The Checker Maven

The World's Most Widely Read Checkers and Draughts Publication
Bob Newell, Editor-in-Chief


Published each Saturday morning in Honolulu, Hawai`i


Contests in Progress:

Composing Championship #77 (Concluded --- Results Posted)


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What's Your Speed?

Here's a double-barrel offering which combines a more-or-less "regular" problem with a quickie. Let's start here, in a position that looks very bad for the White team.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play

W:W13,21,25,28,29,31:B2,6,14,15,16,K23.

You can check this out any way you like and see that it's a White loss; the best try seems to be 25-22 after which play would probably go something like this:

25-22 14-18 22-17 18-22 17-14 15-19 14-9 16-20 9-5 23-18 21-17 18-15 Black Wins.

But instead suppose White tries 28-24, giving this position:

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W31,29,25,24,21,13:BK23,16,15,14,6,2.

Can you find a Black win here? There is a move that looks like an instant win, yet, surprisingly enough, allows for a quick White draw. But that's the subject of the 'speed' portion of our problem.

First find the Black win above (there are two possible answers), and then click below to launch the speed problem and start our timer, which monitors your speed as carefully as the radar device depicted above. Click on Read More for the answers and a little about the problem's background.

We won't impose a time limit for this one; after all, we don't want you to get a speeding ticket.

Speed Problem (fairly easy)

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02/04/06 -Printer friendly version-
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Introducing Priscilla K. Snelson

Marvin J. Mavin, Captain of the Detroit Doublejumpers of the National Checker League, looked somewhat uncomfortable and perhaps more than a bit out of place.

The occasion was the Annual Tasting Gala of the Greater Detroit Fine Champagne Association, and Marvin had been brought to this event, despite his protests, by his girlfriend, Priscilla K. Snelson. Priscilla, who to her disliking was affectionately called "P.K." by Marvin, is Executive Vice President for Marketing at the Mighty Motor Company of Detroit. A graduate of University of Manchester and the Sloan School of Economics, she is a cultured and sophisticated businesswoman, and, well, we must admit it, rather a contrast to her boyfriend Marvin.


Marvin and Priscilla
Marvin and Priscilla were talking with a group of Prisilla's colleagues. Priscilla was just beginning to speculate on the projections for next year's gross domestic product and its influence on sales when a bow-tied waiter bearing a silver tray stopped in front of the group. "Mesdames et messieurs, would you care to try the Tour de Haut-Monde Demi-Sec?"
Everyone oohed and aahed as they gently took a filled glass from the waiter's tray. But Marvin took a quick look and then asked rather loudly, "Ain'tcha got a beer?"

The waiter glared and Priscilla hissed, "Marvin, please!" Marvin, touching her arm, whined, "Aw, P.K., you know I don't dig this Frenchy stuff.... what's wrong with a nice cold bottle a Belcher's?"

Priscilla, not deigning to answer, quickly steered Marvin away from the group and in another direction. "How can you be like that," she said in a tight and clearly displeased voice. "And don't call me P.K.!"

A small, stocky man waved from the other side of the room. Priscilla brightened and waved back. "Come, Marvin," she said, "I want you to meet Dmitri. Perhaps you can try to get along with my friends?"


Dmitri
Priscilla, of course, was referring to Dmitri Tovarischky, a recent arrival from Russia who came to Detroit to serve as director of the Greater Detroit Opera and Ballet Guild. Dmitri was sipping a glass of champagne when Priscilla greeted him. "Hello, Dmitri darling, I'd like you to meet my beau, Marvin J. Mavin." Marvin warily extended a hand to Dmitri and they shook very briefly. Dmitri raised his eyebrows. "Da, da, da, I am knowing about you. You are checkers boy!" Dmitri smirked and looked rather pleased with himself.

"Checker boy?" Marvin exclaimed, "I happen to be a top ranked professional checker..."

