XI
When the forces on each side are reduced to two men, or a man and a King each, many positions occur which are won, lost, or drawn by well-known and long-recognised lines of play, and all who wish to become draught players should have a knowledge of them. Here is such a position:—
Black man on 22. King on 27. (Fig. 15.)
Fig. 15.
White man on 30. King on 7.
Black to move and win.
Here is the win:—
| 27-23 | 18-14 | 6- 1 | 5- 1 |
| 7-10 | 6- 1 | 5- 9 | 25-21 |
| 22-26 | 22-18 | 1- 5 | 1- 5 |
| (a) 10-36 | 1- 6 | 9-13 | 10- 6 |
| 26- 1 | 18-15 | 10-14 | 18-15 |
| 6- 9 | 6- 1 | 13- 9 | 21-17 |
| 31-26 | 15-10 | 14-18 | 5- 1 |
| 9- 6 | 1- 5 | 9- 6 | 6- 9 |
| 26-22 | 10- 6 | 18-15 | 15-18 |
| 6-10 | 5- 1 | 30-25 | Black wins |
| 23-18 | 14-10 | 15-18 | by "first |
| 10- 6 | 1- 5 | 6-10 | position." |
| (a) 30-25 | 10- 6 | 1- 6 | 1- 5 |
| 23-18 | 18-14 | 26-22 | Black win |
| 25-21 | 6- 1 | 6- 1 | by "first |
| 26-30 | 30-26 | 22-17 | position." |
Here is another position:—
Black Kings on 14 and 22. (Fig. 16.)
Fig. 16.
White man on 29. King on 1.
Black to move and win.
This is the play for the defeat of your opponent:—
| 22-17 | 1- 5 | 18-15 | 21-17 |
| 1- 5 | 6- 1 | 29-25 | 5- 1 |
| 17-13 | 5- 9 | 15-18 | 6- 9 |
| 5- 1 | 1- 5 | 6-10 | 15-18 |
| 13- 9 | 9-13 | 5- 1 | Black wins |
| 1- 5 | 10-14 | 25-21 | by "first |
| 9- 6 | 13- 9 | 1- 5 | position." |
| 5- 1 | 14-18 | 10-6 | |
| 14-10 | 9- 6 | 18-15 |
The student will notice that all these victories are by “first position.” This so-called “first position” will be explained in the next lesson.