Erik (Hash) Hersman CC BY 2.0

It's summer, and we hope you are able to get out and enjoy summer sports, such as a speedy ride on a bicycle (or tricycle, as the case may be). The winter of 2013-14 was pretty harsh in most of North America, and we're certain you're happy to be outdoors. Do it while you can, summer doesn't last forever. Unless you're in Hawai`i, of course!

Our speed problem for July isn't especially hard, but we're still allowing you 30 seconds to solve it. Such generosity! It's a very practical setting and we hope you like it. When you're ready, click on the link below; then come back and click on Read More to verify your solution.

July Speed Problem (30 seconds, relatively easy)

PickPik CC0

Every year we say the same thing: we love celebrating the Fourth of July, America's birthday. We are proud to be American patriots, and invite our American readers to celebrate along with us.

Similarly, every Fourth of July we turn to a man who served America with honor and distinction, Mr. Tom Wiswell. This year, we present a situation from one of his matches with Millard Hopper, yet another patriot and, like Mr. Wiswell, a champion go-as-you-please player.

Here's the situation.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W32,30,27,25,24,22,17,14:B18,15,10,8,7,5,3,2.

It's quite a complex situation but the draw is there and you can work it out with some effort. Find the solution and then celebrate by clicking on Read More to check your answer and to see the transcription of the full game.

Michael Lusk CC BY-NC 2.0

In this month's installment from Willie Ryan's Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard we continue with his exposition on the 11-16 Bristol opening. For the run-up to the play below, see our previous column. The notes are in Willie's own words.

Variation 1

"14-18---A 27-23---E 18-27 32-16 7-10 31-27 10-19 16-12 (see diagram)

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W30,29,28,27,26,25,21,20,12:B19,9,8,6,5,4,3,2,1.

A---In the Stewart-Banks world's title match of 1922, Stewart tried 19-23 here and brought about a draw. This line is very old and was widely used before Champion Stewart appeared on the scene. It may be rightly classified an American innovation, as W. R. Barker was the first to play it, in a match with Wyllie in 1874. Two decades later, Willie Gardner sprang it on Wyllie in the second England-Scotland team match of 1894, winning with the black pieces. The following model play will assist the student in securing a working knowledge of the feature points of the 19-23 line:

B---An excellent alternative for the draw, and one that we consider equal to the text is: 28-24, 11-18, 19-15, 2-7, 30-26, 7-10, 32-28, 10-19, 24-15, 3-7, 27-24, 9-13, 26-22, 5-9, 24-19, 18-23, 19-16, 8-11, 15-8, 4-11, 16-12, 23-26, 12-8, 26-30, 28-24 (8-3, 14-17*, 21-5, 30-21, 3-10, 6-15, will earn the draw), 7-10, 8-3, 11-16, 20-11, 14-18, 22-15, 10-28, etc. James Lees. Again at B, we tried the Lees' way (28-24) against Arch Henshall, a strong amateur from Scranton, Pennsylvania, and almost lost when Henshall made a three-point landing in our king row like this: 28-24, 11-18, 19-15, 9-13 (Arch didn't know Lees' play, but his 9-13 looks good), 24-19, 5-9, 27-24, 18-23, 15-10 (if 25-22 is used, 8-11 is correct), 6-15, 19-10, 14-18, 25-22, 18-25, 29-22, 9-14, 20-16, 14-18, 22-15, 23-27, 32-23, 8-11, 15-8, 3-28, 23-19, 28-32, 19-16, 32-28,16-11, 28-24, 10-7, etc., a draw.

C---Safer for a draw than 19-16, 11-15, 16-12, 8-11---D, 27-23, 3-7, 12-8, 14-18, 23-14, 10-26, 30-23, 11-16, 20-11, 7-16, 8-3, 15-18, 23-14, 9-18, 21-17, 5-9. Willie Gardner.

