Without giving us any advance warning, our webhost moved the Checker Maven site to a new server.

Now, we've noticed that the site's response time is very much faster than it was before the move, and we're most appreciative of that.

However ... the move to the new server was not completely smooth. Our webhost sort of, well, neglected little details like file permissions and the like.

So we've had to go in and fix a few things, and we're not sure that everything's completely normal yet. Please help us by letting us know if you find something that doesn't work or doesn't look right. Email techsupport@checkermaven.com. Many thanks for your patience and cooperation.

Summer disappears and fall comes on fast in much of the northern hemisphere. Fall in turn will go by and then it will be winter.

But enough of such thoughts. Enjoy the fall season, and enjoy this month's speed problem, too. It certainly isn't hard, but it provides just enough of a visualization challenge to be interesting ... for the fifteen seconds we're allowing on our merciless Javascript clock.

September Speed Problem (medium-easy, 15 seconds)

When you're done, come back here and click on Read More to check your solution.

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We are both pleased and proud to be able to present the fourth volume in Mr. Richard Pask's new series, 21st Century Checkers. Destined to become the definitive modern reference on 3-move ballots, these books are sure to be of great interest to every serious checkerist. Volume 4, 10-15s can be downloaded here, or from the Richard Pask page linked in the right-hand column.

As in all of the volumes in the series, the book makes extensive use of color. If you want a printed copy, it might be best to print it at home, as commercial services charge quite a bit for color printing.

Here's a preview problem from the new book.

Click on Read More to see the solution and analysis.

The Checker Maven thanks Mr. Pask for his contributions to the checker community and for honoring us with the opportunity to present his work. We are relieved and delighted that this great player and unexcelled author is on his way to a full recovery from life-threatening health issues encountered earlier this year. May Mr. Pask live long and prosper--- and continue to publish!

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Check the scoreboard above. It looks like Boston has blown a really big lead and will lose a game that should have easily been a win.

Something like this also happens in checkers. It's been said about such games of pure skill that for the less experienced player winning a "won" game can be one of the toughest chores. How many times have we held a decisive advantage and let the win get away from us? We're certain every checker player alive has had this frustrating experience.

In the diagram below, White by rights ought to win the game. He's a man up, though his position is a little cramped. But it shouldn't be all that hard ... should it?

Can you win this won game, or will you have one hard time with it? There just might be a little more to it than it may seem. When you've found the solution, click on Read More to verify the win that you won.

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It's definitely the "back to school" season. And although school has already started here in Hawai`i--- public school reconvened at the early date of August 5--- the back to school rush is in progress or soon forthcoming at many locations around America.

To celebrate back to school (yes, some people do actually celebrate it) we present a small "scholarly" problem. It's simpler in appearance than those in our Checker School series, but it's definitely in the "need to know" category for all cross-board players. You'll probably recognize it, but can you solve it from the diagram?

Give this "the old school try," and then click on Read More to see the solution.

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We've often praised the checker analysts of yore; they had only raw skill and brainpower available to them. There were no supercomputers or 10-piece databases to aid them, yet they still got an amazing amount right.

But the computer, far from "spoiling" the game of checkers, has shown us some deep and subtle things about our game. At times, the old analysts stand corrected when the computer finds something completely unexpected.

We don't think those old analysts would at all mind being overruled. Their quest was for the truth and we think they'd be happy to see that goal served.

Today we have a game that was played something like 75 years ago. The original published analysis makes a lot of sense when you read it; it's practical and more than a little compelling. But the computer has a lot to say, as we'll see in the run-up below.

1.	11-15	22-17
2.	15-18	23x14
3.	9x18	17-14
4.	10x17	21x14
5.	8-11	26-23
6.	4-8	24-20
7.	11-15	28-24
8.	6-10	...

Once considered weak but actually quite acceptable.

8.

...

31-26

The original analysis claims that 25-21 should win for White, but it really doesn't.

9.	10x17	23x14
10.	17-21	25-22
11.	1-6	29-25

The shot with 30-25 loses after 30-25 21-30 22-17 30-23 27-4 6-9 and Black should win. Here White would hold the draw most easily with 22-17. The actual move played, 29-25, was originally declared to be a loser. Deep computer analysis shows that White gets a slim draw.

12.	15-18	22x15
13.	7-10	14x7
14.	3x28

White is a man down! What's the catch? Why shouldn't this be a straighforward man-down loss?

But note that Black's man on 28 is in the dog hole. That's never a good sign. White does have a draw, though the original analysts, lacking computers, didn't see it. Can you?

This is a very hard problem indeed, but the solution is quite rewarding and useful in over-the-board practice. Do give it a try, even if you need to turn to your computer or our own computer solution, which you can access by clicking on Read More.

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Someone once said that when the 4th of July comes along, summer is half over. That might be a bit pessimistic, but when the calendar turns to August, we know for sure that we're on the back side of the season.

