All over the internet and in the foodie and gourmet magazines, you can read about the many and wondrous benefits of watercress. Whether you put it in your salad or use it as a garnish, you're promised untold health benefits, with the idea that cress can indeed make you well.

Of course that leads us to a horrible pun, as we present a position that arose in a game between classic checkerists E. E. Cresswell and J. Wyllie. The problem dates back around 80 years and is our current Checker School entry.

E. E. CRESSWELL - J. WYLLIE
BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W32,28,25,18,17,13:B20,16,10,6,2,1

There's no doubt that Black has the initiative and will try for a win, but White can find a narrow draw. It's not easy, but it's worth your time, as the play is quite instructive. When you've gotten as far as you can, click on Read More to see the solution, a sample game, and copious notes.

Solution

Numbered notes are by the editor, using the KingsRow computer engine and 10-piece endgame database. All other material is from Ben Bolands Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers.

28-24---A, 20-27, 32-23, 16-20---1, 23-19, 20-24, 19-16, 24-27, 25-21, 1-5---B, 16-12---C, 27-31, 18-14, 2-7, 12-8---D, 31-26, 8-3---D, 26-22, 3-8---D, 22-18, 14-9---E, 5-14, 8-3, 18-15, 3-8, 15-19, 8-3, 19-16, 3-8, 16-12, 8-3, 7-11, 3-7, 11-16, 7-2. Drawn---3.

Game: 10-15, 21-17, 11-16, 17-13, 16-20, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-11, 24-19, 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 29-25, 14-17, 25-22, 11-16, 22-18, 4-8, 26-22, 17-26, 31-22, 7-10, 22-17, 8-11, 18-15, 11-18, 23-7, 3-10, 30-25, 16-23, 27-18, 12-16. Forms above position. The British Draughts Player.

A---Published as No. 4033 by the late E. E. Cresswell in the Weekly Times (Melbourne, Aus.) Oct. 16, 1937. It was given to correct R. Holding (See Note E) in the British Draughts Player. It was also given as a Prize Problem, No. 6022 by Fausto Dalumi in the Roseville Citizen, Nov. 30, 1939.

B---An improvement of the text book play. Cresswell.

C---Better than 16-11---2.

D---At this stage colors reversed (First D) with the Black King on 31 on Square 23, the position may be found by J. Wyllie, No. 463 Lyman's Problem Book, 1881; at these stages 14-9 will draw. E. E. Cresswell.

E---Draws (See Note A) and corrects play by that celebrated Problemist and Analyst, the late Ralph Holding, where in the British Draughts Player, Page 416, 8-11 is played and Black wins.

This forms No. 532 by J. Robertson, in Lyman's Problem Book, colors reversed; 8-11, 7-16, 14-7---H, 18-15, 17-14, 15-18, 14-9, 5-14, 7-2, 6-10, 2-7, 18-22 (or 18-15), 13-9, 16-19---F, 9-5, 10-15, 7-10 (or 7-11), 22-17, 10-6, 17-13, 5-1, 14-18, 6-10, 18-22, 1-6, 22-26, 6-2, 26-31, 2-7, 19-23, 10-26, 31-22. Black Wins. P. J. Lee, the Draughts Review, Vol. 6, 1930.

F---Varies from Master Play, Part 4, where; 22-17, 9-5---G, 16-20, 7-2, 10-15, 2-6, 15-18, 5-1, 20-24, 6-9, 24-27, 1-6, 27-31, 9-13. Drawn. W. C. Belden, Appendix to Gould’s Problem Book, No. 401.

G---Given to correct J. Robertson, who continued; 9-6, 16-20, 6-1, 10-15, 1-6, 17-13, 7-11, 15—19, 11-15, 19-24. Black Wins.

H---Now with Black to Play with a King on 7, it is No. 302 by R. D. Petterson, in Lyman's Problem Book, colors reversed; 26-22, 17-14 (17-13, 16-19, 15-24, 12-16, 13-9, 22-17), 16-19, 15-24, 22-18, 14-9, 18-15, 9-6, 12-16. Drawn.

1---We give the line published by Mr. Boland, but a brilliant in-and-out shot is selected by the computer: 10-15 18x11 2-7 11x2 1-5 2x9 5x30 Drawn. Mr. Boland didn't list this, we presume, because Black is trying for a win, not a spectacular draw.

2---16-12 actually loses after 10-15 18-14 6-9.

3---7-2 14-18 2-9 and the draw is in sight.

Gardner defeated Smith in 1908 English Tournament, when the above position arose in a game. Then reviewed, but not corrected in the Draughts World, Page 629, Aug. 1908.

Compare the above to Pages 106, and 128.