During the off-season, "Gosh Josh" Gordon did as most professional checkerists were expected to do; take part in some exhibitions, some outreach programs, and so on, especially in June. July was widely regarded as a vacation month and of course training camp started at the beginning of August.

Josh was solidly established as first board player for the AA Erie Eliminators; his prospects for moving up to AAA checkers within another season looked good. For the moment, though, he was residing in a modest apartment in Erie, Pennslyvania.

Now, during his July vacation he planned to go back to Ganonoque, Ontario, to visit with family and friends, especially his old teammates in the local amateur team, the Ganonoque Goat-Getters. But for now something special was in store.

It was the second week of June and Josh would be leading a checker camp for Erie area grade school kids, and he had persuaded his new girlfriend, Amy Rye Zwieback, to come up to Erie and help with the camp. As Amy had the week free, the National Checker League gave their approval and reserved a room for her in an Erie hotel. Josh, being very traditional, didn't think it would be proper to invite Amy to stay at his place.

Regular readers will recall from previous stories in this series that Josh and Amy met over the board at a match in Harrisburg, where Amy played first board for the AA Harrisburg Huffers. Amy and Josh had had quite an adventure together, dealing with a scout who was trying to pirate players to join a league in a remote foreign country.

Josh of course was immediately completely smitten with Amy, and Amy looked upon Josh as something of a hero. During the rest of the season, they dated a couple of times when team travel brought them within proximity. Now, both of them were thrilled to be able to have a full week together, doing something they both loved: teaching checkers.

But of course Josh wanted to show off his other capabilties. He had already shared some of his writing with Amy; Josh wrote urban fantasy when he had the time, and Amy loved the stories Josh sent along to her.

What Amy didn't know, though, was that Josh liked to cook, and his specialty was chicken wings--- and not just any old chicken wings.

Amy arrived late at the bus station on Saturday night, and Josh just drove her to her hotel and wished her a good night's sleep. But as checker camp didn't start until Monday morning, Josh and Amy had Sunday together. Amy slept in, but later Josh took her to brunch at a nice restaurant and then they visited some of Erie's fine parks.

Josh promised to cook dinner, saying it would be a nice surprise and a change from restaurant food, something they both had had a lot of on road trips during the checker season.

"What are you going to make for me?" Amy asked, as they were finally on the way to Josh's apartment.

"You'll see," was all Josh said.

Upon arrival, Josh sat Amy down in the living room and brought her her favorite drink, a diet soda. "Just wait here," Josh said, "dinner will be ready in a little over half an hour."

Josh gave her a draft of a new story he was working on to read while waiting. "Let me know what you think of it," he said as he headed into the kitchen.

Amy started reading "Spectral Sussurations in Syracuse" but after twenty minutes or so the aroma coming from the kitchen was tantalizing.

A few minutes later Josh popped out of the kitchen. "Dinner is served, Madame Amy," he announced proudly. "Right this way." Josh's apartment had an eat-in kitchen and he had installed a small dining table with a few chairs.

On the table was a fresh mixed green salad, loaves of French bread, butter, and a chilled bottle of Chablis.

"Why Josh, that looks wonderful!" Amy said, grasping his arm and giving it a light squeeze. "But ... um ... is there a main dish?"

"Of course, my dear lady," Josh replied. "Please be seated and I shall serve you."

Amy took a seat; Josh served her some salad and then, putting on a pair of oven mitts, opened the oven and brought out a large tray of chicken wings.

"Oh, Josh, my favorite," Amy said. "I just adore chicken wings. And I see you baked them rather than fried them."

"Not baked," Josh corrected. "Convection roasted. Higher temperature. Better air circulation. More even heating."

Josh put the tray of wings on a pad on the table. "Please try them," he said.

Amy picked up one of the wings. "Wow, nice!" she said. "Convection roasted ... that's something new for me."

Amy bit into the wing she was holding. A curious look came over her. She took a second bite. Was she frowning?

"You like them?" Josh asked eagerly.

