Valentine's Day is the traditional day of romance, yet we are certain that our game of checkers and romance are seldom associated. More's the pity, as we can see in the photo of the young folks just above, and the wonderful picture of the older folks just below.

We like to think that checkers can be an important part of a romantic relationship. Consider: checkers is good clean fun; it's sociable; and it's an inexpensive activity. It's one of the overlooked simple things that can add a lot to a couple's time together.

To celebrate Valentine's Day, here's a checker problem that is of moderate difficulty; we propose that it's just the right thing for you and your Significant Other to work on during a pleasant hour together, perhaps over a soda or a pot of tea. And who knows where it all might lead?

Put your heart into finding the answer, then click on Read More for the charming solution.

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Here in much of North America we're mired in the depths of winter, but that doesn't seem to faze our speed skater in the picture above. He's having a great time out on the ice, making the most of the season.

At home, there's nothing like a checker problem to help us make the most of the season too, and this month we bring you an easy speed problem that will cheer you, even if it won't quite last through a whole cup of tea. In fact, it's easy enough that we think 10 seconds is plenty of time.

When you're ready, click on the link below and speed to your solution. After you're done, click on Read More to check your answer.

February Speed Problem (easy)

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Marvin J. Mavin was back in St. Louis on a good-will tour, working in the inner-city schools with disadvantaged children. It was one of his favorite charitable activities and Marvin took every opportunity to further this cause.

But there were other items on Marvin's agenda for this visit. Marvin was scheduled to play an exhibition game at the St. Louis Civic Society Auditorium against the countywide amateur champion, Hinkley B. Dinkley. It was rumored that a number of major league scouts would be in attendance, with their eyes on Mr. Dinkley, who had made such a showing in amateur play that a professional contract was a real possibility. Mr. Dinkley, however, was also considering becoming a tennis pro; tennis seemed to be his real love, even though a major league checker career would be far more lucrative.

It seems, however, that prior to the game, Marvin made an unscheduled and rather prolonged stop--- at St. Louis' landmark Mudvisor Brewery. The press was not allowed to follow Marvin while he took a tour of the brewery, a tour that normally lasts about 30 minutes, though Marvin was not seen to exit the grounds until more than two hours had elapsed. Just what was Marvin doing during all of that time?

But now, Marvin and Hinkley were seated before the checkerboard, shaking hands and exchanging pre-game greetings.

"Ever been to the Mudvisor Brewery, Hink?" asked Marvin.

"Um, the name's Hinkley, and yes, I've been there once or twice. Nothing really special," replied Hinkley.

"Aw, c'mon Hink," Marvin continued, rather oblivious to Hinkley's reply, "they got that Mud Light in there and they give ya samples. Lotsa samples!"

Hinkley declined to reply, as the referee had signaled the start of play. Marvin had Black, and made his opening move.

1.

9-13

Marvin leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands on the back of his neck, and chuckled, "Hey, Hink, thought I'd sorta give you a break, being as how you're an amateur and all!"

Hinkley did not reply but simply moved

1.

...

22-18

"Ah, now we're gettin' serious," said Marvin, and the game continued as follows.

2.	12-16	24-20
3.	8-12	25-22
4.	16-19

Hinkley suddenly sat up straight, staring intently at the board, with an astonished look on his face. He blinked his eyes, blinked again, and continued to stare at the pieces.

"Whaddya lookin....." Marvin started to say, but he abruptly cut off his sentence, and then muttered, "Uh-oh...."

The forced exchanges took place, and then it was again Hinkley's turn.

4.	...	23-16
5.	12-19

Hinkley thought for a few more minutes, and then looked Marvin straight in the eye and said, "Marvin, I think your visit to Mudvisor was ill advised," whereupon, Hinkley made his move.

Can you figure out what's going on here? Did Marvin make an error? What move had Hinkley been expecting Marvin to make? How did Hinkley respond?

Put yourself in Hinkley's shoes and work this all out, then click on Read More for the rest of the story.

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We certainly don't recommend that you consume the entire triple burger shown above in a single sitting, unless you're hungry beyond belief and health considerations are of no consequence. Instead, we recommend you try out today's triple checker problem, in which you can truly have it your way.

