Tommy Wagner, a sophomore at a large high school in Florida, had played first board on the varsity checker team's second team for the first few matches of the school year. That was pretty outstanding for someone with just a year of high school competitive experience, but Tommy really wanted to move up to first team. In our last story, Tommy tried out and just missed gaining the fifth board slot. He was pretty down about it but with the advice and encouragement of Uncle Ben, a retired checker professional, Tommy pulled himself together and performed excellently on the second team.

Now, Uncle Ben wasn't really Tommy's uncle, but everyone called him Uncle Ben. He was kindly and patient and instructed a small number of promising students. Tommy visited Uncle Ben on most Saturday mornings for a checker lesson and a few glasses of Uncle Ben's renowned lemonade.

But a couple of matches into the season, the coach of Tommy's team, Coach Schann, noticed that the fifth board player on the first team, Duwayne Zigley, hadn't been playing well. Coach decided to bench the player in the team's next match, and told Tommy he would be playing 5th board on the first team--- on a trial basis.

"It's up to you," Coach said to Tommy after he had Tommy report to his office. "If you play well, you might get to replace Duwayne."

Now, in a playoff match last spring, Tommy had blundered in a game with Duwayne, and that had given Duwayne the spot on first team. Tommy only replied, "Thank you sir," to Coach and then went on his way. At first he was elated to have a chance to play on first team. But after thinking about it for a while, he felt bad that it was at the expense of Duwayne, who would play second team for at least one match, and wouldn't be able to return to first team if Tommy played well.

Tommy wondered if getting on first team at Duwayne's expense was what he really wanted. But what to do? Turn down the opportunity? Coach probably wouldn't let him even if he asked. Coach was a good person but he expected the team to follow his directions without fail. Neither could Tommy see himself playing anything but his best game; he certainly wouldn't let up and disappoint his teammates.

So he took his question to Uncle Ben on the following Saturday.

"Tommy," Uncle Ben said, "I think you've asked a two glasses of lemonade question. There's a lot more to this than you might think.

"First, it's good of you to think about your friend Duwayne's feelings. He had earned that first team position and you acknowledged that, despite your blunder in the final game, Duwayne deserved it.

"It's also good of you to realize that you have an obligation to obey your coach and an equal obligation to support your team."

"Yes, Uncle Ben," Tommy replied, "but I feel so bad about Duwayne getting demoted. I think how I would feel myself, and it wouldn't be very good."

"When you lost that crucial game to Duwayne, I know you felt bad. But it was a competition. You lost fair and square, and in the end Duwayne remained your friend and your teammate. Did you expect Duwayne to feel bad on your behalf?"

"No, of course not, but he kind of did ... but like you say, he won fair and square and I told him as much."

"That's good sportsmanship shown by both of you. Now, who is moving Duwayne to second team? You, or Coach?"

"Coach, but ... "

"Yes, Coach, that's his job and sometimes he has to make some very tough calls in the interests of the team. Now, who is going to decide if Duwayne stays on second team, you or Coach?"

"Well, Coach, but ... I mean, if I play well then it's kind of like I am, right?"

"No Tommy, not quite right. You have an obligation to your team to give every game your best. Coach will make the decisions after that, not you. Meanwhile Duwayne should give his best on second team and if another first team slot opens up, earn it just like he did last spring. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, Uncle Ben, that helps a lot. We all give 100% and do our best, and Coach will decide who plays where based on the needs of the team. Did I get it right?"

"You sure did, Tommy. But there's one more thing."

"What's that, Uncle Ben?"

"It's not just in checkers ... in life, we need to care about others, just like you care about Duwayne. But we always need to give our best to support those around us. And if we always give our best, no matter what happens, we can look at ourselves in the mirror with self-respect. You may not fully understand that now, but hopefully as the years go by, you'll always be one who does all they can and then calls it good."

Uncle Ben poured some more lemonade. "But now, let's get into today's studies. Go over to the checker board and see if you can solve this one."

Tommy took a sip of the lemonade and focused in on the position. He was content. Uncle Ben is a wise man, Tommy said to himself, and continued, maybe one day I can be wise like that too.

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Uncle Ben is indeed wise; after all, he's a character inspired by the real-life Ben Boland, one of the great checker educators and writers of recent times. (Our stories are entirely fictitious, of course.) In any case, we invite you to apply your checker wisdom to today's problem, which is just a sample of the many examples of the theme that you'll see by clicking on Read More. The problem above is No. 1 in the "Sister Problems" section.

Solution and Supplementary Material

1. J. Saukell No. 77 Lyman's Prob. Bk. 3-7, 19-16, 24-20, 15-11, 7-10, 12-8, 10-15. This Pos. may be compared to: J. Sturges. No. 84 His Crit. Sit. 1808. B---14, 21. K---13, 18. W---8, 30. K---2, 6. W. W. 6-9 now same as above, save extra man on 8.

2. D. Robertson, No. 16 D. P. W. M. Vol. 1, 1885. B---2, 20. K---18. W---14, 21, 26. K---8. W. W. 14-10. 18-15, 10-7, 2-11, 26-23, 11-16, 8-12, 15-19, 23-18.

3. J. M'Kenzie No. 89 D. W. Vol. 2. B---11, 20. K---15, 26. W---23, 30, 32. K---8. W. D. 32-27, 26-19, 27-23, 19-26, 30-23, 11-16, 8-12, 15-19, 23-18, 20-24, 18-15.

