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.

Checker School today brings us a problem that exhibits a certain form of symmetry; not the perfect symmetry of our photo, to be sure, but nevertheless an appealing geometric pattern. The position is credited to a Mr. Brooks, and looks like this.

A. Brooks
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W13,11,K3:BK10,5,K2.

As it turns out, reflecting our theme of symmetry, Black has not one but two ways of winning. Can you find them both?

Reflect on this for a while, but if you can't mirror the winning thought process, a simple click on Read More will flip to the solution page, which contains the answer to the problem, a sample game, and detailed notes, all courtesy of Ben Boland.

Once again it's time for an installment from one of the greatest checker books of all time, Willie Ryan's Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard. This month Willie takes us back in checker history, to a stratagem employed by Scotland's legendary James Wyllie. Willie tells us all about it in his own well-chosen words.

"It is impossible to record the historic stratagems of the world's great draughts players without including the hallowed name of James Wyllie of Scotland, father of modern checkers and the game's first full-time professional. Here we review one of the wily Scot's best-known thunderbolts:

forming the diagram.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

A---The Switcher opening; weak for white. Champion Wyllie was first to use and develop the gambit, and despite its inherent weakness, he doomed many a master with the white pieces.

B---Caught! White now ends all organized resistance with a neat double-action bust-up. The correct play at B is: 15-19, 24-15, 10-19, 23-16, 12-19, 27-23, 18-27, 32-16, 6-9, 26-22, 9-18, 22-15, 8-12, 16-11, 7-16, 20-11, 3-7, 11-2, 1-6, 2-9, 5-30, ending in a draw."

Will you too be swindled, or can you find your way to the solution? Try it out, but be sure to count your change before clicking on Read More to see how it's done.

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.

As each month we continue to republish Willie Ryan's masterful Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard, we can't help but notice that the situations presented are, at least in a general sense, increasing in difficulty.

But no matter. We have Willie at our electronic side to explain it all. Here's one he calls Barker's Bounce for reasons that we'll let him explain for himself.

"This useful study shows how Champion G. F. Barker gave the bounce to James P. Reed in their stubbornly fought American Championship battle of 1891. Ever since that time, the losing move at A has been carefully sidestepped by all alert generals of the board.

forming the diagram.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W17,21,22,25,27,29,30,31,32:B1,2,4,5,6,10,14,15,19.

A---This is where Reed took the road to ruin. The only move that will produce a draw is: 5-9*, 20-11, 15-18, 22-15, 10-26, 30-23, 8-15, 17-10, 15-19, 23-16, 12-19, 10-7, 2-11, 25-22, 11-15, 31-26, 4-8, etc. Willie Gardner."

Will this problem give you the bounce too, or will you rebound and solve it? In any case you can roll along to Willie's solution just by clicking on Read More.

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.