The triplets shown above have already graduated from school, so they won't need to study today's extensive Checker School lesson... if their degrees happen to be in checkers, at least. If you don't yet have your graduate's diploma in checkers, perhaps then you might wish to pay close attention in class. The checker "triplets" we'll set out are known as the Bowen Triplets, presumably because there are three related positions with three pieces on each side. In addition, we have nine other, similar positions, all of which also involve three pieces per side.

Let's see, that's three pieces per side, six pieces total, twelve positions in all ... we had better stop there and just present our material, which comes from Ben Boland's classic text Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers.

Note: for the sake of consistency, in all positions White is at the top and Black at the bottom, regardless of who is to move.

It will take you some little while if you wish to work through all of these, but if you take the time and put in the effort, you cannot help but improve your play. So, we suggest that you double--- or better yet, triple--- your efforts and search out the answers. And, for extra credit, if twins are two, triplets are three, and so on ... can you tell us what twelve are called?

When you're done, you can click on Read More to see Mr. Boland's usual detailed solutions and copious explanatory notes, as well as the answer to our trivia question.

Solutions

Bowen No. 1, Black Plays: 14-9, 1-5, 9-6---A, 21-17---B, 11-15, 5-1---C, 6-9, 17-13, 9-5, 3-8, 10-7, 1-6---D, 5-1, 6-9, 7-11, 8-12, 15-18. Black Wins. White Plays: 1-5, 10-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 9-13-H, 10-6, 13-17, 5-9, 17-22, 9-14, 22-17, 14-18, 17-13, 18-22, 21-17, 6-10. Black Wins.

A---9-13, 5-1, 10-14, 1-6---E, 14-9, 6-1, 9-5, 1-6, 5-1, 6-10, 13-9, 21-17, 9-13---F, 17-14, .13-17, 14-9, 1-5. Black Wins. F. A. Miller, Oct. 31, 1939 Advocate.

B---5-1, 10-7, 3-10, 6-15, 1-6, 11-7, 21-17, 7-10, 6-9, 15-18. Black Wins.

C---17-13---G, 6-1, 3-8, 10-14, 8-3, 15-11. Black Wins.

D---8-3, 7-11, 1-6, 5-1, 6-2, 15-10, 2-6, 10-14, 6-10, 14-7, 3-10, 1-5, 10-14, 11-15, 14-17, 15-10, 17-22, 10-14, 22-25, 5-1, 25-22, 1-6. Black Wins.

E---1-5, 14-18, 5-1, 13-9, 1-5, 9-6, 21-17, 18-22*, 17-13, 6-1, 5-9, 22-18. Black Wins.

F---9-6, 10-14, 11-7, 3-10, 6-15. Black Wins. 1st Position, O. V. Mills, Nov. 7, Advocate.

G---3-8, 15-11,8-15, 10-19,5-1,6-9, 1-5,9-13,17-14, 19-15. Black Wins. H—9-14, 10-17, 21-14, 11-15, 3-8, 5-1, 14-9, 5-18, 8-12, 18-14, 9-5.

Bowen No. 2, Black Plays: 10-7, 1-6, 7-3, 6-1, 11-7, 1-6, 7-2, 6-1, 14-10, 1-5---A, 2-6, 21-17, 10-7, 5-1, 6-9, 17-13, 9-6. Black Wins. White Plays: 1-5, 10-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 9-14---B, 10-17, 21-14, 11-15, 4-8, 5-1, 8-12, 1-6. Black Wins.

A---21-17, 2-7, 1-5, 10-6, 17-13, 7-10, 5-9, 6-1, 9-6, 10-14. Black Wins.

B---9-13, 10-6, 13-17, 5-9, 17-13, 6-2, 13-6, 2-9, 21-17, 11-15, 17-13, 15-10. Black Wins.

Bowen No. 3, Black Plays: See Johnson's Position. White Plays: 1-5, 10-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 10-15, 9-14, 1-5---A, 21-17, 5-1, 17-13, 11-7, 12-8, 1-6---B, 8-3, 15-10, 14-18, 7-11, 18-23. Drawn.

A---15-19, 14-10, 19-23, 21-17, 23-26, 17-13, 26-22---C, 13-9, 22-17, 9-5, 17-13, 10-14, 11-15, 12-16, 13-9, 14-17, 9-6, 17-22, 6-2, 22-26. Drawn.

B---1-5---D, 8-12, 7-11, 13-9, 11-7, 9-6, 5-1, 6-2, 7-11, 14-10. Drawn.

C---1-5, 10-14, 26-22, 14-17, 22-25, 17-21, 25-30, 21-17, 30-26, 17-14, 26-23, 13-9,
5-1, 9-5. Drawn.

