Not what you expected, was it?

No, The Checker Maven isn't about to write about dating sites or singles' bars.

Singles? Vinyl? 45 RPM? Anyone else remember those? We'll bet many of our readers do. There was the three-minute long "hit" on the "A" side and something obscure on the "B" side, which most of us didn't listen to more than once or twice.

Today we're scratching into, you guessed it, the Single Corner opening. Here's the run-up to the diagram below.

11-15 22-18 15x22 25x18 8-11 29-25 4-8 24-20 10-15 25-22 12-16 21-17 8-12 17-13 7-10 27-24 9-14 18x9 5x14 32-27 3-7 30-25---A 16-19 23x16 12x19 27-23 (see diagram)

A---Loses. 24-19 draws. If you want more of a challenge, stop here and show the Black win.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W31,28,26,25,24,23,22,20,13:B19,15,14,11,10,7,6,2,1.

Left at this stage, the problem isn't especially hard. As in traditional singles, it's the first move-- the "A" side, if you will--- that counts. Take a spin at it, then drop the mouse on Read More to see how your solution sounds.

Solution

14-17---B 23x16 17-21 26-23 21x30 to a Black win.

B---Careful! 11-16 looks natural but loses.