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.

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.

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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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A few months ago we heard from checkerist and champion problem composer Ed Atkinson, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who wrote:

"While doing background research on a new problem I came across some information which might be of interest to you. On page 59 of Boland's Border Classics there is a problem credited to F. C. Hopkinson. According to Boland this problem was originally published under the name "Martin" in 1857.

The charming story 'A Midnight Encounter', which has been reproduced a number of times, is also attributed to 'Martin'. This information strongly suggests that it was F. C. Hopkinson who wrote the story. Has this ever been pointed out?

While doing a google search I came across 'A Midnight Encounter' on a Checker Maven page published in January 2007. That is why I am contacting you."

Yes, Ed, we ourselves also republished 'A Midnight Encounter' some years ago, and, inspired by additional correspondence with you, we wrote a sequel, which we present below.

---

It was thirty years ago today that Joshua Sturges appeared to me, on a Monday evening in April in the year 1820. Having read of his passing in 1813, I realized I had seen an apparition. It caused me to forsake my trip to England, where I was to study draughts with the masters, and indeed, to give up the game altogether.

Now I am fifty years old, with a wife, four grown boys, and numerous grandchildren. In this, the year 1850, the boys now run my hardware business and I have taken my retirement, all in that same New England town which I nearly left so long ago.

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, and my life would have been very different, and likely much less content, had I gone on to England to become a draughts master.

So, tonight, as I have every year for some while on this April date, I thank Mr. Sturges for his intervention.

Of course, it is a story I tell to no one, not even my wife Elsabeth, for she and all others might think me insane. So I keep my silent thanks between myself and the spirit of Mr. Sturges, may he be resting in peace in that world beyond the draughtsboard.

My wife does not mind that sometimes of an evening I visit the public house that now stands on the site of the long-gone inn in which Mr. Sturges appeared to me. I enjoy an hour of visiting with old friends and neighbors and the ale tastes especially good on a warm spring evening. Some of the old boys play at draughts, and often they invite me, but I always decline. I have set my path and I have hewn to it.

At least, until last night.

Nothing seemed at all different. I went down to the familiar establishment at my usual hour, and lingered about as long as I did on most such visits. The usual folk were there and some games of draughts were contested amid such merriment, jesting, and laughter as was to be expected when the ale is good and the company is better.

It must have been approaching midnight when, suddenly conscious of the need to be up for work in the morning, everyone decided it best to return home. Our host, too, was ready to close up and turn in for the night.

I must have been the last to leave, or at least so it seemed, as I buttoned my overcoat and made my way to the door.

Before I could pull upon the handle, however, the door sprang open in front of me. Gusts of wind blew rain through the door and lightning eerily lit the street in front.

Strange; a storm had not been expected, yet this was a tempest of the first order! I turned to remark of it to my host, but he was nowhere to be seen. All the lamps had blown out and the empty interior of the tavern was lit only by flashes of lighting.

A bright flash illuminated a table near to the bar, and there, silhouetted in black, sat one whom I had hoped to never see again.

The lanky figure stood. "It is I," he said, raising a bony finger. "Be not afraid, for I have come to seek your help."

Despite his reassurances, I was paralyzed with fear and could not move or speak. Neither could I understand what was happening. Full thirty years had passed, what was the meaning of this?

The figure seemed to read my mind. "All those years ago I kept you from going astray, from becoming victim of your pride and arrogance. Did I not?"

I tried to nod my head and managed only a motion of an inch.

"And yet, you truly were great at draughts, but that was not to be your path, for had you traveled to England that morning, you would have faced a life of endless poverty, for no draughts-player, not even you, can ever make his way."

I understood the truth of his words. No one earned a living through draughts.

"But yet, I cannot rest, for one thing remains." Lightning flashed again, brightly enough for me to see the pain in those long dead eyes.

"There is one situation, crafted by a great master yet to be born, that even I have not be able to resolve. No, do not ask how I have come into possession of something that does not exist in this world, for the ways of the world to come obey not our rules."

Finally, I found my voice. "You want ... me ... to resolve this situation ... solve this problem," I said in a ragged whisper.

"Yes, so that I may rest at last," Joshua Sturges said. "White captures all of the Black men in ten moves. I cannot see the way of it." And then, at once, he was gone. The lamps were lit and my host stood behind the bar, looking at me in a most strange manner.

"Are you all right, sir?" he asked. "I thought you were leaving but you've been standing, completely motionless by the door for the last several minutes."

"Oh ... I don't ... yes, I'm fine," I said. "Just a momentary lapse of memory."

My host looked at me as if I had suffered something far worse, but I didn't notice, for I was looking at the draughts board at the table in front of the bar.

"Quick, a sheet of paper and a pen!" I cried.

"But sir, it's late, and I wish to close up and seek my bed."

"Never mind your bed!" I shouted. "Paper and pen at once!"

My host, now looking more frightened than tired, complied.

As rapidly as I could, I took down the position on the draughts board.

"Thank you, and good night," I said, folding the paper and leaving the pen on the table. I departed at once, leaving my astonished host still staring with mouth agape.

My wife was of course abed when I arrived home. I lit a lamp in my study and set up the position I had written down. When morning came, she found me asleep in my chair.

I still have not resolved the situation, and I feel that until I do, I shall be condemned to fretful days and restless nights.

How long shall I be able to endure? I can only pray that I find the solution before my mind or my body is gone and I face the same eternal fate as the ghost of Joshua Sturges.

