PROBLEM SOLVING.

Southern Cross, Volume 8, Issue 30, 10 November 1900, Page 12

PROBLEM SOLVING.

Suppose the beginner to have furnished himself with a good book of problems, and to have made an index to the several ideas illustrated. Then, according to Mr R. Atwell, his next step should be to go through the problems again, to endeavour to assimilate the ideas, to classify them under different heads, and thus to make a second and more detailed index. The heads will naturally suggest themselves. Thus, for instance, there is the waiting stroke. Its distinctive feature is the putting of a piece en prise when the capturing move will leave another piece en prise. Ror example—white king on 17; white single on 16, 26 ; black king on 25, black single on 8, 12, 19; white to move and win. Solution, 26 23, 19 26, 17 21, 12 19, 2i 16; white wins.

Again there is the ‘ Slocum Stroke.’ The characteristic of this is the making of several forced moves before the time comes for to take. For example —White kings on 1, 31, 32; single on 17, 22, 26, 28. Black kings on 9, 12, 14, 20, 25 ; single on 10, 11. White to move and win. Solution, 32 27, 25 18, 28 24, 14 21, 27 23, 18 27, 26 23, 27 18, 1 5, 20 27, 5 16, 12 19, 31 22. White wins.

The next example illustrates the back stroke. White king on 32, single on 17, 18, 22, 26 ; black kings on 25, 29, single on 9, 10, 13. White to move and win. Solution, 17 14, 10 17, 26 23, 17 26, 18 14, 9 27, 32 21. White wins.

The following is another kind of problem. Black men on 3, 10, 14; white men on 7, 21, 23. Black to move and win. Solution, 14 18, 23 14, 10 17, 21 14, 3 17. Prom strokes the learner should proceed to study end games, first indexing those

containing the essential point of the proper utilisation of the move with unequal pieces. Next problems might be indexed that indicate the strength of the position, then those that for their solution require the relinquishing of a piece at the proper moment. Categories or subdivisions may be extended indefinitely and problems that contain combinations of two ideas may be indexed under both. Learners may regard what has been said as a formidable task, but they ought to remember that it is only by hard work and study that they can attain any degree of eminence in draughts or in anything else.