Return to my Checkers pages
Go to my home page
© Copyright 2003, 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 Red against a relatively strong opponent.
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 comments, so read all of those. 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 23-18
12-16 24-20 The quiz begins with your next move (choose your move).
----- -----
16-19(2) 21-17 Or 7-10(2), 6-10(2), 8-12(2), 9-13(2), 15-19(1), or 9-14(1).
9-14(2) 17-10 Or 7-10(2) or 9-13(1) or 8-12(1).
7-23 27-18
5-9(2) 25-21 Or 3-7(2) or 6-10(2) or 6-9(2).
3-7!(5) 6-10(4) may lose, as the published play is flawed.
22-17? 21-17 7-10 draws, Loy.
15-22 17-13
1-5(2) 26-17 Or 11-15(2), 8-12(2), 7-10(2), or 11-16(2), all seem to win.
11-15(2) 11-16(2) 20-11 8-15 may win. 7-10(1) or 8-12(1) may draw.
29-25 Other moves lose.
8-11(5) 8-12(3) or 7-10(3) or 7-11(1), which seem to draw.
25-22 31-26 4-8 25-22 15-18 RW?
7-10(5) 31-26 4-8(1) 31-27 7-10 draws.
19-24(5) 28-19 Otherwise 26-23 draws.
15-24 26-23
4-8(5) 24-27(1) draws.
22-18 23-19 11-15 19-16 8-11 16-7 2-11 30-26 24-28 26-23 9-14 RW.
10-15(2) 32-28 9-14(1) 18-9 5-14 32-28 24-27 23-19 draws.
15-22 28-19
22-26(1) 19-16 8-12(-5) is an easy draw.
8-12(2) 16-7 Or 26-31(2) 16-7 2-11 23-19 8-12 same.
2-11 23-19
26-31(1) 17-14! 17-14 almost draws.
9-18 19-15
31-26!!(10) Everything else draws. 18-22(5) or 31-27(5) 15-8 27-23 8-3
18-22 3-7 22-26 7-11 26-31 11-15 draw.
15-8 30-14? loses.
26-22(1) 8-3
18-23(1) 3-7
23-27(1) 7-11 Or 22-18(1) to same.
22-18(1) 11-7 Obvious, but vital.
27-31(1) 21-17 Or 27-32(1) to same.
31-27(1) 30-25 18-22(0) 7-11 22-18 (31-27 20-16! 12-19 17-14 draw?) still wins.
27-23(5) 25-21 Or 27-24(5) to same.
23-19(5) 20-16 My computer delays this endlessly, with 23-26(0).
19-15!(10) A bonus 5 points if you considered 19-15 (now or when studying
the previous move), but did not choose it here.
7-10
12-19 10-1
18-22!(5) 17-14 Everything else draws.
15-18!(5) 14-10 15-11(5) also wins.
19-24(3) Or 19-23(3).
10-7 21-17 18-14 RW.
5-9(5) RW Add a bonus of 5 points if you saw this shot at the previous move.
Continue: 13-6 22-17 21-14 18-11 RW.
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?