D---7-3---E, 8-12, 1-5, 14-17, 15-19, 17-14, 19-23, 13-9, 3-7, 9-6, 5-1, 6-2, 7-11, 14-10. Drawn.

E---7-2, 8-12, 1-5, 14-17, 2-6, 17-14, 5-1, 12-16, 6-2, 16-12, 2-7, 12-8, as Trunk at 15th move.

Brown No. 4: 9-5, 22-18---A, 5-9---B, 1-5, 9-6---C, 18-15, 21-17, 15-18, 6-1, 18-22, 17-14, 22-18, 14-10, 5-9, 1-5, 18-14. Black Wins.

A---1-6 would be Bowen's Draw.

B---21-17. 18-22, 17-14, 1-6. Black Wins.

C---9-13, 18-22, 21-17, 5-1, 17-14, 1-5, 14-10, 22-18. Black Wins.

Gordon No. 5: 18-15, 5-1, 15-10, 1-5, 10-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 10-7---A, 9-5, 7-2, 5-9, 1-5, 9-14, 2-6, 14-18, 6-9*, 21-17, 9-13, 17-14, 13-9*, 14-10, 19-16, 20-11,9-14. Black Wins.

A---10-15, 9-5, 15-18, 5-9, 1-5, 9-6, 18-15, 21-17, 5-1---B, 6-2, 15-18, 2-7, 1-6, 17-13, 18-14, 7-11. Drawn.

B---15-18, 6-2, now if 5-9, 17-14, and if 18-22, 17-14, and if 5-1 then 2-7 is same as Note A.

Clark No. 6: 5-1, 31-27, 1-6, 27-24, 6-2---A, 24-20, 2-6---B, 20-16, 6-2---C, 11-15, 3-7, 13-9, 7-3*, 9-14, 2-7---D, 16-12, 7-2, 14-9, 2-7---E, 15-11, 7-16, 12-19, 3-8, 19-15, 8-12, 15-11, 21-17, 9-6, 17-13, 6-1, 13-9, 11-7, 12-16. Drawn.

A---6-10, 24-19, 10-6, 19-15, 6-1, 15-10, 1-5, 10-14, 5-1, 13-9, 1-5, 9-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 9-13---F, 10-6, 13-17, 5-9, 17-22, 9-14, 22-17, 14-18, 17-13, 18-22, 21-17, 6-10. Black Wins.

B---3-7, 13-9, 7-16, 20-11, 21-17, 11-15, 17-13, 15-10. Black Wins.

C---6-1, 16-19, 1-6, 19-15. Black Wins as Note A at 4th move.

D---3-7, 15-11, 7-3, 14-10, 21-17, 16-20, 17-13, 20-16, 13-9, 10-6, 9-5, 6-1, 3-7, 16-20. Black Wins.

E---21-17---G, 9-13, 17-14, 15-10, 14-7, 13-9. Black Wins.

F---9-14, 10-17, 21-14, 11-15, 3-8, 5-1, 14-9, 15-18, 8-12, 18-14, 9-5, 14-18. Black Wins.

G---3-7, 15-11, 7-16, 12-19, 2-7, 19-15, 7-3, 15-11, 21-17, 11-15, 3-8, 9-14. Black Wins.

Milligan No. 7: 6-1, 22-18, 1-6, 18-15, 6-1, 15-10, 29-25, 14-18, 25-21, 18-14, 1-5, 10-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 10-15, 9-14, 1-5, 21-17, 5-1, 17-13, 1-5, 14-17. Drawn.

Taylor No. 8: 6-1*, 5-9---A, 1-5*, 9-13, 10-14, 13-9---B, 14-17*, 9-6, 17-13-*, 6-1---C, 13-9*, 29-25, 9-14*, 25-21, 14-10, 21-17, 5-9, 17-13, 9-5. Black Wins.

A---29-25, 10-14, 25-21, 14-18*, 5-9---D, 1-5*, 9-13---E, 18-22, 21-17, 5-1, 17-14, 22-18, 14-9, 1-5, 9-6, 5-1, 6-2, 18-14. Black Wins.

B---29-25, 5-1, 25-21, 1-6, 13-17, 14-18, 17-13, 18-22. Black Wins.

C---29-25, 5-1, 6-10, 13-9, 10-15, 1-6, 25-21, 9-13. Black Wins.

D---21-17, 18-22, 17-14, 1-6, 5-1, 22-18. Black Wins.

E---9-6, 18-15, 21-17, 15-18, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5 (17-14, 18-15, 14-5, 15-10), 18-22. Black Wins.

