In today's entry from our Checker School series, we have a most interesting position, as shown below.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W25,K12,K2:BK11,10,K1.

In this position, Black's mobility is definitely in the plus column. And as our current World Champion has often stated, checkers is all about mobility. In fact, Black has a very neat win here. The position is almost 120 years old and is attributed to R. D. Yates. Well over a century later we find that it still entertains and instructs. It's a fitting tribute to the timeless attraction and value of the game of checkers.

Try to trap White, but don't be trapped yourself: clicking on Read More will move you to the solution, a sample game, and explanatory notes.

Solution

Our Checker School solution comes, as usual, from Ben Boland's masterful Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers.

10-15, 25-22, 15-19, 22-17, 19-23, 17-14, 23-27, 14-10, 27-31, 2-6---D, 31-27, 6-9---1, 27-23, 9-6, 23-18, 6-9, 18-15---E, 9-6, 1-5, 6-1, 15-6, 1-10, 5-9. Black Wins---2.

Game: 11-15, 22-17, 15-19, 23-16, 12-19, 24-15, 10-19, 25-22, 8-11, 30-25, 4-8, 22-18, 11-16, 25-22, 8-12, 27-23, 16-20, 23-16, 12-19, 17-14, 9-13, 32-27, 6-9, 27-24, 20-27, 31-15, 1-6, 29-25, 7-10, 14-7, 3-19, 18-15, 2-7, 22-18, 7-10, 15-11, 10-14, 18-15, 14-18, 11-7, 18-23, 26-22, 23-26, 22-18, 26-30, 7-2, 19-23, 2-7, 23-27, 25-22---A, 27-31, 7-10, 31-27, 10-1, 27-23, 22-17, 13-22, 1-6, 23-14, 6-13, 30-26, 28-24, 5-9, 13-6, 14-10, 24-19---B, 10-1, 15-10, 26-23, 19-16, 23-19, 16-12, 19-15, 10-7, 15-11---F, 7-2, 22-26, 21-17, 26-31, 17-14---C. Game No. 102, J. T. Hennigan, American Checker Review, Vol. 1, 1888.

A---In Game No. 32, Vol. 1, Draughts Players Weekly Magazine, this move is offered by Mr. Jas. Lees to draw and correct Drummond's "Second," Page 58, where 7-10 and 15-11 are given, and Black winning in both cases.

B---15-11 seems as good.

C---Mr. Lees abandons the game here as a draw. The setting is now a few moves advanced from the above position, and man on 12 is a king, but play is the same. Diagrammed at this stage in A. C. Review.

D---10-7. 31-27, 7-3, 27-24, 3-7, 24-20. Black Wins.

E---Or 1-5, 9-13, 18-14 (or 18-15), 10-6, 5-1, 6-2, 14-9. Black Wins.

F---1-5 also wins; 1-5, 21-17, 22-25, 17-13, 25-30, 7-2, 10-15, 12-8, 30-26, 8-3, 10-6, etc. Black Wins by First Position. Norman H. Clark.

1---6-2 is also of no avail; the winning process is much the same as in the main line (Ed.).

2---White is neatly trapped (Ed.).

The above position by R. D. Yates is No. 177 in Lyman's and No. 903 in Gould's Problem Book.