The first setting is this.

If you don't like the first setting, then move the Black piece on square 1 over to square 2.

And if even that doesn't please you, move the piece to square 3 instead.

Have it your way--- move the Black piece to any one of the three squares as shown--- and Black will still win. Can you find the correct play in all of the positions?

Try to solve them; they're really not so difficult (well, mostly). Then after you've had it your way, have it our way by clicking on Read More to check your answers.

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Did you stay up to see the clock strike twelve this past New Year's Eve? If you're like most of the Checker Maven staff, who are, after all, a little older than they once were, ten o'clock is already a late hour and waiting up for the stroke of midnight is a difficult task.

So instead, let's deal with not a clock stroke, but a checker stroke; that intriguing specimen of a checker problem that, like yogurt and opera, you either love or hate. And, since by now you've surely recovered from possible New Year's Eve revelry, we're setting out a position that is especially bewildering. Just take a look below.

Of course, we expect you to solve this one completely from the diagram --- no setting up the board and moving the pieces! When you've clocked your solution, take the time to click on Read More to check your answer.

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During the winter holiday period, The Checker Maven closes its offices for a week or two, and staff spend time with their families. But that doesn't mean that checkers go off the agenda. Not at all! It's our wont to publish an interesting and entertaining checker problem or two, so our loyal readers can have a little extra checker enjoyment during this festive time of year. And when we look for a special checker problem, we inevitably turn to the master himself, Tom Wiswell; and what better choice than a problem he calls New Year's Resolution. Here's the position.

The position comes from a game in a New Year's Day tournament played in New York some decades back. As a holiday present, we'll give you a large hint: Mr. Wiswell, playing Black, won this game.

We would not say that this position is particularly easy, and in fact, it may use up a certain number of your holiday leisure hours. So please enjoy, but don't neglect your family time! When you've found your solution, click on Read More to see the full game, Mr. Wiswell's winning play, and KingsRow's computer analysis.

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Mid-afternoon on a weekday was usually quiet at Benny's Bar, a long, lazy lull when lunch was over and the factories had not yet let out the crowds of workers seeking a beer or two before taking the streetcar home.

The atomic bombs had fallen on Japan last year; the war was over and times were good in Newark, as the economy returned to a peacetime footing. Though Benny was getting older, and feeling it more each day, he enjoyed running his bar, conversing with his customers, and keeping the place tidy; but above all, Benny enjoyed his checkers. Through the hard times of the '30s, the even darker years of the war, and now into a new era of peace and prosperity, Benny would take on anyone, sitting at his corner table and putting as much as five or ten dollars on the line, winner take all.

Benny sipped his Ballantine's, idly moving the checkers around the board, waiting, as he often did at this time of day, for a customer to come in, and not being in a particular rush for that to happen. He was thinking about an endgame study he had seen in the Roseville Citizen, trying to absorb the play, when the front door of the bar opened and in came a dapper, 40-ish man, dressed neatly in a suit, sporting a trim moustache and slicked-back hair.

“I'm looking for a beer,” the man called. “Anyone here?”

“Back here,” replied Benny from the corner. “You like a Ballantine's on draught? I'll get it for you.”

“Sure, a Ballie's is fine,” said the man, glancing back into the corner from which Benny's voice emanated. “So you're the barkeep...” and just then the man noticed the checkerboard on Benny's table.

“You play?” the man asked Benny. “I'm here in Newark for a few days, and we're between rounds over at the ...”

“I play a little,” Benny replied as he made his way behind the bar and drew a glass of beer from the row of taps along the top of the bar. It was Benny's usual come-on. “Care for a quick game while you drink your beer?”

“Well, sure,” the man replied, “but you ought to know...”

“Couple of bucks on the game?” Benny interrupted. “Just to give things a little more life; this afternoon's been pretty quiet.”

“Well, like I was saying,” the man resumed, “you really should know that....”

“OK, maybe five bucks then? You look like a real sport!”

The man seemed a bit annoyed at Benny's interruptions, and his face took on rather a different look. “How about a sawbuck?” he said in a determined voice. “That would sure liven things up for you if you're bored.”

