DRAUGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 61

DRAUGHTS.

CONDUCTED BY

JAS. BEECOT.

Mallon* o! problem*, (amoi. and analyaca la> tiled for thia column Guinea ahonld bo written tn tlx column* as Union, and ull o*rrea|wiuleuaa •ddraaaed to the Dnmglita editor, Olugo W lineal Office, Dunedin.

PROBLEM 6535.

By Tommy Wiswell, New York. Black 2, 11, 13, 28, King 25.

White 7, 10, 20, 22, 27,,3’2. ■White to move and win. PROBLEM 6536. By Dr A. Schaefer. Black 9, 10, 14, King 31.

White 19, 21, 22, 23. White to move and draw. Our selected problems this week are taken from Willie Ryan's monthly magazine “ The Checkergram,” with the remarks as follows: —No. 6535 : *’ This is one of the outstanding compositions of the month. Thomas Wiswell, a young lad from New York, is the Composer.” No. 6536: " Very neat.” Please note: The terms of the problems last week were somewhat mixed. Mr Boreham’s problem was “ Black to move and win”; the note below indicated this result. Mr Robinson’s problem should read : “ Black to move. White to draw.” GAMES. DOMINION TOURNEY. The following pair of games were played in the tourney held at Invercargill during Easter, 1930, between Messrs W. O’Malley, an experienced Otago player and problemist, and J. M’lntosh, a young Invercargill exponent of the game : — GAME 8059. —“ Whilter.”

—Notes by Jas. Beecot.— (a) Now a “ Whilter,” a game abounding in intricate positions. Its peculiarities are very well known by the experts. (b) This is regarded as an easy line. 5 9 is a better fighting move. (c) This loses —30 26 or 31 26 are the correct lines here. (d) 31 26 is no better. 4 8, 23 18, 14 23. 27 18, 20 27, 32 23, 15 24, 28 19, 10 14. Black wins. (e) The “throw” was probably made with the intention of moving 22 26 now, but then saw that he could not play it owing to 20 16. GAME 8060.—“ Whilter.” Black : J. M’lntosh ; White : W. O’Malley.

fa) 11 16, forming a “Glasgow,” or 4 8 is more popular than text. (b) Black can win here easily by 23 27, 11 8. 27 31, 8 3, 31 27, 3 8, 27 23, 8 11, 15 19, 11 16, 19*24, and White is hopeless. (c) This loses; 30 26 will draw thus: 30 26 23 16 16 11 26 22 8 3 24 20 11 15 15 19 14 18 19 23 23 26 15 18 19 16 31 27 11 8 27 24 3 8 22 15 12 19 10 15 6 10 16 14 18 10 19 —Drawn GAME 8061. —“ Denny.” The Checkergram publishes for the first time the game that cost young Jack Cox the New York Checker championship title. In this game Cox had a very easy win in hand, but allowed Ryan to draw by “ Tregaski’s Position.” Had Cox won this game he would have won the tournament. The game has been annotated by Ryan. Black : J. Cox ; White: Willie Ryan.

Playing time over six hours. This was the longest game in the tourney. (a) To this point the play is quite regular. In an effort to mix matters I took this line, hoping for the best. This 24 20 move has no real strength, although 1 once managed to lose with the Blacks when my opponent played 24 20. I placed my confidence on the- 24 20 move on this sole experience, believing it had winning chances for White. » (b) My first serious error, although the move does not lose. However, it is so weak that almost any other move would have been better now. 30 26, 15 18 (or 15 19, 23 16, 12 19, 25 22, etc., also draws), 31 27*, 8 11, 32 28*, leads to a draw. (c) By this time I knew that I was in trouble. I could see that I would be ultimately confined to a weak bridge position and I was spending most of my time parching for a sacrifice that would break the bridge and draw the game by a “ King chase/’ (d) Here is where I missed my draw. When the tlmekeepqr called time I was undecided as to whether 21 17 or 27 23 was the best move. I had been working on 21 17 most of my time limit, although I had a premonition that 27 23 would draw. I saw a sacrifice and drawing chances on 27 23, but it was so vague that I became afraid of it and risked my chances with the safer looking 21 17. I am diagraming the position for my readers. In presenting this position I believe the play for the draw demonstrates once and for all time what an intricate game Checkers becomes in actual crossboard play. It is in positions such as these that tax the most seasoned player to desperation, as it is a human impossibility to thoroughly see the conclusion of all lines in five minutes. (See diagram.)

White to move and draw. Continue 27 23*, 18 ,27, 32 23. 19 26, 30 23. 16 20 (anything else allows an easy draw), 21 17, 20 24, 23 19, 15 IS, 13 9’ ! 24 27, 11 7* I 3 10, 9 6, 27 31, 6 2, 31 26, 2 7. Drawn. —W. F. Ryan. Some draw ! (e) White cannot draw now, although this prolongs the agony. Cox’s ability is well in evidence from here on to his blunder at note (f). Any other move except the text would lead to quick defeat. (f) The fatal move and none of the spectators were aware of it. Both this move and 9 14 allows a draw. 13 17 will win, but the play is critical. (g) The last ray of hope for a Bfack win disappears. We now have a form Tregaski’s draw. Cox here hoped for 15 19. 22 18, 27, 9 14*, 19 24, 18 15. Black wins. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. Problem 6531 (J. V. Earle). —Black 26, I King 14. White 29, Kings 13, 27. White to move and win. 13 17-a, 14 21, 29 25, 21 30, 27 31. White wins. (a) This is the only move to win. If 29 25 or 27 23 Black is permitted to draw thus, if 29 25, 26 30, 25 21, 30 26, 13 17. Drawn. If 27 23 then 26 30 and drawn.

