phillip c reed CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

It's another year with five Thursdays in November, so Thanksgiving in the United States comes well before the end of the month, on November 22. This column will first appear during Thanksgiving weekend.

We've always said how much we love Thanksgiving; its appeal to everyone of every faith and background makes it truly American in spirit. We hope you are enjoying the weekend in whatever way pleases you most, whether it's a large family gathering, a small intimate group, or just some days off to relax. But do remember to be thankful for what you have. While we may not have everything we want, we always have a lot more than we think.

Make checkers part of your weekend with a Tom Wiswell problem, one that he calls "The Follow Through." In his description Mr. Wiswell notes that sometimes a player will give up on a problem just a move or two short of finding the key move. In today's study, staying the course will get you there.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:WK4,9,K13,27,32:B3,5,K10,28.

White is a man up but is about to lose it back. How can he win?

Take a break from turkey sandwiches and pumpkin pie, and follow through to the solution. Then let your mouse follow a path to Read More to see how it's done.

Solution

27-23 5x14 13-9 14-17 9-14 17-22 14x7 3x10 23-18 22-26 4-8 26-31 8-12---A 31-26 12-16 9. 26-31---B 16-19 31-26 19-24 26-23---C 18-15 10x19 24x15 and White Wins with the move.

A---Not 8-11 10-14 drawn. White can't go after the Black piece.

B 26-23 18-15 10-19 32-27 23-32 16-23 White Wins.

C 26-31 18-15 and White Wins with the move. Or 26-22 18-15 10-19 16-23 and White Wins with the move.

mike fabio CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

And now, let's get back to some delicious Thanksgiving leftovers. We hope you're all having a wonderful weekend.