The final installment of our three-part lesson on man-down draws is a triplet. In the first two settings we'll see more ways to come from behind, while in the third setting, alas, we won't be able to pull it off.... but from this we'll learn what to try to avoid.

Ever been a man down in an endgame? Not you, right? As we've said in the other lessons in this series, it happens to everyone. Saving the draw, when possible, is an important skill to master. If you're a student, study this lesson carefully. If you're an advanced player, a review of what we take to be "obvious" can never hurt!

Let's start out with this position:

Next, the famous Payne's Double Corner Draw, which should be learned by everyone who ever touches a checkerboard:

And finally, a lost opportunity, to be contrasted with the very similar-looking Payne's Double Corner Draw:

Take your time working these out, and then click on Read More for solutions, a sample game, supplementary problems, additional examples, and a host of detailed explanatory notes.

Solutions

(From Ben Boland's Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers)

Editor's Comment: Ben's solutions and notes are copious and complex, but diligent study, even though it may surely take some time, will be amply rewarded. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, cut yourself a generous slice of cake, and enjoy.

Tregaskis: 25-30, 27-23-A, 30-26, 23-19, 26-23, 19-15, 23-18, 15-11, 14-10, 11-8, 8-15, 8-3-B, 15-11, 21-17, 10-6, 28-24, 11-15, 3-8, 15-18, 8-11, 18-22, 17-13, 22-18, 24-19-C, 18-14, 19-16, 14-10, 16-12, 6-2, 11-16, 2-6, 12-8, 6-2, 8-3, 2-6, 16-19-D, 6-2, 3-8, 2-6, 8-11, 6-1, 11-15, 10-14, 15-11, 14-10, 19-23, 1-6, 23-26, 6-1*-E, 26-22, 10-14, 11-16, 1-6, 16-19, 6-10-S, 19-23, 10-15, 23-26, 15-10, 26-30, 10-6, 30-25, 6-10, 25-21, 10-6, 22-17, 6-10. Drawn.

Payne's Draw: 6-9, 15-18, 9-13, 18-22, 13-9, 14-17, 9-13. Drawn.

Payne: Black Plays; 2-6, 11-15, 6-9, 15-18, 9-6, 10-14, 6-9, 14-17, 9-13, 18-22, 13-9, 17-13, 9-6, 22-18, 6-2, 13-9, 1-6, 18-14, 6-13, 5-1. White Wins.

White Plays; 10-14, 2-6, 14-17, 6-9, 17-13, 9-6, 11-16, 6-2, 16-19 2-6 19-23 6-2 13-9, 1-6, 23-18, 6-13, 18-14, 13-9, 14-10, 9-13, 5-1 2-6., 10-14 6-2, 14-9, White Wins.

Game: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 5-9, 17-13, 14-18, 19-16 12-19 26-23 19-26 30-5, 8-11, 27-23, 4-8, 32-27, 15-19, 23-16, 11-20, 24-19, 8-12 25-22, 10-14, 29-25, 7-11, 19-16, 12-19, 27-24, 20-27, 31-8, 3-12, 22-17, 12-16, 17-10, 6-15, 21-17, 2-7, 13-9, 16-19, 25-21, 15-18, 17-13, 18-23, 9-6 1-10, 5-1, 10-15, 1-6, 15-18, 6-2, 7-11, 2-7, 11-16, 7-11, 16-20, 11-16, 18-22, 13-9, 22-26, 9-6, 26-31, 6-2, 20-24-F, 16-11, 31-26, 11-15, 26-22, 2-7, 23-26, 7-11, 26-30, 11-8-G, 30-26, 8-12, 26-30, 15-18, 22-15, 12-16-H, 30-25, 16-23, 15-11, 28-19, 25-22 23-27, 22-18, 21-17, 11-7, 19-16, 7-10, 16-11, 18-14, 17-13, 10-6, 11-7, 6-2, 7-3 14-10, 27-23-I, 10-14, 3-8, 2-6, 8-11, 6-1, 11-16, 1-6, 16-19, 6-10, 23-26, 14-18, 19-24, 18-14, 26-22, 10-6, 24-19, 6-10. Forms Tregaskis' Position, at S. C. Hefter, American Checker Review, Game 89, Nov. 23, 1888, Vol. 1.