Benny didn't hesitate. He never did. “Ten bucks it is!” he said. “Come on over to the table. Tell you what. It's nearly an hour 'til the factories let out their first shift and it starts to fill up in here. I'm a sport, too. You go ahead and take the blacks first, and we can play until someone wins.”

“That might not be so long,” the man mumbled, more or less to himself, as he took the glass of beer from Benny and went over to the checkerboard, where Benny joined him after refilling his own glass.

“Ah, the Roseville Citizen,” the man said, noticing Benny's newspaper. “You know I do some writing myself...”

“Yeah,” said Benny, getting impatient to start play, “I'm sure you send a lot of postcards, but how about let's play our game now.”

The man squared his shoulders and simply said, “I tried to warn you; now, have it your way.” And with that, he made his first move and the game began.

There was no further discussion as play went on, the two of them alternately making a move on the board and taking sips of beer from their glasses. Benny was taking his time on each move; his opponent was playing a sharp game, well above the level of play Benny usually encountered. He was secretly wondering if he had made a mistake in taking on this evidently skilled stranger.

The stranger, on the other hand, showed visible impatience, making his own moves rather quickly and with seemingly minimal reflection, as if Benny wasn't a player who needed to be taken very seriously.

The game went on for a good fifty minutes, when Annie, Benny's portly wife and a second bartender during busy hours, came through the back door. “Hey Benny, where are ya?” she said in a loud voice. “We'll be getting busy around here in a few ...”

“Ssh! Quiet hon, I'm in the middle of a tough one here,” Benny said in a vexed tone. “Let us be!” A cross look came over Annie, then she just shrugged her shoulders, put on her apron, and went behind the bar. A couple of factory workers had already made their appearance, expecting to be served their Ballantine's and Shaefer's.

The contestants exchanged a few more moves. Factory workers continued to stream in and some of them started to watch the game. There was surprisingly little banter; somehow, they sensed from Benny that he had a real contest on his hands and didn't want any disturbance or interruption. The stranger made another move. Benny looked at the board, then looked again, a puzzled expression on his face. Some few minutes passed. The dapper, suited man, growing more and more impatient, growled in exasperation, “Will you play already! I haven't got all....”

The man fell silent. He too stared intently at the board, his countenance changing by degrees from unsure to grim. Finally, Benny looked up from the board and said, “You're good, mister, real good, but you shoulda been more careful.” Then, with a surprisingly firm hand, Benny made his move.

For the conclusion of our story, the solution to the problem, and story credits, please click on Read More.

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We've often said in these columns that Thanksgiving is far and away our favorite holiday. It's distinctly American (and we're unabashed patriots), non-sectarian in celebration (even if not in origin), and a wonderful family event which we greatly enjoy each year.

As a special Thanksgiving treat to accompany your turkey and pumpkin pie, here's a checker problem that we found to be fascinating, in that it has two solutions: one very ordinary and prosaic, and one surprising and snappy. Take a look if you will:

White is a man up and ought to win, but can you find the way that gets you to that second slice of pumpkin pie the fastest? Feast on our problem for a while, then click on Read More for your dessert, in the form of the surprising solution.

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In our main location here in North America, it's the time of year for those first gusts of really cold air, telling us that we've turned the corner towards winter, and we'll be spending more time indoors in front of the checkerboard. This month, to warm your interest, we have a speed problem that is instructive, interesting, and not all that hard--- if you don't get blown in the wrong direction.

We'll give you twenty seconds to gust through it and find the answer. To begin, just click on the link below to display the problem and start our cold-hearted Javascript clock.

November Speed Problem (fairly easy)

Got it? Click on Read More to breeze over to the solution.

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Our title for today's column comes from a rather old checker magazine, which states that the problem situation shown below came from an informal or "friendly" match played somewhere in Ohio back in the day. Certainly, checkers can be a most sociable pastime, and we would hope that we can all be friends, even given the rather intense competition and rivalries that the game can often engender.

The problem itself, of course, is rather "friendly" in its own right, and we don't think that you'll have a lot of trouble solving it.

Sit down, make friends with the problem, and then click on Read More to see the most agreeable solution.

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