Where did it go so quickly? Are we really ready for the back to school push and the inevitable turning of the leaves?

At our Checker Maven offices here in Hawai`i, of course, we don't worry so much about the leaves or colder weather, but school does start up again in a mere two days from the date of this column.

So today's offering is, fittingly, a speed problem. It's really pretty easy as these things go, so we think ten seconds is about the right solution time. When you're ready, click on the link below. When you're done--- it won't take long--- come back and click on Read More to check your solution.

August Speed Problem (easy; 10 seconds)

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The Checker Murders is a 16,000 word novelette published in seven monthly installments. It is perhaps the most extensive work of checker fiction ever published. We hope you enjoy it, but if you wish you can skip to the end to see this week's checker problem. Be forewarned that the problems in this series are very difficult.

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Mortimer thought he really ought to take the bus downtown to Broken Book Cafe, but riding the bus at night wasn't quite his thing. Parking was going to cost him, but it would be better to have his car. What if he and Sheila wanted to go somewhere after they met?

One thing at a time, he told himself. He had located clothing that was relatively clean, only worn once or twice at the most, and was busy assembling a list of questions to ask and points to make. He had to show her that he had insight into the case if he wanted to make that good impression. Yes, dazzle her with my brilliance, that's it, he thought. Charm her with my wit.

Impress her with my ...

Mortimer caught himself in mid-thought, realizing that maybe this wasn't completely about solving the case.

He decided that he had better leave early. There would still be a lot of traffic around six in the evening.

He left at four thirty. He just couldn't wait any longer. That way he'd get a table at Broken Book and be ready when Sheila came in. Anyhow, she didn't know what he looked like, while he'd recognize her from the video clips he'd watched almost incessantly, trying to a better ... well, clue.

Mortimer drove faster than he ever did, sometimes exceeding the speed limit by as much as two or three miles per hour. He even went through a couple of yellow lights--- in fact, one of them was practically red! Ordinarily, he never would have done such crazy things. But he found parking and was at Broken Book by five fifteen. He ordered an orange soda and found a table in the coffee shop.

Broken Book was Denver's largest second-hand bookstore, located downtown on the 16th Avenue Mall. It was staffed by a crew that Mortimer had never cared for. He thought they were obnoxious, rich liberal arts students who thought a lot of themselves because their parents had money. The coffee shop staff in particular always seemed kind of snooty, acting rude when taking his order and looking at him like he was some sort of inferior specimen.

But tonight Mortimer paid no attention. He was on a special mission.

He spent the next little while going over his scanned collection of clippings on his laptop, getting in a few games of checkers along the way. In fact, he was in the middle of tough game on YooHoo when he felt a warm, soft hand on his shoulder.

"Mortimer?"

It was that voice. He looked up, and saw her. She was dressed exactly in the manner that Mortimer had by now memorized from watching the video clips.

"Y..Yes, I'm Mortimer, I mean, uh, M. Sherlock Holmes." Mortimer had found his voice and said the latter with a little pride. "How did you recognize me?"

"Oh, believe me, it wasn't hard," Sheila said, taking the seat opposite him at the table. She unbuttoned her overcoat, revealing a blue blouse beneath, neatly tucked into white slacks. "I did a little research of my own, you know. There was only one Mortimer in the UC grad school directory, and when I found your web page ... well, um ... it was pretty obvious I'd found you."

Mortimer was impressed. "Wow, that's kind of how ..."

"Yes, of course, how you got my email address. Well, Mortimer, maybe you'll turn out to be a nut after all, but you're certainly a bright one. So, as I said on the phone, I'll take this one chance and have dinner with you and talk a little. But at least for now, don't expect any more and don't push your luck, OK?"

Mortimer seemed ever so slightly disappointed but he readily agreed.

"So, I'm starving. I had to work through lunch as usual, and I haven't eaten since I had some yogurt at breakfast."

She certainly looks slim, Mortimer thought. Probably lives on fruit and skim milk.

So Mortimer got a big surprise when she ordered a pastrami on rye with potato chips and cole slaw, and a large soda to go with it. OK, at least it was a diet soda.

Mortimer ordered the same thing and, as he was certain was expected, paid for both orders. They went back to their table and Sheila attacked her food as if she were starving. Mortimer kind of liked that. She certainly didn't seem like a lot of those pretentious girls that he met at the Baker Street Pub.

"OK, Sherlock," she said between large bites of sandwich, "let's hear your theories."

Mortimer gulped down the last of his own sandwich and pushed his plate to the side. He flipped his laptop open.

"Well, I'm not completely sure," he said, flipping through some of his clippings on the laptop screen. "But here, look at this." He enlarged one of the newspaper photos of the checkerboard left at the first murder. It was pretty grainy when blown up but the board and pieces were still clearly shown.

"Yes, the checkerboard from the first killing," Sheila said. "We did all the usual stuff, checked for prints, DNA, you know. Didn't turn up anything. The board and set was probably from a toy store or a department store. They're sold all over the Denver area and on the internet, so that didn't give us much either."

