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Jim's Endings

Copyright 2003 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 Easy Checkers Problems. These are endings rather than problems. The problems involve shots resulting in gain of material (pieces) or an obviously won (or drawn) ending. These endings are not so straightforward or forced. The win or draw may require typical ending ideas, such as the move or kinging with later win of material. Of course some of these endings have resided in ending databases, along with the winning or drawing moves, before I discovered them. So, I can only claim a share of the credit for some of these discoveries.

Solutions:

Solution #1: 26-22!! (I find that one hard to see) 18-25 (17-26 7-10 regains the piece with a draw) 7-10 (an easily drawn piece-down ending) 25-29 (1-5 9-6 is similar) 9-6 29-25 6-2 25-22 23-19 21-25(A) (rightly accepting the draw) 30-21 14-18 21-14 18-23 27-18 22-24 draw.

A - 22-18 19-16 18-22 16-12 (2-6 22-18 6-9? 18-23 RW) 22-18 12-8 18-22 8-3 White may win. Red must give back the piece sometime before it is too late.

Solution #2: 20-24 (Red moved 3-7? and should have lost) 6-1 24-27! 31-24 30-26 24-19 3-8! draws.

Solution #3: 12-8! 19-15(A) 11-18 4-11 18-23* 11-16 23-17* 16-20 27-32* 20-24 22-26 (or 22-18 similar, but longer) 29-25 26-31* 24-28 31-26 WW, a win in Chinook's ending database.

A - 19-23 (or 19-24) is also a WW, apparently by trading off the king on 29 achieving First Position. Continue 8-3 23-19 3-7 19-23 7-10 23-19 10-14 19-23 11-16 23-27 14-18 27-32 16-11 32-27 11-15 and 22-25 WW

Solution #4: The shot is easy, but does it win? 27-32! 16-23 24-27 31-24 13-17 RW! (like First Position).

Solution #5: 21-25* 7-3 (7-2 8-11* draw) 25-30 draw.

The opening: 9-13 21-17 5-9 25-21 11-15 29-25 9-14 23-18 14-23 27-11 8-15 17-14 10-17 21-14 12-16 24-20 16-19 32-27 4-8 25-21 8-12 27-24 3-8 14-9 7-11 31-27 1-5 27-23 5-9 23-7 2-11 24-19 15-24 28-19 6-10 (14-18 22-15 11-18 19-15 18-22 draws instead of H. Carr's 6-9?) 21-17 14-21 22-18 13-17 19-16 12-19 26-22 17-26 30-7 [diagram] 8-11? (see solution above) 7-3* 21-25 3-8 10-15 18-14 WW, H. Carr, Elam's Checker Board, game 5502.

Solution #6: 3-8!! (A. Anderson gave 26-22 6-2 to a WW) 6-2 26-22 18-14 22-18 14-9 18-15 10-7 15-11 7-3 8-12 3-7 1-6 draw.

Solution #7: 28-24* 18-23 6-2* 7-10 1-6* 23-19 24-20 19-26 (19-23 20-16 draw) 12-8 draw.

Solution #8: 23-27!! (Boland moved 23-26 to make no progress) 24-31 15-19 WW! Boland's positions #2 and #9 are both WW's.

Solution #9: 18-23* 20-24 4-8 10-14 8-11* (Edson's move was 8-12? to lose) 14-10 23-26* 24-27 26-22 27-23 11-16* 10-15 22-17 (heading for the double corner) draw.

Solution #10: 10-15 (Boland moved 10-14?? to a clever draw) RW; the win looks easy. Note A on that same page is a RW.

Solution #11: 10-7!!(A) 26-22 6-2! 22-15 14-9 draw.

A - Boland gave 6-9? 19-16! (26-22? draws as above) 18-15 26-22* (Boland drew with 17-13?) 9-13 26-22 13-9 17-13 RW.

Solution #12: 26-30* (Shearer gave 9-13? to draw) 6-13 30-21 13-9 [28-24 (now or later) 12-16 wins the piece on 24] 21-17 9-6 17-14 6-1 14-10 1-5 12-16 5-9 16-19 9-5 19-23 28-24 (5-9 23-27 will be similar) 23-27 (easiest) 24-19 27-31 5-9 31-27 19-16 10-7* 16-12 7-3 RW (is not difficult).

