Willie Ryan never fails to please, and this month's installment from his classic Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard is no exception. While the pyrotechnics shown in today's position are not forced, they are by far the most spectacular way to wrap up a win, and the instructional value of Mr. Ryan's analysis is, as always, unmatchable.

Here's Willie once again:

"Ranking high among the classical bombshells of the board is this 11-piece sweep, credited to the late N. A. Bailey, of Rutland, Vermont. Although Bailey's blitz has been published many times, it has never been shown with the proper sequence of moves. As a result, the reader misses the scientific meaning of the preliminary moves leading up to the shot. Proceed with:

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W32,31,29,27,26,25,22,21,20,15,14:B19,18,13,11,9,8,7,6,5,3,1.

A---A losing move that can be tamed only by forcing black into the Bailey shot. The play from here to the finish is a first-class example of the indispensability of stroke technique in cracking a formational "dud" that otherwise would be drawable. The correct play to draw at A is: 1-6, 32-28, 6-10, 24-19, 10-17, 21-14, 11-16*, 20-11, 7-16, 19-15, 8-11, 15-8, 4-11, 28-24, 16-20, 14-10, 12-16, 23-14, 9-18, 25-22, 18-25, 29-22, 11-15, 26-23, 2-7, 30-26, 7-14, 22-18, 15-22, 26-10, 3-8, 10-7, 13-17, 7-3, 8-12, 3-7, 17-22, 7-10, 5-9,10-6, 9-14, 6-10, 14-17,10-14, 17-21,14-17, 22-25, 17-22, 25-30, 31-26, 16-19, 24-15, 12-16. Hugh McKean.

B---A meticulous probing of the position will prove that these moves are absolutely necessary to hold the win.

C---The correct and only move to win! Even Bailey, the author of this fine win, as well as others, prescribed 15-10 here, which allows black to get away by 16-19!---1

D---Stops 1-6 because of 14-10, and 19-24 because of 32-28."

1---This actually appears to allow Black to win! Computer analysis gives this possible line of play: 15-10 16-19 23x16 12x19 26-22 19-24 22x15 11x18 30-26 24-28 20-16 8-12 27-24 12x19 24x15 18-23 26x19 9x18 19-16 7x14 Black Wins--Ed.

2---1-6 holds out longer here but still loses; one line is 14-10 7x14 22-17 13x22 26x1 9-13 15-10 11-15 20-16 8-12 16-11 12-16 1-6 2x9 11-7 3-8 10-6 8-12 6-2 16-20 2-6 19-23 25-22 18x25 29x22 23-26 6-10 15-19 10-15 19-24 32-28 26-30 28x19 White Wins--Ed.

Can you find the flashy finish? When you've solved it, click on Read More for Willie's solution.

Solution

"Continue: 14-10*---3, 7-14, 15-10*, 6-15, 27-23, 18-27, 32-7, 3-10, 22-17, 13-22, 25-4, and white wins."

3---Actually, 14-10 and 15-10 can be played in either order with the same result--Ed.

Additional computer analysis is by Ed Gilbert's King's Row with the 10-piece endgame database, running on Martin Fierz's Checkerboard.