THE FIRST POSITION

It does not make any difference in the method of play whether the Black man is located as shown in Diagram 93 or on 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 16, 20 or 24. The essential point is that he must not be able to march to the King row without being intercepted by White.

The winning maneuver is this: White turns the Black King out of the double corner in the manner shown in the play from the position of Diagram 89 and thereby compels the Black man to advance, finally forcing an exchange which secures the opposition.

32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | ** | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | oo | | | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | oo | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | ** | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1

DIAGRAM 93.—White to Move and Win.

This maneuver, as will be evident from a careful study of the position, is possible only in case White has the move. If Black has the move the ending is a draw.

Black White

(1) … 23-27 (2) 28-32 19-23 (3) 32-28

Black cannot play 12-16, as 27-24 would win a piece.

(3) … 27-32 (4) 28-24

Again 12-16 is not possible on account of 32-27 winning a piece in three moves.

(4) … 23-18

32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | oo | | | | | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | ** | | | | | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | | | oo | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | * | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1

DIAGRAM 94.

White played 32-28 Black would exchange by five 24-19 and draw the game.

In the position of the Diagram Black has the choice between 24- 20, 12-16, 24-19 or 24-28, but he loses, no matter what move he makes as demonstrated below.

(A) (5) 24-20 32-27 (6) 20-16 18-15 (7) 16-20 15-18 (8) 12-16 18-15

(B) (5) 12-16 18-15

Now Black cannot play (6) 16-19 because of the exchange 32-27; (6) 16-20 would also lose quickly through 15-18, (7) 24-19, 32- 28, (8) 19-16, 18-23. The best try is (6) 24-28.

Against 15-18 Black would now draw by (7) 16-19, 32-27; (8) 19- 23.

The only way to win is

(6) … 15-11

after which Black can do no better than

(7) 16-19 32-27
(8) 28-32 27-31
(9) 32-28 11-16
(10) 19-24 16-19, etc.

and White continues as shown before.

(D) (5) 24-28 18-15 (6) 28-24 32-28 (7) 24-27 15-18 (8) 12-16 28-32 (9) 27-24 18-15

and wins as before by 15-18 in reply to (10) 16-20 or 15-11 in reply to 24-28.

THE SECOND POSITION (See Diagram 95)

White's advantage is that he can crown his two men while Black remains with only one King and two men. The reason why Black cannot use his two men to advantage is that they are pinned on the side of the board while White's men are located in the center where they have much more mobility. All the same White must have the move in order to win, just as in first position.

Black White

(1) … 30-26 (2) 9-14 26-23 (3) 14-10 23-18

32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | o | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | o | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | oo | | * | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | * | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | | | | | | | ** | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1

DIAGRAM 95.—White to Move and Win.

(4) 10-6 18-14 (5) 6-1 14-9 (6) 1-5 9-6 (7) 5-9 6-2 (8) 9-5 2-6 (9) 5-1 6-9 (10) 1-5 9-14 (11) 5-1 14-18 (12) 1-6 18-15 (13) 6-9 15-19 (14) 9-14 27-23 (15) 14-10 23-18 (16) 10-6 18-14 (17) 6-1 14-9 (18) 1-5 9-6 (19) 5-9 6-2 (20) 9-5 2-6 (21) 5-1 6-9 (22) 1-5 9-14 (23) 5-1 14-18 (24) 1-6 18-23 (25) 6-10 23-27 (26) 10-14 19-23 (27) 14-10 23-18 (28) 10-6 18-14 (29) 6-1 14-9 (30) 1-5 22-17

At last White has a position in which he can reduce the ending to one of the fundamental cases by exchange.

(31) 5-14 17-10
(32) 21-25

It will be noticed that through the exchange Black gained to move. White regains it by a second exchange.

(32) … 10-15 (33) 25-30 15-19 (34) 30-26 27-32 (35) 26-22 19-24 (36) 20-27 32-23

and wins.

Second position as a rule results from a "Bridge position" like the following: Black men on 20, 21, 23, Black King on 26. White men on 30 and 32, White Kings on 15 and 19. Black to move:

(1) 26-31 19-26 (2) 31-22 32-27

and White wins by "second position."