The opening 11-15 23-18 8-11 27-23 4-8 23-19 10-14 19-10 14-23 26-19 7-14 24-20 6-10 28-24 9-13 32-28 1-6 30-26 3-7 19-15 10-19 24-15 11-18 22-15 7-11 26-22 11-18 22-15 2-7 31-26 14-18 15-10 6-15 26-23 18-27 21-17 13-22 25-2 27-31 2-6 8-11 6-10 5-9 29-25 31-26 10-6? (28-24 draw) [diagram]

Solution #13: 14-18 (A. Bjerkness gave 14-17 to draw, but Red can still win by 17-14 next, and then 14-18) 1-5 18-23 (or 20-24 RW) 5-9 23-19 and 2-6 RW.

The opening: 11-15 23-19 9-14 27-23 8-11 22-18 15-22 25-9 5-14 29-25 6-9 25-22 9-13 24-20 11-15 32-27 15-24 28-19 4-8 22-18 14-17 21-14 10-17 19-15 1-6 23-19 17-22 26-17 13-22 27-24 6-9 20-16 9-13 15-11 8-15 18-11 7-10 24-20 10-15 19-10 12-19 31-27 19-24 27-23 24-27 23-19 27-32 19-16 22-26 30-23 32-27 23-18 27-23 18-14 23-18 10-6 18-9 6-1 9-14 16-12 14-10 20-16 13-17 11-8 17-22 8-4 22-26 4-8 26-31 8-11 31-26 1-5 26-23 5-1 23-18 1-5 10-15 11-8 18-14 8-4 15-19 4-8 19-24 8-11 24-20 5-1 [diagram]

Solution #14: 25-22! 18-9 22-18 3-8 30-25 8-12 10-7 6-10 (otherwise White kings several pieces, and wins) 13-6 10-19 18-15 1-10 15-6 WW!

Solution #15: 31-27* (W. Fox moved 6-1? to lose) 3-8 27-24* 8-12 6-2 12-16 2-6 draw.

The opening: 11-15 22-17 8-11 17-14 9-18 23-14 10-17 21-14 12-16 25-22 4-8 29-25 6-9 24-19 16-23 27-18 8-12 28-24 12-16 24-20 16-19 32-28 1-6 14-10 7-23 28-24 19-28 26-1 9-13 25-21 28-32 30-26 32-28 22-17 13-22 26-17 28-24 17-13 24-19 1-6 2-9 13-6 19-15 6-2 5-9 2-6 9-14 6-1 [diagram] 15-18 1-5 3-8 31-27 8-12 5-1 14-17 21-14 18-9 27-24 11-15 1-5 9-14 5-1 14-10 1-5 15-18 24-19 18-23 20-16 23-27 16-11 27-32 11-8 32-28 8-4 28-24 RW

Solution #16: 3-7!! 10-3 15-18 6-2 18-23 2-6 23-27 6-10 27-32 10-14 32-28 14-10 28-24 10-6! 24-27 (24-20 loses) draw.

The opening: 11-16 22-18 10-14 25-22 8-11 24-20 16-19 23-16 14-23 26-19 9-14 31-26 5-9 27-23 6-10 29-25 2-6 32-27 4-8 27-24 10-15 19-10 12-19 23-16 6-15 24-19 15-24 28-19 14-18 22-15 11-18 26-22 18-23 16-12 23-27 22-18 27-31 25-22 31-27 19-15 7-11 21-17 27-23 17-14 23-19 14-5 19-10 30-25 10-7 25-21 7-10 21-17 10-7 17-13 7-10 22-17 10-6 17-14 6-2 14-10 2-7 10-6 1-10 5-1 7-2 1-6 2-9 13-6 10-15 18-14 15-19 14-10 11-15 20-16 [diagram] 15-18 6-2 19-24 2-6 WW

Solution #17: 18-23* (Red moved 18-22 and drew) 6-2 14-17* 2-6 17-22* 6-9 22-26* 9-14 26-31* 14-18 11-7* RW, and now you may see why all these moves were forced.

Solution #18: 16-12* (White moved 16-11? to draw) 5-9 (24-27 loses a long ending) 13-6 1-10 22-18 (which is why the piece shouldn't be at 11) WW.

Solution #19: 19-15!! (Schonbach gave 19-23? to draw) 14-17 28-24 20-27 32-23 22-26 WW according to the computers.

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