D---9-13, 30-26, 8-11, 27-23* (better than 26-23, 3-7*, 23-18, 14-23, 27-18,15-19,12-8,11-16, after which black is strong, though white can still size the draw with careful play), 2-6, 31-27, 4-8, 29-25, 5-9, 32-28, 15-18, 22-15, 11-18, 26-22, 10-15, 28-24, 8-11, 23-19, 6-10, 19-16, 3-7, 12-8, 18-23, 27-18, 14-23, 8-3, 9-14, 3-8, 14-17, 21-14, 10-26, 8-3, 7-10, 16-7, 26-30; a draw. J. Macfarlane.

E---Equally good for a draw is: 21-17, 9-13, 17-14*, 6-10, 15-6, 1-17, 27-24 (safer than 25-22, 18-25, 30-14, 2-6, 29-25, 8-11, 27-23*, etc., which also produces the draw), 19-23---F, 26-19, 8-11---G, 25-22,18-25, 30-14, 2-6, 29-25, 6-9, 25-21, 9-18, 20-16, 11-27, 32-14, 4-8, 19-15, 8-11, 15-8, 3-12, 31-26, 12-16, 26-22, 16-20, 22-18, 13-17, 18-15. Hugh Henderson vs. A. B. Scott.

F---A fool-proof safe line to a draw is: 5-9, 24-15, 17-22, 26-17, 13-22, 32-27, 8-11, 15-8, 4-11, 28-24, 7-10, 24-19, 3-8, 25-21, 9-13, 21-17, 11-15, 20-16, 15-24, 27-20, 8-11, 16-7, 2-11, 30-26, 11-15, 20-16, 15-19, 26-23, 19-26, 29-25. Melvin E. Pomeroy.

G---18-23, 31-26, 8-11, 19-16, 17-21! (Pomeroy notes this as a Chicago "special" that improves on published play by 4-8, 26-19, 8-12 etc.), 26-19, 13-17!, 32-27*, 2-6*, 16-12, 4-8!, 19-15, 11-18, 25-22, 17-26, 30-14, 6-10, 24-19, 10-17, 19-15, 17-22, 20-16, 22-26, 27-24, 26-31, 24-20, 7-11, to a draw. Melvin E. Pomeroy."

In the diagram above, can you find the move to draw? Willie showed one of them, but there are actually two. Can you find them both? When you're ready, click on Read More to see the solutions.

Our Checker School series continues its presentation of famous shots as set forth by Ben Boland in his classic Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers. These are shots that experts should already know and hopefuls should learn.

There are a few questionable moves in the run-up to today's shot, but nonetheless this one is seen over the board from time to time.

11-15 23-19 8-11 22-17 9-13 17-14 10x17 21x14 15-18 19-15 4-8 24-19 6-9---A 15-10---B 13-17---C 19-15---D 17-21 28-24 11-16---E

A---6-10 is the "book" move here. 6-9 gives White a small advantage.

B---Very bad and might even lose; 28-24 was best.

C---Evens it up again; 11-16 would have kept the lead.

D---Loses. 10-6 was correct: 10-6 1x10 26-22 17x26 31x6 etc.

E---Seals Black's doom and loses quickly. 12-16 would have continued the fight longer.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W32,31,30,29,27,26,25,24,15,14,10:B21,18,16,12,9,8,7,5,3,2,1.

Can you find the winning moves, identify this shot by name, and perhaps name the "shot" at the top of our article? It may take some effort, but we think you can do it; when you're ready, click on Read More to check all your answers.

PxHere CC0

Today, instead of the usual timed speed problem with which we often open the month, we're presenting an untimed speed problem. It's one that can be solved fairly quickly, but which we think is best enjoyed without the pressure of our relentless Javascript clock.

The problem was sent to us by Lloyd and Joshua Gordon, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Lloyd and Josh are a father and son team who often send us interesting positions from their games.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W32,28,23,22,21,10:B15,14,13,9,3,1.

Can you slug this one out? Take as long as you wish and then smash your mouse on Read More to see the solution.

There are games of skill, games of luck, and games that combine the two. In the game of checkers, luck plays a small role: you might catch your opponent on a bad day, or in a Swiss system tournament, maybe you'll get an easier match-up than another player with the same score. But that's about it.

The following problem was first published in 1929, and from the looks of it, perhaps you need to get lucky to find the solution. It's by Fausto Dalumi, an Italian who like so many others came to live and work in the United States. Mr. Dalumi earned a well-deserved reputation as a composer of elegant and challenging checker problems.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W24,K22,K2:B23,16,K9,4.

