DRAUGHTS

Southland Times, Issue 21832, 8 October 1932, Page 17

DRAUGHTS

CONDUCTED BY F. HUTCHHiE. , o "Let science give release . To minds o’er wrought by care ana thought. Let the checker board be brought The battlefield of peace." All communications to be addressed to "Draughts Editor," 54 Biggar Street. Solution of problems, games, criticisms and analysis are invited. Notes, criticism, etc., for publication in Saturday's column must be in by the previous Wednesday. PROBLEM 421. Author unknown. Black—ll, 15, 18.

White—Kings 2, 30. White to play and draw. The above from the Glasgow Weekly Herald is a good example for the necessity of exact play to obtain the desired result. One of the many positions where a draw may bo secured with a piece down. PROBLEM 422. By Mr M. Thompson (Scotland). Black—lo, 11. 12. White—l 9, 31; king 23.

White to move and win. This is a little beauty from the Brisbane Courier. . . .. A Draughts Review will be given for the best solutions of these two problems. The terms of Problem 420 (omitted last week) were White to play and win. SOUTHLAND CORRESPONDENCE GAMES. The two games below were played in the final round of the Southland Chamlonship Correspondence Tourney between R.. F. Dickie (Tuturau) and H. Hammond (Limehllls). These were the only wins in the round, the other six games being drawn.

SOUTHLAND TIMES NOTES. (a) This forms the "Dyke” opening, so called because many of the positions which arise in it form straight lines. It is a strong garni for Black. (b) The strongest reply, made with the idea of establishing a piece on 18, and preventing black obtaining complete control of the centre. . (c) Leads to an even game; 8.11 however, is considered best. (d) Best. (e) 1.6 is the usual. , _ (f) 21.17, 30.25 or 32.27 are preferable. (g) Black has now a very strong centre formation. .. o ,_ (h) 26.22 looks better, preventing 8.11. (1) White appears to be short of moves now but 27.23, 19.26. 31.23, seems to give a good fighting chance for a draw. (j) Quite a scientific finish to a wellfought game.

then 17.22, 10.7. 11.16, 7.3. White wins. (a) The opening is formed by the first move. It is weak as white has so many strong lines of play against it. (b) The strongest reply. (c) 10.15 is often played; 6.0 is also favoured by modem players but text has many strong points. (d) The usual. (e) Best, 10.15 leads to a weak game and 4.8 loses by 18.15. 11.27, 20.4, 6.9, 32.23, 13.17, 21.14, 9.27, 24.19, 27.32, 4.8, 5.9, 25.22, 9.14, 29.25. 1.5, 25.21, 5.9, 22.17, 9.13, 26.22. 12.16, 19.12; 2.6, 8.4, 14.18, 22.15, 13.22. 30.20, 10.19, 26.17. White wins. (f) 10.14 is the usual.

taste to some extent. And for Black’s 9th move we should prefer Q-B2; as If 10 B-84. P-Q3; and Black has Kt-QB 3 and Kt-QR 4 as a possible continuation. (b) The simple continuation, giving and then came the critical stage of the game, after Black had brought his pieces over to the king's side. 20 . . . Q-R6 was necessary, if he decided to continue the attack on that side, otherwise 20 . . . KtKB3 had to be played. (c) A difficult position, but the logical continuation seems to be 22 . . . Kt-Kts; 23. Kt-K3, B-Q5; and there is plenty of strength In Black’s attack. The line followed by Black gave White time for 23, KtxP. and 24, BxKt, with 25. Kt-B5 as the prevention of B-Q5, had Elack tried for (d) The initiative was now in White's hands, who could do nearly as he liked with the position, for there was no getting away from the action of the two White rooks in the centre. Black failed through complicating without seeing his way reasonably clearly, and there may have been a little overconfidence behind this. QUEEN’S GAMBIT DECLINED. An interesting game between G. Stoltz of Sweden and V. Pirc of Yugoslavia in a trial tournament at Prague preliminary to the congress of the International Chess Federation. Notes by Charles de Vide.

(a) He might gain and maintain the gambit pawn by P-KR3; 7 B-R4, PxP; 8 P-K4, P-KKt4; 9 B-Kt3, P-Kt4, but the position arising upon 10 P-KR4. P-KKt5; 11 Kt-K5, KtxKt; 12 PxKt, QxQch; 13 RxQ. was evidently not to his liking. (b) The position is identical with that arrived at in the twelfth game of the Alekhine-Capablanca match. The former, however, continued 12 PxQP and later maneuvred his Kt to QBS. ’ (c) Initiating a clever, but unsound, combination. He ought to have castled instead. (d) The point of the combination. He figured on 17 . . . Ktxß; 18 RxKt, B-B4; 19 Qxß, BxR; 20 Kt-87, but failed to foresee Black’s palpable reply. (e) If QxP. Q-RBch wins. (f) R-Kt is met by P-87. (g) If RxQ, PxR; 28 Q-Kt, P-R6; 29 Q-R2, KR-Kt; 30 BxR, Rxß.

(g) White’s position now looks hopeless but the position is interesting and we append a diagram for the benefit of our students. POSITION AT (g). Black to play.

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS.