---

Can you help our story's narrator avoid a fate literally worse than death? Solve the problem and give rest to the souls of the checkerists in our little tale. Click on Read More to verify your solution.

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Isn't it curious, in a world dominated by decimal numbers, undoubtedly stemming from our ten finger and ten toe makeup, that the number twelve--- a dozen--- seems to have special meaning? Arithmetic based on twelves is called duodecimal and likely arises from the approximately twelve lunar cycles that make up the solar year.

For us, the significance is that this is the twelfth column in our extended treatment of the Kelso opening, as presented in Willie Ryan's classic Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard.

We continue to look at Willie's "Variation 3." Here's the run-up.

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

The best move to draw remains 26-23, as Willie points out. Last time, we investigated 25-22, which is correctly analyzed by Willie to be a White loss. But what about the closely related move 26-22? Willie comments, "6-9 will do the job." We're not sure quite what Willie meant by "doing the job"; does this move win or merely give White the best winning chances?

7.	...	26-22
8.	6-9

Here's the resulting position.

In fact, there's a draw here, but White has to find it. This is probably another one of those master-level challenges, but as in previous instances, it's worth the effort and there's a lot of technique to be gleaned from a careful study of the position.

It may take more than a dozen minutes, but give it a try, and then click once (not a dozen times) on Read More to see the solution.

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"Razor thin" --- the words describe something so narrow as to be nearly invisible. We're told in recipes to slice our onions "razor thin." Perhaps a basketball team wins by a single point; we say the margin of victory is "razor thin."

In checkers, we refer to "razor thin" advantages and "razor thin" wins or draws. Today's column, part of our Checker School series, asks us to find a "razor thin" draw. Have a look below at a position attributed to the great Wyllie himself.

It may be hard to believe, but White can save the draw here, though it will take "sharp" playing to do so. How "sharp" are you? Can you shave away Black's seeming advantage? Try it out, then cut your mouse over to Read More to see the solution, several sample games, and a collection of explanatory notes.

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We thought that the shirt shown above made for a great speed problem image for the month of "May." Warning: Bad puns ahead.

This month's speed problem "may" require a little more thought than usual. We categorize it as being of "medium" difficulty, though "may"be you'll find it easier or harder.

May Speed Problem (Medium, 30 seconds)

Whenever you "may" be ready, click on the link above to display the problem and start the clock. Then come back here, after which you "may" click on Read More to check your solution.

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Josh and Lloyd Gordon of Toronto have been contributors to The Checker Maven for some while, frequently sending us interesting position from their games and studies. Lately, they've been trying their hand, not at music composition, but at problem composition.

Now, while perhaps they're not yet ready to enter Bill Salot's excellent high-level competitions (see here[1]), they did send along an effort that we found quite interesting. It isn't terribly hard but it's a lot of fun.

Are you composed enough to find the solution? Composing a mouse click on Read More will allow you to annotate your opus with the correct solution.

[1] Bill Salot runs frequent thematic composition contests at the link given above. The problems found there are of the highest quality and are richly deserving of your attention.

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Having your child read along with you is a wonderfully rewarding activity. We can't say for sure if this mom is sharing a book about checkers with her daughter, but we can certainly hope so.

Today in our Checker School installment, we invite you to a "Reid-Along" of our own, with a problem attributed to checkerist H. Reid.

Can you "Reid" the position and come up with the surprising move that gains Black the draw, or will you "Reid-em" and weep, as the saying goes? Either way, clicking on Reid More (!) will of course bring you to the solution, a sample game, and explanatory notes.

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Yes, it's that time of year in the United States, tax day. Income taxes are generally due on April 15, though there's a bit of a reprieve in 2016 due to various holidays. Still, this is the final weekend for getting those taxes done and, if you're unlucky, writing a check to Uncle Sam, and you won't get so much as a "thank you" in return.

We invite you to take a checker break from your tax accounting, with a problem that is mentally rather than financially taxing. It will take solid visualization powers to solve this one, but at least it won't cost you anything.

Tax your brain and see if you can solve it without moving the pieces. Then tax your wrist, just a little, by clicking your mouse on Read More. You won't get a refund but you will get to see a solution that is guaranteed to be more interesting than adding up deductions.

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It's hard to believe, but there's still a play on the word "caper" that we haven't used. In many noir movies and detective shows, a "caper" was a crime of particular significance.

Fortunately, checkers is no crime, although you may think a particularly bad move might be one; but that's a pun for another time. Today, we instead turn back to Willie Ryan.

Our extended series on the Kelso moves toward a finish as we start to contemplate Wille Ryan's "Variation 3" as given in his classic book, Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard. Here's the run-up.

1.	10-15	22-18
2.	15x22	25x18
3.	6-10	18-14

This is the beginning of Variation 3 in the book.

4.	10x17	21x14
5.	9x18	23x14
6.	1-6	29-25
7.	12-16	25-22?

Willie correctly gives 26-23 as the drawing move. He notes that 25-22 gives Black an easier time. In fact, in our KingsRow analysis we quickly discovered that it's a definite Black win.

We may be talking master-level play here, but can you find the Black win? We'll let you know that it's nothing spectacular or fiery, just consistent play that restricts White's options until there are none left. It's the way many a game is won. Can you find the win? As it's said in Hawai`i, "if can, can; if no can, no can." Either way this one is worth some time and effort. When you're done, click on Read More to see the solution.

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