The Checker Maven
The World's Most Widely Read Checkers and Draughts Publication
Bob Newell, Editor-in-Chief
Published every Saturday morning in Honolulu, Hawai`i
Noticing missing images? An explanation is here.
Thanksgiving Weekend 2018
It's another year with five Thursdays in November, so Thanksgiving in the United States comes well before the end of the month, on November 22. This column will first appear during Thanksgiving weekend.
We've always said how much we love Thanksgiving; its appeal to everyone of every faith and background makes it truly American in spirit. We hope you are enjoying the weekend in whatever way pleases you most, whether it's a large family gathering, a small intimate group, or just some days off to relax. But do remember to be thankful for what you have. While we may not have everything we want, we always have a lot more than we think.
Make checkers part of your weekend with a Tom Wiswell problem, one that he calls "The Follow Through." In his description Mr. Wiswell notes that sometimes a player will give up on a problem just a move or two short of finding the key move. In today's study, staying the course will get you there.
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:WK4,9,K13,27,32:B3,5,K10,28.
White is a man up but is about to lose it back. How can he win?
Take a break from turkey sandwiches and pumpkin pie, and follow through to the solution. Then let your mouse follow a path to Read More to see how it's done.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
The Last Song
"The Last Song" can mean a lot of things; the end of a concert, maybe even the end of a career; or more metaphorically, the end of a relationship, an era ... the list goes on, and it's a bit too melancholy for our tastes. But in the world of checkers, we're looking at a much better interpretation for today's column.
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W10,20,30,31,32:B2,12,17,18,19.
We're going to hear, or at least see, the last song from Mr. G. M. Gibson, the author of our recent few Checker School "snappy" problems propounded by our friend Skittle to the aspiring neophyte Nemo. We'd rate this one as a little above average in difficulty; the theme is one we've seen a few times before.
Don't let this be your last song; whether you solve it or not we hope you'll keep coming back to visit with us and that you'll keep on playing checkers. When you've sung the last verse (i.e., come up with a solution), let your mouse sing out on Read More to see how it's done.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
The Speed of Winter
PickPik CC0
Perhaps we say this every year --- but winter is speeding in North America, and by the time this column appears it may already be here. At our offices in Hawai`i, we'll soon have those nights when the temperature dips down below 70F, and we understand that in places such as Michigan it gets even colder than that.
And with winter speeding in, it's time for a nice little speed problem sent by regular contributors Lloyd and Josh Gordon.
We've more or less dispensed with our Javascript clock in the interests of keeping our site accessible even on the most basic browsers, or for folks who turn Javascript off as a security measure. So time yourself, if you wish. How speedy can you be in finding the solution to the problem below? It certainly falls in the "easy" category.
BLACK
Black to Play and Win
B:W12,14,17,22,23,31,32:B3,5,6,7,10,13,15.
Got it? We thought so, but you should still click on Read More just to be sure.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
The Long Crooked Trail
We've published a number of fine compositions by master problem composer Ed Atkinson, and today we have one that Mr. Atkinson calls The Long Crooked Trail.
Ed tells us, "The first part is original then it runs into old published play as credited in the notes. This ending is a study in the opposition and its changes."
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W20,28,K5:B7,12,21.
Ed continues:
"I think of The Long, Crooked Trail as an endgame lesson, rather than as a problem to be solved, except, perhaps, by experts ... However, it seems instructive for a wide range of players."
We certainly agree, although we think it's worthwhile for you to think about the position and see if you have any ideas about the solution, even if you're not yourself an expert player. That will make the actual solution more meaningful when you do look at it later, by trailing your mouse on Read More.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
Double Action
We know little about firearms, but we've read that single-action arms have a longer and smoother trigger pull than double-action arms, such as the 1878 Colt shown above. Double-action arms are reputed to be at least somewhat safer but perhaps less accurate. We're sure one of our readers could clarify this easily, but we won't even try.
Returning to checkers: regular contributors Lloyd and Josh Gordon of Toronto sent in this position from one of their nightly games, and it's a position that is surely not safe for the Black forces, if White engages in accurate play.
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W15,18,21,27,28,30,31,32:B3,6,7,8,13,16,19,20.
It's not hard at all, and the title of today's column gives you a huge hint. So take a "shot" at it and after you've solved it, pull your mouse trigger on Read More to check your solution.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
The Death of Expertise
The Death of Expertise, by Tom Nichols, is a book that attempts to make a case for, well, expertise. The author's main points are that in the internet age, everyone thinks they're an expert, and the democratic concept of equality has come to mean that everyone's opinion is equally valid. Mr. Nichols makes a few good points, but then he says this:
"Sensible differences of opinion deteriorate into a bad high school debate in which the objective is to win and facts are deployed like checkers on a board--- none of this rises to the level of chess--- mostly to knock out other facts."
Mr. Nichols' expertise certainly doesn't extend as far as knowing much about checkers, but that doesn't stop him from making a judgment, and thereby becoming guilty of exactly the sort of thing he condemns.
In checkers, expertise comes to the fore. You have it or you don't and there's no faking or pretending. Take, for instance, the following problem, which will require genuine expertise to solve.
