Yes, we've definitely done this theme before--- Find the Differences, that is--- but with today's Checker School lesson, it certainly bears repetition.

Much as the drawings above have subtle but important differences--- 17 of them, we're told--- the two checker positions below similarly have two small but important differences. Yet both positions yield a White victory, as long as your skills are up to the task.

WYLLIE
BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:WK15,K18,20,K22:B12,K21,K29,K30.

SPAYTH'S
BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:WK15,K18,K19,20:B12,21,K29,K30.

Can you solve these? Of course, we recommend that you give the checker positions most of your attention, but we have to say the cartoon puzzle is interesting, too. Clicking on Read More will give you the solution to the Wyllie and Spayth problems. We still haven't completely solved the cartoon!

Solutions

As is our usual practice, the solutions, sample game, and lettered notes are taken from Ben Boland's Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers. Numbered notes are by the Editor with the assistance of Ed Gilbert's KingsRow checker engine and 10-piece endgame database.

Wyllie: 15-19, 30-25, 20-16, 25-30, 16-11, 30-25, 11-8, 25-30, 8-4, 30-25, 4-8, 25-30, 8-11, 30-25, 18-15, 25-18, 15-22, 21-25, 19-15, 25-18, 15-22. White Wins---1.

Spayth's: 18-22, 30-25, 15-18---A, 25-30, 20-16, 30-25, 19-15, 12-19, 15-24, 25-30, 24-19, 30-25, 19-16, 25-30, 18-23, 30-25, 22-26, 25-30, 23-19, 30-23, 19-26. White Wins---2. See Payne's First Critical Situation.

Game: 11-15, 24-20, 8-11, 28-24, 4-8, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 15-18, 17-13, 11-15, 26-23, 8-11, 31-26, 6-9, 13-6, 2-9, 26-22, 1-6, 22-17, 18-22, 25-18, 15-22, 23-18, 14-23, 27-18, 9-13, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 6-10, 30-25, 10-17, 25-21, 22-26, 21-14---3, 26-30, 19-15, 30-26, 15-8, 26-22, 32-28, 22-15, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 13-17, 8-4, 17-22, 4-8, 22-26, 19-15, 26-30, 15-10, 30-26, 29-25, 26-30, 25-21, 30-26, 10-6, 26-22, 6-2, 12-16, 2-11, 3-12, 14-10, 16-19, 11-15, 19-24, 10-6, 24-28, 6-2, 5-9, 2-6, 9-13, 6-10, 28-32, 10-14, 32-28, 14-18, 22-26, 15-19, 26-31, 18-23, 28-32, 19-15, 31-27, 15-18, 27-31, 23-19, 32-27, 18-22, 27-32, 21-17, 31-27, 17-14, 32-28, 19-15, 27-23, 15-10, 28-24, 14-9, 24-27, 9-6, 27-31, 6-2, 23-26, 22-25, 26-30, 25-21, 31-26, 10-15, 26-22, 2-7, 30-26, 7-10, 26-23, 10-14, 22-17, 15-10, 17-22, 14-9, 23-26, 10-15, 26-23, 9-6, 22-26, 21-25, 26-30, 25-21, 30-26, 6-10, 26-22, 10-7, 22-26, 7-11, 26-30, 11-7, 30-26, 7-2, 26-30, 2-6, 30-26, 6-9, 26-22, 9-6, 22-26, 6-10, 26-22, 21-17, 22-25, 17-14, 25-21, 15-18, 23-26, 10-15, 21-25, 15-19, 26-22, 18-15, 25-21, 19-23, 22-17, 15-10, 17-22, 14-9, 22-25, 10-15, 13-17---B,4, 9-14, 17-22, 23-27, 25-30, 27-31, 30-26, 15-19, 26-30, 19-23, 22-25, 31-26, 25-29, 26-22, 30-25, 23-18, 25-30, 14-10, 30-25, 10-15, 25-30. Forms above position, by J. Wyllie. R. D. Yates vs. J. Wyllie, Game No. 980, Turf, Field and Farm, 1873.

A---In Duffy's Standard Positions, Part 2, No. 194, this alternative win is shown; 22-26, 25-30, 20-16, 30-23, 19-26, 12-19, 15-24, 29-25, 24-27, 25-29, 27-23, 29-25, 23-18, 25-29, 18-22. White wins as in Payne's position, Page 8.

B---Wyllie has been playing all these moves with the evident expectation of Yates making this move. Turf.

1---The win was fairly straightforward; keep the Black men at bay, crown the single man and then exchange. The critical factor is ending up with the move.

2---Note how the different starting position results in a different winning idea. Instead of making exchanges to get a straightforward win with the move, White played for a winning First Position setup.

3---Pure "book" play up to this point, with the position being just about dead even.

4---This is indeed the losing move; 25-22 is correct to draw. Play has been virtually perfect on both sides until now, and a draw could have been agreed some moves back. It seems like Wyllie was simply waiting his opponent out.

The above position, Spayth's, may be found as No. 6 in H. Spayth's Game of Draughts, 1863. The position however, may be by Alonzo Brooks, to whom the book was dedicated.