Roberlan Borges CC BY-ND 2.0

Ed Atkinson, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is well-known in the checker community as a top player and skilled problemist. He is also, we're proud to say, a regular Checker Maven reader and occasional correspondent.

Ed offered us an original problem for publication and as you might expect, it's a dandy. He calls it Patterns, and you'll see why if you find the winning moves.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W12,16,17,29,K1,K8:B2,3,10,15,26,27.

You'd think White would have an easy win here; after all, he's got two kings and Black has none. But White looks a bit crowded around Black's single corner, and the win isn't at all easy to find. This is a top-notch, difficult problem with a rewarding solution. Can you find the pattern?

See what you can arrange, and then click on Read More to check your work.

Solution

8-11 15-18---A 17-14 10-17 11-15---B 18-22---C 1-6---1 2-9 29-25 22-29 12-8 3-19 15-6 White Wins.

A---15-19 1-6 2-9 11-15 White Wins.

B---1-6 2-9 11-15 allows Black to escape by 17-22 29-25 22-29 15-24 Drawn.

C---If 17-22 then 29-25 White Wins. If 18-23 then 12-8 White wins.

1---29-25 22-29 1-6 same (Editor).

Ed gives us these closing remarks: "This problem gave pause to three strong players, no doubt because of the unusual ideas involved. I have yet to come across anything quite like it."

Neither have we, and The Checker Maven thanks Ed for the opportunity to publish this fine composition.

Ed Atkinson's Neighborhood in Harrisburg
Credit: Google Streetview