It's a typical error for beginning writers: mistaking principal for principle. Our photo above could very well be that of three high school principals. But as for illustrating three checker principles ... it would definitely not be the right thing.

Our Beginner's Corner series today presents a position which can be solved by the application of three such checker principles. Your task is to find the principal solution, and identify and give name to the principles involved.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W19,16,12,K2:BK17,8,3,1.

In principle, this is an easy problem; the principal difficulty is one of visualization. Don't sacrifice your principles; solve it from the diagram. The principal means of checking your solution will of course be by clicking on Read More.

Solution

1-6 2-9 3-7 12-3---A 17-13---B 3-10 4. 13-24---C16-11 24-19 11-7 19-15 7-2 15-10 Black Wins.

A---Principle one: the "in and out" manuever; a piece jumps "in" to make a king and must jump "out" on the next move.

B---Principle two: the "slip" wherein a piece sets up for a jump while the opponent cannot respond, being instead compelled to use his next move making his own jump (in this case, the "out" jump of the "in and out" maneuever).

C---Principle three: Black has the "move" or the "opposition" and can use it win the game. (Having the "move" of course is not always a win, but it is of great importance to understand how it works in an endgame. See textbooks such as Starting Out in Checkers for an explanation.)