Today's publication date is the day after New Year's Day, 2010. The parades and bowl games are over, and if you celebrated a little too enthusiastically on New Year's Eve, you're likely to be fully recovered and ready to face the year.

It sounds to us like a good time to take a moment to contemplate a checker problem. Checkers may not have the external glitz and flash of the Rose Bowl Parade, and there isn't going to be a crowd of thousands in the stands watching the game (that only happens in Marvin J. Mavin's world). But as all avid checker fans know, there is an excitement of a different nature. Today, we present a problem that is tough indeed but guaranteed to be a great and entertaining way to open your checkeristic year.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W30,28,27,26,22,K1:B21,19,16,15,13,9,2.

It's hard to believe, but even a man down, White can win this position! Experts on both sides of the Atlantic thought it to be no better than a draw for many a year. To borrow from the late Margaret Farrar, this is a two-cups-of-coffee problem, if you can get it at all. But perhaps you can start the year with a bang, who knows until you try? In any case, one thing is this same this year and every year: clicking on Read More will bypass the coffee pot and take you right to the solution.

Solution

1-5 9-14 2. 22-17!13x31 5-9 31x24 9x27---A 2-7 27-24 19-23 24-19 23-27 19-16 27-32 28-24 32-27 24-19 27-24 19-15 24-27 15-11 7-10 16-19 10-14 19-15 14-17 15-18 27-24 11-7 24-27 7-2 27-24 2-6 24-27---B 6-9 27-31 9-13 17-22 18x25 White Wins---C.

A---A spectacular shot which brings near material equality. But can White still get more than a draw?

B---24-19 loses to the simple two-for-one 18-22 17-26 30-16.

C---A problem that we'll wager becomes one of your favorites, combining as it does an explosive stroke to open the play, followed by a delicate endgame precisely played for a win.