The Checker Maven
The World's Most Widely Read Checkers and Draughts Publication
Bob Newell, Editor-in-Chief
Published every Saturday morning in Honolulu, Hawai`i
August Heat
August in the Northern Hemisphere can be pretty darn hot. Sometimes extraordinary measures are required, as shown in the photo above.
Your editor is scheduled to be visiting in far off New York City on the date this column is due to be published, and August in New York is just about always hot and humid.
So we picked out a rather hot stroke problem (please, no heat stroke jokes) for this month. It looks complex but it's actually one of the easier ones, and it's filled with action.
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W31,19,14,11,K10,8,6,K3:BK25,24,K23,22,K21,5,1.
Don't overheat your brain; you'll see the solution if you can visualize well (just keep the sweat out of your eyes). When you've solved it, click on Read More to see the solution.
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Brooklynite
Public Domain
We came across this personalized postcard evidently made for checker great Tommie Wiswell. Mr. Wiswell is playing a simultaneous exhibition, as he often did. Note that the postcard lists what was apparently his home address, 355 45th Street in Brooklyn, a building that is still standing. Our research tells us it's in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, was built in 1910 (interestingly, the year Mr. Wiswell was born); it's listed as a multiple family dwelling; the size is about 2,500 square feet on a 2,000 square foot lot; and it's valued at around $800,000 or so.
We'll use any excuse to feature a Tommie Wiswell problem, of course. This one is based on a Louis Ginsberg game played at an unspecified club in New York City. Mr. Ginsberg was also a Brooklynite, and hence comes the title of the problem.
WHITE
White to Play and Draw
W:W30,22,K11:B14,12,9,6.
The problem isn't all that easy in that there are some nice ways to get it wrong. It would be a lot of fun to work on it at a nearby Brooklyn park, but in this internet age, you can solve it from just about anywhere in the world. Give it a try and then click on Read More to see the solution, notes, and an interesting photo.
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Capers on the Kelso: Lucky 13
13 is viewed by some as a bit of a "shady" number but we've always liked it. And there are numerous establishments around the world with the name Lucky 13 Bar and Grill. We hear there is one in Salt Lake City (not shown above) that has really great home style American cooking. How lucky can you get?
This is the 13th installment of "Capers on the Kelso" from Willie Ryan's Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard, and we think you're in luck once again. These pages in Willie's classic book contain an unbelievable wealth of great checker material. Today's position is subtle rather than explosive.
We're still working with Willie's "Variation 3" and in "Note B" of the text we find another fascinating and instructive situation.
Here's the run-up, without commentary.
| 1. | 10-15 | 22-18 |
| 2. | 15x22 | 25x18 |
| 3. | 6-10 | 18-14 |
| 4. | 10x17 | 21x14 |
| 5. | 9x18 | 23x14 |
| 6. | 1-6 | 29-25 |
| 7. | 12-16 | 26-23 |
| 8. | 16-19 | 24x15 |
| 9. | 11x18 | 28-24 |
| 10. | 8-11 | 31-26 |
| 11. | 4-8 | 23-19 |
| 12. | 6-10 |
The correct move here was 6-9. Willie now calls this "a dead loss." Indeed, it is; but White will require patience and technique to bring home the win.
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W32,30,27,26,25,24,19,14:B18,11,10,8,7,5,3,2.
You don't need to be lucky to solve this one; although the solution is long, it's not nearly as difficult as some of the others in this series. Try your luck; then, for sure you'll luck out when you click your mouse on Read More to see the solution.
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Are You Dunne Drummond Yet?
We think you'll agree, when you work through this week's Checker School problem, that it's worthy of an introductory drum roll. There's some very pleasing play involved, and you're sure to get a lot of satisfaction from it. The position is credited to Drummond and Dunne.
WHITE
White to Play, Black to Draw
W:W30,22,20,19,18:B21,13,12,11,10.
Material may be even, but there are significant mobility issues and things are not so simple. How can Black find the way to a draw?
When the drummer is Dunne Drummond, can you drum up the solution? Work it out and then drum your mouse on Read More to see the solution, along with detailed notes and numerous sample games.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
Man in the Middle
"Man in the middle" can have several meanings. In the computer security world, it refers to a cyberattack based on intercepting--- getting in the middle of--- a network path. In the baseball example shown above, the baserunner is caught between bases. In general, being "the man in the middle" isn't a very good thing.
Not so in today's checker problem, which is credited to old-time checkerist D. Robinson of Glasgow. Let's have a look.
BLACK
Black to Play and Draw
B:WK29,24,12:BK23,K7.
Black has two men in the middle (actually, two kings). But the title of our problem is "man" in the middle, not "men." That's a bit of a hint toward finding a somewhat surprising draw for Black.
Can you solve it, or will you get caught in the middle? Click your mouse (the left button, not the middle one) on Read More when you're ready to check your solution.
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4th of July: The Sentinel
Every year we say that we love celebrating America's birthday, the Fourth of July, and this year is no different. At The Checker Maven we're proud to be patriots and with today's problem, we salute everyone who serves our nation, whether past, present, or future.
