I told you some pages back that there were various accepted openings to the game of Draughts—the Old Fourteenth, the Single Corner, the Laird and Lady, the Glasgow, the Whilter, and some fifty others. All the really safe, sound, and favourable openings, however, proceed from the five here named. The rest are well enough to know, but in practice they are risky and fantastical.

To properly understand what follows, it is necessary that you should so completely conquer the notation of draughts as to be able to follow the moves in your mind’s eye without seeing the board. This is not nearly so difficult as you may think. Number your board as in the diagram below, and place the men in the order of play.

The Numbered Board, with the men placed in their order of play.

Here we have the Black men on the upper half of the board, though whether the White or the Black occupy that position the order of their moves is the same. The usual plan is for the Black to take the first move, and for the players to change the pieces with each game. By this method each player begins alternately, and always with the Black men. Our games will be so arranged, if you please.

Let us commence, then, with the best of the openings—

THE OLD FOURTEENTH.
Black. White.
11to15—1—23to19
8to11—2—22to17
4to8—3—17to13

These three moves on either side constitute the Old Fourteenth Opening. From this point, at which the game is perfectly even, spring many variations. The most common and accepted moves on each side are—