We return to Willie Ryan's popular classic, Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard for today's column. In this installment, we find the Black forces in a real predicament, needing, it seems, to draw a pair of aces. But Willie shows us how to beat the odds, as he explains in his own words below.

"Another distinguished member in the checker Hall of Fame is William Strickland, who, with Willie Gardner, of Leeds, England, was among the first to introduce the art of playing checkers blindfolded. Like Dunne, Shearer, and other luminaries of his day, Strickland was a prolific analyst and scholar, discovering many of the standard positions that today are known to all advanced players. Here we present the important Strickland Draw, which can arise from almost every opening on the board.

arriving at the diagram.

WHITE

BLACK

Black to Play and Draw

B:W26,23,22,21,19,17,13:B14,12,10,9,6,2,1.

A---If 16-20 is played, proceed with 19-16, 12-19, 12-19, 23-16, 11-15, 26-23, 15-19, 30-26, 10-15, 17-10, 7-14, 16-11, 19-24, 13-9, 6-13; at this point 25-22 insures the draw, but if 32-28 is employed, black hits the jackpot with 15-18, 28-19, 14-17, 21-14, 5-9, 14-5, 3-7, 23-14, 7-30."

Can you turn up the card that saves the day? Don't be skunked; solve the problem and click on Read More to shuffle over to the solution.

Solution

"Continue: 10-15*, 19-10, 6-15, 17-10, 9-14, 13-9, 12-16, 9-5, 16-20, 22-17, 2-6*---1, 26-22, 14-18*, 23-14, 6-9; a draw---2. Wm. Strickland."

1---Despite Willie's starring this move, the computer (KingsRow) also shows that 20-24 will draw after 26-22 24-27 17-13 27-31 22-17 31-27 Drawn---Ed.

2---Play might continue 22-18 15-22 10-6 9-18 6-2 and the draw is in sight---Ed.