Problem 6532 (Chas. Scot(). —Black Kings 3, 23. White men 11, 15, 19. White to move, Black to draw. 19 16 18 14 15 10 15 11 62 37 23 18 11 8 18 15 8 4 7 3 Drawn 16 12 14 18 10 6 3 7 2 6 IVhite cannot move 12 8 in view of 7 3, and the King on 7 effectively checks the White King on 6 having' the move on it. Editor’s note : When this setting appeared a note was added stating that solution corrected play that had stood for 125 years. Mr J. A. Boreham, however, states that the play may correct Willie Ryan’s problem in the Checkergram, but the old original setting had a Black single man on 3 instead of a King as above. KEEN CRITICISMS. Mr Fred Stuthridge writes: Game 8039 (French v. M’Keown) : At the 10 1 move the position is Black Kings 22, 23. White 19, 21, King 16. Black moved 23 27 and lost,

Mr M’Keown may have trfed for Rogers’s draw, but the " move ” is against it. Pain’s move is correct. DRAUGHTS IN DUNEDIN. Some time ago we reported that a second Draught’s Club was formed in town, namely the Tramways Club. A few days ago a prominent club member whilst strolling down the waterfront visited the social room there, and saw several games in progress. He says it only requires a header and a little organisation, and a club containing several fairly good players could be formed. If the recently formed Tramways Club and the watersiders could be brought together a good match would result, and interest would be stimulated. Draughts is really a popular game, there are plenty of people who play, but it is a difficult matter to bring them together. T—LIFE AND CHECKERS. Life is like a game of Checkers, We are players on the square; Like the Checkers we are moving, Hither, thither, everywhere. Though we make an honest effort To fulfil our every aim, There’s an unseen adversary Who appears to block our game. Though we do our best to figure How we’re going to get ahead, > / We can see our efforts shattered And our fondest hopes fall dead. Like at Checkers we must study t If we hope to find a way, ’■ To combat the unseen forces We encounter in life’s play. . „ —William Brogan.

Black : W.O’Malley ; White: J. M'Intosh II 15 17 13-c 14 23 24 15 6 15 18 14 •Q 19 8 11 27 18 11 25 17 14 22 17 ”9 14 22 17 20 27 7 2 25 22 13 9 22 17 11 16 31 24 25 29 14 10 17 13 7 11-a 29 25 16 23 28 24 23 26 9 6 25 22 3 8 18 14 29 2530 23 13 9 11 16 25 22 4 8 24 20 8 11 e 6 2 26 23 8 11 14 7 2 7 23 18 9 18 16 20-b 23 18-d 15 19 3 10 15 19 B. wins

11 15 29 25 11 15 31 26-c 15 19b 2 9 23 19 16 23 32 28 11 15 21 17 5 30 8 11 27 11 15 24 19 16 19 24 23 -19 22 17 8 15 28 19 12 19 22 18 30 26 9 14-a 24 19 4 8 23 16 23 26 18 15 25 22 15 24 22 18 14 18 30 23 Drawn 3 8 28 19 *8 11 26 22 2 6 17 13 7 IV 18 9 18 23 11 2 11 16 26 23 5 14 16 11 1 j

10 14. 24 19 10 14 20 11 18 22* 7 2 14 9 1 6 24 19 8 15 ’ '32 28tC 20 24 7' ’ 2 16 20 6 10 27 20 22 26 14 9 3 8 6 10 22 17 4 8 30 23 22 18 10 7 f-20 24 9 13 31 27-b 19 26 9 5 I 10 23 27 28 24 15 19 27 24 24 27 5 1 24 28 13 22 23 16 16 20 2 7 10 15 27 32 25 9 12 19 24 19 27 31 7 3 13 17 5 14 20 16 15 24 7 11 8 12 10 15 26 22 8 12 28 19 31 26 3 7 17 22 11 15 16 11 26 30 13 9 15 18 E-*2 7 22 17 10 15 19 15 26 22 7 11 9 14 7 11 25 22 30 25 9 6 18 22 *7 11 17 13 12 16 15 10 18 14 11 15 22 26 2 6 22 17 25 21 11 7 12 16 15 19 29 25 15 18-C 17 14 22 17 15 18 Drawn 11 16 17 10 2" 17 6 2 22 26 24 20•a 6 15 11 7 17 13 18 23 15 24 21 17-d 17 22 2 6 26 31

but try 23 26 22 26 22 18 22 26 31 26 Drawn 16 20 23 27 31 27 23 18 24 28 26 30 26 22 18 22 26 31 26 31 19 23 27 31 27 23 20 24 15 11