This column will appear a few days before the New Year of 2019, and no doubt you're busy with all sorts of preparations. Are you going dancing? Taking a dinner cruise? Watching fireworks at a nearby location? Or just staying home for a celebration with friends, or even a quiet evening?

There are as many ways to celebrate as there are people, and given how busy most of us seem to be, today we have a "midget" checker problem that won't take up a lot of your time, while still being worth a little effort.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W14,25:B5,26.

Finish off your checker year by finding the solution, and then get back to your celebrations. There will be plenty more checkers in 2019! When you've finished, click on Read More to check your moves.

Solution

25-21---A 26-31 14-10 5-9 21-17 31-26 10-7 26-22 17-13 Drawn.

A---Timing is everything as the immediate 14-10 loses: 14-10 5-9 10-7 26-30 25-21 9-13 7-2 30-26 2-7 etc. to a First Position win for Black.

May the New Year bring nothing but the best to all our readers!