Ouch! Someone broadsided a police car. That is definitely not recommended, and whoever did it is going to be in very hot water.

In our third installment from Willie Ryan's Bristol Broadside in his classic work Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard, Willie considers another meaning of the word "broadside" with a second variation from his main line. We've given it below along with the full run-up. Here's how it goes.

Variation 2

11-16 24-20 16-19 23x16 12x19 22-18 10-14 18-15 7-10 25-22 14-18 29-25 9-14 20-16 5-9---A

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W32,31,30,28,27,26,25,22,21,16,15:B19,18,14,10,9,8,6,4,3,2,1.

A---"The lineup at once is imperative. If the play goes 8-12, then white will win with: 16-11*, 12-16,11-7*, 2-11,15-8, 3-12, 22-15, 4-8, 27-23, 5-9, 31-27, 16-20, 23-16, 10-19, 25-22, 9-13, 22-18, 14-23, 27-18, 20-24,18-15, 6-10, 15-6,1-10, 30-25, 10-14, 25-22. Wm. F. Ryan."

It turns out there are two drawing lines. Neither one is particularly easy to find, and we'd have to classify this as a master-level problem. But even if you're a mere mortal in the world of checkers, you'll learn a lot by exploring this position and then studying the solution.

So start your engines! Then crash your mouse on Read More to see how to do it.

Solution

27-24---B,1 8-12 16-11 3-8 31-27 18-23 27x18 14x23 22-17 1-5 17-13 (end of KingsRow opening book) 9-14 26-22 12-16 22-17 23-27 32x23 19x26 30x23 10x26 17x1 8x15, drawn, James Wyllie.

B---"The one move most likely to be least considered. In several published works on the game, the move 16-12 is recommended as one that will bring about a draw. However, unless the following play can be improved, it is obviously a losing move: 16-12, 18-23*, 27-18,14-23, 21-17, 8-11*, 15-8, 4-11, 17-14,10-17, 22-13, 9-14, 31-27, 6-9, 13-6, 2-9, 27-18, 14-23, 28-24, 19-28, 26-19, 1-6* (corrects play by Wyllie, who gave 9-14, allowing white to draw), 25-22, 6-10, 22-18 (30-26, 11-15, 19-16, 10-14, 16-11, 9-13, 26-23,14-17, black wins), 9-13, 30-25,13-17, 25-21,17-22, 21-17, 22-26, and black wins. Jesse B. Hanson. Again at B, if 16-11 is moved, then black will win with: 3-7, 27-24, 7-16, 24-20, 9-13, 20-11, 18-23, 31-27, 6-9, 15-6, 1-10, 27-18, 14-23. Wm. F. Ryan."

1---The computer found a most interesting alternative to Willie's star move with play along these lines:

16-11 3-7 27-23 7x16 (18-27 loses) 31-27 1-5 21-17! 14x21 23x7 2x18 22x15 9-13 (end of KingsRow opening book) 25-22 5-9 22-18 8-12 26-22 (an interesting alignment) 19-23 15-10 6x15 18x11 23-26 30x23 (White has regained his piece) 16-19 23x16 12x19 22-18 13-17 11-7 to a draw.