I had a bit of an argument with Mom this morning, and that's never a good way to start off the day. It was Saturday morning, and nearly every Saturday for more than a year I'd gone over to Uncle Ben's for a couple of hours, to sit on his porch, drink his wonderful lemonade, and learn something new about checkers.

But Mom had said that we're two months into a new school year, I'm in fifth grade now, and I need to spend a few extra hours hitting the books, as I hadn't exactly gotten off to a good start in English and math. Besides, she said, you can't be bothering Uncle Ben all the time; the elderly gent can't be expected to entertain children every single week!

I pointed out that Uncle Ben seemed to really look forward to my visits and that he might be disappointed if I didn't show up. Besides, I said (repeating back a few lines I'd heard from Uncle Ben himself), checkers helps a student with logical thinking and the application of reason. (I'm glad Mom didn't ask me to explain what all of that really meant, though.)

After a little while Mom relented and let me go, with a final caution to not stay too long and wear out Uncle Ben's patience or hospitality. Still, I didn't feel very good about the whole incident, and when I arrived at Uncle Ben's and sat down in one of his porch chairs, I couldn't help but blurt out the whole story.

"Well, Tommy," Uncle Ben said after hearing me out, "listening to your Mom and doing as she says is very important, and I shouldn't discourage you from doing so."

At these words, my heart started to sink and I was sure Uncle Ben was going to send me straight home. Certainly, he realized this as he added, "No, no, Tommy, I'm not going to send you off. But we need to make a little deal, one that you need to tell your mother about when we've shaken on it."

"Deal?" I said, unsure of what was coming.

"Yes, a nice gentleman's agreement. The one part of the deal is that you can come here and visit every Saturday that you wish ... but the other part is that your grades have to all be above whatever mark your mother decides. So if she says that you have to have nothing less than a 'B' in every subject, then you have to do that well in school," Uncle Ben concluded.

"But ... but ...." I stammered.

"No 'buts', Tommy! I know, you're worried that your mother will ask you to get all "A"s or something really hard. But I know your mom and I know she'll be fair about it. She'll just expect you to do your part. So, is it a deal, then?"

"Yes, sir," I said, and we shook hands on it. Uncle Ben was right, Mom would be fair, and I did want to keep my grades up, though I knew it would be hard work.

"Well then!" exclaimed Uncle Ben, "all this business talk makes a man thirsty!" And before you could blink twice, Uncle Ben had placed glasses of frosty lemonade on the table in front of us, and turned his attention to the checkerboard.

"You've been coming along fast," he said, "and so today we're going to try something a little harder. It's a bit like school; as you move up in grades, the work gets harder, but you learn more and more all the time. What do you make of this? Here's one in which whoever moves first will win."

This was the position Uncle Ben had set up for me.

BLACK

WHITE
Either to Play and Win

W:W20,21,23,32:B1,10,12,13.

I took a long, careful drink of lemonade, and all at once, everything seemed clear. "Hey, Uncle Ben, I've got it!" I said proudly, and began to move the men to demonstrate the solution.

What do you make of this problem? Work it through and then click on Read More to see the solution, a sample game, and a large helping of additional illustrated examples.

The first Saturday of each month we often offer a speed problem, featuring our relentless Javascript clock, and this month we return to that theme. But today's problem might not be quite a speed problem.

To be sure, the better checkerists out there will likely come up with the solution in short order. But others may perhaps need a little more time. And so, to accommodate everyone, we're being especially generous and allowing a whole two minutes for you to find the solution before the clock runs out. Aren't we the kind ones?

Click on the link below when you're ready to give it a try.

November Speed Problem (moderate difficulty)

Whether you were speedy or not, clicking on Read More will show you the solution in a jiffy.

In one of our favorite Honolulu second-hand book stores (not that there are all that many to choose from), we came across an old book that purported to contain the "hardest" problems in various genres. The book bore a very low price tag and so we decided to add it to our collection.

We weren't terribly surprised to learn two things about this book: first, that the problems were anything but "hard" for the most part, and second, that the requisite checker problem was to be found within the book's contents. The checker problem was certainly entertaining enough, but as for difficulty, we found it a suitable entry for this month's "easy" problem!

Here's the problem:

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W15,19,21,23,26,K27:B12,14,18,K29,K30.

Think hard, though you'll hardly need to; and a good hard click on Read More will then bring you to a hard stop at the problem's hardy solution.

Editor's Note: Where's the Javascript clock this month? Well, we've decided that, in addition to our usual "speed" problems where you compete against the clock, we'd alternate some months with an "easy" problem that is suitable for those of us with, shall we say, lesser talents. There is no clock for the "easy" problems in order to allow our readers to concentrate on solving without time pressure.

We haven't published one of W. T. Call's delightful miniatures in quite some time, so this week we provide a long overdue selection. Miniatures provide much more of a challenge than their simple settings imply; they are as much a test of visualization skills in their own way as stroke problems are in another way.