"Da, da," interrupted Dmitri, "checkers boy! I am myself very high rank master of shashski... shashki master can crush any silly checkers boy." (Editor's note: shashki is Russian draughts.)

Marvin was getting more than a bit red. "Marvin...." Priscilla cautioned, but Marvin had already erupted. "Listen here, Comrade Commie, hows about you put a few rubles behind your big mouth and play a little friendly game, hah!"

"How dare you insult my friend..." Priscilla began, but Dmitri interrupted, "Oh, checkers boy becoming angry checkers boy," he oozed, "da,da, we play game for one thousand dollars US, you think?"

"A thou...that's a lotta beer," muttered Marvin under his breath, and then said aloud, "Yer on, Pinko."

"MARVIN, ENOUGH!" shouted Priscilla, but he was already on the way out to the parking garage to fetch his checker set from Priscilla's Mercedes. "Be right back P.K.... er... honey," he called over his shoulder.

Fifteen minutes later Marvin and Dmitri were seated on opposite sides of the checker board, with a very displeased Priscilla standing at the side, and a crowd of onlookers, bearing champagne glasses, gathered around the table.

The play was intense, and somewhere along the line, Marvin went down a piece, with the game finally arriving at the following position.

BLACK (Dmitri)

WHITE (Marvin)
White to Play

W:WK4,K10,K13,30:B2,K19,K20,21,22.

Dmitri was clearly grinning, looking about at the crowd for signs of approval. "You see it, da? American checkers boy is down one piece. Dmitri will be winning 1,000 dollars US very soon. Will buy fine Russian vodka for all good champagne people cheering for Dmitri!"

At this, the crowd was smiling, relishing the thought of a vodka chaser to their liberally imbibed glasses of champagne. But Marvin, in contrast, looked more than a bit worried; he was fidgeting in his chair and repeating over and over, "If only I had a beer...."

Can Marvin pull this one out, as he has done in the past with so many other tough positions? Will Priscilla remain angry or will they patch things up? Will Marvin ever get his beer?

Learn the answers to these questions when we conclude the story in a month or so, but meanwhile, see what you can do with the challenging position shown above.

Editor's Note: We believe this to be quite a difficult position to work out, but we invite you to match wits with our hero Marvin and see how you do.

02/04/06 -Printer friendly version-
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The Masked Man Rides Again

We thought we were done with our Masked Man series, but we came across something just too good to pass up. Here's a photo of the subject of this article:

Now for the situation:

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W15,21,22,25,26,27,28,30,32:B1,2,3,5,6,8,12,18,20.

Our Hero's opponent made an egregious blunder a couple of moves back. The position in the diagram arose after a couple of forced trades. In the actual match, said Hero missed the win. Can you succeed where he did not? And while you're at it, can you name the man in the photo? How about his opponent? How about the year and location of the match, and the results?

We're asking a lot, so we won't tease you any further. After you've given this your best shot, click on Read More to see the solution, an animation of the complete game, and the answers to all of our questions.

[Read More]
01/28/06 -Printer friendly version-
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A Little More Practical, Well, Maybe

Our stroke problems, we like to think, have been challenging, elegant, and charming (if we do say so ourselves), but they have had a certain artificiality in their makeup. So, for a bit of a change, we'd like to present you with one that may be of a somewhat more practical nature. At least, maybe. Or maybe not?

Here's the problem:

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W7,K9,10,17,18:B1,3,K16,K26,27.

The eminently practical solution can, as always, be viewed by clicking on Read More.

[Read More]
01/21/06 -Printer friendly version-
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Oldies But Goodies

Having completed republication of the introductory section to Willie Ryan's classic Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard, this month we swing into the main part of the book: a compendium of situations both famous and not-so-famous. Today, we present two classics which you've most probably seen before. If so, you'll have no trouble solving them.... right?

Here's Willie in his own words.

