GAMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 67

GAMES.

Mr J. A. Scott, Invercargill. recently had a, visit from Mr "George Campbell, a young enthusiast who will yet be heard of m the game. Mr Scott says he found his opponent in good form over the board, and he sends the following game as a sample of the contest. Game 6511 — " Dyke/ Black— J. A. Scott. White— Geo. Campbell.

(a) At a. glance it looks as though Black were going to win by the course pursued. (b) But White is just on the spot. The advent of any new player in the front rank is always of interest. Mr A. Hunter, of Coatbridge, near Glasgow, has recently put up a performance which should entitle him to a place in Scotland's " upper crust " of the game of draughts. The Dumfries Standard, recording the result of a match with the famous Entwhiatle, says : — " Never, we should say, in the course of his draughts-playing career did Mr Entwistle, the well-known simultaneous player, m«et with such a complete reverse as he did a few evenings ago in a private sitting with Mr A. Hunter, of Coatbridge. Out of 13 games played, Mr Hunter won eight, the remaining five resulting in draws! The match was witnesed by numerous interested spectators." Just prior to this performance, Hunter had a friendly encounter with Mr A. Lambie, the Scottish expert. The match was fought in the Airdrie Draughts Club, and proved to be one of the most stubbornly contested in the history of the club. Mr Lambie, who had been studying hard for the then pending Scottish championship, was reported to be playing at the height of his foim, and the result of the 15 games played (Mr Hunter, Q; Mr Lambie, nil; drawn, 13) proved Mr Hunter to be a top-notcher. The standard of Mr Hunter's play speaks for itself, as shown iv the following games, for which we are indebted to Mr J G. Carruthers. draughts editor of the Dumfries Standard- —

Game 6514.—" Double Corner.'* Hunter's move. 914 27 24 913 29 22 12 16 31 2< 22 IS 10 19 17 10 812 21 17 28 21 5 9 24 15 7 14 15 11 13 22 24 28 26 22 16 19 26 22 7Hi 26 17 27 SI 11 16 23 16 3 7 24 15 19 88 20 1§ 18 15 12 19 30 2fi 4 8 17 13 818 10 19 32 27 14 18 22 18 16 20 16 11 24 15 2 7-a 27 24 16 19 28 24 31 Sd 710 22 17 18 25 18 14 20 27 Drawn. (a) 14 18. 22 17, 9 14, 17 10, 18 23, 37 18, 19 24, 28 19, 8 11, etc., is poor play.—A.H. Played between Messrs Kingdon (Redruth) and karris (Topsham) in the inter-county correspondence match. The game and note. 1 are from the Plymouth Weekly Meicury. Game 6515. —" Denny."

(a) Defines the opening, which has not beena. local favourite. Lees, in his classification, place 3 the " Denny" among the " weak and irregular" openings. It is, however, a saf« debut for Blacks. (b) The best reply if the " Denny" form*tion is desired. 22 18 is often played, running occasionally into the ' Bristol Cross' ana " Paisley " games. - (c) 24 20 is generally adopted, add greatly lestricts Black's play. (d) Better than 14 18, which is sometimes taken. (c) The books favour 23 19 at this point* but the text is the move adopted in modern matches Brown against Crookston, in tn« 1902 Scottish tourney, played 24 20, 8 11, 28 24. 5 9. 23 19, with a drawn result. (p) Varies from a Scottish tourney game, where 27 23, 9 14, 24 20, 4 8. 31 27, 7 11, etc., was played to a drawn conclusion. (g) The positiou is very interesting from tins point. Both players evidently overlooked the stroke which follows by 19 16, 10 19. 23 16, 12 19, 26 23—White wins. Th« Corni°h player, who secured two wins for hir county, might have added to his laurels bj the above. (h) 19 15 is a plausible move appearing i« force a winning stroke, but 17 21, 15 11» 21 25, 30 21, 14 17, etc., would maT it« beauty.

11 15 22 17 15 19 24 15 10 19 23 16 12 19 25 22 8 11 27 23 4 8 23 16 11 20 29 25 7 10 17 13 9 14 26 23 10 15 22 17 15 18 17 10 18 £7 3-2 23 6 15 25 22 S 12 23 18 16 19 30 26 20 24 22 17 12 16 18 14 23 19 11 7 2 H 20 lfi Jfi 11 26 23 19 15 7 2 19 26 14 9 « 9 58 12 5 14 13 6 26 30 17 10 10 14 31 27 15 19 12 8 30 26 10 7 11 4 27 24 3 10 2 7 2ii 23 16 11 1 10 24 £0 A-19 16 B-7 11 Drawn.

Black— Harris. Whit 10 14-a 5 9 811 12 19 !2 17-b 18 11 28 24 S3 16 7 10 8 15 15 14 18 17 13 24 19 F 24 SO 15 11 3 7 15 24 5 9-G 18 22 :5 £2c SS 19 13 fi 11 2 14 17-D 914 6 9 913 >1 14 27 23 £0 16 2 7 9 25 4 8 11 £0 SO 24 ;9 22 22 18 IS 15 7 10 LI 15 14 17 10 14 24 27 23 18-K 22 28 19 16-n 31 24 te — Kingdom £2 31 17 21 24 SO 19 12 5 9 22 25 10 15 12 8 9 14 14 17 16 11 8 3 21 27 17 92 15 19 15 19 17 22 22 28 19 15 30 23 13 17 27 18 20 16 Drawn.

Game 6512. — Dundee. Hunter's move. 12 16 25 21 4 8 25 18 2 11 27 24 21 17 8 11 22 17 15 22 27 53 20 27 16 19 17 13 811 10 7 25 "0 31 24 24 15 0 14 26 23 3 10 23 19 16 10 19 28 9 15 18 23 19 11 15 B.wins. 23 16 514 a-30 23-1 10 14 IP 10 11 20 29 25 10 15 19 lfi 6 15 22 IS 11 15 17 10 22 25 32 27 7 10 25 22 18 22 16 7 30 25 Var. 1. 27 24 11 15 30 26 10 15 16 11 27 31 iO 27 24 19 7 11 17 10 20 24 21 17 31 24 15 24 19 16 15 19 22 17 31 56 18 17 £8 19 11 £0 23 14 24 27 11 7 32 23 2 7 £6 22 6 15 17 14 Drawn. — A. H. (a.) Very weak, if not a loser.— A. H. Var. 1 draws. Game 6513 — "Dundee." Lambie's move. 12 lfi 11 15 10 17 14 23 3 7 13 17 22 18 24 19 22 13 26 19 18 15 2 7 16 20 IB 24 4 8 8 12 2 6 11 16 18 14 28 19 25 22 31 26 13 9 7 10 918 811 11 15 1 6-a 613 16 23 23 14 25 22 19 10 26 22 15 6 27 18 10 17 6 10 7 14 6 10 7 11 W. wins. 21 14 29 25 22 18 22 18 6 2 Var. A. 2 7 30 26 3 7 18 15 14 17 23 16 26 23 11 16 22 18 10 14 19 15 12 10 7 11 26 22 7 10 15 10 16 19 10 f r\ k Tt Drawn.— A. a