total, 14s 6d. Per Mr J. E. Cooper:—J. P. W„ 5s ; J. E. C., 2s Cd; and 3 at Is each. Total, 10s 6d. . ■ Total donations and subscriptions, £72 17s 7d.

11 16 8 11 . Il 18 16 20 9 7 7 10 24 19 29 25-d '23 5 31 27 32 28 18 14 9 14-A 4 8-e 16 23 7 11 10 15 10 26 22 18 21 17 27 18 26 23 19 10 25 22 5 9-b 14 21 12 16 8 12 6 15 12. 16 25 22-c 18 15 28 24 24 19 28 24 B. wins

Black : . A. Lyon. White: G. A. Brown. 11 16 16 20 2 6-e 17 22 16 19 20 27 24 19 18 14 22 18 26 17 23 16 31 24 S 11 10 17 13 17 13 22 12 19 22 26 22 18 21 14 19 15 15 10 15 8 14 9 9 13-A 6 10 6 9 11 16 3 12 W. wins 25 22-B 25 21 28 24 32 28 10 3 4 8-C 10 17 9 13 8 11 19 23 29 25-n 21 14 24 19 19 15 27 24

11 15 5 14 12 19 6 10 11 15 8 11 23 19 29 25 23 7 30 26 20 16A 16 7 9 14 11 15 2 11 15 18 b-15 18 c-3 26 27-23 24 20 25 22 ~17 13 22 15 B. wins 8 11 15 24 10 15 18 27 ' 10 26 22 18 28 19 26 23 32 23 31 22 15 22 7 11 4 8 1 6 14 17 25 9 19 16 22 17 26 22 21 14 <A) The losing move. (B) The key move to a nice little nroblem. (c) White fails to get a King In popular parlance he is " skunked." SOLUTIONS TC ) PROBLEMS. Problem 6227 (by J . A. Boreham) . Black on 12, Kings 11, 22, 1 14 ; White on 20, 28, King 23. Black to move and win:— 22 18 14 9 23 27 9 14 11 15 16 12 23 14 15 18 59 12 16 20 16 15 11 24 19 9 6 27 32 14 18 32 28 9 14 14 18 18 23 95 16 19 24 20 23 27 11 7 69 10 15 18 14 28 24 B. wins 18 14 7 10 5 9 19 23 14 9 19 15* 95 15 11 28 24 ' 24 19 Problem 6228 (by D, . G. M ‘Kelvie). Black on 2, 5, 6, 18, Kings 23 ; White on 13, 17, 21, 25 , King 15. Black to move and draw: 2 7 22 26 30 25 17 14 6 10 15 22 23 30 22 18 IO 17 5 1 •7 10 25 22 *5 8 21 5 25 22 Drawn.