Checker Maven Editor's Office

The Checker Maven runs on a modest budget and occupies a modest space in a modest building. Your editor's quarters, above, reflects our every-inch-counts working environment.

Every so often we run an "Editor's Choice" column. These don't follow any particular schedule or theme and are not part of one of our ongoing story series. They are simply a presentation of a checker problem or situation that we've found interesting, instructive, or both. Generally it's something from our library but at times it's a contributed problem.

We've always admired the work of past problem great Fausto Dalumi and today we reprint one of his problems from something like 90 years ago. We think it's as fresh and interesting today as it was way back when.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:WK8,26,K30:B16,24,K29

Whether you attempt this problem in a small and crowded space or a large and spacious palace makes no difference. It's a nice problem either way. Mr. Dalumi noted that every White move is a "star" move.

Space out your efforts (or crowd them in at your choice) and see if you can find the solution. When ready, do allow room to click your mouse on Read More to see how it's done.

Solution

8-11 16-20 11-15 24-28 26-23 20-24---A 30-26 28-32 26-31 32-27 15-18 29-25 23-19---B 25-21 19-16 21-17 16-11 17-13 11-7 13-9 7-2 9-13 2-6 13-17 6-10 17-21 10-14 21-25 14-17 25-30 17-21 27-32 18-23 24-28 23-19 White Wins.

A---28-32 15-19 32-27---C 23-18 27-32 18-15 32-27 15-10 27-32 10-7 32-27 7-3 27-32 3-7 32-27 7-11 27-32 19-23 32-28 11-15 28-24 15-18 24-28 23-27 28-24 27-32 24-19 18-23 19x26 30x23 29-25 23-19 25-22 19-24 20x27 32x23 White Wins.

B---Originally left here as a White win. We've added subsequent play to show one way in which the win might be carried out. Variations are possible.

C---Brian Hinkle sent this interesting additional play: 32-28 (trying a crown a third king, instead of 32-27) 23-18 20-24 30-26 24-27 26-31 27-32 18-14. Black gets 3 kings but White still wins!

If you solved this one you are a rather skilled player, but even if you didn't solve it, you would have learned something in the attempt. A fine composition by one of the bygone masters.