We often look for a new approach, a new way to do things. Sometimes that new way is better, sometimes not; and sometimes, it doesn't really make any difference. Is it an improved way or just another way? The answer is not always clear.

In today's installment from Willie Ryan's Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard, we continue looking at situations arising from the Kelso opening. Here's the run-up, without additional commentary.

10-15 22-18 15x22 25x18 6-10 18-14 10x17 21x14 9x18 23x14 1-6 29-25 12-16 26-23 16-19 24x15 11x18 28-24 8-11 24-19 4-8 31-26 6-9 19-15 11-16.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw
W:W32,30,27,26,25,23,15,14:B18,16,9,8,7,5,3,2.

To make this a little easier (as the ensuing play is complex), we'll note right away that Teschelheit's classic Master Play gives a line with 15-10 for White to draw. Willie says he has something new, and gives 26-22 as the only move to draw. And so we simply pose the question: Who is correct? Willie, Teschelheit, both, or neither?

We urge you to explore the play for a while, and then take the old approach of clicking on Read More to see the different lines of play and the answer to our question.

Solution

Willie gives 26-22* as White's star move to draw, with this comment in Note G of his original writeup (which in turn references Notes H and I).

G---"This is a new approach. I consider 26-22* the only move that will save white's skin. 15-10, 9-13, 23-19---H, 16-23, 26-19, is given to draw in Tescheleit's Master Play, but my play produces a black win by: 13-17, 19-15---I, 17-22* (corrects Jackson vs. Kear again, where 17-21 is played, allowing a draw by 10-6 in reply), 25-21, 22-25 (7-11 is also titanic), 21-17, 25-29, 17-13, 18-22, 32-28, 22-26* (the fixer), 30-23, 29-25, 14-9, 5-14, 10-6, 2-9, 13-6, 25-22, 6-2, 22-26, 2-4, 26-10, 27-23, 10-7, 28-24, 7-11, 24-19, 3-7." Wm. F. Ryan.

H---"This is a strong sequence for black: 26-22, 7-11, 22-15,11-18, 25-22 (10-6, 2-9, 14-10, 9-14, 10-6, 8-12, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 16-19), 18-25, 30-21, 16-20, 23-18 (23-19, 8-11 wins), 13-17, 27-23, 17-22, 14-9, 5-14, 18-9, 22-26, 21-17, 26-31, 23-19, 31-26, 17-13,26-23, 19-16, 20-24, 9-6, 2-9, 13-6, 23-19, 16-12, 8-11, 6-2, 11-15---1." Wm. F. Ryan.

I---"25-21, 18-22*, 10-6, 2-18, 21-14, 22-26*, 30-23, 18-22, 19-15, 22-26, 15-10, 26-30, 10-6, 7-11*, 23-19, 30-26, 14-10, 8-12, 32-28, 26-31, 27-24, 11-16, 19-15, 16-20, 24-19, 31-26, and black wins." Wm. F. Ryan.

1---Ryan doesn't call this one, but it's a database draw, not a Black win. So, going back to the initial setting, 26-22 definitely draws, but so does 15-10 (via Note H). Willie is correct, while Teschelheit's original line is not. However, Willie's correction to Teschelheit's line also yields a draw. Confused yet? The bottom line is that both 26-22 and 15-10 appear to produce sound draws---Ed.