The Checker Maven

Happy Holidays 2019

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The holiday season is in full swing and we extend greetings and best wishes to all of our readers. No matter which holiday you celebrate, may you find happiness and blessing.

We thought we'd present a little longer study this week. Perhaps you'll have some extra spare time over the holidays (or perhaps not!), but in any case it's a good one. The problem situation is based on a game contested in Markham, Ontario, on April 15, 1889. The players were checkerists Fleming and Wright, and the game and variations appeared in a relatively short-lived periodical called The Chicago Evening Lamp.


1. 11-15 23-19
2. 8-11 22-17
3. 9-14 25-22
4. 11-16 24-20
5. 16x23 27x11
6. 7x16 20x11
7. 3-7 28-24
8. 7x16 24-20
9. 16-19 29-25
10. 4-8 22-18
11. 14x23 17-14
12. 10x17 21x14

Perfectly played thus far, and we've reached the end of the KingsRow opening book for the game as actually played.


13. 8-11 31-27
14. 19-24 27x18
15. 12-16 32-28

This seemingly natural move actually loses. 25-22 would have been correct to draw.


16. 24-27 28-24
17. 27-31 25-22
18. 31-27 24-19
19. 16x23 26x19

Here the Lamp called the game a draw and showed a drawing line. But it's actually a Black win.

WHITE
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BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W14,18,19,20,22,30:B1,2,5,6,11,K27

Can you do better than the Lamp did, over 130 years ago? Shed some light on this interesting position, and then click on Read More to illuminate the solution and notes.null



Solution

The Lamp gave this play:


20. 27-23 19-15
21. 6-10 14x7
22. 23x14 15x8
23. 2x11 8-3
24. 14-10 ...

Drawn.

However Black wins as follows:


20. 2-7 22-17
21. 6-10 30-25
22. 27-31 ...

27-23 only draws.


22. ... 25-21
23. 31-26 17-13

19-16 26-22 Black Wins.


24. 10x17 21x14
25. 26-22 19-15
26. 22-17 15x8
27. 17x10 8-4

8-3 10-6 Black Wins.


28. 7-11 4-8
29. 1-6 8x15
30. 10x19 18-14
31. 19-23 20-16
32. 23-18 ...

Black Wins. Quite a nice demonstration of technique.

And now, enjoy the holidays. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

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12/21/19 - Category: Games -Printer friendly version-
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