Our Research Department told us, when asked to find a theme for today's entry in our ongoing Checker School series, that there is a bar on Conroy Road in Orlando, Florida, that serves sliders, those small hamburgers that simply slide on down. In fact, they continued, there is a catering establishment in the selfsame Conroy area that features sliders ... we asked them to stop there, that's quite enough, thank you.

We're certain that old-time checker editor J. A. Conroy, after whom the position shown below is named, never had a slider in his life, whether at a bar or catered or in any other form. He lived about 150 years too early for that, and we can speculate that he was likely the better for it. Why the position is called a "slider" will be clear when you work out the solution, and we suppose you've already guessed that hamburgers have nothing to do with it.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W25,22,19,18:B13,11,10,5.

Can you slip through this one, or will you get stuck on the way? Try it out--- it goes down easy--- and then slide your mouse over to Read More to see the solution, notes, and sample games.

Solution

Solution, sample games, and lettered notes are taken from Ben Boland's Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers. Numbered notes are by the Editor with the assistance of the KingsRow checker engine.

11-16---1, 19-12, 5-9, 12-8, 10-14, 18-15, 14-17, 22-18, 17-21---2, 25-22, 21-25, 15-10, 25-30, 10-6, 30-26, 6-1, 26-17, 1-5, 17-22, 5-14, 22-15. Drawn---3.

1---It hardly seems possible, yet to get the draw, Black must not only sacrifice a man but also allow White to get a king.

2---Completing the "slider" that allows Black to also get a king. It's a good technique to remember.

3---An attempt at a White win such as 8-4 12. 15-11 14-18 13. 13-17 18-23 14. 17-22 23-18 15. 22-25 18-22 16. 25-29 22-18 17. 29-25 goes nowhere.

Game: 10-15, 21-17, 9-13, 17-14, 6-10---4, 24-19, 10-17, 19-10, 7-14, 25-21, 11-15, 28-24, 8-11, 23-18, 14-23, 21-14, 2-6, 26-10, 6-15, 27-23, 12-16, 30-26, 16-19, 23-7, 3-17, 26-23, 17-26, 31-22, 1-6, 32-28, 4-8, 29-25, 8-11, 24-19---C, 15-24, 28-19---D, 6-10, 23-18. Forms above position. Harper Colthard, June 1, 1870, Draughts Board, Old Series.

Game: 11-15, 21-17, 9-13, 25-21, 8-11, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 6-9, 29-25, 9-18, 23-14, 12-16, 24-19, 16-23, 26-10, 2-6, 27-23, 6-15, 31-26, 15-19, 23-16, 11-20, 28-24, 20-27, 32-23, 4-8, 22-18, 8-11, 23-19, 1-6, 25-21, 6-10, 30-25, 10-17, 21-14, 7-10, 14-7, 3-10, 26-22. Forms above position. Wm. Taylor, Game No. 86, Problem No. 55, English Draughts Player, Vol. 1, 1878.

Game: 11-16, 22-18, 7-11, 25-22, 3-7, 22-17---B, 16-19, 23-16, 12-19, 24-15, 10-19, 27-23, 8-12, 23-16, 12-19, 32-27, 7-10, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 2-7, 27-24, 4-8, 24-15, 6-10, 15-6, 1-17, 29-25, 9-13, 25-22, 8-12, 28-24, 12-16, 24-19---A, 16-23, 26-19, 17-26, 31-22, 7-10, 30-25. Forms above position. R. Duncan, Apr. 30, 1939, in a letter to the writer.

A---18-15 seems to win on all variations. B. Boland.

B---W. Ryan's Ency. gives 29-25 as a powerful offensive by N. Rubin. And also as a long, 9th American Tourney Book.

C---The above was given to correct Drummond's Kelso Game, 4th Edition, Page 67, Vol. 2, in a letter to the Draughts Board Editor, May 17, 1870.

D---Now Position No. 128, by Colthard, same issue.

4---This sample game contains numerous play errors, and we'll only point out the first one. 6-10 here is already a likely loss for Black. Correct is 15-18. But the game will seesaw back and forth for quite a few more moves. Use your computer to get the full analysis---Ed.

The above position arose in a game between Messrs. J. Wyllie and R. Martins about 1848 and about five years later Mr. J. A. Conroy (one time Editor of The Irish Sporting Times), submitted the position as a draw to J. Drummond, who published it in his third edition of The Scottish Draughts Player. W. Benstead arrived at the above position from a Kelso Game, and published it at a three move earlier stage in the Newcastle Chronicle as No. 1899.

The position may be found under various authors in the following sources: No. 50, Scottish Draughts Player, 3rd Ed.; No. 16, Boy's Own; No. 70, New York Clipper, Vol. 14; No.1, National Checker Journal; No. 186, Draughts Board, Old Series; No. 55, English Draughts Player; No. 3, Leed's Mercury Supplement; No. 1899, Newcastle Chronicle; No.153, Kear's Encyclopedia; No. 90, World's Problem Book.