J. W. Howard, Black-12, 23, King 20, and White---Kings 14, 15. White to Play and Draw; 14-18, 23-27, 18-23, 27-32, 15-19, 32-28, 23-27, 20-16, 27-23, 28-32-S, 24-19, 11-7-L, 19-15, 32-28, 15-19, 7-10, 23-27, 10-14, 27-23, 14-17, 23-27, 17-22, 27-23, 28-32, 19-24, 22-17. Drawn. No. 7 American Draughts Player, 1860.

E. Woodward, as Howard at S; 16-11, 23-18, 28-32, 18-23, 11-8*, 23-18-S, 32-27, 18-15, 27-31, 19-24, 31-26, 24-19, 26-22, Forms Sheean's Draw, 19-24, (loses), 22-17, 24-19, 17-14, 19-24, 14-9, 24-19, 9-6, 19-24, 6-2, 24-19, 2-7, 15-18, 7-10, 18-23, 10-14, 23-27, 14-18, 27-24, 8-3, 24-27, 3-7, 27-24, 7-10, 24-27, 10-14, 27-24, 14-17, 24-27, 17-21, 27-24, 21-25, 24-27, 25-30, 19-24, 12-16. Black Wins.
No. 615 in the Nottingham Guardian, 1894.

R. Holding, as Woodward at S; 23-26, 32-27, 26-31*, 27-32, 31-26, 8-11, 26-23, 11-7, 23-26, 7-10, 26-23, 10-14, 19-24*, 14-17, 24-19, 17-22, 19-24, 22-25, 24-19, 25-30, 19-24, 32-28, 24-19, 30-25, 23-26, 25-21, 26-23, 21-17, 23-26, 17-14, 26-23, 28-32, 19-24*. Drawn. In Nottingham Guardian, to correct Woodward, also May 1894, Draughts World, Vol. 3.

C. G. Roger, Black---Kings 13, 22, and White---6, 21, 28. Black to Play and Draw; 22-18, now 6-1, 13-9, 28-24, 18-14, 24-19, 14-10, 19-16, 9-14* is Howard's Draw; and 6-2, 13-9, 28-24, 18-15, 24-20, 15-11, 21-17, 11-15, 17-13, 9-14, etc., is the Tregaskis' Draw. Roger first published his position in 1875.

J. K. Lyons, Black---12, Kings 2, 17, and White---Kings 10, 23. White to Play and Draw; 23-18*-S, 17-13, 18-14, 12-16, 10-15, 2-6, 14-9*, 6-1, 9-14, 1-5, 14-18, 5-9 18-23, 9-14, 23-27, 13-9, 27-32*, 9-6, 15-11, 16-20, 11-15, 6-9, 15-19, 9-13 19-23 13-17, 32-27, 17-22, 27-32, 22-25, 32-27, 25-30, 27-32, 14-17, 32-27, 17-22, 27-31, 20-24, 23-27, 24-20, 27-32. Drawn. Apr. 13, 1901, "The Game of Draughts" by the Editor Mr. Lyons, to correct A. Hynd, see below.

A. Hynd, as Lyons at S; 23-19, 17-13, 19-23, 13-9, 23-19, 9-5, 19-23, 5-1, 23-19, 2-6, 10-14, 1-5, 14-18, 6-10, 18-23, 5-9, 23-27, 9-14, 27-23, 14-17, 23-27, 17-22, 27-23, 10-14, 23-27, 22-18-M, 27-32, 14-17, 32-27, 17-21, 27-32, 21-25, 32-27, 25-30, 19-23, 18-15, 27-24, 12-16*, 24-28, 30-25-N, 28-24, 25-21, 24-28, 21-17, 28-24, 17-14 24-28, 15-18, 23-26. Black Wins. From the Manchester Times, then Gem No. 336 in the Draughts World, Vol. 16, Dec. 1900. J. K. Lyons calls his and Hynd's Position, "The Great Divide."

A. Sheean, Black---12, Kings 8, 22, and White---Kings 15, 19. White to Play and Draw; 19-23*-S, 22-17, 23-18*, 17-13, 18-14, 12-16, 14-18, 13-9, 18-23, 5-19 8-12, 19-15, 6-2, 23-27, 12-8, 27-23, 2-7, 15-19, 8-12, 19-24, 7-10, 24-19, 10-7, 19-24, 7-11, 24-19, 16-20, 23-27, 11-16, 27-23*, 16-11, 23-27. Drawn.