WHITE
BLACK
Black to Play and Draw
B:WK3,24,26,28:B2,14,15,19.
We think this one will really challenge you. Black has the narrowest of draws and must make a long series of star moves (nine by our count). Rise to the level of checkers (not chess), show your stuff, and do your best on this one. Then check your expertise by clicking on Read More to see the solution.
If you haven't yet reached the expert level, though, don't worry. Working on the problem will in and of itself help you develop, even if in the end you don't find the solution.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
Goldilocks
Public Domain
We all know the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. There were the porridges that were too hot, and too cold, and just right. There were the chairs that were too big, and too little, and just right. And there were the beds that were too hard, and too soft, and just right.
Brian Hinkle has sent us a checker problem that he calls Goldilocks, because it requires just the right moves at just the right time: not too soon, and not too late.
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W10,23,26,K28:B3,9,27.
As Brian told us, "White is a man up and has a king, so it should be easy, right?" But of course, it's anything but. This is a master-level problem whose solution eluded many an expert player.
Whatever your skill level, though, this problem rewards careful study and the solution is very pleasing. We know you'll love it when you see it. First, though, do the best you can, and when you've done not too much, and not too little, but just the right amount of study--- be sure to click on Read More to see the solution.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
Gibson
Public Domain
Yes, that's a Gibson Les Paul guitar, made by the Gibson company. The famous guitar manufacturer was founded by one Orville Gibson in 1902, and revolutionized guitar design with an arch-top model, based on the design of the violin.
Our current Checker School series is featuring "snappy" problems by G. M. Gibson. We don't know anything about this gentleman; was he a contemporary of Orville, or a relative or descendant? Did Orville play checkers himself?
These questions will remain unanswered for the moment. But we're happy to present another of Mr. Gibson's "snappy" (or should we, to accord with our metaphor, call it "twangy"?) problems.
WHITE
BLACK
B:WK7,20,K25:B4,K14,K15.
Forces are even, although Black, with centralized kings, may have more mobility. Can you snap out a win from this one? Pick away at it and then strum your mouse on Read More to see the solution.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
Clever, Clever
Clever, Montana, is a real place (although the photo above is just an AI rendition and not the real thing), a fast-growing small town of about 3,000 with the motto "It just gets better every day." The town is well over 100 years old and it's pretty likely to have some sort of checker playing history. Do folks still play checkers in Clever? We emailed a town official but we never got a reply, so we can't say for sure.
There's certainly a place for cleverness in the game of checkers, and today's problem, a "not quite" speed problem, relies on a clever first move.
WHITE
White to Play and Draw
W:W13,15,17,18,19,23,26,27,30:B1,6,8,9,10,12,16,20,21.
Are you clever enough to solve it? We think you are, but when you're done, the clever thing to do would be to click on Read More to check your solution.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
Labor Day 2018
Public Domain
Labor Day is another one of our favorite holidays, for it gives us the chance to recognize the contributions of the average guy and gal, the working woman and working man who are the backbone of America's prosperity. Every day these folks put in an honest day's work and ask no more than the chance to get ahead a little, to take care of their families, and to do their part in building a society that will offer something to everyone.
As we've pointed out in previous years, many checkerists were and are "ordinary" people who in fact are quite extraordinary. Checker champions have been baseball players and steel workers and just about anything you can think of. Checkers knows no boundary of class or status, and we can't help but feel good about that.
We turn as always to Tom Wiswell, with something he called Fantastic. He could have easily been describing himself, but of course Mr. Wiswell was modest and humble as are most of the truly great.
WHITE
White to Play and Win?
W:W9,12,16,19,24,25,30:B1,3,10,18,21,28.
Now, we're going to do something different this week. We'll give you the solution up front. Here is what Mr. Wiswell published quite some years ago.
| 1. | ... | 19-15 |
| 2. | 10x19 | 24x15 |
| 3. | 28-32 | 15-10 |
| 4. | 32-27 | 9-6 |
| 5. | 18-23 | 6-2 |
| 6. | 23-26 | 30x23 |
| 7. | 27x18 | 2-7 |
| 8. | 21x30 | 12-8 |
| 9. | 3x19 | 10-6 |
Mr. Wiswell's solution ends here. Continue:
| 10. | 1x10 | 7x16 |
White Wins with the opposition.
But the thing is that Mr. Wiswell, very uncharacteristically, was wrong. The position is actually a draw. So what you ask you to labor away at is this: Correct the play above and show how Black can draw. You've got your work cut out for you, and the task is not easy. But, as the saying goes, that's why they call it "work." When you're ready, work your mouse over to Read More to see the annotated and corrected play.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
The Checker Maven is produced at editorial offices in Honolulu, Hawai`i, as a completely non-commercial public service from which no income is obtained or sought. Original material is Copyright © 2004-2026 Avi Gobbler Publishing. Other material is public domain, AI generated, as attributed, or licensed under CC1, CC2, CC3 or CC4 and the various CC options. Information presented on this site is offered as-is, at no cost, and bears no express or implied warranty as to accuracy or usability. You agree that you use such information entirely at your own risk. No liabilities of any kind under any legal theory whatsoever are accepted. The Checker Maven is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Bob Newell, Sr.
