Return to my Checkers pages
Go to my home page
© Copyright 2004, 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.
Paul Heringer is a relatively weak mail player, and this match was very one-sided. Nevertheless, I think that each game is interesting and educational.
J. Loy - P. Heringer, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #1
10-14 22-18
12-16 25-22? 16-20 (= 12-16 22-18 16-20 25-22 10-14) 29-25 8-12 24-19
11-16 (a WW according to W. Ryan's Tricks Traps and Shots, but I
really doubt it) 18-15 4-8 22-18? 7-10 28-24 (26-22 3-7 RW PP) 3-7
26-22 7-11 31-26 9-13 18-9 5-14 22-18 1-5 18-9 5-14 26-22 11-18 22-15 2-7
(RW in Nemesis' opening book) 30-26 (25-22 14-18 23-14 16-23 27-18
20-27 32-23 10-17-26 RW) 14-18 23-14 16-30 RW.
P. Heringer - J. Loy, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #2
10-14 22-18
12-16 24-20 8-12? (it is well-known that 16-19, into the White Doctor, is
the only draw) 28-24 (27-24 WW PP) 7-10 (6-10 loses PP) 24-19!
(25-22 is the PP WW, but it may draw) 3-8? 27-24 9-13 18-9 5-14 25-22
6-9 29-25 WW. Paul intentionally plays these losing moves in order to get
out of the books. This makes him easy pickings for the stronger opponents.
J. Loy - P. Heringer, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #3
12-16 21-17
9-14 25-21 16-19 23-16 (24-15 is also published) 11-20 29-25 8-11 17-13
11-15 22-17 4-8 24-19 15-24 28-19 8-11 26-22? 11-15 19-16 (others lose)
3-8! 16-12(A) 14-18 12-3 15-19 22-15 19-23 27-18 10-19 3-10 6-29
31-26 29-25 17-14 1-6 13-9 6-13 14-10 20-24 RW.
A - 3-8 is an obvious set up. Red has telegraphed that he may have a winning shot after 16-12. White may or may not have picked up on that. He had three days to analyze this position to death. As it turns out, this move (which loses) maintains material equality for longer than other moves do.
P. Heringer - J. Loy, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #4
12-16 21-17
9-14 24-19 (the Minotaur, perhaps the most tactical opening of them all)
14-21 19-12 11-15 (11-16 is also popular) 23-18 (there are many
options here) 5-9 18-11 8-15 22-18 (recommended by R. Fortman in the
Fortman-Cayton match book, but may not be so good?) 15-22 25-18 4-8 29-25
8-11 25-22 1-5 (11-16 better?) 27-24 9-14 (11-16? loses; others seem
to draw) 18-9 5-14 (6-13 24-20 draw?) 24-20! (26-23 or 32-27
draw) 11-15 22-17 15-18? (14-18 17-13 6-9 or 7-11 or 10-14 draw?)
12-8 3-12 20-16 12-19 26-23 19-26 31-15 10-19 17-3 WW.
J. Loy - P. Heringer, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #5
10-15 23-19
7-10 27-23 9-14 (= 11-15 23-19 9-14 27-23 7-11 Defiance) 22-18 15-22
25-9 5-14 (= 9-13 23-19 10-14 22-17 13-22 25-9 5-14 27-23 7-10) 29-25
11-15 25-22 8-11 (= 11-15 23-19 9-14 27-23 8-11 22-18 15-22 25-9 5-14 29-25
11-15 25-22 7-11) 19-16 12-19 23-16 15-19 (PP, but 15-18 22-15 10-19
32-28 6-10 R. strong?) 22-17 4-8 32-28 (26-22 2-7 R. strong, E.
Churchill) 10-15 17-10 19-23 26-19 15-24 28-19 6-24 21-17 8-11 16-7 2-11
30-26 24-28* 26-23 28-32* 23-18 (23-19 32-28 19-16 11-15 RW) 32-28*
RW (18-14 28-24 17-13 24-19 is likely)
P. Heringer - J. Loy, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #6
10-15 23-19
7-10 27-23 11-16 (= 11-16 24-19 7-11 27-24 11-15) 22-18 15-22 25-18 9-13
(now out of the books) 29-25 8-11 19-15 10-19 24-8 4-11 28-24 6-9? 26-22
16-20 31-27 9-14 (11-16 21-17 WW) 18-9 5-14 22-18 1-5 18-9 5-14 25-22
2-6 (11-15 loses) 30-25 (22-18 6-9 30-25 13-17 23-19 WW) 3-7
22-18 6-10 (6-9 loses) 18-9 13-17 21-14 10-17 9-6 17-21 25-22 21-25 6-2
25-30 23-19 30-26 32-28 (a good trade) 26-17 19-16 12-19 24-8 WW
J. Loy - P. Heringer, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #7
9-13 23-18
11-16 18-14 10-17 21-14 6-9 24-20? (26-23 or 22-18 are very strong) 9-18
20-11 (22-15 PP) 8-15 26-23 1-6 23-14 6-10 31-26 10-17 25-21 15-18
21-14(A) 18-25 30-21 (29-22 draw) 4-8 (2-6 draws) 28-24
8-11 29-25? (weak; 24-19 11-16 27-23 2-6 draw) 11-15 24-20?
(surprisingly, this loses; 27-23 2-6 draws?) 2-6 32-28 (27-23 3-8
RW) 3-8 28-24 8-11 26-23 15-18 23-19 6-10 RW. Red made accurate moves
(trying to make the best moves, not the second best moves) while White was
making slightly inaccurate moves. White may have gotten a sinking feeling
(which we are all familiar with) as a draw slowly turned into a loss.
A - Just a little trap: 22-15? (which Paul wrote down, then crossed out) loses. The position now is incredibly equal, and a draw should probably be agreed. But my mission is to give Paul enough rope, a mission that will soon succeed.
P. Heringer - J. Loy, 2004 Dist. 9 Mail Ty., game #8
9-13 23-18
11-16 18-14 10-17 21-14 6-9 26-23 9-18 23-14 (22-15 is less popular)
1-6? (Red springs a trap upon himself; 16-20 is the book draw) 14-9 5-14
24-19 16-23 27-9 12-16 9-5 8-11 22-18 4-8 25-22 8-12 (16-19 29-25 WW)
18-14 16-19 (6-10 14-9 to the same) 5-1 6-10 14-9 10-14 1-6 12-16 6-1
11-15 1-5 WW (Red will run out of safe moves).