Tommy Wagner had made Varsity on his high school team in central Florida. Except it wasn't quite as simple as all that.

In our last story, Tommy, as a freshman, was ready for spring tryouts. He had an outstanding record as Captain of the Junior Varsity team, and he did well in the tryouts and also during training month in August. Coach Schann had named him to the Varsity team in view of his progress.

But that was the Varsity second team. The first team consisted of a titled Master and four Experts, and Tommy, though now at the very top of Class A, fell somewhat short. Tommy ended up on third board on the second team, and it meant he wasn't a starter and would only fill in as a substitute for first team.

Of course, he played in the second team matches, and got to play a couple of times as a first team sub during the fall, but as Christmas vacation rolled around, he was feeling a bit down. Second team matches didn't get anything like the attention that the first team got. No playing in front of big cheering crowds. No being something of a local hero in the high school halls.

It was Saturday morning, and Tommy had arrived a few minutes ago at Uncle Ben's place. Now, Ben wasn't really Tommy's uncle but everyone called him Uncle Ben. In fact he was a former professional checker player, who had some years ago wrapped up a great career and retired to Florida. He now did a little tutoring of promising young players.

Tommy went for a lesson at Uncle Ben's nearly every Saturday. They would sit out on Uncle Ben's front porch, usually with a pitcher of Uncle Ben's wonderful homemade lemonade, and study checkers for a couple of hours. Uncle Ben was a great coach, and often taught Tommy lessons that went beyond checkers and into coaching for living.

Today Uncle Ben could see that Tommy was despondent, and rather than starting out with a checker problem for Tommy to solve, Uncle Ben poured out the lemonade and decided to just chat for a little while.

"So what is it, Tommy? What's on your mind? You've made Varsity, that's a big accomplishment for a young player. Not everyone makes it at the start of sophomore year."

"I know, Uncle Ben," Tommy replied, "but it's third board on second team, and I only got to play twice in league competition, as a last minute substitute on fifth board when coach decided to give me a little experience. I want to be on the first team and play all the matches."

"Well, Tommy, it seems like we've had similar discussions before, about earning things and being patient."

"I know, Uncle Ben, the first team players are all better than I am. I get it, I really do, but I just want to play. When I was on Junior Varsity, at least I got in a lot of time on the board."

"So, what do you think it will take for you to move up to first team? What do suppose Coach Schann is looking for?"

"For me to improve? I mean, that has to be it, I have to get better, I guess, good enough to compete with those Experts and Masters on first team."

"Exactly, Tommy. Your coach will move you up when you're ready, no sooner and no later. Things don't come to us just because we wish for them. They come because we work for them. Do you know, when I first made it to the Major Leagues, when the Houston Huffers called me up, I sat on the bench for quite some while? I'd get to play every so often but the top players got the glory. I was a sub, just like you are. It wasn't easy, but I kept practicing and working, even though I had already made the Big Show. Then, one day, I got my chance, and I never looked back."

"Gee Uncle Ben, you think I can do that too?"

"Of course you can, Tommy. You worked your way up to Captain of Junior Varsity and then you earned yourself a spot on Varsity, even if it isn't as a first team starter. So you've got what it takes, and I suspect that by the latter part of the season you'll be playing more often. But only if you keep up your studies--- and maintain a positive, can-do attitude."

"Well, I'm ready to do what it takes, Uncle Ben."

"Very good. So let's work extra hard today. Here's a problem for you to study, and we'll do several more when you get this one. It might turn out to be a long morning, but we've got lots of lemonade."

Uncle Ben set up the following position and Tommy, who at times needed a reminder that patient hard work precedes success, dug right in.

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If we don't miss our guess, you, our reader, aren't a second team Varsity player at a local high school, although one never knows. But you're here because you're a checker fan, and you've likely long ago learned that mastery of checkers doesn't come overnight. Can you solve Uncle Ben's problem? See if you can, and then click on Read More to see the solution, notes, and numerous additional examples of the theme.

Solution

Tommy's problem is No. 12 below.

Problems, solutions, games and notes are from Ben Boland's seminal work, Familiar Themes in the Game of Checkers.

Game---10-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 11-15, 18-11, 8-15, 21-17, 6-10, 17-13, 9-14, 29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 2-6---A,1, 25-21, 14-17, 21-14, 10-17, 27-24, 5-9, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 9-14, 30-25, 8-11, 25-21, 11-15, 19-10, 6-15, 13-9, 7-11, 23-19, 15-24, 32-28, 24-27, 31-24, 12-16, 26-23, 17-22, 24-19, 14-18, 23-14, 16-23, 14-10, 22-26, 9-6, 26-31, 6-2, 11-15, 10-7, 3-10, 2-7, 10-14, 7-10, 14-18, 10-26, 31-22, 20-16, 18-23, 28-24, 22-18, 24-19---B, 23-27, 16-12, 18-23, 19-16, 23-19, 21-17---Forms No. 12.

A---Loses---1: First introduced by Heffner as an improvement on the line adopted by C. F. Barker in his matches with Smith, Reed, Freeman, etc. He later changed the line to 1-6.

1---KR indicates that this moves actually draws. The game is played virtually flawlessly up to Note B, when White plays a losing move.

B---16-11 would draw.---Heffner.

1. C. M. Wilder, No. 120 G. Wkly. Hrld. Apr. 25, 1874, No. 166 L. P. Bk. B---21, 26, 27. W---29. K---17, 28. W. W. 28-32, 27-31, 17-13, 26-30, 29-25, 30-26, 25-22.

