Peetlesnumber1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

We had a little more trouble than usual with today's Checker School theme.

There was a very famous engineer, William Mulholland, but the surname's spelling isn't the same as the name in our theme. Mr. Mulholland designed and directed the construction of the 233-mile long Los Angeles aqueduct, which opened in 1913. Mulholland Drive and other places around Los Angeles are named after him. His career had an unfortunate ending after the deadly collapse of the St. Francis Dam in 1928.

But what about Mr. Lucas? The name is common enough, and we uncovered numerous engineers and engineering firms bearing that name.

There is at least one modern-day person named Lucas Mullholland, with that exact spelling, but for privacy reasons we won't publish a photo or travel any further in that direction.

Of course, there's the famed 2001 Mulholland Drive movie, as shown above.

What has all of this to do with checkers? We don't know, but it's almost a certainty that William Mulholland at least knew how to play the game.

Today's study consists of two problems based on a single diagram. It all comes down to who moves first.

LUCAS - MULLHOLLAND
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw
White to Play, Black Wins

B:W28,26,22,21,19:B14,13,12,11,10.
W:W28,26,22,21,19:B14,13,12,11,10.

This is an excellent and subtle study, and it's well worth your time. See if you can engineer the solutions, then click on Read More to see notes, commentary, analysis, and sample games.

Today's problem was sent by regular contributors Lloyd and Josh Gordon of Toronto, Ontario. We were going to feature it as a speed problem, and indeed there are some speed problem aspects here. But the problem goes deeper than the first few moves, as you'll soon see.

So this month, we'll spare you the Javascript clock and let you take as much time as you need. We don't doubt that you'll see the "speed" part pretty quickly. After that, you'll likely need to think it through.

Here's the position.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W32,30,27,24,21,15,K2:BK31,22,20,14,12,3,1.

It's an interesting study. Take all the time you need, then click on Read More to see the solution.

It's been a while since we featured a Chris Nelson problem. Mr. Nelson was a checker analyst and composer who lived in that one-time hotbed of checkers, Brooklyn, New York.

Today's problem gets its name from Tom Wiswell, who says it has fooled many an expert with a "joker" or false solution. Mr. Wiswell continues, "We doubt that you will get it the first time."

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W26,K10,K7,5:B28,K21,17,1.

Don't let the joke be on you. When you think you've got it, check twice and see if you've really solved it. Then click on Read More to see that it really wasn't that hard after all.

Or was it?

Now that's quite a caper!

Today we feature the fifth in an ongoing series on capers in the Kelso opening, taken from Willie Ryan's classic Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard. There's a lot of action in this one and we think it's as good as the dance caper shown above.

Here's the runup, without commentary. (Annotations are presented in previous columns in this series.)

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W32,31,28,27,25,24,23,22,18,17:B15,13,12,11,10,9,8,3,2,1.

Black has a loose double corner, but there's definitely a draw here, though it's not so easy to get it. Can you find the right move and then correctly play out the rest of the sequence? Willie found one drawing move, but there are actually two--- not that that helps very much.

Don't dance around; jump right in and find the solution, then leap to Read More to see Willie's answer and commentary.

The Macindoe Research Facility is a state of the art establishment focusing on digital literacy. It's part of the Presbyterian Ladies' College in Croydon, New South Wales, Australia. We don't know which Macindoe the facility is named for, but by all accounts this is a leading research center not just in Australia but in the world.

Would there be any relationship to checkerist J. B. Macindoe, who lived something like a century and a half ago in Montreal, Canada? It's possible, we suppose. Do they study checkers and draughts at the Macindoe Research Facility? While we'd like to think so, we're not sure it's part of their mission, but we can always hope.

Today's Checker School entry, certainly, is worthy of serious study by serious students. Here's the position.

J. B. MACINDOE
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W23,22,21,20,19:B14,13,12,7,6.

A textbook ending? Indeed it is. Do your own research--- mentally, of course--- and see if you can solve it. Then, click on Read More for the customary detailed notes, solution, and sample games.

The fastest speedster in the world is supposedly the Hennessey Venom GT, which reached a measured speed of 270.49 miles per hour in 2014, although there's one little hitch. It didn't go into the record books because the run was made in only one direction; apparently, an official record for a production car requires the averaging of two runs in opposite directions. You can buy one of these, by the way, for around a million dollars.

Today we present what is probably the easiest problem we've ever published in the more than ten year history of The Checker Maven. Naturally, we're offering it as a speed problem, and here too there's one little hitch.

We're giving you just three seconds to solve it. But at least it won't cost you anything.

If you're an expert player, you'll get it in a fraction of a second. The rest of us might need a couple of seconds. And even if you don't get it in three seconds, you'll get it before long.

Click on the link below when you're ready, and keep your eyes wide open! Come back and click on Read More to verify your solution.

April Speed Problem (Very easy, three seconds)

The famous expression is "The money runs out before the month does." At times, it can get really bad. We've probably all known the feeling.

But can it get even worse? No, we're not trying to drive our Checker Maven readers into depression. There are times, though, when the only thing to do is sit back and have a good laugh.

Here's a checker position in which the idea is to make things as bad as they possibly can get. Not just a little bad, but really bad.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play Worst Possible Move

W:W30,28,26,22,18,17,14:B19,16,13,12,6,2,1.

Today's challenge is to pick out the worst possible move on the board. Believe it or not, there's a move here that's so bad ... well, you'll see. (Optimists take note: you can also go ahead and find the best move if you wish.)

Find the worst move and then click on Read More to find out how bad things can be. You're bound to get a laugh, and you're certain to realize that, whatever your own problems may be, they likely have a solution.

If you're a ballet student of any standing, you've certainly encountered "fifth position," as shown above. It's one of the basics that every aspiring ballet dancer must learn.

Checkers, too, has Fifth Position, and it requires mental effort similar to the physical effort required for ballet's position of the same name. Yes, we've seen Fifth Position in our columns before, but perhaps not to quite the depth of today's lesson in Checker School.

Here's the basic premise.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W23,22,21,20,19:B14,13,12,11,6.

Even if you've done it before, it's worth another try. Solve it, then click on Read More to see the solution and the heart of this study: six sample games that lead to Fifth Position.

During your school days, did you ever "cut a caper" like the kids above are doing? They seem to really be enjoying their dance class.

This week continues our equally enjoyable checker series, Capers on the Kelso, taken from Willie Ryan's famous Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard. We're deep into a variation off the main line in which Willie has highlighted an interesting problem-like position.

The uncommented run-up follows below. For complete notes, see the previous columns in this series.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W32,31,30,24,23,22,20,19:B21,15,13,12,11,10,8,7,6.

White is a piece down, but the draw is there, although White will have to make a number of star moves and "toe the line" pretty closely.

Is this too big a caper to pull off, or can you do it? Give it a couple of turns, and then click on Read More to see the solution and notes.

We thought for a while before declaring today's offering a "speed problem." It's probably the "slowest" speed problem we've published to date, and the proposed solution time of 45 seconds reflects our view of its difficulty.

Now, some of you will undoubtedly see it right away and solve it in just a few seconds. But we think that for most players, a little thought will be necessary.

Click below to display the problem and start the clock.

March Speed Problem (45 seconds, difficult)

When you're done, come back and click on Read More to check your solution.