White is unable to make any headway because he cannot threaten an exchange.  The method in which White threatens the exchange of the King on 19 in the example of third position given in Diagram 98 is the following: 

Black               White
(1)  ...            20-24
(2) 11-15           24-27

12-8 would be of no use as 19-23 would force 8-12 again.

          (3) 15-11

If 15-18 White wins by 27-31

          (3) ... 27-32

27-31 would admit of a draw by (4) 19-23, 28-24; (5) 23-27, 24- 20; (6) 27-23, 12-16; (7) 11-15, etc.

(4) 11-15 12-8 (5) 15-18 32-27 (6) 18-15 27-31 (7) 15-18 8-11 (8) 18-23 11-7 (9) 19-15

This is better than allowing the Kings to get together.

(9) ... 28-24 (10) 23-27 24-20 (11) 27-23 7-2 (12) 15-11 2-6 (13) 23-19 6-10

If he moved the other King, Black would draw by 19-16.

(14) 19-23 10-14
(15) 23-19

Black would lose easily if he allowed the man to advance

(15) ... 14-18

Threatening to exchange

(16) 19-24

The only move to avoid the exchange.

(16) ... 18-23 (17) 24-28 23-19 (18) 28-32 31-26 (19) 32-28 26-23 (20) 28-32 23-18 (21) 32-28 19-15 (22) 11-8 20-16

and White cannot be prevented from getting another King.

An earlier setting of third position is shown in Diagram 100.

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

Diagram 100.

White wins by

(1) ... 19-24 (2) 27-31 32-28 (3) 23-27 30-23 (4) 27-32 23-18 (5) 32-27 24-20 (6) 27-23 19-15, etc.

THE FOURTH POSITION

Although White is a piece ahead he has great difficulties in winning on account of the weak position of the man on 12.  Black’s man on 3 holds