2. F. Green, No. 98 L. W. D. P. Vol. 2, 1882. B---17, 21, 24. W---29. K---9, 32. W. W. 9-13, 17-22, 13-17, 22-26, 32-28, 24-27, 28-32. This Pos. has had many claimants as: J. D. Loport Tribune, No. 253, 1883. Chas. T. Isom, No. 6, Cin. Comm. Trib., 1907. J. H. Gregory, No. 1881, Trib. 1909. F. B. Fishburne, No. 411, St. Louis G. D. 1906. C. Ferguson, No. 93 N. Y. World, date missing.

3. J. T. Hennigan, No. 1330, Boston Globe, 1884. B---7, 22, 24. W---6, 29. K---32. W. W. 6-2, 7-10, 2-6, 10-14, 6-9, 14-17, 9-14, 17-21, 14-17, as No. 1.

4. L. Bradley, No. 84 Stearns Port, Vol. 2. B---14, 22, 24. W---29. K---6, 32. W. W. 6-9 as Hennigan at 5th.

5. W. J. Perrett, No. 89 S. D. Q. No. 1098 Nott. Guard. B---13, 21. K---12. W---29, 31. K---11. W. W. 31-26, 13-17, 11-15, 12-16, 15-18, 16-19, 18-22, 19-23, 22-13, 23-30, 29-25.

By placing B. K. on 12 to 3 forms No. 208 by M. Wardell, A. C. R. Vol. 1, 1888. May also be found as No. 90 S. D. Q., Vol. 3, 1889 by E. E. Creswell.

6. W. M. Purcell, Gem 258 D. W. Vol. 13, 1859 (Newark Sun. Call.) B---20, 23, K---31. W---K---14, 16, 32. W. W. 16-19, 31-26, 19-15, 26-31---1, 15-18, 23-26, 18-22, 26-30, 14-17, 30-26, 17-13. No. 6 Richmond's Sing. Cor. Var. B.

1---Later analysis in California Checker Chatter suggested that Black can draw here with 20-24 but Black still loses after 15-19 24-27 19-24 27-31 14-18.

7. J. E. Green Gem 878 D. W. Vol. 39, No. 1034 London People. B---7, 22, 24. W---8, 29, K---32. W. W. 8-3, 7-10, 3-7, 10-14, 7-10, 14-17, 10-14, 17-21, 14-17, 22-26 as No. 1.

8. F. Chipper No. 616 H. P. Bk. B---2, 4, 17, 18, K---26. W---12, 24, K---14, 19. B. W.
18-23, 14-21, 26-31, 19-26, 31-22, 24-19, 2-7, 19-16 as No. 5.

9. J. Douglas No. 5377 R. C. B---2, 4, 22, 23, K---31. W---12, 20, K---19, 30. B. W. 22-25,30-21, 2-7, 19-26, 31-22, 20-16, 22-18 as No. 5.

10. H. C. Harding, No. 1376 D. W. Vol. 28. B---10, 15, 26. K---31. W---18, 29. K---11. 13. W. W. 18-14, 10-17, 11-18, 17-21, 18-23, 26-30, 19-25, 31-26, 23-27, 26-31, 27-24, 30-26, 25-22.

11. W. G. Thomas, No. 1108 D. R. Vol. 5. B---13, 17, 21. K---23. W---22,25,30. K---31. W. W. 30-26, 23-30, 31-27, 17-26, 27-31, 13-17, 31-13, 30-26, 25-22.

12. A. J. Heffner, N. A. C. B. Apr. 1898. 27-31, 16-11, 19-16, 11-7, 16-11, 7-2, 31-26, 17-14, 26-22, 14-10, 22-17, 10-7, 17-13, 7-3, 1-6.

RELATIVE POSITIONS

J. Wyllie, No. 27 D. W. Vol. 1, 1892. B--- K---1, 9, 19. W---28. K---2, 7. B. W. 1-6, 7-3, 9-5, 2-9, 5-14, 3-7, 19-15, 28-24, 14-9, 24-20, 9-5, 7-2, 15-10, 20-16, 10-6. Note given: The above ending is from the "Fife" and occurred with Mr. J. Burns, lately. Mr. Wyllie informs us that he won the same Pos. from the late R. Robertson, 20 years ago.

F. W. Drinkwater, No. 596 N. E. C. P., Vol. 6, 1881. (From Sunderland Echo.) B---5, 12, K---23. W---20, 25, K---14. W. W. 25-22, 23-19, 22-18, 12-16, 20-11, 19-15, 11-7 as above.

J. E. Evans Pg. 55 calls Midget Probs. No. 45 Ency. No. 199 Duffy Pt. 2. B---26, K---18. W---32, K---7. B. W. 18-15, 32-28, 26-31, 28-24, 31-26, 24-20, 26-22, 7-2, 15-10 20-16, 22-17, 16-11, 17-13, 11-8-10-6.

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Uncle Ben's Porch is a purely fictitious account of the great checker writer Ben Boland's retirement years, and is meant to honor, celebrate and preserve his work. The series is complex and subject to transcription errors. Please help us out by letting us know if you find anything that needs correction. Write uncleben@checkermaven.com.

Many thanks to regular contributor Lloyd Gordon for sending us proofreading corrections and an indication that something was wrong at Note A in the Sample Game.