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© Copyright 2003, 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.
Inside Checkers by Walter W. Walker seems to offer valuable advice for the beginner, giving reasons for almost every move played. For example, after 11-15 22-18 15-22 25-18 12-16, he comments on 29-25:
To strengthen his game by bringing this man up to the front line. Since the man on square 30 guards square 29, it is always good policy to get this otherwise idle piece into action. The objective of this move is to attack next by 18-14; that is, the text play makes 18-14 an added alternative, or choice of moves at White's command.
Well, there is some truth to all that. But I object that it is simplistic, and gives us a general rule which may cause us to move 29-25 in positions where it is a mistake, if we blindly follow his advice. Personally, as a checkers author, I would just point out that 29-25 is a very popular move here, and I might mention the other popular moves. Earlier in the same game (after 11-15 22-18 15-22) we have this advice about 25-18:
He could, of course, have taken 26-17, but the text is best because played to the center of the board . . .
That is probably not why 25-18 is better than 26-17. 26-17 is a near loss. Quite a few similar moves, away from the center of the board, are also bad. Some such moves are good, however. I object to such sweeping rules, no matter how reassuring they are. Anyway, this book is full of such general rules, some of which have some value, others of which are worthless. His general rules make sense if we remember that almost none of these moves is made without looking into the future to see what may come up later.
Here are some mistakes in this book (which might be educational to study):
11-15 22-18 (Single Corner) 15-22 25-18 12-16 29-25 9-13 18-14 10-17 21-14 16-20 23-18 6-10 25-21 10-17 21-14 2-6 26-23 13-17 31-26 8-11 24-19 4-8 19-15 6-9 23-19 17-22 26-17 9-13 28-24 (the author says this loses) 13-22 32-28 (Walker gives 15-10? to lose) draws.
11-15 23-18 (Cross) 8-11 27-23 4-8 23-19 9-14 (Walker says 11-16 would allow 18-4) 18-9 5-14 22-17 15-18 (1-5 31-27 6-9 draw? instead of Walker's 15-18? which loses) 26-22 11-15 17-13 7-11 (Walker says this is the only safe move, giving 1-5 13-9 6-13 24-20 15-24 22-6 2-9 28-19 "and a White win is assured." Continue 7-10 25-22 3-7 30-26 14-17 draw?) 22-17 18-23 24-20 15-24 28-19 14-18 17-14 10-17 21-14 3-7? 14-9? (Walker gives this to win, instead 31-27 WW) 7-10 31-27 1-5 (Walker gives 11-15 to lose) RW.
This game is riddled with errors: anonymous - W. W. Walker
9-14
23-19 11-15 22-17 8-11 25-22 3-8 (Whilter) 26-23 6-9 24-20 15-24 28-19
11-15 22-18! 15-22 19-15 10-26 17-3 8-11 30-23 11-15 21-17 9-13 (15-18
draw?) 17-14? (32-28 WW) 13-17 23-18 15-19 18-15 1-6? (17-21
Walker) 15-11? (14-10 is strong) 6-9 (17-21 draw) 14-10 9-13
3-7 (or 11-7 draw) 17-21 32-28 (10-6 strong) 21-25 27-24 19-23
24-19 25-30 7-3 30-25 20-16 25-21 28-24 21-17 24-20 17-14 (22-26 draw)
11-7 2-11 16-7 14-18 10-6 18-14 7-2 14-7 2-7 22-26 31-22 17-26 29-25 (7-11
strong) 5-9 6-1 (25-21 strong) 9-14 1-6 14-18? (14-17 draw)
20-16? (6-10 WW) 26-22 25-21 22-26 6-10 26-31 16-11 31-27 10-6 27-24
19-15 23-27 6-9 27-32 15-10 12-16 10-6 16-20 6-1 24-27 7-10 27-23 1-5 18-22
10-14 23-26 11-7 20-24 7-2 24-27 2-7 27-31 14-18 22-25 9-14 25-29 5-9 31-27 9-6
26-23 18-22 23-19 14-18 19-16? (19-23 draw) 18-14? (7-11 RW)
27-24? 22-25 29-22 14-18 22-15 7-11 16-7 3-28 (First
Position) 32-27 6-10* 27-23 10-15* 23-27 15-18 27-32 18-23 4-8 23-19
8-11 28-24 32-28 24-27 28-32 27-23 32-28 23-18 28-32 18-14 32-28 14-10
WW.
