Page:EB1911 - Volume 08.djvu/572

 

a. 11–15, 24–20 forms the “Ayrshire Lassie” opening, so named by Wyllie. It is generally held to admit of unusual scope for the display of critical and brilliant combinations.

b. 16–20, 25–22, 20–27, 31–24, 8–11, 17–13, 2–6, 21–17, 14–21, 22–17, 21–25, 17–14, 10–17, 19–1. Drawn. R. Jordan.

a. These two moves form the “Kelso-Cross” opening.

b. 27–23 is also a strong line for white to adopt.

c. 30–25, 4–8, 18–14, 9–27, 22–18, 15–22, 24–15, 11–18, 20–4, 27–32, 26–17, 13–22, 4–8, 22–26, and black appears to have a winning advantage. R. Jordan.

d. Taking the piece on 18 first seems to lose, thus:—

e. 2–7, 27–24, 22–26, 23–18, 26–31, 18–15, 11–18, 20–2, 9–13, 2–9, 5–14, 24–19, 13–22, 30–26. White wins.

a. This move is the favourite at this point on account of its “trappiness,” but 25–22 is probably stronger, thus: 25–22, 16–19, 24–15, 11–25, 29–22, 8–11, 17–13, 11–16, 20–11, 7–16, and white can with advantage continue by 27–24, 22–17, 23–19 or 22–18.

b. 15–19, 20–11, 8–15, 23–16, 12–19, 17–13, 5–9, 30–26, 4–8, 27–23, 8–12, 23–16, 12–19, 31–27, 1–5, 27–23, 19–24, 32–27, 24–31, 22–17. White wins. C. F. Barker.

Problem No. 1 is the simplest form of that known to draughts-players as the “First Position.” It is of more frequent occurrence in actual play than any other end-game, and is, besides, typical of a class of draughts problems which may be described as analytical, in contradistinction to “strokes.”

Solution:—

a. 12–16 same as Var. I. at 5th move.

b. 24–28 same as Var. II. at 1st move.

Var. II. 12–16, 15–11, 16–19, 32–27, 28–32, 27–31, 32–28, 11–16, 19–23, 16–19. White wins.

Var. III. 24–19, 32–28, c 19–16, 28–24, 16–11, 24–20, 11–8, 18–15. White wins.

c. 12–16, 28–32, 19–24 or 16–20, same as Var. II. at 5th and 9th moves respectively. White wins.

Problem No. 2 is a fine example of another class of problems, namely, “strokes.” It is formed from the “Paisley” opening, thus:—

a. This forms the position on the diagram. The solution is as follows:—

White wins. Jacques and Campbell.

Other Varieties.—The forms of draughts practised on the European continent differ in some respects from the English variety, chiefly in respect of the power assigned to a man after “crowning.” The game of Polish Draughts is played in France, Holland, Belgium and Poland, where it has entirely superseded Le Jeu de dames à la française. It is played on a board of 100 squares with 20 men a side. The men move and capture as in English draughts, except that in capturing they move either forward or backward. A crowned man becomes a queen, and can move any number of squares along the diagonal. In her capture she takes any unguarded man or queen in any diagonal she commands, leaping over the captured man or queen and remaining on any unoccupied square she chooses of the same diagonal, beyond the piece taken. But if there is another unguarded man she is bound to choose the diagonal on which it can be taken. For example (using an English draught-board) place a queen on square 29 and adverse men at squares 22, 16, 24, 14. The queen is bound to move from 29 to 11, 20, 27, and having made the captures to remain at 9 or 5, whichever she prefers. The capturing queen or man must take all the adverse pieces that are en prise, or