Feeling lucky? We think you'll need more skill than luck to find the solution, but the problem is a dandy. Give it your best and then click on Read More to see the solution.

Public Domain Pictures CC0

This column will appear on Memorial Day weekend; Monday will be Memorial Day, a time to honor the men and women who have sacrificed so much to defend America's freedom. As it is so often and so truly said, "Freedom is not free," and The Checker Maven adds its own salute in honor of the memory of the patriots who gave their all on our behalf.

During the Second World War, checker expert Millard Hopper visited our service men and women to entertain them with checker lectures, lessons, and exhibitions. Mr. Hopper gave some of his problem settings war-themed names, such as his "Solomon Island Slam." Some of the other problem names would today be considered to contain racially offensive language, but back then, America was at war, and we need to be more understanding than critical.

We never found the exact position for the "Solomon Island Slam" so instead we'd like to offer the problem below. There are two possible winning lines, depending on Black's choices, but in both cases White's key first move is the same. Can you find it?

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

B:W28,24,20,18,K5:BK26,12,11,10,2.

When you've got the answer, click on Read More to verify your solution.

The Checker Maven is proud and privileged to present the fifth volume in Richard Pask's groundbreaking 21st Century Checkers series, The 11-15s. You can download it in PDF format here, or on the Richard Pask page as linked in the right-hand column. Mr. Pask continues to generously offer his work free of charge.

Mr. Pask's series on the three-move ballots is sure to be the definitive reference for years to come and no serious player should be without it.

Volumes 6 and 7, on the 11-16s and 12-16s, are in the works. Mr. Pask has told us that his objective is to have completed the series by some time in mid-2015. We wish him continued good health after his wonderful recovery from some serious issues in the past year.

If you plan on printing this new book, keep in mind that it makes extensive use of color and so printing at a commercial shop could be much more costly than printing on an ink-jet at home.

As a preview, here's an interesting run-up from the 11-15 23-18 9-14 ballot.

Through some transpositions the play is still in the KingsRow opening book.

Loses; 16-19 was best.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W32,30,26,24,22,20,14:B16,15,13,11,6,3,1.

Here Mr. Pask points out a subtle move that secures the White win. Can you find it on your own? Match wits with this eminent British grandmaster and see if you can find the sequence of moves that brings White the victory. When you're done, click on Read More to see the solution.

Pexels CC0

We continue our series of Famous Shots from Ben Boland's Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers with a fireworks-filled position. Here's the run-up, with notes.

12-16 21-17 16-20 17-13 10-14---A 23-19---B 14-17 19-16 17-21---C 16-12---D 11-16---E 22-18 8-11 25-22 7-10 26-23 10-14---F 24-19 14-17 31-26 4-8 19-15---G

A---Looks natural but 11-15 would be better.

B---24-19 would have kept the advantage.

C---Gives a slight edge to White. 11-15 was correct here.

D---22-18 would have kept the small lead for White.

E---Gives White an edge again. 11-15 is still the move to make.

F---This move leads to a probable Black loss; 10-15 would have been correct.

G---A serious mistake. With 28-14 White should go on to win. Now Black wins.

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W32,30,29,28,27,26,23,22,18,15,13,12:B21,20,17,16,11,9,8,6,5,3,2,1.

As usual, we're asking you to solve the problem, name the shot, and also name the "shot" pictured at the top of the article. There are two different solutions to the problem, one as originally published, and one found by the computer. Can you find one of the them? Click on Read More when you're ready to check your solution.

NARA & DVIDS CC0

After so many years of publication, we're out of "stroke" puns and find it necessary to do repeats. But the photo above is definitely a harbinger of spring and summer; rowing crews out on the water, enjoying outdoor activity, perhaps after a long winter.

Today's problem is relatively easy and is set with only four pieces per side; it's a little more practical than the more complex, artificial stroke problems.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W22,19,15,6:BK24,23,K21,20.

Solve this one from the diagram, if you can, for great practice in visualization. Then click on Read More to verify your solution.