Von Kempen - R. D. Yates
11-15 22-18 (Single Corner) 15-22
25-18 12-16 24-19 8-12 28-24 9-13 32-28 6-9 29-25 16-20 19-16 12-19 24-6 1-10
28-24 4-8 24-19 8-11 25-22 (White is strong) 10-14 19-16 (or
22-17) 7-10 16-7 2-11 27-24 20-27 31-24 3-7 24-20 (24-19 strong)
14-17 21-14 10-17 23-19 9-14 18-9 5-14 19-16 11-15 16-12 17-21 12-8 7-10 8-3
15-19 3-7 19-24 20-16 24-28 16-12 28-32 12-8 32-27 7-2? (7-11! WW) 10-15
2-6 14-17 8-3 27-31 6-10 15-19 3-7 31-27 22-18 27-23 18-15 17-22 draw.
P. Marr - J. Wyllie
11-15 22-18 (Single Corner) 15-22 25-18
12-16 24-19 16-20 29-25 8-11 19-16 4-8 16-12 10-14 28-24 11-16 26-22 7-10 24-19
9-13 18-9 5-14 22-18 8-11 18-9 11-15 25-22 (32-28 WW) 15-24 22-18 10-14
18-15 1-5 15-11 24-28 23-19 16-23 27-18 14-23 31-27 5-14 27-9 6-10 11-8 20-24
8-4 24-27 32-23 28-32 23-19 32-27 19-16 27-23 4-8 23-18 9-5 10-15 8-11 15-19
30-26 19-24 26-22 18-25 11-15 24-27 12-8 3-19 15-31 25-22 31-27 22-18 5-1 2-7
1-5 7-11 5-9 11-16 27-24 18-15 (18-22 9-14 22-17 draws instead of Walker's
22-26?) 9-14 (16-20? 24-27* WW instead of Walker's 24-28? 13-17*
draw) 16-19 24-27 15-11? (13-17* draw) 14-10? (14-18 19-23 27-31
WW, Walker) draw.
R. D. Yates - J. Wyllie
11-15 23-19 8-11 22-17 4-8 (Old
Fourteenth) 17-13 15-18 24-20 11-15 28-24 8-11 26-23 9-14 31-26 6-9 13-6 2-9
26-22 1-6 22-17 18-22 25-18 15-22 23-18 14-23 27-18 9-13 17-14 10-17 21-14 6-10
30-25 10-17 25-21 22-25 21-14 25-30 19-15 30-26 15-8 26-22 32-28 22-15 24-19
15-24 28-19 13-17 8-4 17-22 4-8 22-26 19-15 26-30 15-10 30-26 29-25 26-30 25-21
30-26 10-6 26-22 6-2 12-16 2-11 3-12 14-10 16-19 11-15 19-24 10-6 24-28 6-2 5-9
2-6 9-13 6-10 28-32 10-14 32-28 14-18 22-26 15-19 26-31 18-23 28-32 19-15
(20-16 WW?) 31-27 15-18 27-31 23-19 32-27 18-22 27-32 21-17 31-27
(Walker says: 31-26 22-31 13-22 20-16 32-28 16-11 22-25 11-7 25-30 7-2
30-25 31-26 25-21 2-6 28-32 26-23 21-17 6-10 wins, but the final position is a
draw) 17-14 32-28 19-15 27-23 15-10 28-24 14-9 24-27 9-6 27-31 6-2 23-26
22-25 26-30 25-21 31-26 10-15 26-22 2-7 30-26 7-10 26-23 21-17 23-26?
(22-26 17-14 26-31 draw?) 17-14? (10-14 WW) 26-30? (26-23
draw?) 15-19 30-25 10-15 25-21 19-23 22-25 14-9 13-17 (Walker gives this
a question mark, evidently thinking this is the losing move, but I see no hope
anyway) 9-14 17-22 23-27 (or 22-26 WW) 25-30 27-31 30-26 15-19 26-30
19-23 22-25 31-26 25-29 26-22 WW.
Also see M. E. Pomeroy - H. N. Pillsbury in which I correct Mr. Walker's oversights.