There are various definitions of the word yeoman. The most well-known dates to the Middle Ages and refers to an independent landowner, usually of a small parcel, who farmed the land for a living. But yeoman is a naval rank in both the British and American armed forces, and of course yeoman is also a rank in the celebrated Star Trek television series. And then there are the Yeoman of the Guard.

Our picture above, however, is closer to home; it shows surfer Nathan Yeoman skilfully riding one of the heavies at the Banzai Pipeline on the famed North Shore of O`ahu.

There is a checker yeoman, too, or more correctly, Yoemans. He's partnered in with Frank Dunne in the pair of positions below, which form this month's Checker School offering.

F. DUNNE
BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:WK32,30,K15:BK27,23,21,K6.

J. R. YOEMANS
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W19,15,11,K1:BK14,13,3.

You may not be a Yeoman of the Guard, and it's unlikely (though certainly possible) that you've surfed the Pipeline, but we know you play checkers, and you can be a "Yeoman of Checkers" if you solve these problems. Give it your best and when you've caught the wave, click on Read More for the solutions, a sample game, and detailed notes.

Solutions

Solutions, sample game, and lettered notes are from Ben Boland's Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers. Numbered notes are by the Editor using the KingsRow computer engine.

Dunne: 30-26, 23-30, 32-23, 21-25, 15-18, 25-29, 18-22, 6-9, 23-18. Drawn---1.

Yoemans: 14-18*, 1-6, 13-17---A, 6-9---B, 17-22---C, 9-6, 22-26---D, 6-10, 18-23, 19-16, 23-18*---2, 16-12, 26-31, 10-6, 18-14, 6-2---E, 31-26---F, 11-8, 14-9, 15-10---G, 9-5, 8-4, 26-23, 4-8---H, 23-18, 8-11, 5-1, 11-16, 1-5, 2-6, 5-1, 16-20, 18-23, 20-24, 23-18, 24-27. Forms above position by F. Dunne, colors reversed---3.

Game: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 27-23, 8-11, 22-18, 15-22, 25-9, 5-14, 29-25, 6-9, 25-22, 9-13, 24-20, 1-5, 22-18, 14-17, 21-14, 10-17, 18-14, 17-22, 26-17, 13-22, 28-24, 2-6, 32-28, 12-16, 19-12, 6-10, 23-18, 10-17, 24-19, 17-21, 19-15, 22-25, 15-8, 4-11, 28-24, 25-29, 24-19, 29-25, 31-26, 7-10, 26-22, 11-15, 18-11, 25-18, 11-7, 18-15, 19-16, 5-9, 7-2, 10-14, 2-7, 3-10, 16-11, 15-8, 12-3, 9-13, 3-7, 10-15, 7-11, 15-19, 11-15, 19-24, 20-16, 24-27, 16-11, 13-17, 11-7, 17-22, 7-2, 14-18, 15-19, 27-31, 2-7, 22-25, 19-24, 18-23, 24-28, 25-29, 7-10, 29-25, 10-15, 25-22, 28-32, 22-17, 32-28, 31-27, 28-32, 17-13, 15-10, 13-9, 10-15, 9-6. Forms above position, by F. Dunne.

A---18-23, 6-2. White Wins.

B---6-10, 18-23, 19-16, 23-18, 16-12, 18-14*, 11-7, 17-21, 10-17. Drawn.

C---18-23, 19-16, 23-19, 15-10. White Wins.

D---18-23, 6-2. White Wins.

E---6-1, 14-9. Drawn.

F---3-7, 15-10. White Wins.

G---8-4, 26-23, 4-8, 23-18 (23-19 loses), 15-10,9-5, 8-11, 5-1, 11-16, 1-5, 2-6, 5-1, 16-20, 18-23, 20-24, 23-18, 24-27, 18-22---I, 1-5, 10-7, 3-10, 6-15, 13-9, 15-10. White Wins. R. Russell. Russell's correction.

H---Yoemans continued; 2-6, 5-1, 4-8, 23-18, 6-9, 18-15, 9-6, 3-7, 10-3, 1-10, 8-4. Drawn. The above was given in the Green Badge Journal, No. 108, and in the Roseville Citizen, No. 2121, to correct Problem No. 346 by Yoemans, in Horsfall's Problem Book. The writer pointed out in the Citizen that the Yoemans position runs into the Dunne Position.

I---3-7*, 10-3, 1-10, 12-8, 18-15, 8-4, 15-11, 3-8, 11-16, 27-24, 10-15. Drawn. J. Atchison. Atchison's Restoration.

1---A pretty amazing draw and a technique that surely will see much practical use.

2---23-19 loses; the position is delicately balanced.

3---Many variations are possible on this long road to a draw; explore with your computer.

The above game is a variation from the "Famous 47th" Wyllie - Yates Match Game, given by R. E. Bowen as a Black Win. It may be found as Defiance Game, Var. 3, Lyman's Problem Book.

The above position by Frank Dunne may be found as No. 256 in Lyman's, and No. 268 in Gould's Problem Book.

J. R. Yoemans' Position was first published by John Atchison, No. 254 in the Northern Leader. It later reappeared as a prize problem, No. 273, by J. T. Jackson, as a win. The prize was won by R. Russell. Again, in the American Checker Review, Vol. 1, 1888. Yoemans' (or Yeomans) position may be found also as No. 346 in Horsfall's Problem Book.