Introduction to Checkers Bob Murr 1 1212020 Facts

Introduction to Checkers Bob Murr 1 12/1/2020

Facts about Chess and Checkers l l l Checkers rules are simple and easy to learn Checkers strategy can be as complex as Chess strategy To play well, one has to learn to visualize many moves in advance Learn to see the consequences of a move before making a move The best computer in the world is the one between your ears – Learn to use it! No one has ever been able to memorize the billions of possibilities in Chess or Checkers. 2 12/1/2020

The late Dr. M. F. Tinsley 1927 - 1996 l. Checkers Champion of the World 1955 – 1992 l. Professor of Mathematics at Florida A&M When asked to compare Chess and Checkers once said, “Chess is like looking over a vast ocean while Checkers is like looking far into a deep well. ” 3 12/1/2020

Agenda How the game is won or lost l Winning with the “move” l Winning with 2 Kings against 1 in the double corner l Other ways to win l Some example positions l 4 12/1/2020

Common ways to win l Winning with the “move” White to move and win 5 12/1/2020

White moved from square number 18 to square number 15 to cut off the King from getting to the double corner row which would draw (tie). The move is written as 18 -15 Now the red King can only move to square number 12 or 20. It doesn’t matter as the white King will move to square 11 if the red King moves to 12 or the white King will move to square 19 if the red King moves to 20. 6 12/1/2020

The red King moves to 20 and the white King moves to 19 and wins. The red King moves to 12 and the white King moves to 11 and wins. 7 12/1/2020

The pieces could have been on different Squares, in some instances a single piece can win against a King. White to move and win Do you see how white wins? 8 12/1/2020

Winning with Power 2 Kings against 1 King l Traps, shots and strokes l 9 12/1/2020

The side with the King advantage (in this case white) can always win in the double corner. The fastest way to win, first move the king from 19 to 24, the only move that the Red king can make is from 32 to 28 10 12/1/2020

Now white must protect the King on 24 by moving from 23 to 19. Do not move the King that is on 24 or you will have to start over Then red’s only move is from 28 to 32 11 12/1/2020

That leaves the following position. Move the white King from 24 to 28 To force the red King out of the corner Now when the red King moves 32 -27 white moves 28 -32 and red must move from 27 to 31 leaving the following position 12 12/1/2020

White wins the fastest way by moving the King on 19 away 19 -15. This forces the red King to move 31 -26 then white moves 15 -18 13 12/1/2020

From this position red can only move to 30 or 31 - then white moves 18 -22 and red has to lose Red must move to either 26 or 27 and white jumps the red King. 14 12/1/2020

Winning with Intelligence The Simple 2 for 1 shot Do you see how white wins? 15 12/1/2020

After white moves 27 -23, no matter which way red jumps white will jump both red pieces. If you said 31 -26, you are also correct but white would have to make many more moves and win with 2 against 1 as in the previous example. With the shot white wins at once. 16 12/1/2020

Another 2 for one White to move and win Do you see how? 17 12/1/2020

White moves 27 -24 and After red jumps 20 -27 18 12/1/2020

White jumps both red pieces Jumping from 32 to 23 to 14 Written as 32 -14 White wins 19 12/1/2020

This is a 3 for 2 Shot White to move and win Do you see how? 20 12/1/2020

White starts on the road to winning by moving 19 -16 now red must jump from 12 to 19 This results in the above position Do you see the white win? 21 12/1/2020

However red jumps, white will clear the board Try both jumps with red and see what happens 22 12/1/2020

Red jumps 18 -27 White jumps from 31 to 24 to 15 to 6 written as 15 -6 Red jumps 19 -26 White jumps from 31 to 22 to 15 to 6 written as 15 -6 23 12/1/2020

Summary You now know how to win some simple endings l You already know more than 99% of the people that you will meet l l Next you will need to learn some basic strategy such as how to set traps and execute shots and strokes. 24 12/1/2020

The Brooklyn Stroke White to move and win 25 12/1/2020

White starts the winning procedure moving from 18 to 14 forcing red to jump 11 -18 Resulting in the position depicted above 26 12/1/2020

White makes another offering by moving 14 to 10. Red jumps 6 -15 This is the position after red jumps 6 -15. Now white has the option of jumping 19 -10 or 23 -14. Which way would you jump? 27 12/1/2020

I hope you did not say 19 -10 as that would lose. White jumps 23 -14 forcing red to jump again by 16 -23. This leaves red in the above predicament. 28 12/1/2020

White jumps from 27 to 18 to 11 to 4 leaving this position. Red must now jump 20 -27 and white jumps 32 -23. After the jumps, red is a goner. The only move is 12 -16 and white brings his king out 4 -8, red’s only move is now 16 -20 and after 8 -11 in reply red gives both men away. 29 12/1/2020

The moves would be written like this in the modern style This is an example of the older style 1. 18 -14 11 x 18 2. 14 -10 6 x 15 3. 23 x 14 16 x 23 4. 27 x 4 20 x 27 18 -14 11 -18 14 -10 6 -15 23 -14 16 -23 27 -4 20 -27 32 -23 White wins 5. 32 x 23 white wins by pinning both remaining red pieces on the side of the board 30 12/1/2020

White appears to be in real trouble, he has 1 king and 3 men against 1 king and 4 men for red. It will take a miracle for white, but the miracle is there! Move the white man on 22 to 17 and see what results! 31 12/1/2020

Is white nuts? He gives away 2 men!! Red’s king jumps from 21 to 14 to 7 32 12/1/2020

Red’s jumps results in the following position The white king now eliminates red jumping from 1 to 10 to 3 to 12 to 19 to 28 33 12/1/2020

Where to Get More Information Find books about Checkers in the library l Very few books still in print l Lots of information on the Internet l 34 12/1/2020

Checkers web sites The official website of the ACF The American Checker Federation http: //www. usacheckers. com 35 12/1/2020

Checkers web sites l. Bob Newell’s “Checker Maven” http: //www. checkermaven. com/ This website is updated weekly on Saturday and contains much current information such as out of print books that can be downloaded, study problems and games. A very useful website for Checker players. 36 12/1/2020

Checkers web sites l. Hans’ Checkers Animations http: //www. h 4 ns. net/checkers/ Lots of information such as game, problems and useful themes that are animated and you can watch the moves being played 37 12/1/2020

Checkers web sites l. Jim Loy’s Checker pages http: //www. jimloy. com/checkers. htm Jim’s site is a virtual wealth of information about Checkers. It is not animated so you would need a checker board and checkers to follow the moves in games and positions. 38 12/1/2020

Checkers web sites l. Martin Fierz’s Checkerboard http: //www. fierz. ch/checkers. htm Martin has written a powerful Checker program I used his program to make the Checker diagrams used in this presentation. Martin has generously made his program available as a free download. 39 12/1/2020

In learning to play checkers, study and hard work can be very rewarding, and who knows, you might even become famous 40 12/1/2020

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