The Checker Maven

As Easy As Pie

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Public Domain

We've often said that we present a range of problems in our Checker Maven columns; sometimes they're grandmaster tough, sometimes beginner easy, but most are usually somewhere in-between. We have readers with a very wide range of skills, and we try to provide something for everyone. We suggest the following: when you find a problem is tough, study the solution with a view to learning technique; when it seems easy, try for rapid sight recognition.

Today, though, we've got a truly easy-as-pie problem that even many early-stage checkerists will solve right away. See how quickly you can spot the solution!

WHITE
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BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W15,12,K9:B7,3,K1.

By the time you read this line, you've probably already solved it, but just in case, you can ease over to Read More to check your answer.20050904-symbol.gif



Solution

3-8 12x3 1-5 3x10 5x7 Black Wins.

Easy enough? We suggest you don't bet your friends coffee and pie that they can't win it.

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But what if you missed it yourself? Should you feel bad? Of course not. Take a close look at the mechanism (the in and out shot combined with a slip) and see if you can recognize it in the future. All of us, at any stage of our checker development, have more to learn.

03/04/17 - Category: Problems -Printer friendly version-
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