The Checker Maven
Jump to navigationA Holiday Puzzler
Whatever holidays you celebrate, The Checker Maven wishes you the best of the season and hopes you enjoy this special challenger, our holiday gift to you.
White
White to Play and Draw
W:W5,9,11,15,20:B2,4,K17,K18.
White may be a man up, but Black has two kings and a strong position. Can you provide some holiday cheer for the White side?
In the spirit of giving, here's a hint: the natural-looking 5-1 loses. Can you tell why?
Click on Read More to unwrap the solution.
Solution
5-1 may look good, but after 4-8 11-4 18-11 1-6 17-14 9-5 2-9 5-1 9-13 etc. Black wins the game.
Instead, try this holiday shocker:
9-6! then after 2-9 15-10 18-15-A 11-7 15-6 5-1 Black must give the man back no matter what he does, for instance 6-2 1-6 2-11 6-22 Drawn.
A---If 6-14 then 10-7 17-22 7-3 14-17 3-7 etc. Drawn.
Composed many holiday seasons ago by Arthur Hipkine.
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.
