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© Copyright 2002, 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.
This is a quiz patterned after the Solitaire Chess originally seen in Chess Review, and now found in Chess Life. It is not highly interactive, because some of you may have caveman WWW browsers. So, please use a checkers board to play this game, while you read the moves from the screen (or paper if you choose to print out the game). You will be playing White against a relatively strong opponent, who chooses the weak 9-14 defense of the Octopus opening.
The maximum possible score is 100 points. Below, you will see three columns. The left column will show the recommended move that you should have made, with your score for that move in parentheses. For example 6-1(4) means that the move 6-1 scores four points. The second column will show your opponent's move. The third column shows alternative moves (with their scores in parentheses) and other comments. Be sure and use a piece of paper (or something) to cover up the moves which have not been played yet. Uncover them one row at a time. I recommend that you spend some time thinking about some of these moves, as they are not always obvious. Note that there are bonus points to be had in the "final paragraph." Please do not use an opening book. Write down your score, as you go. Let me know what you think of this quiz (Send me email).
your opponent's
move move comments
10-15
21-17 7-10 The Octopus. The scoring begins with your next move (choose your move).
----- -----
17-14(2) 10-17 Or 25-21(1) or 23-19(1).
22-13 9-14? 9-14? is considered a loss.
24-20*(6) 6-10 24-20 is given to win in PP. 25-22(2) or 25-21(2).
28-24(4) 3-7 2 pts for 25-22, 25-21, 26-22, or 27-24.
25-21(4) 1-6 23-19(3) or 25-22(3) may win.
23-19(4) 11-16 23-19 is given a * in Churchill. 1 pt. for 29-25.
20-11 7-23
26-19(4) 8-11 Maintains the tension. 27-11(2) or 27-9(0).
30-26!(6) 29-25?(-5) 14-18 RW. 31-26?(1) or 30-25?(1) look
natural, but turn out badly: 31-26 4-8 29-25
14-18 Red may win.
15-18
24-20(3) 29-25(3) or 32-28(2). Not 27-23?(-5) 18-27 32-23
11-15 26-22 12-16 19-12 15-18 RW.
11-15
32-28(4) 15-24 27-24(1). -5 for anything else.
28-19 4-8 Red's move is not published play.
29-25(5) Transposes back to PP. -5 for anything else. You
need to calculate to see that everything but
29-25 loses.
2-7
[diagram #1] Continue the quiz below.
your opponent's
move move comments
13-9!(10) Or 19-16(10) to the same. 26-23(2) or 26-22(2)
or 19-15(2) 10-19 27-23 are probably draws.
6-13
19-16(5) 26-23(1) draws. Others are -5 pts, including
26-22? 18-23 27-9 5-14 RW.
12-19
27-23(2) 18-27 26-23(1) may also win. It takes longer.
31-6 14-18
6-2(1) 7-11 6-1(1) wins too.
2-6(1) 11-15 2-7?(-5).
26-22!(4) 5-9 6-10?(1) throws away the win.
6-1!(4) 6-1 should be obvious. 20-16(2) may win. 6-10?(0)
15-19 22-15 9-14 draw.
18-23
1-5(1) 9-14
5-9(1) 14-17!
21-14 23-26
25-21(2) 26-30 9-6(2) or 9-5(2) also win.
9-6(2) 30-25 9-5(2) also wins.
6-9*(5) 25-18
9-5(3) 18-9 PP by W. Ryan ends here.
5-14 15-19 The following win is fairly easy.
14-10(1) 19-24
10-15(1) 24-27
20-16(1) 8-12
15-19(1) 27-32
16-11(1) This looks like Second Position. But Red has
The Move. If you want to, skip to the next
diagram and the final paragraph, and see if you
get the rest of the points. Zero points for the
following moves (up to the diagram).
32-27
11-7 27-32
7-2 32-27
2-7 27-32
7-10 32-28
10-15 28-32
15-18 32-28
[diagram #2]
Final Paragraph: How would you finish Red off in this position? If you don't see it, think about it, as there are several points at stake here. Score 5 points for 21-17 winning by First Position. One of the things to learn here is that Second Position and First Position are closely related. If you think you can win First Position, give yourself another 7 points. If you cannot, go through my article First Position move by move, and give yourself 5 points (whether you figure it out or not). If you decide not to bother, give yourself zero points. The total was 100 points (as far as I can tell). If you got over 50, you probably did well. 80 or so may be Master strength?