"Oh, yeah, sure, I mean I know you do all that stuff, but that's not what I was getting at."

Sheila waited for him to continue.

"Well it's ... look, I play a lot of checkers, and I think the way the board is arranged might mean something. That's where you can help me."

"That's where I can help you," Sheila repeated. "I see." She sounded a little skeptical. "I thought you were going to help me."

"Well, um, I am. But I need to see the checker boards from the other two murders."

"They're in an evidence locker, you can't..."

"No, I don't mean actually see them in person, just what they looked like at the murder site. You know, how they were set up and all."

"You think how they were set up has something to do with the case?"

"I'll bet they were all different."

"Yes, they were, as I recall," Sheila said. "But that's consistent with random placement. We think the checkerboard and checkers are symbolic of something. The psychologists don't know what, not yet, but they're working on it."

"No, no, that just can't be right," Mortimer insisted. "Please, can I just see photos? I'm sure you have them, and for the second two murders the newspapers didn't show the checkerboards."

"Well...."

"And the street addresses. I need the street addresses. They would just about prove the point I'm making."

It wasn't at all clear to Sheila just what point Mortimer was making, and she said as much. "And besides," she went on, "we only released the street name the first time. After that we just gave the general neighborhood so we could keep the nuts away. Nuts like ..."

"Like me?" There was a bit of a hurt tone in Mortimer's voice.

"Oh, Mortimer, I'm sorry," Sheila said. She reached across the table and grasped Mortimer's hand. Mortimer instantly became oblivious to anything but her touch.

"I know that wasn't very nice of me. It's just that everything you're saying seems so ... odd. But you're definitely bright and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You're looking at an angle we haven't considered, and I believe you when you say you're a checker expert. I know we don't have one on staff, so I'll see if I can get you on as a consultant."

Mortimer beamed, not even realizing that she had finally let go of his hand. "You mean ... a consulting detective ... like ... like Sherlock Holmes?"

She smiled, amused by his boyish excitement. "Well, Mortimer, there are probably some agents in the Denver office who wouldn't be so anxious to give you that title. But just between us, you can be a consulting detective."

Mortimer didn't think bouncing up and down in his seat would make such a good impression, so he refrained, even though that's what he wanted to do at the moment.

"Meanwhile, I'll email you those checkerboard photos. I don't think that should be a problem. I'll do that when I get to work tomorrow afternoon. I've got class in the morning or I'd do it sooner. But the addresses ... I'll have to get an OK on that. I'll ask about it when I tell the Special Agent handling of the case that I think it would be helpful to bring you on."

She stood up and started buttoning her overcoat.

Mortimer stood as well, hastily attempting to gather up his laptop and all his gear. "Uh ... can I ... do you need a ride home or anything?"

She heard the hopefulness in his voice, but responded, "No, Mortimer, let's take things slowly. I'm delighted to have met you, and we're going to meet again very soon, but I think we'll leave things as they are for the moment. I'll be quite fine taking the rail home.

"Where's home?" Mortimer asked. "I'm sure I could..."

"No you don't," Sheila said. "No home address, not yet at least. Just be patient. I'll be contacting you tomorrow afternoon as soon as I get things set up with Special Agent Purdy."

She turned to go, then stopped for a moment as if making a decision. She stepped over to Mortimer and gave him a quick hug. "Thanks for dinner," she said. "Talk to you tomorrow." Then, before Mortimer could recover his composure, she was out the door and off into the Denver night.

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You may recognize the position above and know the solution; if you don't, you may find it challenging. Give it a try--- Mortimer surely would have--- and then click on Read More to see the solution.

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It's a typical error for beginning writers: mistaking principal for principle. Our photo above could very well be that of three high school principals. But as for illustrating three checker principles ... it would definitely not be the right thing.

Our Beginner's Corner series today presents a position which can be solved by the application of three such checker principles. Your task is to find the principal solution, and identify and give name to the principles involved.

In principle, this is an easy problem; the principal difficulty is one of visualization. Don't sacrifice your principles; solve it from the diagram. The principal means of checking your solution will of course be by clicking on Read More.

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Just about everyone has heard of Gibson guitars; Gibson is the maker of the world-famous Les Paul guitar and many other instruments of the highest quality and finest sound. Gibson was founded by Orville H. Gibson well over 100 years ago, and given the time in which Mr. Gibson lived, we've little doubt that he played checkers at least casually at some point.

Checkerist R. W. Gibson was a contemporary of Orville, although it's highly unlikely that they knew each other or were in any way related. Mr. Gibson (R. W., that is) is credited with today's entry in our Checker School series. It may not be the "Les Paul" of checker problems, but it is certainly a nice one, with a solution as pleasing as the sound of a Gibson guitar.

We're not just stringing you along; solve the problem and strum your mouse on Read More to see the solution, notes, and a sample game.

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