The Unknown Derek Oldbury

Problem Number 1: By Derek Oldbury

White to move and win              

Showing that you must sometimes give 'em away, to take 'em away.

Game Number 1. 'Fife' Opening

Place black men on squares 1 to 12 and white men on squares 21 to 32.

Start moving: 11-15 23-19; 9-14 22-17; 5-9 (Get the idea? O.K. Keep going) 17-13; 14-18 (a cordial invitation) 19-16 (accepted with thanks); 12-19 26-23; 19-26 30-5; 15-18 25-22; 18-25 29-22; 10-14 22-17; 14-18 27-23; 18-27 32-23; 8-11 24-19; 4-8 (United we stand) 31-27 (Wednesday we fall); 8-12 17-14 (White says 'Give me air,' and begins to regret the past): Forms Diagram: Black to move

Continue: 11-16 (a direct threat to move 6-9 next) 14-9; 7-10 (an indirect threat: if 21-17 then 10-14) 28-24; 10-14 24-20; 14-18 20-11 (what else can you do?); 3-7 23-14; 7-32. Black won.

One of 32 games played simultaneously in an exhibition at Liskeard, Cornwall. I had blacks.