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© Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
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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 game was played on the USA Today Sports Center Network (which no longer exists). We used handles instead of our real names. I have lost my record of Switcher's real name. This was my first taste of the ruthlessly accurate endings that we see at the top level of checkers.
Jim Loy - Switcher, 1991 USA Today, Tournament PO#91
11-15 22-18
(Single Corner) 15-22 25-18 12-16 29-25 10-14 25-22 16-20 24-19 6-10
18-15 14-18 15-6 18-25 21-17 1-10 30-21 8-11 17-14 9-18 23-14 10-17 21-14 2-6
26-22 6-10 22-17 (Brian Hinkle sent me this transposition: = 12-16 21-17
9-13 25-21 16-19 23-16 11-20 17-14 10-17 21-14 6-10 29-25 10-17 25-21 1-6 21-14
6-10 30-25 10-17 25-21 2-6 21-14 6-10 22-17 13-22 26-17 8-11 24-19 in R.L.
Fortman's Basic Checkers) 4-8 27-23 8-12 28-24 20-27 31-24 11-15
32-27 (all published play so far) 15-18 (I thought this gave winning
chances. 7-11 draws, PP) 24-20 3-8 17-13 10-17 23-14 [diagram]
7-11? (I saw my winning chances slipping away, but this
seems to lose. 17-22 13-9 7-10 seems to draw) 13-9 17-22 9-6 22-26 6-2 26-31
27-24 31-26 2-6 26-22 14-10 22-17 (11-15 loses) 10-7 17-13 7-2 5-9 6-10
13-17 (9-14 loses) 2-6 (2-7? RW) 9-13 (17-13 6-1 WW) 6-9
17-21 9-14 13-17 14-18 21-25 WW (and finally, 10-7 wins the piece).
Addendum: Here are some games played against other opponents:
Patzerfish - Jim Loy, 1991 USA Today, Tournament PO#43
9-14 22-17
11-16 25-22 8-11 22-18 16-20 18-9 5-14 29-25 11-15* 25-22 7-11 17-13 4-8* 22-17
15-18* 24-19 18-22* (We were both following the book) 19-16 12-19 23-7
2-11 26-23 22-25* 23-18 14-23 27-18 3-7* 17-14 10-17 21-14 25-29 18-15 11-18
14-9 6-10 9-6 10-14 6-2 7-11 31-26 8-12 32-28 11-16 2-7? (based on two
pages of faulty analysis on my part. 28-24 1-6 2-9 29-25 30-21 18-23 draw is
PP) 1-6 7-11 6-10 28-24 18-22! (I didn't see this coming) RW 108
moves later.
Jim Loy - Woodpusher, 1991 USA Today, Tournament PO#56
11-15 22-18
15-22 25-18 12-16 24-19 16-20 19-16 8-12 29-25 12-19 23-16 4-8 16-12 8-11
27-23? 20-24 28-19 10-15 19-10 6-29 21-17 9-13 17-14? (loses a piece)
1-6? (2-6 RW) 14-9! (caught me sleeping) 5-14 30-25 29-22 26-1
2-6 1-10 7-14 (I think Red still wins) 31-26 13-17 32-28? (23-19
lasts longer) 11-16 28-24 16-20 24-19 20-24 19-16 24-27 16-11 27-31
RW.
Jim Loy - Chibbs, 1991 USA Today, Tournament PO#58
11-15 24-20
8-11 23-18? 4-8 27-23! 12-16 28-24 8-12 32-27 9-13 (16-19? loses)
31-27?? 10-14! (13-17 only wins one piece) 18-9 5-14 RW later on
time (the win is simple).
Jim Loy - Olin, 1991 USA Today, Tournament PO#61
11-15 23-18 8-11
26-23 10-14 23-19? 14-23 27-18 6-10! (now every White move loses a
piece) 24-20 (31-26 11-16 RW or 31-27 10-14 RW or 22-17 15-22 25-18
11-15 RW?) 15-24 28-19 11-16 20-11 7-23 31-26 10-14 RW
eventually.