We're continuing our new Beginner's Corner series with a problem that has to be "seen" to be believed.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W30,29,22,21,9,6:B24,20,16,13,8,7.

Don't worry; this problem is not especially hard, but requires a real effort at visualization. Try to solve the problem from the diagram if at all possible; only set up the position on a board if you must, and only move the pieces if absolutely necessary.

When you've "seen" the solution, click on Read More to check your answer.

Byron had just proposed to Yvette. On bended knee, he had offered her a beautiful ring and asked her to be his wife.

But somewhat to his surprise, she did not take the ring at once.

"Pray thee stand, Byron," she said, "and hear what I have to say, for I have long anticipated this moment."

Byron stood, still holding the ring in his outstretched hand, clearly looking uncomfortable and uncertain. "Yes?" he said. It was more like a croak than a word.

"I take the counsel of Uncle Harvey," Yvette began.

Byron groaned inwardly, though he didn't dare let it show. Uncle Harvey was Yvette's stuffed shirt uncle in Chicago, a checkerist of a certain reknown, and well known for his opinions on how young people ought to be raised. So what came next was no surprise.

"Uncle Harvey has taught that a young lady should test the character of her intended young man by means of the game of checkers," she said. "By such trials, she will learn if the young man is indeed suitable."

Byron didn't say what he was thinking: that Uncle Harvey was a big blowhard with ideas as outdated as his starched collars. Instead, he said, "I thought Uncle Harvey also believed that checkers is for the boys at home, and the girls should stay with knitting or cooking."

Yvette stiffened. "That is of little consequence," she said. "If you wish me to marry you, then you shall submit to trial by checkerboard. If you succeed in the trial, I shall give you my hand. If you fail, or if you refuse the trial, then even though I love you dearly, we must part company for ever more."

What Byron really wanted to do was to take the next train to Chicago and strangle Uncle Harvey with his bare hands. But that wouldn't be likely to win him a bride.

"Very well, then," Byron said. "I shall undertake the challenge, but you must promise me that, if I am victorious, you will accept my offer of marriage and set an early date."

Yvette smiled. "But of course," she replied. "Come in to the dining room. I have laid out a position on the checkerboard. You must solve it ere you leave here this afternoon. Pray thee do not ascribe a failure to solve to an error in the setting."

Straight out of Uncle Harvey's booklet, Byron thought. He had read the booklet once, at Yvette's urging, and had gotten quite a laugh out of it until he realized that the old geezer was actually serious about what he said.

Now, Byron was a hard working and ambitious young man, helping his father sell modern luxury buggies, a fine business that would one day be his. He had little time for checkers, and frankly wasn't at all good at it.

"The position is not one that is easily solved," Yvette was saying, "but it is one that will prove--- or disprove--- the worth of a suitor."

Great, just great, Byron thought. I probably couldn't even solve an easy problem, let alone one that would prove "the worth of a suitor."

The two of them stepped out of the parlor and into the dining room. Byron looked and saw a checkerboard on the dining table, set up to the following position.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W25,22,21,20,K3:BK31,14,13,10,2.

Would you have passed Uncle Harvey's test and won Yvette's hand? Click on Read More for the conclusion of our story and the solution to the problem.

Although it doesn't come until later in the month, May is the time of year for the famed Indianapolis 500 car race, surely one of the best-known automotive sports events anywhere.

Our checker speed problems do garner a little less media attention than the Indy 500, but we think in their own way they're just as interesting, and don't require travel and tickets to experience in person. This month, our problem is relatively easy and we're only giving you ten seconds to solve it. Click on the link below when you're ready. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!

May Speed Problem (easy, 10 seconds)

When you've raced to a solution, click on Read More to check your answer.

The acclaimed 2012 documentary King Me is now widely available on-line at a price much lower than the average movie ticket.

King Me, as described on the iTunes website, "explores the surreal world of competitive checkers play as seen through the eyes of South African township resident Lubabalo Kondlo."

Checker fans the world around won't want to miss this outstanding film. Get it from iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/king-me/id619810167

It is also available for purchase or rental from the VUDU streaming service:

http://www.vudu.com/movies/#!overview/421601/King-Me

Over the next several months we hope to roll out a bit of a "new look" for The Checker Maven.

The idea isn't to change our layout just for the sake of change. But we want to introduce a move animation feature, and our current page arrangement simply isn't suitable.

Please bear with us as we incorporate dynamic new content and design into what we hope is your favorite weekly checker webzine.

Now, we're not saying beginners at the great game of checkers should stay in the corner, be put in the corner, or for that matter, be cornered. But after a spate of some pretty difficult problems and positions, we decided we should run a few easier ones, of the kind that our newer players can both solve and benefit from. More experienced players can solve these as speed problems, so it's our hope that there's something here for everyone.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W30,27,26,17,11:B19,15,9,6,3.

This problem embodies two tactical motifs, which we'll explain in the solution. Try to solve the position from the diagram, without setting up or moving the pieces. Then click on Read More to corner the market on the answer.

Sometimes you have to choose, and the choice isn't always an easy one. This way or that way?

A checker choice that often occurs is "jump this way" or "jump that way" and sometimes the game hangs in the balance. Let's look at the following run-up.

10-14 24-19 11-16 28-24 7-10 22-17 9-13 25-22 5-9 30-25---A 16-20---B 32-28 2-7---C 19-15 10x19 17x10 7x14 (see diagram).

A---Very weak; 24-20 is better.

B---In the original annotations, this move was flagged as the probable losing move; in fact, it's potentially a winning move! However, it takes pretty deep computer analysis to show this.

C---This gives the advantage over to White, while 8-11 would have kept a strong Black lead.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play, What Result?

W:W31,29,28,27,26,25,24,23,22,21:B20,19,14,13,12,9,8,6,4,3,1.

White has a choice of jumps. Which is best--- if indeed one is better than the other--- and what result can be expected?

We are obligated to warn our readers that this one is as interesting as it is difficult, and the full solution will probably only be found by top players. But the rest of us can benefit from trying our hand at it. Such practical situations come up all the time.

Make your decision and then click on Read More for the solution and additional analysis.

Ah, that celebrated, most famous author of all time: Anonymous, who sometimes goes under the pseudonym "Author Unknown." With so many stories and poems and yes, even checker problems to this author's credit, Anonymous must have been (and still is) tremendously prolific, not to mention exceptionally long-lived, nigh on to immortal.

The famous Mr. (or is it Mrs. or Miss?) Anonymous, using the aforementioned pen-name of "Author Unknown," is credited with today's problem position in our ongoing Checker School series.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN
BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W32,27,20,18:B12,11,10,9.

Don't be a checker unknown; try to solve the problem. But if the solution remains unknown, you can always click on Read More to reveal the position's identity, so to speak.

If you're in the Oklahoma City area, and you have an afternoon to spare, we can use your help. It's a purely volunteer assignment, of course, but you would be able to assist The Checker Maven in bringing more content to its readership.

If you're interested and can help out just write oklahomacity@checkermaven.com. Thanks!

Did winter speed by, and are we speeding into spring? Does time race by as fast as those cars race around the track?

Time certainly seems to subjectively pass faster as we get older; many studies have proven that assertion. On the checkerboard, too, time can speed by, especially when the clock is running.

You'll see what we mean when you try this month's speed problem. We're allowing 60 seconds--- a full minute--- because the problem is quite a bit harder than most of our speed problems.

April Speed Problem 60 seconds; relatively difficult

When you've sped through to a solution, click on Read More to verify your answer.