It's Thanksgiving time in the United States, and as we remark on each such occasion, this has got to be our favorite holiday, combining as it does food, family, and an air of happy contentment.

During this season, we also like to hearken back to the first days of our Checker Maven columns, which featured an excellent "coffee and cake" problem. Such a problem, you might recall, is one that is so good you'd be willing to bet your checker friends a serving of coffee and cake that they can't win it.

This year's "coffee and cake" problem is a fine one indeed. As we see below, White is up a man but is going to have to work for the win.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W31,30,16,15,10,5:BK24,22,6,2,1.

Can you find your way to the table, so to speak, where coffee and cake await? Or will you be treating your friends instead? Give it a gander, and here's our Thanksgiving treat to you: if you can solve it, and if some day we should meet in person, coffee and cake are on us. When you're ready, click on Read More to check your answer.

Solution

16-11 24-19---A 31-27 19-16 30-26 22x31 10-7 31x24 15-10 6x15 7-3 16x7 3x28 1-6 28-24 6-10 24-19 10-14 19-23 14-17 23-18 2-7 18-15 17-22 5-1 22-26 1-6 26-31 6-2 White Wins.

A---6-9 11-8 9-14 8-3 14-17 15-11 24-20 3-8 2-6 11-7 6x15 8-11 15-19 11-15 19-24 15-18 24-28 18x25 White Wins.

And now, coffee and cake are served. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!