As we always do on this date, we turn to Tommie Wiswell, master checker problemist, champion player, and World War II veteran. He calls this problem "The Sentinel" and we think that title is an appropriate tribute to those serving us today as sentinels of freedom.
Here's the position.
White to Play and Draw
W:W32,28,K7,K3:BK29,19,14,9,5.
The title gives a clue to the solution. Can you work it out, perhaps between hot dogs at the 4th of July picnic? Don't get cole slaw on your checkerboard! When you're ready, click on Read More to reveal the carefully guarded solution.
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The People's Journal
We've heard more than enough over the years about the "People's Republic of XXX" and the "Democratic People's Republic of YYY" and all the rest. These countries are seldom a republic and virtually never democratic. Above is an early issue of the Soviet newspaper "Pravda" which means "truth" and is in fact a big lie.
So our latest finds, "The People's Journal" and "The People's Checker Book" might at first sound more than a little suspicious, until we point out that these publications date back to about 1898, long before the first appearance of a "People's Republic" and even before the Bolshevik revolution.
In fact, "The People's Journal" published some interesting checker problems, one of which is presented below.
BLACK
Black to Play and Win
B:B14,K11,K22:W12,24,K19.
This problem has a surprisingly clever solution, and it might in fact fool some of the people some of the time, but we suspect it will please all of the people all the time. When you're ready to check your answer, it's your democratic privilege to click your mouse on Read More.
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June 18: A Nutty Day in History
Today's column appears on June 18, 2016, and we found an interesting Hawaiian connection to this date, which lead to a rather tenuous checker connection. But first, a little background is in order.
You probably didn't know that the macadamia nut is named after Scotsman John Macadam, who was born in 1829, but if you've ever visited Hawai`i you'll be familiar with the flavor and texture of this iconic item.
The macadamia nut was first brought to Hawai`i in 1881 by William Herbert Purvis, but the reintroduction in 1892 is usually taken to be the beginning of commercial production. Brothers Edward Walter and Robert Alfred Jordan planted their trees on Wyllie Street in Nu`uanu Valley on, you guessed it, June 18 of that year. Upon reading the name "Robert Alfred Jordan" we immediately thought of the great checkerist Alfred Jordan, but of course that was another person altogether.
Still, we continued with that nutty line of thinking and tried to recall the "nuttiest" checker problems we've ever seen. In the end we decided on this one.
WHITE
White to Play and Win
W:W31,25,K22,15:B18,K11,8,7.
Why is this a "nutty" problem? Actually, it's a really good one, and White needs to find several "star" moves. It just struck us that the board position looks, well, nutty, and not something you're likely to see very often, if ever, in over the board play. Is the problem "nutty" or merely a "tough nut to crack"?
Don't go nuts; just work out the solution and then click on Read More to see the not so nutty solution.
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The Return of Mr. Sturges
Scare easily?
No, that's not the ghostly apparition of our recent short story; we don't expect Mr. Sturges to return in person any time soon--- or at all, for that matter. But the name and work of such a great player of yore is bound to turn up again and again, and this week is one such instance. Here's a study in our Checker School series which is most unusual, and it's credited to the man himself.
WHITE
BLACK
Black to Play and Win
B:W29,17,13,K7:B21,K19,15,10,6,5.
You might ask, where's the challenge, with Black up two checkers? Well, he's going to lose one of them right away, and he really needs to watch his step. Certainly, Black has a win, but as is the case in all over the board play, you need to show it.
Phantom moves won't do it. You'll have to play real, solid checkers to save the win. Are you up to the task, or will you be scared off? Don't be afraid; you can always click your mouse on Read More to see the solution, a sample game, and detailed notes.
You can email the Webmaster with your comments on this article.
A Day in June
Pexels CC0
This column is due to appear on June 4, 2016. It seems that the month of June has inspired many lines of poetic thought. Perhaps none is as well known as that of James Russell Lowell:
“And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days.”
(By the way, our photo above depicts a perfect June day in Waikiki.)
Or, consider this bit of humor from Bern Williams, with a grain of truth within:
“If a June night could talk, it would probably boast that it invented romance.”
And how about one of our favorites, a Dr. Seuss doggerel:
“How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”
Indeed, how did it get late so soon? That's a perfect introduction to an easy speed problem, for which we're allowing you 10 seconds. Think fast! It gets late really, really soon.
June Speed Problem (Easy, 10 seconds)
When you're ready, click on the link above. Solve the problem and then come back here and click on Read More to verify your solution.
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The Checker Maven is produced at editorial offices in Honolulu, Hawai`i, as a completely non-commercial public service from which no income is obtained or sought. Original material is Copyright © 2004-2026 Avi Gobbler Publishing. Other material is public domain, AI generated, as attributed, or licensed under CC1, CC2, CC3 or CC4 and the various CC options. Information presented on this site is offered as-is, at no cost, and bears no express or implied warranty as to accuracy or usability. You agree that you use such information entirely at your own risk. No liabilities of any kind under any legal theory whatsoever are accepted. The Checker Maven is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Bob Newell, Sr.
