The Unknown Derek Oldbury

COLUMN NUMBER 31

Problem Number 31: By Derek Oldbury

Black to move and draw
An escape from a seemingly lost position which will baffle the experts

Solution To Problem Number 30: 18-23 9-13; 23-27 21-17; 22-18 13-9; 27-32 17-13; 32-27 9-6; 18-14 6-2; 14-10 13-9; 10-6 9-5; 6-1. Black wins.

Game Number 31. 'Denny' Opening

Played by correspondence between E. C. Whiting (Black) and J. Thorpe (White).

Move: 10-14 24-20; 7-10 (the 3 move ballot) 22-18; 11-16 (varies from Game 26, and was considered doubtful) 20-11; 8-22 25-18; 4-8 28-24; 8-11 24-19; 9-13 18-9; 5-14 29-25; 3-7 25-22; 1-5 (the saving move) 22-18; 11-16 18-9; 5-14 27-24 (here 23-18 etc. is strongest, and Black has to pick his moves out carefully to draw); 16-20 31-27; 7-11 32-28 Forms Diagram: Black to move

Continue: 11-15 (this move was starred at the time, but 11-16 has since been shown to draw easily) 19-16; 12-19 23-16; 14-18 26-23; 18-22 16-11; 22-26 11-8; 26-31 8-3; 31-26 23-19; 26-22 3-8; 15-18 21-17; 22-25 30-21; 13-22 8-11; 22-25 19-16; 18-23 27-18; 20-27 16-12; 6-9 11-16; 27-31 12-8; 25-30 8-3; 31-26 3-8; 26-23 16-11; 23-14 11-7; 2-11 8-13; 30-26. Drawn. A nice ending to an original game.