British Draughts Federation

Week 001: March 24th 2001 by George Miller

  • This is the first in a series of short articles, published weekly, to be distributed to checker enthusiasts everywhere.

A trick earned is a trick learned

I recommended the following defence in the EDA Journal (Issue 149).  However Ian Caws of Ryde, Isle of Wight was caught off guard by his opponent’s continuation.

Black: IH Caws v White: WA Wilkins, Mail Game 2001

9-13, 24-20, 11-16 (a), 20-11, 8-15, 23-18, 3-8, 18-11, 8-15, 27-24 (b), 5-9 (c), 32-27, 15-19* (d), 24-15, 10-19, 22-18, 4-8, 25-22, 7-10* (e), 29-25?? (f), 1-5?? (g), 18-15, 12-16, 22-18, 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 27-23, 16-20, 23-16, 10-19, 25-22, 6-10, 16-12, 8-11, 12-8, 11-15, 26-23, 19-26, 30-23 white wins.

 

Notes

(a)     A barred opening soon to be included in the 3-move standard deck (when the EDA & ACF agree on which new ballots to include!).

(b)     One of two major attacks the other being 22-18 which will be shown next week.

(c)     15-19 will also draw here, often running into the same play.

(d)     Given to lose and draw in Cayton’s Compilation, 1-5 is starred to draw here but it loses to 22-17, 13-22, 25-11, 7-16, 26-23 (a killer attack credited to Tommy Canning of Ireland I believe), 4-8, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 12-19, 20-16, 8-11, 16-7, 2-11, 21-17, 11-15, 17-13, 15-18, 29-25, 19-23, 27-24, 10-14, 25-21, 18-22, 24-19 etc to a white win, WA Wilkins v GI Miller by mail 2000.

(e)     My recommendation ended here, letting the reader do some work, a favourite ploy with the late Derek Oldbury.

(f)      Note by your webmaster:- Bob Podoff did more work on this than George realised at the time he wrote this article - see his results here.

(g)      Missing the key pitch and squeeze to draw by 9-14*, 18-9, 1-5, 27-24, 5-14, 24-15, 10-19, 26-23, 19-26, 30-23, 8-11, 22-18, 6-9, 28-24, 12-16, 25-22, 16-20, 31-27, 2-7, 24-19, 7-10, 19-16, 10-15, 16-7, 15-19, 23-16, 14-32, 7-2, 32-27, 2-7, 27-23, 7-10, 20-24, 16-11, 24-27, 11-7, 27-31, 7-2, 31-27, 2-6, 27-24, 6-1,24-19, 1-5, 9-14, 10-17, 23-26, 5-9, 19-23, 9-14, 23-19, 14-18, 19-24, 18-15, 24-27, 15-19, 27-32 drawn, GI Miller v WA Wilkins by mail 2000.

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