Lyons No. 9: 12-16*, 10-14, 30-25, 14-18---A, 25-21, 18-23 21-17, 15-10---B, 16-11, 23-18---C, 11-16, 10-15, 17-21, 18-14, 21-25, 6-10, 25-21, 10-6, 21-25, 14-18, 25-21, 18-23, 21-17, 15-19, 16-11, 23-18, 17-21. Drawn.

A---6-1, 25-21, 1-5, 21-25, 14-18, 25-21, 18-23, 21-17---D, 15-10, 16-11, 23-18, 11-16, 18-15, 17-22, 10-14, 22-25, 5-1, 25-21, 1-6, 21-25. Drawn.

B---15-19, 16-11, 23-18, 11-7, 19-16, 7-2 (7-3, 16-11. Black Wins), 6-1 2-7, 1-6, 7-2, 6-10, 13-9, 18-14, 2-7. Drawn.

C---23-27 (If 23-19, then 11-15 draws), 11-16---E, 27-24, 16-11. Drawn. J. S. Thomson.

D---Or 21-25, 15-10, 25-21, 5-1, 16-11, 1-6, 21-17, 23-18, 11-16, and if 18-14 or 10-15, then 17-21. Drawn.

E---17-21, 10-14---F, 11-15, 27-24, 21-25, 24-20, 15-19, or 15-11. Drawn.

F---27-24, 11-16, 10-14, 21-25, 6-10, 25-22. Drawn.

Nelson No. 10: 22-18*---A, 13-9---B, 18-14, 9-5, 14-9, 5-1---C, 9-5*, 1-6, 19-15, 21-17, 15-18, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 18-22, 5-14, 22-13, 14-10, 13-9, 10-15, 9-6. Black Wins.

A---Any other move White plays 13-9, and gets the Milligan Draw.

B---21-17, 18-22, 17-14, 19-15, 14-9, 15-10, 9-5, 22-17, 5-1, 17-14. Black Wins.

C---21-17, 19-15, 5-1 (17-13, 15-10), 15-10, 17-13,9-5. Black Wins.

Valentine No. 11, White Plays: 1-5, 10-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 9-13, 10-14---A, 13-9, 14-18, 9-6, 18-15, 29-25*, 15-19, 6-2, 5-9, 3-7, 11-15, 7-3, 19-16, 3-7*, 16-12, 7-3. Drawn. Black Plays: 14-9, 1-5, 9-6, 29-25 (5-1, 10-7), 10-14---B, 5-1, 6-9---C, 1-5, 9-13, 5-1, 13-17, 25-21, 17-13, 1-6---D. Black Wins. See No. 1, Note A.

A---10-15, 13-17, 15-18, 17-21*, 5-9, 21-25, 9-14, 25-21, 18-22, 21-25, 14-18, 25-21, 22-26, 21-25, 26-30, 25-22, 18-25, 29-22. Drawn.

B---6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 9-13, 11-15. Black Wins, but it is more difficult.

C---6-10, 1-5, 10-15, 5-1, 15-18, 1-6, would only draw. F. A. Miller.

D---Now with the White King on 3 on 4 we have a position by W. Benstead; 14-9, 6-1, 9-5, 1-6, 5-1, 6-10, 13-9, 21-17, 9-6, 10-14, 11-15, 4-8---E, 6-2, 14-9, 1-5, 9-13, 5-9. Black Wins.

E---17-13, 15-10, 14-7, 6-9. Black Wins. R. I. Nicholson.

Zahl No. 12, Black Plays: Same as No. 11 with Black to Play. White Plays: 1-5---A, 10-6, 5-1, 14-10, 1-5, 6-1, 5-9, 1-5, 9-13, 10-15---B, 13-17, 5-9, 17-22, 9-14, 22-26, 15-19, 26-31, 19-24, 31-26, 14-17, 30-25, 17-21, 25-22, 24-19. Black Wins. Also W. Gardner, No. 21 Kear's Ency.

A---With Black to Play and man on 30 on 31, C. F. Barker won from W. Halliwell, 1905 International Match (colors reversed): 14-18, 1-5, 18-23, 5-1, 23-19, 1-5, 10-6, 31-26, 6-10, 5-9, 11-15, 3-8, 15-18, 8-11, 19-24. Black Wins. Note that with Black to Play the White Man may be on 29, 30, 31, or 32 and Black can win.

B---10-14, 13-9, 14-18 (14-10 wins as in Trunk), 9-6, 18-15, 30-25*, draws as No. 11.

Trivia answer: Twelve offspring at once are called duodecaplets.