Thanks to the generosity and hard work of Checker Maven friend John Acker, we have a number of new PDN files available for your instruction and entertainment. Just click on the PDN link in the Downloads section in the right column, or click here.

Don't know about PDN files or how to use them? You'll find an explanatory link on the PDN download page.

Enjoy these new files, and again, thank you John!

The concept of negative numbers is said to be due to the Hindu mathematician Brahmagupta, who defined them around the year 600 A.D; but the idea is even older, dating back at least to the Greek mathematician Diophantus, around 250 A.D., who wrote about "forthcomings" and "wantings" to represent the modern idea of positive and negative numbers.

An ancient idea indeed, although most historians believe the foundations of our game of checkers go back even further!

And this brings us to the point of today's Checker School session: a situation which as been referred to as Negative Second Position. No doubt you're familiar with the basics of the Second Position ending (it's been covered in a previous Checker School lesson); today's position changes, or perhaps negates, the value of a few of the pieces, changing White to Black, King to man, and vice-versa. If that's confusing, a look at the diagrammed position, attributed to W. Strickland, will clear it all up.

W. Strickland
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:WK28,13,12:BK15,5,3.

Can you negate the difficulty of this problem and find the win? A negative attitude will never do! Think positively, find the answer, and then be certain to click on Read More to see the solution, a sample game, and detailed notes.

Of course, we're welcoming the New Year on the Jewish calendar --- the year 5769, to be precise, an event celebrated by eating apples dipped in honey and hearing the blowing of the ram's horn, known as the "shofar" and pictured above.

The Checker Maven celebrates by bringing you an interesting (and not very difficult) checker problem in which all is not as it seems, and the obvious may not be obvious at all. Here's our position.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W28,27,26,24,18,17,15,13:B20,19,12,10,9,6,5.

White is a man up, so why are we blowing our horn over this one, you may ask. Well, although the New Year has come quickly upon us as it always seems to do, haste is not advised in making your move here.

See if you can find the win--- as we said, it's not very difficult--- and also demonstrate what's wrong with the "obvious" move. Blow your own horn and then click on Read More for the complete solution. And have a good and a sweet year!

We've chosen our title for today's very interesting problem from its appearance on the checkerboard, with three columns of pieces all in a nice tidy row.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:WK11,13,17,19,27,28:B2,10,12,18,20,K26.

This turns out to be another one of those studies with a lot of options to look at. But there is only one move to draw for White. Can you find it, and demonstrate a draw against any of several possible Black replies? Can you show how other first moves lose for White? This is a position that is full of surprises and exciting checker action. Get your ducks in a row, solve the problem, and then click on Read More for the solution and complete analysis.

Willie Ryan never fails to please, and this month's installment from his classic Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard is no exception. While the pyrotechnics shown in today's position are not forced, they are by far the most spectacular way to wrap up a win, and the instructional value of Mr. Ryan's analysis is, as always, unmatchable.

Here's Willie once again:

"Ranking high among the classical bombshells of the board is this 11-piece sweep, credited to the late N. A. Bailey, of Rutland, Vermont. Although Bailey's blitz has been published many times, it has never been shown with the proper sequence of moves. As a result, the reader misses the scientific meaning of the preliminary moves leading up to the shot. Proceed with:

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W32,31,29,27,26,25,22,21,20,15,14:B19,18,13,11,9,8,7,6,5,3,1.

A---A losing move that can be tamed only by forcing black into the Bailey shot. The play from here to the finish is a first-class example of the indispensability of stroke technique in cracking a formational "dud" that otherwise would be drawable. The correct play to draw at A is: 1-6, 32-28, 6-10, 24-19, 10-17, 21-14, 11-16*, 20-11, 7-16, 19-15, 8-11, 15-8, 4-11, 28-24, 16-20, 14-10, 12-16, 23-14, 9-18, 25-22, 18-25, 29-22, 11-15, 26-23, 2-7, 30-26, 7-14, 22-18, 15-22, 26-10, 3-8, 10-7, 13-17, 7-3, 8-12, 3-7, 17-22, 7-10, 5-9,10-6, 9-14, 6-10, 14-17,10-14, 17-21,14-17, 22-25, 17-22, 25-30, 31-26, 16-19, 24-15, 12-16. Hugh McKean.

B---A meticulous probing of the position will prove that these moves are absolutely necessary to hold the win.

C---The correct and only move to win! Even Bailey, the author of this fine win, as well as others, prescribed 15-10 here, which allows black to get away by 16-19!---1

D---Stops 1-6 because of 14-10, and 19-24 because of 32-28."

1---This actually appears to allow Black to win! Computer analysis gives this possible line of play: 15-10 16-19 23x16 12x19 26-22 19-24 22x15 11x18 30-26 24-28 20-16 8-12 27-24 12x19 24x15 18-23 26x19 9x18 19-16 7x14 Black Wins--Ed.

2---1-6 holds out longer here but still loses; one line is 14-10 7x14 22-17 13x22 26x1 9-13 15-10 11-15 20-16 8-12 16-11 12-16 1-6 2x9 11-7 3-8 10-6 8-12 6-2 16-20 2-6 19-23 25-22 18x25 29x22 23-26 6-10 15-19 10-15 19-24 32-28 26-30 28x19 White Wins--Ed.

Can you find the flashy finish? When you've solved it, click on Read More for Willie's solution.

Fortunately, today we won't be discussing what is often known as "boxology" or the drawing of incredibly boring corporate organizational charts. But the term did come to mind when we looked at the "boxy" appearance of the pieces in today's edition of Checker School. The position is diagrammed below.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:WK2,19,20:B11,12,K27.

Boxy, yes; boring, certainly not! Although the two White men seem quite boxed in, there is a clever draw in the offing, one that is easier to spot than usual for a Checker School problem.

