Today, as we present another offering in our Checker School series, you might think we're asking you to memorize the telephone book instead of learning something about checkers. Ben Boland, in his solution to the problem below, seemed intent on including the names of as many top checkerists as would fit on the page.

It's all to the good, though, as we'll see several additional settings of the theme along with a sample game and explanatory notes. But first, we ought to look at the diagram:

F. Allen
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W17,12,K8:BK15,K9,3.

The position is attributed to F. Allen, though as we'll see, plenty of other checkerists get a mention.

Can you name the winning moves? In any event, clicking on Read More will bring you to the full directory.

Solution

Here is Ben Boland's writeup, taken from Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers.

9-13, 17-14, 3-7, 8-3, 15-10, 12-8, 10-17, 3-10, 17-14, 10-17, 13-22, 8-3, 22-18, 3-7, 18-15. Black Wins.

Game: 11-15, 24-20, 8-11, 28-24, 4-8, 23-19, 15-18, 22-15, 11-18, 32-28, 10-14, 26-23, 9-13, 19-15, 7-11, 24-19---A, 2-7, 31-26, 7-10, 26-22, 12-16, 19-12, 10-26, 30-23, 5-9, 22-15, 11-18, 25-22, 18-25, 29-22, 1-5, 22-18, 8-11, 28-24, 13-17, 24-19, 17-22, 19-15, 11-16, 20-11, 22-26, 27-24, 26-31, 23-19, 14-23, 15-10, 6-15, 19-10, 31-27, 24-20, 27-24, 11-7, 24-19, 7-2, 19-15, 2-6, 23-26, 6-13, 15-6, 20-16, 6-2, 16-11, 26-30, 13-17, 30-25, 11-8, 5-9, 17-13, 25-22, 13-6, 2-9, 8-4---B, 22-18, 4-8, 18-15, 21-17. Forms above position. F. W. Drinkwater vs. Wm. Edward. Played July 18, 1879. Game No. 474, New England Checker Player, Vol. 5, 1880.

A---Mr. Edward considered he could draw with this move.

B---Forms position No. 381, by F. W. Drinkwater, N. E. C. P., Jan. 1880.

The above position by Fred Allen was first published in the "Leeds Express," 1866. May be found as No. 202 in Gould's Problem Book.

The authorities usually credit the above to Mcintosh: Alex Mcintosh, No. 7 Anderson's 2nd Edition, 1852, and No. 31 in the American Draughts Player, 1860. Black---3, Kings 19, 23, and White---11, 30, King 12. Black to play and win; 19-15, 11-8, 15-11, 8-4, 23-18, 30-25, 18-14, 25-21, 14-9, 21-17, 9-13 (but 9-6, 17-13, 3-7, Black wins too), 17-14, 3-7, 12-8, 13-17. Black Wins. In-stead of the last move (13-17), 11-15, 8-3, 15-10, wins as above, but Mcintosh did not give this variation.

In the "Leeds Express," of 1868, J. Wyllie points out that the Mcintosh Position may be won four different ways. J. Wyllie has this setting. Black---16, Kings—25, 29, and White---Kings 23, 26, 32. White to play and win; 32-27, 25-30, 27-24, 29-25, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 30-23, 16-19. This is No. 32 Draughts World, Oct. 1892, Vol. 1. It was an ending from the Old 14th, won from J. Bums, but, added Wyllie, he won the same position from Mr. Seaton 45 years ago.

R. D. Yates has: Black---3, Kings 19, 31, and White---11, 12, 30. Black to play and win. No. 2 in the "New Yorker," then No. 191 in Lyman's Problem Book. Lyman reaches a point then says, "to here by Yates" and continues and then ends it "Mackintosh." Though one solution is given (as Allen's), it can be won three different ways.