Chess and Checkers : the Way to Mastership

by Edward Lasker

V

PROBLEMS

Checker problems, unlike the Chess problems, are intimately related to the game itself and do not enable combinations different in kind from those which occur in the actual fight over the board.

PROBLEM No. 1. WHITE TO MOVE AND DRAW.

32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | o | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | o | | | | | | o | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | * | | | | | | * | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1

DIAGRAM 116.

They usually represent an end game and are distinguished from ordinary endings only by an unexpected initial move, mostly embodying a sacrifice of several men. Diagrams 116, 117 and 118 furnish some examples:

PROBLEM No. 2. WHITE TO MOVE AND WIN.

32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | | | ** | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | oo | | o | | o | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | | | | | o | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | * | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | | | | | | | * | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | * | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1

DIAGRAM 117.

If, in Diagram 116, White tried to reach the King row with his man 27, Black would win by first position thus: (1) . . ., 27-23, (2) 16-20, 24-19; (3) 20-24, 19-15; (4) 24-27, 23-19; (5) 27-24, 19-16; (6) 24-19, etc. The only way to draw is to sacrifice first the man on 21 by 21-17; and then to continue as above. This enables White to play 23-18, instead of 19-15, exchanging the King for a man.

The first move in Diagram 117 is 24-28, to which Black must reply (2) 29-25. White then sacrifices his three men by 17-14 and after (3) 25-27 (or 9-27) plays 28-32. Black must take the third man, and White recaptures two men by 32-14, pinning both of the remaining black men.

PROBLEM No. 3. BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN.

32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | o | | | | o | | o | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | o | | o | | o | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | o | | o | | * | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | * | | | | o | | * | |
|———————————————————-|
| | * | | o | | | | o | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | o | | * | | | | * | |
|———————————————————-|
| | * | | | | * | | * | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | * | | * | | * | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1

DIAGRAM 118.

This is the longest stroke known to have occurred in actual play.
The game from which the above position arose went as follows:

Black White

(1) 12-16 21-17
(2) 16-20 17-13
(3) 10-14 23-19
(4) 14-17 19-16
(5) 17-21 16-12
(6) 11-16 22-18
(7) 8-11 25-22
(8) 7-10 26-23
(9) 10-14 24-19
(10) 14-17 31-26
(11) 4-8 19-15

Now the position of the diagram is reached, in which Black wins by

(12) 21-25 30-14 (13) 16-19 23-7 (14) 3-19 12-3 (15) 19-24 28-19 (16) 2-7 3-10 (17) 6-31 13-6 (18) 1-17 22-13 (19) 31-15

Completing a stroke, which removes 18 pieces from the board.

(19) … 32-27 (20) 15-10 29-25 (21) 5-9

To get the move

(21) … 13-6 (22) 10-1 25-22 (23) 1-6 22-18 (24) 6-10 27-23 (25) 20-24 23-19 (26) 24-27 18-15 (27) 10-7 19-16 (28) 27-31 15-11 (29) 7-3 16-2 (30) 31-27 11-8 (31) 27-24 8-4 (32) 24-19 4-8 (33) 19-15 8-4 (34) 15-11 and wins.