A. Sheean, above at S, 19-24, 22-17, 24-19, 17-14, 19-24, 14-9, 24-19, 9-6, 19-23, 6-2, 23-19, 2-7, 15-18, 7-1Q, 18-23, 8-11, 23-18, 11-7, 18-23, 7-2, 23-18, 2-6, 18-23, 6-9, now into Allan Hynd's win in the "Great Divide" which is followed with slight alteration of the defensive play; 23-18, 10-14, 18-23, 9-13, 23-27, 13-17, 27-23, 17-22, 23-27 22-18, 27-24, 14-17, 24-27, 17-21, 27-24, 21-25, 24-27, 25-30, 19-23, 18-15, 27-24, 12-16*, 24-28, 30-25, 28-24, 25-22, 24-28. Black Wins, Page XI in Horsfall's Problem Book. The Checker World, Jan. 1909.

A---28-24, 30-26, 24-19, 26-22, 27-24, 22-18, 24-20, 14-9, 19-16, 18-15, 21-17, 9-6, 17-13, 6-1, 16-12 (13-9, 15-18, 16-11, 18-14, 9-5, 14-10. Drawn), 15-11, 13-9, 1-5, 9-6, 5-1, 6-2, 1-5, 2-26, 5-1, 6-9, 1-5, 9-14, 5-1, 14-8, 1-6, 18-23, 6-10, 23-19, 10-6. Drawn.

B---21-17 (28-24, 15-11, 8-3, 10-14, 24-19, 14-9, 21-17, 9-13, 17-14, 13-17, 14-9, 17-22 Drawn), 15-11, 8-3, 10-6, 17-13, 11-15, 28-24, 15-10. Drawn.

C---11-7, 18-14, 7-2, 6-10, 24-20, 14-18, 20-16, 18-15, 16-12, 15-11, 13-9, 10-6, 9-5, 6-1. Drawn.

D---16-11, forms a variation of Roger's Draw, continue: 6-2, 13-9, 10-6, 9-5, 6-1, 3-7, 2-6, 11-15, 6-2, 7-10, 2-6, 10-14. Forms Payne's Double Corner Draw Above.

E---By G. Veitch, No. 356 "Pittsburgh Dispatch," June 28, 1894, to correct No. 179 in Gould's Problem Book where 6-2 is played allowing 13-9, 10-6, 9-5, 6-1, as Payne's win above. 6-1 makes Tregaskis' play good.

F---Solution to Problem No. 155 A. C. R. by Thomas Finn, he showed 31-27 and 31-26 to be losers in Game No. 77, Oct. 20.

G---A. Sheean and W. C. Belden play 11-7, 30-26, 7-10, 26-30, etc. Drawn.

H---Now a very fine position by Chas. Hefter, No. 156, A. C. R.

I---13-9, 10-6, 9-5, 6-1, 27-23, 2-6, 23-18, 6-9-J, 2-7, 9-13, 7-10, 13-9,10-14, 9-13*, 18-22, 13-9, 14-17, 9-13*. Drawn. Hefter by Payne above.

J---It is essentially important to command Squares 9 and 13 as 6-2, 18-14, 2-6, 14-17*, 6-9, 17-13, 9-6, 3-8, 6-2, 8-11, 2-6, 11-16, 6-2, 16-19, 2-6, 19-23, 6-2, 23-18, 2-6, 18-22-K, 6-2, 13-9*, 1-6. White Wins, No. 157 A. C. R. by Hefter, wins as above by Payne.

K---If man on 5 were a King then 18-14, 6-2 (can't take the two for one), 13-9, 1-6, 5-1, 6-13, 14-9. White Wins – Payne.

L---11-8, 23-18, and we have what Mr. A. Sheean describes as the dividing line between the Tregaskis and Howard system. Perhaps, as Black has the option of forcing the play, it might be styled the connecting link. If Black plays 8-11 or 32-28, 18-23, draws by Howard's, Rogers' or Holding's play, but 32-27, 18-15*, 27-31, 19-24*, 31-26, 24-19*, 26-22, introduces Mr. Sheean's "Parting of the Ways," where his play corrects Woodward's. See Holding's play above.

In Howard's Position the single man must be held on 12, whereas in Tregaskis' the Kings are held at bay while the man is forced from Square 12 to 20. Roger and Tregaskis allow 20 to go to 28 into Payne's Draw.

M---Most important.

N---Only move to win.

J. H. Tregaskis' Position may be found as Position No. 83, Vol. 2, No. 7, 1874 in the "Recreationist."

W. Payne's double corner draw may be found colors reversed as Situa­tion No. 5 and his win is Situation No. 2, in his "Introduction to the Game of Draughts," 1756.