EASTERN DISTRICT NOTES. The Tuterau Draughts Club completed a very successful season on Monday. September 26. The prize list for the tournament was as follows: ■ . , , Ist—A. Burgess, handicap 9 points, total Is 2nd—T. Burgess, Senr. handicap 2, points to 3rd—R. H. Dickie, handicap scr, pointe to 4th—T. Burgess, jun. handicap 5, pointe t °The 1 president (Mr W. Muir) congratulated the prize winners and referred to the that the club had not only completed a successful tournament but had taken part in no less than five matches. A special vote of thanks was passed to Mr Ferguson for the use of his building for practise purposes. For those who did not care to participate in the good old game dancing was indulged in to music supplied by local talent. The ladles, who were there in large numbers, provided a bounteous supper and • after Mr Clark, Mataura, and Mr W. J. Marsh. Wyndham, had thanked the Tuturau Club for its invitation the evening terminated by the singing of Auld Lang Syne. The Mataura Club concluded on Thursday, September 29. but for various reasons 1W tournament was not completed. The chi« reason being its match activities; taking part in no less than six matches it being on the winning side on five of them—quite a creditable performance. Taken on the whole the season has been a wonderful one, the outstanding feature being the big match and the success of the column so ably controlled by its Editor. SIMULTANEOUS PLAY IN OHAL As a pleasing interlude from our tournament games, we of the Ohai Draughts Club had the privilege of taking part in a “simultaneous play” match. Mr Hutchins, at our invitation, visited us and played about 28 games, winning 26, and losing 2. On Wednesday forenoon, at 10 o’clock Mr Hutchins opposed the following eight players simultaneously, winning throughout:—A. Smith, G. Johnson, J. McKenzie. J. Sayers (jun), T. Anderson, R. Roper, W. Hunt, W. Thomson (jun.). In the afternoon at 2 o’clock before a large number of spectators, Mr Hutchins again played simultaneously the following 11 players, losing to the first two named and winning the remainder (there were no draws): S. Morris and J. McKenzie; G. Johnson, T. Anderson, W. Thomson, jun.. W. Thomson, senr., T. Boyd. F. Dodds, T. Fordyce, T. Smith and J. Humphreys. The rest of the games he won individually. In his remarks, the visitor outlined the beauties of the game and spoke very encouragingly to the younger players, and gave them his reasons for thinking that "draughts” was really the best game of the lot. On behalf of the club, T. Anderson thanked him for coming up, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded him. The players have all expressed their pleasure at taking part in the match, and the game of draughts has been benfited by it here considerably, as also the players individually have been benefited too, and we hope that Mr Hutchins will be able to again visit us in the future, and tell us we’re imp’roving. "Tho’ dark depression raise its evil head, Or care and woe come near with ghostly tread, , , There Is a safe retreat, to some revealed, The checker board; The bloodless battlefield.”

GAME 504. Dyke. H. Hammond Black. R. F. Dickie, White. 11.15 17.13 10.23 16.11 22.17 7.10(g) 31.26 10.15 15.10(a) 29.25(h) 9.14 17.10 24.15 8.11 26.19 15.19 10.19 25.22 16.23 23.16 23.16 4.8 24.19 6.15 12.19 32.27 15.24 11.7 25.22(b) 3.7 28.19 12.19(j) 9.14(c) 22.17 23.27 7.3 17.10 8.12 30.26 19.23 6.15 26.22 27.31 22.17 27.24(d) 11.16 26.23 31.26 2.6(e) 24.20 11.15 17.14 22.17(f) 7.11 20.16 26.22 5.9 27.24(1) 15.24 . 139 then 15.19, 14.10, 23.26 3.7. Black wins.

GAME 505. Hammond, Edinburgh. Black. Dickie, White. 9.13(a) 20.11 14.17 23.18 22.18(b) 7.16 25.22 10.14 12.16(c) 21.17 17.26 27.23 24.20(d) 13.22 31.22 20.24 8.12 25.18 16.20 9.5 27.24 9.14 32.27 14.17 3.8(e) 18.9 1.5 18.14 24.19 5.14 22.17(g) 24.27 11.15 29.25 5.9 23.18 18.11 4.8 17.13 27.31 . 8.24 26.22 9.14 19.15 28.19 2.7 18.9 31.27 6.9(f) 22.18 7.11 15.10

Stoltz Pirc Stoltz Pirc White Black White Black 1 P-Q4 Kt-KE3 15 P-R3(c) 2 P-QB4 P-K3 KKtxP(K4) 3 Kt-KB3 P-Q4 16 KtxKt KtxKt 4 Kt-B3 QKt-Q2 17 KtxKtP(d) 5 B-Kt5 P-B3 KtxBch 6 P-QR3 B-K2(a) 18 RxKt Q-R4ch 7 P-K3 Castles 19 Kt-B3 B-B4 8 Q-B2 P-QR3 20 P-Kt4 QxRP 9 R-Q R-K 21 PxB BxR 10 B-Q3 P-R3 22 QxB , . P-Q5 11 B-R4 P-QKt4(b) 23 Castles (e) PxKt 12 P-B5 P-K4 24 B-Q6 Q-Kt7 13 PxP Kt-Kt5 25 K-R2(f) P-QR4 14 B-Kt3 BxP 26 R-OKt P-R5 Resigns (g 1

No. 417 By W. O’Malley. Black on 3, 20, 22 King 5. White on 6, 17, 29, King, 11. Black to play and win. 26.22 3.7 6.1 22.26 11.2 2.7 29.2% 18.15 5.1 20.24 26.39 22.17 17.13 7.10 25.21 14.10 1.10 24.27 30.28 17.14 13.9 10.14 10.7 10.6 27.31 14.10 9.5 14.18 17.14 black wins No. 418 by W- O'Malley. Black on 3, 7. 10, 19, SO. White on 6, 14. 16, 17. Black to play and win20.24 23.26 25.22 24.28 6.2 9.5 17.13 6.1 7.11 16.7 26.30 5.1 22.18 13.9 28.32 19.23 30.25 18.14 Black 14.9 1.5 9.6 wins.