The Checker Maven

All But One

20120326-allbutone.jpg

It's the sort of thing we did when we were kids. We'd find a plate of cookies on the kitchen table, and we'd eat all but one, thinking that if we left that one cookie behind, no one would think that we had eaten the rest. Somehow, it never seemed to work, but that didn't stop us from trying ... and those cookies were so good!

We've titled today's stroke problem "All But One" and you'll know why we chose that title when you find the solution.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W26,24,22,20,19,18,13,11,K2:BK32,28,K27,K17,9,6,4,1.

Can you solve this one or will you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar? It's an elegant composition and the solution is a treat ... perhaps even as good as those cookies we purloined all those many years ago. When you've eaten this problem up, click on Read More to see the solution.20050904-symbol.gif

20050904-symbol.gif



Solution

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W26,24,22,20,19,18,13,11,K2:BK32,28,K27,K17,9,6,4,1.

26-23 17x26 18-15 27x18 15-10 6x15 13x6 1x10 11-8 4x11 20-16 11x27 2-6 15x24 6x31. White Wins.

Black gobbles all but one White cookie ... er, piece ... yet still gets caught. Sometimes checkers mirrors life in the most amazing ways.

07/07/12 - Category: Problems
You can email the Webmaster with comments on this article.



The Checker Maven is produced at editorial offices in Honolulu, Hawai`i, as a completely non-commercial public service from which no income is obtained or sought. Original material is Copyright © 2004-2026 Avi Gobbler Publishing. Other material is public domain, AI generated, as attributed, or licensed under CC1, CC2, CC3 or CC4 and the various CC options. Information presented on this site is offered as-is, at no cost, and bears no express or implied warranty as to accuracy or usability. You agree that you use such information entirely at your own risk. No liabilities of any kind under any legal theory whatsoever are accepted. The Checker Maven is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Bob Newell, Sr.