The wicked-looking instrument in the photo above is known as a "Jackson Pulverizer" and when someone is wielding it, perhaps it is best to stand clear.

There are pulverizers in the game of checkers too, as this month's installment from Willie Ryan's Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard will clearly demonstrate, and they're no less fearsome than the steel variety. Let's see what Willie says about this.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W13,18,20,21,22,24,26,27,28,29,30,32:B2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,15,16,19.

"Now the stage is all set for a ripping cul de sac, which American Champion Matty Priest sprung on James P. Reed in 1878.

A---If white tries 27-24, black goes 10-14, 20-16, 14-23, 24-20, 7-10*, 16-7, 2-11, 31-27, 8-12, 27-18, 19-24, 28-19, 15-24, and white's draw, if any, is problematical.

B---If black presses 10-14, white gets a winning game by 26-23---3.

C---This is where Reed took the wrong road. The following is correct to draw: 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 22-17, 11-16, 20-11, 7-16, 29-25, 2-7, 24-20, 8-11, 27-23, 15-18, 32-27, 19-24, 28-19, 11-15, 20-2, 15-31, 2-9, 18-27, 9-18, 31-15, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14. James Lees."

3---We're not really sure where Willie was going with this, as the computer definitely thinks this line is drawn. Perhaps over the board it's difficult to play---Ed.

Can you pound your way through this position, or will you get pounded? We think you should give it a smashing good try before clicking your mouse on Read More to see the solution.

Solution

"This is how he did it: Proceed from diagram: 27-23, 9-14---1, 18-9, 5-14, 13-9*, 6-13, 22-18, 15-31, 24-6, 2-9, 32-27, 31-24, 28-3, and white wins---2."

1---The computer prefers 8-12, but still sees it as a probable loss: 8-12 21-17 9-14 18x9 5x21 22-17 6-9 13x6 2x9 29-25 9-14 25-22 14-18 (4-8 is actually rated as inferior!) 23x14 19-23 26x19 16x23 14-9 4-8 9-5 12-16 17-14 10x26 24-19 15x24 28x3 7-10 3-7 White Wins. The computer solution allows White to go a man down for a while but also ends in fireworks worthy of Mr. Ryan---Ed.

2---After 7-10 3-7 the win is clear---Ed.