A good opening/game to know

[Chexhero]

Here is a good game I played the other day that is quite common and could easily come up in a game for you in the near future. This is especially good to know for next year's GAYP tournament. Me (white) versus Sage Draughts program (red).

11-15, 21-17, 9-14, 25-21 (much better and safer than 17-13), 15-19 (8-11 is also fine), 23-16, 12-19, 24-15, 10-19, 17-10, 6-15, 27-24, 2-6, 21-17, 5-9, 29-25 (at this point 22-18 may be a little better and causes more action right away, but white has some good lines later on as you will see), 8-11, 25-21, 4-8, 17-13, 9-14, 22-17, 7-10, 32-27, 8-12 which forms this common position:



At this point there are two ways for white. I like and played 26-22, but 27-23 does draw for white, but you need to be aware of some critical moves. 27-23, 3-7, 23-16, 11-27, 31-24, 7-11, 30-25* (absolutely the only move that draws) 12-16, 26-23, 16-20, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 20-24, 19-16* (again critical) 11-20, 25-22, 10-15 or 1-5 draws for red. So if you know all of that, you can force a fairly easy white draw, but almost no winning opportunities.

Back to the 26-22 variation. Lee's Guide present two ways for red, 14-18 or 3-8. The 14-18 gives white a good winning chance as it can play into a shot if red is not careful. 14-18, 27-23, 18-27, 22-18, 15-22, 24-8, 27-32, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 1-5, 28-24, 32-28, 14-9, 28-19, 9-2, 19-15, 2-6, 5-9* (this is the move to draw for red, but if red plays 12-16 which looks like the better move, it leads to a very neat shot, can you find it?


White to move and win

To my surprise, Sage plays a move that surprised me and I have never seen before, but it is a beauty in 3-7, instead of 14-18, or 3-8. 27-23, 19-26, 30-23, 1-5, which leads to this position:



31-26? (this move loses and 24-19 is the only move to draw) 14-18! (I was hoping for 5-9, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 11-15, 19-16, 12-19, 23-16, 14-18, 17-14, but was not to be) 23-14 12-16, 24-20, 28-24 (I have to pitch back), 26-23, 28-32, 23-18, 15-19, 20-16, 11-20, 18-15, 32-27, 22-18 (desperately trying to survive at this point, but could see I was not going to make it out of this) 27-31, 15-11, 7-16, 14-7, 31-26, 17-14, 6-10, 21-17, 19-24 Red wins on a very tricky nasty 3-7 variation of this line.

To draw, instead of 31-26, it is 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 11-15, 31-26, 15-24, 22-18, 6-9 (now I force red into some tough moves, but this plays out to a pretty even draw)

[Bill Salot]

Joe,

It would be interesting to know how much of the above play is your own analysis. My reason for making that comment is that it is all published play. I found it all in Churchill's Compilations of which I believe you may have some knowledge.

Starting with your first diagram:

---The play on 27 23 is in CC P. 1945, Col. 4, at 6, 27 23, where it is credited to Robertson. It was also played move for move to almost the very end where C. F Barker varied one way (CC P. 2200Y, #16) and Lowder vs. Hallett finished another way (CC P. 2200FC, #20).

--- The play on 26 22 begins on CC P. 2026, Col. 5 at 4, 26 22, where the 3-7 and 3-8 and 14-18 responses are credited mostly to Master Play, P. 87, which in turn credited variations to such ancients as Robertson, Martins, Wytllie, and others.

---The nice stroke to beat 12-16 would have been a nice Problem Composing Contest entry, except it is already famously known as the "Dewar Shot" because A. Dewar conquered Wyllie with it in 1864 and it reappeared in Lyman's Problem Book in 1881 and a little later in Boland's Masterpieces, P.79, G.6.

Churchill's Compilations is my database for old play.

[tommyc]

11-15, 21-17, 9-14, 25-21 (much better and safer than 17-13), 15-19 (8-11 is also fine), 23-16, 12-19, 24-15, 10-19, 17-10, 6-15, 27-24, 2-6!!!!!

Instead of 2-6 ....1-6 may be a tad better.

[Chexhero]

Bill, I knew almost everything was pp up until the 3-7. Everything after 3-7 was through discovery. Although it may be published, I never knew it was. It was a move that fascinated me, and I wanted to share it. I am aware a lot of what I post may be published, but my goal in these posts is to teach those who may not know the stuff. While most high level masters know that famous shot, I would bet you that 90 percent of majors and minors don't know it or would even see a shot like that.

And you are right Tommy, 1-6 is a little stronger. In the case of 2-6, one may want to play the 22-18 instead of the 29-25, which also can be played off the 1-6. There are actually multiple ways to go about attacking for white in that spot.

[Bill Salot]

Joe, your analysis of 3-7 matched the published play very well. That puts you in good company.