DRAUGHTS

Southland Times, Issue 22499, 8 December 1934, Page 23

DRAUGHTS

CONDUCTED BY £. HUTCHINS. "Let science give release To minds o’er wrought by care and thought. Let the checker board be brought. i The battlefield of peace." All communications to be addressed to "Draughts Editor," 54 Biggar street. Solutions of problems, games, criticisms, and analysis are invited. PROBLEM No. 655. By P. Anderson, Port Chalmers. 5.14 15.24 11.15 22.17 Black.—2l; Kings, 12, 27.

White.—B, 30; Kings, 3. 4, 28. White to play and win. A fine practical end game study which arose in actual play. Mr Anderson is a schoolmaster and will be remembered by those who were present at the Dominion tourney last Easter. He was an interested spectator and Is a keen student of the game. PROBLEM No. 666. By E. A. Jones. White—9, 19. 24.

Black—ll, 18, 22. White to play. Black to draw. The White attack may be nicely disguised, and partly on that account the problem has been much admired for its subtlety.—Launceston Examiner.

DOMINION TOURNEY GAMES. The two games below were played in the N.Z. championship tourney at Mataura last Easter between J. Shadboit, Waikari, Canterbury, a competitor in many tourneys and W. O'Malley, a composer of many problems and a leading Dunedin player.

Southland Times Notes. (a) This move gives the title to the opening and is perhaps the strongest reply to 11.16. (b) Undoubtedly the best continuation. (c) 24.19 is the usual, then if Black plays 8.11 the shot by 19.15, 10.19, 18.14, 9.18, 22.8, 4.11. 19.16, 12.19, 27.24 wins. Text is generally played with the object of moving 30.26, then 18.14. later. (d) This is weak, 30.26 is the play. Text was probably played to puzzle his opponent. (e) 17.13 or 24.19 are probably better. (f) 11.16 leads to interesting play. (g) Going for the draw; anything else appears risky. GAME No. 797.

(a) Develops a weak position, sometimes brought up from the “Cross” by 11.15, 23.18. 15.19. (b) N. W. Banks favours 22.17 here. It is very difficult to say which is the strongest. 18.15 leads to a very complex game. Text is perhaps as good as any. (c) Perhaps as good as anything, but leading to complications. 9.13 would simplify the play. , , (d) A bad blunder, allowing the shot which ruins Black's game. 6.10 looks to draw. 6.10, 25.22-a, 16.20. 22.17, 1.6. 26.23, 19.26.' 30.23, 12.16, 31.27, 15.19, 23.18, 14.23. 27.18, etc., draw. (a) 31.27, 1.6 etc., draw.

White wins. (a) Taking 11.20 draws, thus: 11.20, 30.26, 13.22, 25.4, now a "boomerang:” 14.18, 23.14, 10.17, 21.14, 3.8, 4.11, 7.30, 14.10. 6.15, 31.26, etc. The next by J. Bell, of Staincliffe (Eng.), exhibits remarkable depth and subtlety:—

White wins. (a) A fine bait. Who would not take it—unless previously warned? (b) As natural as can be, but loses! This “grip” is not nearly so effective, as a general rule, when following 6.9 as when 5.9 has been the move played, but one would hardly expect a loss from it here. If 2.6 instead of 9.13, and then 17.13, we have a position a la "Souter," but evidently stronger for Black. t An excellent "waiting” move.. (c) 6.9, 29.25, 9.18, 31.26: a nice White win. (d) 11.18, 14.9. White wins. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. PROBLEM No. 650. By E. A. Jones. Black.—9. 14; King, 18. White—s, 21, 25. Black to play and win. 9.13, 5.1, 18.15-a, 1.6, 14.18, 6.9, 15.19, 9.5-b, 19.23, 5.1, 23.26, 1.5, 26.22, B wins, (b) If 9.14, 19.23,, B. wins, (a) If 18.23, W. draws by 25.22, 23.19-c, 1.5, 19.15, 5.9, 14.18, 22.17, 13.22, 9.14, etc. (c) 23.26, 1.5, 26.17, 5.9, Draw. PROBLEM No. 651. By E. A. Jones. Black—l 4, 22, 24. White—29; Kings, 6, 32. White to play and win. 6.10, 14.17, 10.14. 17.21, 14.17, 22.26, 32.28, 24.27, 28.32, 27.31, 17.13*-a, 26.30, 29.25, 30.26, 25.22, W. Wins, [(a) Not by 29.25!] PROBLEM No. 652. By E. A. Jones. Black—lo, 24; King, 27. White—23, 31; King, 12. White to play and win. 23.18! 27.23-a, 18.15, 10.19, 12.16, 24.28, 31.27, W. wins. (a) If 27.32, 12.16, 24.27, 31.24, 32.27, 16.11-b, 27.20, 11.7, W. wins. [(b) or 24.19, 27.23, 18.14, etc.)

GAME No. 796. O’Malley: Black. Shadbolt: White. 11.16 11.15 4.8 15.18 23.18-a 24.19 29.25 22.15 16.20-b 15.24 8.11-g 31.22 26.23-c 28.19 19.16 6.10 8.11 7.11 12.19 13.9 22.17-d 30.26 23.7 10.15 9.14 11.15-f 2.11 27.23 18.9 32.28 26.23 3.8 5.14 15.24 11.15 22.17 25.22-e 28.19 17.13 15.18 Drawn

Shadbolt: Black. O’Malley: White. Bristol Cross. 11.16 27.24 10.15 4.8 23.18 12.16-c 29.25 2.7 16.19-a 25.21 15.18-d 21.17 24.15 8.12 11.8 7.10 10.19 17.13 4.11 17.14 18.14-b 3.7 26.23 10.17 9.18 24.20 19.26 25.22 22.15 9.14 31.8 18.25 5.9 20.11 14.18 30.14 21.17 7.16 8.4 White 7.10 15.11 16.19 wiins.

.— "AYRSHIRE LASSIE” TRAPS. GAME No. 798. 11.15 23.19 9.13 30.25 24.20 9.14 20.16 11.20 8.11 22.17 13.22-a 21.17 28.24 5.9 25.9 13.22 4.8 ' 26.23 6.13 25.4

GAME No. 799. 11.15 9.14 14.18-d 13.22 24.20 22.17 23.14 14.9 8.11 6.9 2.6 5.14 28.24 25.22-a 32.281 30.25 4.8 9.13-b 15.18-C 11.18 23.19 26.23 22.15 27.23