Can you find the draw, or will you be relegated to the bottom of the pecking order? We certainly hope that won't be your fate, and in fact clicking on Read More will leap you at once to the top of the charts.

Like the appetizing dinner pictured above, this month's speed problem is definitely not too tough; in fact, it's rather tender and juicy. So much so, in fact, that we think ten seconds to find the solution is ample time; we rather suspect that most of you will finish it off in half that interval.

When you're ready to feast on this one, click below.

September Speed Problem (easy)

When you've finished the main course, clicking on Read More will bring you dessert--- in the form of our solution, of course.

When we last visited with Tommy on Uncle Ben's Porch, he was getting ready for the Varsity Checker Team tryouts, and even though he was quite young, was hopeful of winning a Varsity berth. Now, the new school year has started, and the tryouts were over. We rejoin Tommy on the first Saturday morning after the opening of school.

A very sad Tommy was sitting on Uncle Ben's porch this Saturday morning. "I didn't make it, Uncle Ben," he said in an almost despairing voice. "I didn't make the Varsity Checker Team. I got all the way through the tryouts and I was all set to make the final cut. Then Coach Hovmiller tested us on problems ... and ... and ..."

Tommy just couldn't continue.

"Let me guess, Tommy," said Uncle Ben in a kindly manner. You were able to solve the first few, but then you missed one that the coach thought a Varsity candidate should have solved."

Tommy was silent for a moment and then blurted out, "But I got the rest of them right! It isn't fair!"

"Fair, Tommy?" answered Uncle Ben. "How can it be unfair? All the students at the tryout had the same opportunity to solve the problem that you did."

"Only two boys and one girl got it right," said Tommy, "and they're a year older and...."

"And they got the Varsity slots," concluded Uncle Ben. "As is right and fair. But let's not cry over spilt milk! Next year you'll be a year older yourself, and you'll almost certainly make the Varsity. Meanwhile, this year, do your best on Junior Varsity. No doubt you'll be the top player and get selected Captain! But show me the problem that troubled you."

Tommy arranged the pieces on the board. "It's Black to win," he stated, "and I looked at it for a while and had an idea."

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:B6,9,11,12,14:W18,20,23,27,31.

"I thought 12-16 was the winning move, Uncle Ben, but then Coach Hovmiller played 27-24. I played 13-17 to prevent 26-22, meaning to follow-up with 10-15."

"Yes, Tommy," replied Uncle Ben, "but what was wrong with that idea?"

"Well, Coach Hovmiller played 24-19, squeezing my man on 16, and then I saw that 10-15 was impossible now! So I failed, Uncle Ben... I failed!" Tommy concluded, practically on the verge of tears.

Uncle Ben knew it was time to pour the lemonade. He waited while Tommy took a few comforting sips, and then said, "You didn't fail, Tommy, you just made a simple mistake while under pressure. Players both average and great have done that. And if you are honest with yourself, you'll know it means you need another year of play to really be ready for Varsity on a team as good as the one that plays for your school."

"Yes, sir, I know that," admitted Tommy at last, "but I do hope you aren't disappointed with me, and will still keep me on as your student."

"Oh, Tommy," cried Uncle Ben, "never fear! You are a talented youngster and I'm proud to have you as my student. Now, let's have another look at that position, and let's have you master it once and for all!"

Was that the trace of a smile starting to appear on Tommy's face? "You bet, Uncle Ben!" he said with genuine enthusiasm, and the two of them, the young student and the old master, bent over the board to study in earnest.

Would you have passed Coach Hovmiller's final test? Try out the problem for yourself, and then click on Read More for the solution, a sample game, and numerous additional examples of the same theme.

We all know that exercise is good for us, but that few of us do enough of it. What is true for the body, of course, is true for the mind, and today we challenge you to do some checker exercise. (We're tempted to call it "checkersize" but perhaps that's just a little over the edge.)

First take a look at the position below; it's one of those odd "White to Play, Black to Win" sort of things.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play, Black to Win

W:W28,26,25,21:B19,13,9.

What do you make of this? The exercise we invite you to try is to think about the possible White moves, Black replies, and ensuing lines of play. What gives White the best chances? How are those chances foiled by Black? Spend a little time on this and stretch your checker muscles; your technique and skill is bound to benefit. Then exercise your mouse finger by clicking on Read More to see our idea of the solution.

With this entry in our very popular Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard reprint series, we're in a bit of a pickle ourselves, as the unthinkable has happened: from our computer analysis of the position presented by checker legend Willie Ryan, we've found that Mr. Ryan seems to have made a most untypical error. So our "pickle" is this: do we publish the correction, or simply give Mr. Ryan's position and analysis as originally published?

In the end, we decided to print the new analysis, as we're certain that Mr. Ryan would have always preferred to see the best moves brought forward.

So, first we'll listen to Willie explain the situation. Then, we'll see his analysis followed by what the computer has to say.

"On my road travels around the country, I am frequently asked, 'Mr. Ryan, with what particular play do you win most frequently in your exhibitions?' There is no doubt that my No. 1 haymaker is a nondescript concoction, which I have tabbed the Paisley Pickle Barrel, because I have pickled more plebes with it than you can shake a stick at. This is it: 11-16, 24-19, 8-11, 22-18, 10-14, 25-22, 16-20, 29-25---A and we reach the fateful fix shown on the diagram.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win(?)

B:W18,19,21,22,23,25,26,27,28,30,31,32:B1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,11,12,14,20.

A---Natural, but probably a loss. 22-17 results in a draw, and so does 19-15, 4-8, 22-17, etc."

What do you make of this particular pickle? Think it over --- it's anything but easy --- and then click on Read More for some deep and fascinating insights.