In this month's lesson in our ongoing Checker School series, we learn a valuable lesson in saving the game; in other words, looking for a way to draw even when our position doesn't appear to have too many chances. Here's the position:

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:WK26,K24,K23:BK32,K25,21.

This situation, attributed to a J. Cornock, does indeed look tough for the Black side, who have little mobility and a very narrow choice of moves. Yet, one of them is good enough to save the draw. Can you find it?

Give it a try but don't forget, you can always save time and frustration by clicking on Read More to see the solution, with detailed notes and a sample game.

Solution

25-30---A, 26-22, 32-28, 23-19---1, 28-32, 24-28, 32-27, 28-32. Drawn---2.

Game: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 5-9, 26-23, 9-13, 30-26, 13-22, 25-9, 6-13, 29-25, 1-5, 25-22, 5-9, 22-17, 13-22, 26-17, 9-13, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 15-18, 14-9, 18-22, 9-5, 22-25, 5-1, 25-30, 1-5, 30-25, 5-9, 7-10, 31-26, 25-22, 26-17, 13-22, 23-18, 10-14, 18-15, 14-17, 9-14, 17-21, 14-17, 22-25, 17-22, 25-29, 22-26, 3-7, 27-23, 29-25, 24-20, 25-29, 28-24, 7-10, 15-6, 2-9, 20-16, 9-13, 16-11, 8-15, 19-10, 29-25, 26-30, 25-22, 10-7, 22-17, 7-3, 17-14, 3-7, 13-17, 7-11, 14-10, 30-26, 21-25, 23-18, 17-21, 24-19, 25-29, 32-27, 29-25, 27-23, 25-29, 11-15, 10-7, 15-10, 7-14, 18-9, 4-8, 9-6, 8-11, 6-2, 11-16, 2-6, 16-20, 6-10, 20-24, 10-15, 24-28, 19-16---C,D, 12-19, 23-16, 29-25*---E, 15-18, 25-30*, etc. Forms above position. P. Thirkell, Draughts World, Feb. 1911, also A. McGill.

A---J. Drummond played: 25-29-B, 26-30, 29-25, 23-18, 32-28, 24-27, 28-32, 27-23, 32-28, 23-26, 28-32, 26-22, 25-29, 18-23, 32-28, 23-27, 28-32, 22-26, 32-23, 26-19, 25-29, 30-26, 25-29, 19-23, 29-25, 23-18, 25-29, 18-22. White Wins.

B---32-28, 26-31, 28-26, 31-29. White Wins. J. Drummond.

C---To here Armstrong vs. Egan, Game 2436, Draughts World, Vol. 36, Nov. 1910. They continued; 23-18, 28-32, 18-14, 32-28, 14-10, 28-24, 10-6, 24-20, 15-18, 21-25. Drawn. W. F. James and J. Boyle try for a win in the Jan. issue, but see below.

D---15-18, 29-25*---F, 19-16---G, 12-19, 23-16, 25-30*. Drawn as above.

E---Corrects James' 28-32 which allows a win, as Drummond.

F---To correct Boyle who also played 28-32.

G---If 26-22, 25-29 Draws; or 25-30, 18-15, 21-25*---H, 22-29, 30-26, 15-11, 28-32, 11-16 (if 29-25, 32-28 draws), 32-27. Drawn.

H---28-32, 23-18, 32-28, 18-14, 28-32, 14-10, 32-28, 10-7, 28-32, 7-2, 32-28, 2-7, 28-32, 7-11, 32-28, 11-16, 28-24, 16-20, 24-28, 15-18, 28-32, 18-23, 32-28, 19-15, 28-32, 15-10, 32-28, 23-19, 28-32, 19-15, 32-28, 20-24. White Wins.

1---24-19 also draws per KingsRow.

2---For instance, 27-31 19-23 31-27 22-18 27-31 18-22, etc., and White can't make any progress; if the White king leaves or is driven from 22, then the Black piece will crown.

The above position was given by John Cornock in the Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette, Oct. 3, 1868, as a correction of No. 16 by John Drummond in his "Scottish Draughts Player," 1861, 3rd Edition. See Notes A and B. The position was later copied into Lyman's Problem Book, as No. 230.