There are just a couple of days left in 2013 and then 2014 will be upon us. The years pass by; it seems like we've hardly turned the clock on 2000 and now Y2K is almost ancient history! In any event, The Checker Maven hopes that 2013 was a good year for you and yours, and that 2014 will bring every good thing you might wish for.

To celebrate the coming New Year, how about an A. J. Heffner problem from way, way before Y2K? This one is close to 100 years old but it's never lost its practical appeal. Willie Ryan says he's seen it come up in play more than once ... and doubtless it's occurred many times since.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W31,30,23,19,18,17,13:B24,21,12,10,6,5,2.

What's up here? Black is going to get a king and there's nothing White can do about it, although White can get one of his own if he wishes. Where's the White win, though? Can you find it?

The problem isn't particularly easy, and the solution is fairly long, but hey, you've got the rest of the year to solve it! When you've figured it out, click on Read More to see the solution.

Solution

Here's the published solution. The play is less exact than the computer solution but much more spectacular and natural.

A---Not going straight for the king.

B---27-23 doesn't lose as quickly.

C---Originally left here as a White win.

D---If 19-15 then 7-3.

E---The two White kings trap the lone Black king while the third White king continues to hold the two Black men.

Now here's the computer solution. It looks very long, and it is, but it's methodical, though hardly as splashy as the published solution.

A---Not going straight for the king.

B---Not 27-23 18-27 32-23 10-15.

C---White bridges his man while still holding the Black men in their places.

D---Finally!

And now, enjoy the new year and may it be the best ever!