XII
We now come to the ending known amongst all draught players as
The “First Position.”
Black Kings on 14 and 17. (Fig. 17.)
Fig. 17.
White man on 21. King on 5.
Black to move and win.
If the student refers to the solution of the position on the first diagram in the eleventh lesson, he will find that the play shown in note (a) ends with the position shown above. The victory is brought about thus:—
| 17-13 | 14-10 | 15-18 | 5- 1 |
| 5- 1 | 1- 5 | 5- 9(a) | 6- 9 |
| 13- 9 | 6- 1 | 1- 5 | 15-18 |
| 1- 5 | 5- 9 | 9- 6(b) | See |
| 9- 6 | 10-15 | 18-15 | position |
| 5- 1 | 9- 5 | 21-17 | below. |
| (a) 21-17 | 1- 6 | 1- 5 | Black |
| 18-22 | 5- 1 | 22-17 | wins. |
| 17-14 | 6- 2 | ||
| (b) 9-13 | 5- 1 | 14-10 | 5- 1 |
| 18-22 | 17-14 | 22-18 | Black |
| 21-17 | 1- 5 | 10- 6 | wins. |
A More Advanced Stage of “First Position.”
Black Kings on 1 and 18. (Fig. 18.)
Fig. 18.
White man on 17. King on 9.
White to move. Black to win.
This position is formed at the end of main play of both positions given in eleventh easy lesson, as well as of main play in the position on the first diagram above.
White has two lines of play. First—
| 17-13 | 15-10 | 25-22 | 10-15 |
| 18-15 | 17-22 | 1- 6 | 22-25 |
| 9-14 | 10-14 | 22-25 | 15-18 |
| 1- 5 | 22-25 | 6-10 | Black |
| 14-17 | 1- 5 | 25-22 | wins. |
Second—
| (a) | 9- 5 | 1- 6 | 1- 5 | Black |
| 18-22 | 5- 1 | 22-17 | wins. | |
| 17-14 | 6- 2 | 14- 9 |
(a) Both 17-14 and 9-13 lose at once by 6-2.