The Unknown Derek Oldbury

COLUMN NUMBER 12

Problem Number 12: By Derek Oldbury

White to move and win; an exercise in tactics

Solution To Problem Number 11:  6-9; 22-17 30-26; 21-25 26-30; 25-29 32-28; 19-23 27-18; 17-14 30-25; 14-5 25-22 etc White wins. A super piece of play. The advanced player will observe that 25-21 at the last move of the solution would permit Black to draw, and the student should try to work out how this is done.

Game Number 12. 'Dundee' Opening

Just published is the book of the Oldbury versus Cohen match games, annotated by A.H.Russell, B.A., M.R.S.T, obtainable from the English Draughts Association secretary, Mr T.Westlake. As a sample of the play, here is the 17 th game of the match. I give the score only, as the annotations are copyright. Black: Sam Cohen; White: Derek Oldbury. Set black men in squares 1 to 12; white men on squares 21 to 32.

Start moving: 12-16 23-18; 16-20 26-23; 11-15 18-11; 8-15 24-19; 15-24 28-19; 9-14 22-18; 5-9 19-16; 4-8 16-12; 8-11 25-22; 11-16 22-17; 7-11 17-13; 2-7 29-25; 10-15 25-22; 15-19 30-26; 19-24 22-17; 7-10 32-28 Forms Diagram: Black to move

Continue: 16-19 23-7; 14-30 28-19; 30-26 31-22; 10-14 17-10; 6-31 13-6; 1-10. Drawn.