"Uh, well, they're good. Actually, pretty good. It's just ... "

"What?"

Amy couldn't help seeing the look of disappointment on Josh's face.

"Well ... uh ... I mean ... they're perfectly cooked ... exactly right ... "

"What? Josh said, this time perhaps a little more sharply than intended.

"Um ... it's like, they aren't very spicy, you know, kind of pretty mild actually."

"Of course they are. I use an herb and spice mix that enhances the natural flavor, which is further enhanced by the cooking method ... "

"Yes, I get that ... but look ... I've got just the thing to make it right for both of us." Amy reached for her purse and pulled out a bottle of Devil's Own Hot Sauce. She opened the cap and splashed it liberally on two of the wings.

"What are you doing?" Josh asked. "I would never, ever ... "

"Oh, try it!" Amy said enthusiastically. She took a bite from one of the now seasoned wings. "Awesome!" she exclaimed.

"Uh ... sure." Josh picked up the other seasoned wing and took a large bite.

Josh's head exploded. His vision dimmed. His mouth was on fire. He felt as if steam was coming from his ears. His nose started to run. He didn't know if he could breathe.

It was all he could do to get to the kitchen sink and flood his mouth with water. But that didn't help much.

"Milk, Josh, or yogurt. Water won't help. Gee, I thought you were a tough guy. Guess not. 2 million Scovilles is above your limit, I suppose."

Josh realized now that he was going to live after all and wondered if it was a good thing. The pain wouldn't go away. He stumbled to the fridge, found a quart of milk, and drank it all down in a few gulps.

Finally catching his breath, he sat down at the table and managed to say, "What's a Scoville?"

Amy smiled. "A measure of spicy hotness. A bell pepper is one Scoville. A Jalapeno might be around 1,000. My sauce, like I said, is 2 million."

"I thought we were friends," Josh said in a weak voice.

"Oh, we are ... I don't share my Devil's Own with just anyone, you know."

Josh grabbed a kitchen towel and mopped his face. "Uh, Amy, from now on maybe we'll just go to restaurants, okay?"

# # #

But Josh and Amy made up quickly in the way that girlfriends and boyfriends so often do (in our alternative world); they solved a few checker problems together.

Later, Josh drove Amy back to her hotel. He'd pick her up bright and early in the morning to go to checker camp.

Devil's Own Hot Sauce, indeed. Josh shook his head. Girls were just full of surprises.

---

Wouldn't it be nice, in our own world, if couples could make up by solving checker problems or playing checkers together? Although that reminds us of the rather pedantic checkerist Harvey Hopkins, who back at the turn of the 20th century suggested that women test the fitness of suitors with games of checkers, couples playing checkers together surely is a good thing. However, you're welcome to try to solve today's problem solo, as a couple, in a group, or any way you wish. When you're ready, click on Read More to see the highly practical solution.

Solution

1.	...	15-10*
2.	29-25	10-6*
3.	4-8	...

25-22 31-27* 23-32 14-10 22-15 10-19 is a White Win by 1st Position.

3.	...	6-2
4.	8-12	...

8-11 2-7 White Wins.

4.	...	2-6*
5.	12-16	6-9*
6.	16-19	9-5

Or 9-13.

7.	25-22	18-15*
8.	19-24	15-10

Or several other moves. Left here as a White Win in the original publication. But the winning process is instructional for the non-expert player. Here's one way it could go. You can explore variations on your computer.

9.	24-28	10-7
10.	28-32	7-2
11.	32-28	5-9
12.	28-24	2-6
13.	24-19	9-13
14.	19-24	6-9
15.	24-28	14-17
16.	22-25	17-21
17.	25-30	9-14
18.	28-24	13-17
19.	23-19	14-18
20.	19-16	17-22
21.	16-19	21-17
22.	19-16	18-23
23.	24-28	17-14
24.	28-24	23-18
25.	30-26	22-17
26.	26-30	31-26!

White Wins.

---

Today's problem is by Will H. Tyson as found in the 1909 book The Draughts Marvel.