The little problem that follows relies, as you might guess from our title, on a "squeeze" theme. You'll see what that means when you've solved the problem.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W31,26:BK7,3.

See if you can squeeze out the solution, and when you've extracted it, press Read More to check your answer.

The Police Athletic League (PAL) is a venerable institution with chapters all across the United States. The idea is at once simple and brilliant: to bring police and kids together in a positive, partnership-building environment, which fosters mutual trust and respect. Of course, basketball and similar sports are prominently featured, but other activities such as homework help and board games are also on the agenda.

Once upon a time in New York City, legendary checkerist Kenneth Grover served as a PAL checker instructor. In his PAL chapter, the following Tom Wiswell problem was a big favorite. It's not too hard, not too easy, and as simple and brilliant as the PAL concept itself.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W11,13,29:B2,4,22.

Forces are even but the White man on 11 is rather exposed, and Black is about to get a king. Can you save the game for the White forces?

As always, solve the problem and click on Read More to view the solution. And, we urge you to be a PAL yourself. Support the work of your local PAL chapter and help build better communities.

It's Labor Day weekend in the United States and elsewhere, and festivities of all sorts are taking place. As our photo illustrates, such celebrations have been going on for a very long time, and that's a good thing, for honoring the work of the regular guy is an important thing to do.

We'll join in ourselves by giving you a special Labor Day checker problem. After all, the regular working guy has his very own mind sport: checkers! Here's the problem:

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W26,K25,K15,K2:B24,21,19,K9,6.

White is a man down, but there is a very workmanlike draw available--- if you can find it. Labor away, and then stop for a break; clicking on Read More will take you to the very pleasing solution.

Today, as we present another offering in our Checker School series, you might think we're asking you to memorize the telephone book instead of learning something about checkers. Ben Boland, in his solution to the problem below, seemed intent on including the names of as many top checkerists as would fit on the page.

It's all to the good, though, as we'll see several additional settings of the theme along with a sample game and explanatory notes. But first, we ought to look at the diagram:

F. Allen
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W17,12,K8:BK15,K9,3.

The position is attributed to F. Allen, though as we'll see, plenty of other checkerists get a mention.

Can you name the winning moves? In any event, clicking on Read More will bring you to the full directory.

We must admit that we're not all that fond of crowds (leaving aside baseball games, of course), preferring the tranquil solitude of the prairie, the desert, or the open sea. But at times, it's just impossible to avoid jostling with massed humanity as we go about our business in one urban environment or another.

Today's problem presents us with a crowd scene of a different sort, as we view a checkerboard situation where the White forces are a full three men up on the Black side, yet a win seems elusive. This unexpected turn of events is due to some severe single-corner crowding, where a lone Black king is holding three White pieces completely at bay.

Here's the position:

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:WK4,8,K12,13,22:BK3,K14.

White doesn't seem to have a single decent move, yet the game can still be won, though it's every bit as difficult as making your way along Kalakaua Avenue on a Saturday evening.

Try to solve the problem, but if your thoughts become overcrowded, relieve the congestion by clicking on Read More to see the solution.

This time of year it is our wont to observe that in the Northern Hemisphere the days are long and hot, and folks are out enjoying summer. So our August speed problems this time are most definitely on the easy side, and solving them won't cut into your pool or picnic time.

In fact, just to be sure that you have plenty of time for the summer pursuits of your choice, we're setting the time limit for these problems to a mere ten seconds. Don't blink twice, you may be too late! Click on the links below to show the problems and start the clock on your ten second solving time.

August Speed Problem One (very easy)

August Speed Problem Two (very easy)

Check your solutions by clicking on Read More, and then go back to your enjoyment of a fine summer day.

Editor's Note: To our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, who are mired in the depths of winter, we can only point out that in less than six months the tables will be turned.

Joshua Sturges was one of the early great teachers in the world of draughts; he published his "Guide to the Game of Draughts" in London, in 1800, and for nearly half a century it was the draughts primer. Even to this day, online bookseller Amazon lists the title in their catalog as Joshua Sturges's guide to the game of draughts: In which the theory and practice of that scientific recreation are clearly illustrated including one hundred and seventy-two critical positions. They list the date as 1881, for some reason (there were apparently numerous later editions and reprints), and note that the title is not currently available, and is not expected back in stock!

Information on Mr. Sturges isn't all that easy to come by, but we did find this historical record of a London jury that convened in July, 1801.

In the listing of jury members, a Joshua Sturges is shown as a member of the "Second Middlesex Jury." We don't know if this is the same Mr. Sturges of draughts fame, but given the date and location, it is certainly quite possible.

But today, in our continuing Checker School series, we're asking you to be both judge and jury of the following Sturges "situation."

J. Sturges
BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:WK19,K22,30:B12,21,K27.

Certainly, White is better off here, but demonstrating the win makes all the difference, and it will certainly require care and attention.

Weigh the evidence and come up with the verdict: can you prove that White wins or will there be a hung jury? After you've given it your best effort, click on Read More to see the solution, notes, and several example games, as provided by Ben Boland.