The Checker Maven

Have It Your Way

We certainly don't recommend that you consume the entire triple burger shown above in a single sitting, unless you're hungry beyond belief and health considerations are of no consequence. Instead, we recommend you try out today's triple checker problem, in which you can truly have it your way.

The first setting is this.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W26,23,K4:B24,K20,1.

If you don't like the first setting, then move the Black piece on square 1 over to square 2.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W26,23,K4:B24,K20,2.

And if even that doesn't please you, move the piece to square 3 instead.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W26,23,K4:B24,K20,3.

Have it your way--- move the Black piece to any one of the three squares as shown--- and Black will still win. Can you find the correct play in all of the positions?

Try to solve them; they're really not so difficult (well, mostly). Then after you've had it your way, have it our way by clicking on Read More to check your answers.



Solutions

Black piece on square 1:

1. 24-27 26-22 2. 27-31 22-17 3. 31-26 23-19 4. 26-23 19-15 5. 23-18 15-11 6. 20-16 11-8
7. 18-14 17x10 8. 2-7 10x3 9. 16-12 Black Wins.

Black piece on square 2:

1. 24-27 26-22 2. 27-31 22-17 3. 31-26 23-19 4. 26-23 19-15 5. 23-18 15-11 6. 20-16 Black Wins.

Black piece on square 3:

1. 24-27 26-22 2. 27-31 22-17 3. 31-26 23-19 4. 26-23 19-15 5. 20-16 17-13 6. 23-18 15-10
7. 16-11 13-9 8. 18-14 Black Wins.

Today's triple problem was derived from the second setting, which was first published more than 100 years ago.

01/24/09 - Category: Problems -Printer friendly version-
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