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400 DRAUGHTS. |
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Here the adverse men are even, but the white squares are odd, as, from 26, a white king, to 28, a black king, there are three white squares, viz. 31, 27, and 24, and between 32, a white, and 19 a black man, are two, 27, and 23, in all, five; this may be reckoned otherwise, but take it what way you will, they still prove odd; consequently white, so situated, has the move. The player who wants, and has not got the move, should endeavour to obtain the same by giving man for man. There is a shorter method to determine who has the move; for instance, if white should wrish to know whether any one particular man of his has the move'over any other particular man of black; let him examine the situations of both, and if there be a black square on the right angle under the black man, white has the move ; that is, suppose white is to play, and his man is at 30, wrhen black is at 3 ; the right angle is then in the black square directly under 3, between 31 and 32, therefore white at that time has the move. This rule will hold good in regard to any number of men, and in all cases whatsoever.
No advantage is derived from being first player ; for as the men and squares are then both even, he cannot have the move ; and though the other player has it, it is of no use to him in that stage of the game : while the combatants give man for man, the move will alternately belong to each ; the first player will obtain it at odd numbers, 11,
9, 7, 5, 3, 1 ; the second will gain it at even, 12,
10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and some error must first be committed before the move can be driven out of these directions. |
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