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Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership by Edward Lasker

THE FIFTH POSITION

THE FIFTH POSITION

White is on the move, and it is evident that he loses if he moves the man on 27 permitting black to reply 11-15. The only way to save the game is to sacrifice the man on 20 by 20-16. The following play would ensue.

              32        31        30
       +---------------------------------------+
       |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | 29
       |---------------------------------------|
    28 |    |    |  o |    |    |    |    |    |
       |---------------------------------------|
       |    |    |    |    |    |  o |    |  o | 21
       |---------------------------------------|
    20 |  o |    |  o |    |    |    |    |    |
       |---------------------------------------|
       |    |    |    |    |    |  * |    |  * | 13
       |---------------------------------------|
    12 |  * |    |  * |    |  * |    |    |    |
       |---------------------------------------|
       |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | 5
       |---------------------------------------|
     4 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
       +---------------------------------------+
                    3         2        1

                Diagram 106.

          (2) 11-2O          27-23
          (3) 20-24          22-18
          (4) 24-27          18-9
          (5) 10-14

Preventing 23-18

          (5)  ...            9-6
          (6) 27-31           6-2K
          (7) 31-27           2-6

White cannot save the piece and so he runs his opponent.

          (8) 27-18           6-9
          (9) 13-17           19-15
         (10) 18-11           9-18
         (11) 17-22           18-25
         (12) 11-15           25-22

Drawn. White would lose by 21-17, as after (13) 15-18, 17-13;
(14) 18-14, 25-22; (15) 12-16 he cannot gain the double corner.

The following has been suggested as a suitable problem to be
called SIXTH POSITION.

             32        31        30
       +---------------------------------------+
       |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | 29
       |---------------------------------------|
    28 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
       |---------------------------------------|
       |    | oo |    |    |    |    |    |    | 21
       |---------------------------------------|
    20 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
       |---------------------------------------|
       |    | o  |    | ** |    |    |    |    | 13
       |---------------------------------------|
    12 |  o |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
       |---------------------------------------|
       |    |    |    | ** |    |    |    |    | 5
       |---------------------------------------|
     4 |    |    |  * |    |    |    |    |    |
       +---------------------------------------+
                    3         2        1

       Diagram 107.--BLACK TO MOVE AND WHITE TO DRAW.

Black plays

         (1) 7-2

threatening (2) 3-7 and (3) 15-11.   White can prevent this only
by

         (1) ...          24-20

Now 3-7 would only draw on account of 16-11.

         (2) 2-6          20-24
         (3) 6-10         24-20

Again 3-7 had to be prevented.

         (4) 10-14        20-24
         (5) 14-17        24-27

This time 24-20 would have lost, as Black would have replied (6)
17-13, 20-24; (7) 3-7, 12-8; (8) 15-11.

         (6) 17-13        27-32

Avoiding 27-24 which would lose by (7) 3-7

         (7) 13-9         32-27
         (8) 9-14         27-24
         (9) 14-18        24-27

Drawn. White has to watch 3-7 and to take care to play 24-20 at
the right time so as to exchange 16-11 if 3-7 is played. At the
same time he must beware of playing 24-20 when the Black Kings
are on squares 15 and 5 or 15 and 13, as otherwise Black would
reply 5-9, 20-24; 3-7, 12-8; 15-11.

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