Don Canalejas' Cannonball

Almost 300 years ago, a Spanish mathematician, Don Canalejas, pointed out the most famous of all booby traps, a five-move demoralizer. This is the first pitfall the student should learn to avoid. Set the pieces up for play. Then move 11-16, 23-18, 16-20, 24-19, 8-11---A, forming the position on the adjoining diagram.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W18,19,21,22,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32:B1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,20.

The Fool's Trap

Another premature opening procedure, which frequently embarrasses the beginner before he gets half started, is the Fool's Trap, another five-move paralyzer second in importance to Canalejas' Stroke. Set the pieces up for play. Then move 10-15, 23-19, 6-10, 22-17, 11-16---A, and we arrive at the situation shown in the diagram.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W17,19,21,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32:B1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,12,15,16.

In each problem, find the winning move for White, and correct Black's play at A. Click on Read More to check your solutions.

[Read More]
01/21/06 -Printer friendly version-
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Checker School: Coming From Behind, Part 3

The final installment of our three-part lesson on man-down draws is a triplet. In the first two settings we'll see more ways to come from behind, while in the third setting, alas, we won't be able to pull it off.... but from this we'll learn what to try to avoid.

Ever been a man down in an endgame? Not you, right? As we've said in the other lessons in this series, it happens to everyone. Saving the draw, when possible, is an important skill to master. If you're a student, study this lesson carefully. If you're an advanced player, a review of what we take to be "obvious" can never hurt!

Let's start out with this position:

J. H. TREGASKIS
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

Next, the famous Payne's Double Corner Draw, which should be learned by everyone who ever touches a checkerboard:

W. PAYNE
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

And finally, a lost opportunity, to be contrasted with the very similar-looking Payne's Double Corner Draw:

W. PAYNE
WHITE

BLACK
Either to Play, White Wins

Take your time working these out, and then click on Read More for solutions, a sample game, supplementary problems, additional examples, and a host of detailed explanatory notes.

[Read More]
01/14/06 -Printer friendly version-
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The Simple Life

This past holiday season was filled with the usual hustle and bustle, and often stress triumphed over enjoyment. Many of us are a bit relieved, in fact, to return to the simpler, more ordinary days of the year.

Here's a Tom Wiswell problem, then, that seems to promise us the joy of simplicity.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:WK21,28,31,32:B2,19,20,23,K30.

White is a man down but regaining it is child's play. Has the simple life arrived, and have we solved a Wiswell problem in mere seconds?

Alas, life is not easy, and neither is this problem. Can you, without too much stress, see through to the solution, and bask in contented post-holiday enjoyment?

Don't fret. You can always click on Read More to check your answers.

[Read More]
01/07/06 -Printer friendly version-
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The New Year Rushes In

The Checker Maven wishes a Happy New Year to all our readers! The years surely seem to speed by as we get older. But let's rush into 2006 with a couple of 15 second challengers. Our digital clock, like time itself, gives no quarter. Can you beat it?

Click on a problem to display it; when you're done, click on Read More to check your solutions.

But above all, enjoy the New Year and keep on reading the weekly editions of The Checker Maven!

New Year's Eve Speedster No. 1

New Year's Eve Speedster No. 2

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12/31/05 -Printer friendly version-
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A 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.

Black

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.

[Read More]
12/24/05 -Printer friendly version-
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Pretty Complex, But ....

This month's stroke problem, while complex enough, hopefully is a little simpler than Schrodinger's Wave Equation. But we'll let you be the judge.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

Can you make waves with your solution, or will quantum indeterminacy hide the answer? After you've tried out the problem, click on Read More to find out.

[Read More]
12/17/05 -Printer friendly version-
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The Checker Maven is produced at editorial offices in Honolulu, Hawai`i, as a completely non-commercial public service from which no profit is obtained or sought. Original material is Copyright © 2004-2025 Avi Gobbler Publishing. Other material is the property of the respective owners. 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.

MAVEN, n.:

An expert or connoisseur, often self-proclaimed.


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