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© Copyright 1996, Jim Loy
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others. But, this article will eventually be part of a book that I am writing.
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If you need help reading checkers notation, please print out the numbered board.
This is one of the most famous games in checkers history. Andrew Anderson, of Scotland, was the greatest checkers player of his time. This game is from his last match, before he retired. James Wyllie, also of Scotland, was his main competition. In this game, Anderson destroys Wyllie's favorite opening variation, with a cook. In checkers, a cook is a new prepared move.
A. Anderson - J. Wyllie, 1847 Match, game #2
11-15 24-19 (Second
Double Corner) 15-24 28-19* 8-11 (or 9-14) 22-18* 11-16! (or 9-14) 25-22 (18-14
is better) 16-20 [or 10-14 22-17 (29-25? 16-20 is back to this game) 9-13]
29-25? ("Wyllie's Invincible." Before this match, this move was considered very
strong. 22-17 draws in Lees' Guide) 10-14 18-15? (19-16* may draw,
Kear's Encyclopedia) 4-8 22-18 7-11* (7-10? 25-22 3-7 32-28 7-11 21-17
14-21 19-16 WW, Wyllie) [diagram #1]
7-11* is the winning cook. How do we know that this wins? Because pages and pages of analysis have been done on this game. I won't show you all of that analysis, just enough to give a taste of how this game is won. Anderson judges that even though White will eventually king a piece, it will be mostly ineffectual. And White's single corner pieces will remain awkward. He also has some tricks in mind, so that he too can king a piece.
Continuing from diagram #1: 26-22 (32-28 11-16 RW Drummond) 11-16 30-26 (Anderson showed the win after 27-24) 3-7 27-24 20-27 31-24 16-20 [diagram #2]
Continuing from diagram #2: 32-27(A) 7-10 15-11 8-15 18-11 9-13 11-8 2-7
22-18 (8-3 5-9 3-8 7-11 8-15 12-16 RW soon, Anderson) 5-9 8-3 13-17
26-22(B) (This looks mysterious, but Wyllie sees that other moves lose)
17-26 25-22 26-31 18-15 31-26 RW. Red wins some more pieces.
A - 15-10 (Other moves lose, too) 20-27 10-3 8-11 3-8 11-16 8-11 16-20 19-15 27-31 11-7 2-11 15-8 6-10 8-3 12-16 3-7 9-13 18-9 5-14 7-11 1-5 11-7 13-17 22-13 31-29 21-17 14-21 7-14 20-24 14-18 24-27 RW Anderson.
B -