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Easy Checkers Problems

Copyright 2002 etc., Jim Loy
You may print this and show it to others. But, this article will eventually be part of a book that I am writing. So, please do not distribute it widely.

If you need help reading checkers notation, please print out the numbered board.

Also see Loy's Checker Problems and Jim's Endings. These are some "easy" checkers problems which have come up in my work on various openings, and mail games. The solutions to most of them should come to you with little difficulty. If they don't, then that is a serious flaw in your game. A Master would see the solution to most of these in just a few seconds. Some of these contain surprise moves, but none is complicated. The solutions are at the end of this article.

Red wins

Problem #1:

This one should be fairly easy.

White wins

Problem #2:

This position is similar to one that could have come up in one of my mail games.

White wins

Problem #3:

This one should be fairly easy.

Red draws

Problem #4:

This came up in during the editing of the 2000 I-D booklet.

Red draws

Problem #5:

This should be simple.

White draws

Problem #6:

This simple draw was called a RW, by Churchill.

White draws

Problem #7:

This position is from Nigel Proffitt - Jim Loy, 1985-86 Friendly USA vs. Great Britain Match.

White wins

Problem #8:

I played this on the USA Today Sports Center Network (which no longer exists).

White wins

Problem #9:

This was the end of Swanson-Loy, 1991 I-D Mail Tournament.

Red wins

Problem #10:

This position could have come up in one of my games in the 2001 National Go-As-You-Please Tournament in Vegas.

Red draws

Problem #11:

Remember this one; it is a common ending idea.

White wins

Problem #12:

I was studying an opening.

White wins

Problem #13:

This is from an email game of mine.

White wins

Problem #14:

This is from my study of an opening.

White wins

Problem #15:

This might have come up from the previous problem.

White wins

Problem #16:

This is from my study of an ending by Matt Long.

White draws

Problem #17:

This is from Churchill's Compilations, where it is called a RW.

Red wins

Problem #18:

This is from the Childers-Fortman 1994 WCM booklet.

Red wins

Problem #19:

This is shown as a draw in Churchill's Compilations.

Red wins

Problem #20:

This is shown as a draw in Churchill's Compilations.

Red draws

Problem #21:

I composed this and the next one back in the 1980's when I was learning to play checkers. I thought they were both difficult.

Red wins

Problem #22:

Red wins two different ways (which is a flaw in the problem).

White wins

Problem #23:

This was called a draw in Churchill's Compilations.

White wins

Problem #24:

This is similar to a position in one of my mail games (with a piece added), and should be simple.

White wins

Problem #25:

This could have come up in one of my email games.

Red draws

Problem #26:

This is based upon a more complicated position.

Red draws

Problem #27:

This too is based upon a more complicated position.

White wins

Problem #28:

A position in Churchill's Compilations.

White wins

Problem #29:

A position in the Mount Sterling Advocate.

White wins

Problem #30:

D. Brattin - R. Munzinger, 1973 Lakeside, final position, agreed draw.

Red wins

Problem #31:

I was studying an opening.

    

Solutions:

Solution #1: 30-26! 23-30 14-18 RW.

Solution #2: 13-9 18-11 19-15 11-18 9-6 WW.

Solution #3: 28-24* 19-28 26-31 20-24 30-25 (or 30-26) WW.

Solution #4: 14-17 (easy) 3-10 (23-14 is the same) 25-30 draw. The move before the diagram was 8-3. White had to do that (or 26-22 7-11 draw) because Red was threatening 25-30 and 14-17 anyway.

Solution #5: Simple: 31-27 2-9 18-23 9-18 23-14 draw.

Solution #6: 17-14 (Mr. Churchill should have seen that at a glance) 9-18 19-15 draw.

Solution #7: White draws immediately with 22-17! draw. Continue 13-22 26-17 31-26 15-11 (careful) 25-30 18-15 draw.

Solution #8: 3-8 12-3 13-17 21-14 10-17 3-10 6-31 RW. This position is in my page on the In and Out Shot.

Solution #9: 21-17 13-31 32-28 31-24 28-3 WW. This position is in my page on the In and Out Shot.

Solution #10: 32-27 14-10 (26-23 27-24 RW) 27-31 10-6 31-22 RW. White lacks a waiting move.

Solution #11: 7-10* 14-16 26-23 draw.

Solution #12: 27-23! draw.

Solution #13: 17-21 wins the piece, as 25-22 16-19 RW. This was the end of Loy-Bronty, tournament PO#43 in the USA Today games service.

Solution #14: 12-16! 19-12 11-15 draw, regains the piece, and both players king two pieces.

Solution #15: 9-14 15-6 (15-24 draws) 14-18 draw.

Solution #16: 5-9 draw. This kind of move should come to your mind instantly, as a possibility.

