Surprise! Some surprises are good, some others are not, but in today's Checker School entry, we think you'll find a nice surprise ... two of them, in fact.

J. TONAR
BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W31,28,24,22,21,19,17,13:B16,12,10,8,7,6,5,3.

We found this study very interesting in that the game is played quite flawlessly on both sides, yet White ends up with a draw that could prove difficult to find over the board, requiring two "surprises."

Will you find the solution or just be surprised? Either way, it's no surprise that clicking on Read More will show you the solution, a sample game, and some explanatory notes.

Solution

Solution and unattributed commentary are from Ben Boland's Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers. Numbered notes are by your Editor, using the KingsRow computer engine and 10-piece endgame database, provided courtesy of Ed Gilbert.

19-15, 10-19, 24-15, 7-10, 13-9---2, 5-14, 31-27, 10-19, 17-1, 16-20, 1-6, 3-7, 21-17, 7-11, 6-10, 11-16, 22-18, 19-24, 28-19, 16-32---3, 18-15, 32-27, 17-14, 27-31, 14-9, 31-26, 9-6, 26-22, 6-2, 22-18, 15-11, 8-15, 10-19. Drawn---4.

Game: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 6-9, 17-13, 2-6, 25-22, 8-11, 22-17, 14-18, 26-23, 4-8, 23-14, 9-18, 27-23, 18-27, 32-23, 5-9, 30-26, 1-5, 26-22---1, 15-18, 23-14, 9-25, 29-22, 11-16. Forms above position.

1---Out of KR opening book but still a good move. Flawless play on both sides up to here.

2---Surprise No. 1.

3---Suprise No. 2: White allows the shot. The point is that the Black men are trapped on the side of the board.

4---One holds two. Black cannot progress: 18-14 2-6 14-18 6-9 18-22 9-14 22-25 14-17 25-30 17-22 and now Black must play 12-16, giving the piece back. Drawn.

The above game was first given by W. Hay, in his first Edition, 1838, "Pioneer Game" (Souter), Var. 32, as a Black Win.

James Tonar published the above position as No. 63, in the December 1,1869, issue of the Draught Board, where he was Editor. He gave the position to correct W. Hay.