4. J. H. Strandring, No. 150 D. P. W. B. 1896. B---15, 24. 28. W---20, 31. K---27. B. D. 28-32, 27-23, 24-27, 31-24, 32-28, 23-19, 15-18.

5. B. Taylor, No. 711 D. W. Vol. 14. B---2, 20. K---19. W---10, 27. K---3. W. D. 3-8, 19-15, 10-7, 2-11, 27-23, 11-16, 8-12, 15-19, 23-18, 20-24, 18-15.

6. W. J. Perrett, No. 495 H. P. Bk. B---2, 7, 17. K---27. W---5, 26, 29. K---12. B. plays, W. D. 27-31, 26-23, 31-27, 23-19, 27-24, 19-16, 24-19, 29-25, 17-21, 25-22, 21-25. 22-17, 25-30, 17-13, 30-26, 5-1, 26-23, 1-5, 23-27, 13-9, 27-24, 9-6, 2-9, 5-14, 24-20, 16-11, 7-16, 14-18.

7. A. Meisel No. 183 Vol. 3, New Ck. Gram. 1935. B---6, 9, 13, 24. K---31. W---15, 23, 25. 26, 32. W. D. 25-22, 31-27, 23-18, 27-31, 22-17, 31-22. 17-14, 22-26, 14-5, 24-27, 32-23, 26-10, 5-1, 6-9, 1-5, 10-14, 18-15, 13-17, 15-10.

8. B. Boland No. 328 A. C. M. Mar. 1937, and other period. B---3, 21. K---27. W---24, 31. K---5. W. D. 24-19, 27-23, 19-15, 3-7, 5-9, 23-18, 15-10, 7-14, 31-26, 14-17, 9-13, 18-22, 26-23, 21-25, 23-18.

9. J. Moir No. 170 in his Hartford Courant (son of the late master). B---14, 21. K---25. W---22, 26. K---1. W. D. 1-6, 25-18, 6-9, 14-17, 9-13, 18-22, 26-23, 21-25, 23-18.

SISTER PROBLEMS

1. M. H. Brennan, No. 1004 Derry News, 1893. This setting was later published by the following authors: J. T. Gordon, No. 712 The people. No. 74 R. Atwell, D. R. Vol. 1, No. 227, P. J. Lee's Prob. Bk. B---15, 17. K---31. W---23. 26. K---25. W. W. 26-22, 17-26, 25-30, 31-27, 23-18.

2. W. B. Banks, No. 17 A. C. R. Vol. 1. 1888. B---15, 20. K---31. W---23 , 27. K---28 W. W. 27-24, 20-27, 28-32, 31-26, 23-18

3. L. Bradley, No. 139 A. C. R. Vol. 1. B---15, 24. K---22. W---23, 30. K---32. W. W. 32-28, 24-27, 30-26, 22-31, 28-32, 31-26, 23-18.

4. G. Shivas, No. 538 H. P. Bk. B---4, 6, 24. K---31. W---7, 14, 23. K---32. W. W. 14-10, 6-15, 32-28, 24-27, 28-32, 4-8, 7-3, 8-12, 3-7, 31-26, 23-18.

5. B. Berry, No. 274 H. P. Bk. B---7, 19. K---30. W---15, 22, 26. K---27. W. W. 26-23, 19-26, 15-10, 7-14, 27-31, 30-25, 22-17.

6. P. J. Lee, No. 228, His Prob. Bk. B---7, 11. K---6. W---14, 19. K---3. B. W. 7-10, 14-7, 6-2, 3*8, 11-16.

7. C. J. Greensword, No. 118, H. P. Bk. B---14, 15, 21. W---22, 30. K---25. W. W. 25-29, 15-19, 30-26, 21-25, 26-23, 19-26, 22-18.

RELATIVE POSITIONS

1. Dr. W. M. Purcell. No. 189 L. P. Bk. B---7. K---19. 32. W---16. K---1, 12. W. D. 1-6, 32-27, 6-9, 27-23. 9-14, 23-27. 14-9, 27-24, 9-14, 24-20, 16-11, 7-16, 14-18. Also see "Starky" vs. L. S. Head No. 57 A. C. R. Vol. 5 End Game.

2. H. D. Lyman, No. 306 N. E. C. P., Aug. 1879, No. 998 Turf, Field and Farm. B---11, 23. K---16. W---20, 24. K---14. W. W. 24-19, 16-12, 14-10. 11-15, 19-16, 12-19, 20-16. No. 142 L. P. Bk.

3. N. H. Gregory. No. 19 World Prob. Bk. B---20. K---19, 26. W---27. K---11. 12. W. D. 32-28, 26-31. 27-24, 20-27, 28-32, 19-23, 11-15. Also No. 20 N. A. C. B. Vol. 1, 1896, by W. B. Mundelle.

The Theme and Its Relative Positions Differ Thus:

1. The Theme: The elbow is forced and the keystone taken out.

2. Relative Pos.: A piece is pitched to form elbow, and Keystone taken out.

3. Sister Pos.: A piece is pitched to form elbow, but Keystone thrown Out.

GERM

J. Sturges, No. 54 His Crit. Sit. 1808. B--- 20. K---23, 31. W---28. K---25, 32. W. W. 28-24, 20-27, 25-22.

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Problems and text are taken from Ben Boland's classic Familiar Themes in the Scientific Game of Checkers. Many thanks to Lloyd Gordon for his assistance in proofreading this article.