Solution #17: 19-15 11-18 29-25 easy draw.

Comments: Our position comes from this line: 11-15 23-19 9-14 22-17 6-9 (Souter) 17-13 2-6 26-22 (25-22 is more popular) 8-11 22-17 14-18 17-14? (25-22 is PP to draw) 10-17 21-14 18-22 19-10 6-15 13-6 1-17 25-18 15-22 30-25 7-10 25-18 17-22 24-19 10-14 18-9 5-14 27-24 14-17 32-27 17-21 27-23 21-25 23-18 25-30 18-14 30-26? (30-25 WW, Loy) [diagram] 19-15 (Churchill gave 25-22 which is illegal, to a WW) as above.

Solution #18: 22-18 (Childers gave 32-27 to draw) 14-23 16-11 8-15 (or 7-16 similar) 28-24 WW.

Comments: This is the opening: 9-13 23-18 11-16 18-14 10-17 21-14 6-9 26-23 (or 22-18 previous problem) 9-18 22-15 (or 23-14) 16-19 23-16 12-19 25-22 1-6 29-25 (or 22-18) 7-10 31-26 5-9 (10-14 draws PP) 24-20 (or others) 9-14 27-23 (22-18? seems to lose) 2-7? (8-12 seems to draw) 23-14 10-19 [diagram].

Solution #19: 23-27 32-23 6-9 RW.

Comments: Roberts-Park, in Churchill's Compilations: 10-14 23-19 11-16 19-15 16-19 22-17 7-10 17-13 3-7 25-22 14-17 21-14 9-25 29-22 7-11 30-25 11-18 22-15 5-9 27-23 2-7 23-16 12-19 31-27 7-11 26-22? (27-23 or 24-20 draw, Loy) 11-18 22-15 10-14 24-20 19-23 27-18 14-23 20-16 8-12 16-11 9-14 11-7 [diagram]. Here Red moved 6-9?? to draw.

Solution #20: 18-23 27-18 7-10 RW.

The opening: 10-14 24-20 6-10 27-24 11-15 24-19 15-24 28-19 8-11 22-18 3-8 25-22 11-16 20-11 8-24 32-28 4-8 28-19 8-11 22-17 9-13 18-9 13-22 26-17 5-14 30-26 14-18 23-14 11-15 19-16 12-19 31-27 (17-13 10-17 21-14 19-24 29-25 is also called a draw in Churchill's Compilations, but is a RW) 15-18 17-13 10-17 21-14 1-5 29-25 2-6 25-21 6-10 13-9 10-17 21-14 [diagram].

Solution #21: 5-9 14-5 19-16 draw.

Solution #22: 30-25 (or 23-27 first) 29-15 23-27 RW.

Solution #23: 14-10! WW (simple, but is a surprise).

The opening: 10-15 21-17 15-18 22-15 11-18 23-14 9-18 26-22 7-11 22-15 11-18 17-14 8-11 24-19 4-8 25-22 18-25 29-22 11-16? (6-9 draws) [diagram].

Solution #24: 16-11 (or 31-26 first) 8-15 31-26 22-31 23-27 31-24 28-1 WW.

Solution #25: 26-22 18-25 11-15 draw.

Solution #26: 18-22 draw. Question: If the pieces on 28 and 20 are not there, is this position a WW?

Answer: Even though it takes 20 or so moves, it should be easy to see that the piece on 11 is lost: 18-22 15-24 22-31 24-19 31-27 30-25 wins the piece.

Solution #27: 24-19 15-24 8-11 draw.

Solution #28: This shot should be easy: 22-17 13-22 18-14 9-18 31-26 draw.

From 9-13 22-18 11-15 18-11 8-15 24-20 7-11 25-22 5-9 23-18 4-8 27-23 10-14 28-24 12-16 32-28 8-12 24-19 15-24 28-19 6-10 30-25 10-15 19-10 16-19 23-7 14-30 22-18 2-11 25-22 30-25 [diagram] 31-26? loses in Churchill's Compilations.

Solution #29: This is too easy: 19-15 10-19 27-23 or 27-24. This is a problem by W. Duff, in the Mount Sterling Advocate, Feb. 20, 1940. As it turns out, the diagram was a typo; the piece on 31 should be on 30. Mr. Duff gave 30-26 to win an interesting and difficult ending (slightly marred by a couple of bad moves and a couple of inappropriate asterisks), which begins like this: 30-26 10-14 (11-15 27-24 20-27 26-23 WW) 28-24 14-17 26-23 18-22 23-18 22-26 19-16 WW.

Solution #30: 10-6 11-15 (or 11-16) 28-24 (apparently 6-1? was expected) WW.

Solution #31: 24-19 16-23 6-9 RW.

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