It seemed to Marvin J. Mavin that August rolled around quickly this year, quicker, in fact, than in previous years. Of course that was all pretty subjective, but for Marvin, August had become a harbinger of fear and dread.

We all know by now that Marvin J. Mavin is the Captain of the Detroit Doublejumpers in the National Checker League. The Doublejumpers last season had recovered from their poor showing two seasons ago, and had made it to the semi-finals of the World Series of Checkers. However the popular view was that they didn't make it to the finals because of bad behavior on the part of Marvin.

Whether or not that is the case, gentle reader, is something for you to decide for yourself by reading or re-reading the previous stories in this series. Suffice it to say, however, that Marvin was fined a lot of money, sent on a grueling and punitive publicity tour, and only barely retained his team captaincy.

But that wouldn't be all. August was pre-season training month. The Doublejumpers always gathered for training camp at the appropriately named resort town of Au Train, Michigan. Training was a combination of physical and mental effort meant to prepare the players for a tough season ahead.

Marvin always suffered during training, being made to run laps around the lake, do calisthenics, and being denied even a single beer the entire month. This year, though, all of the Doublejumper coaches had promised him "special treatment" in light of his perceived transgressions.

Everything was fine on the bus trip from Detroit, where all the players gathered for the several hour long ride to Au Train. Nothing was said and Marvin wasn't singled out, not even at the lunch stop.

It was on arrival that the fun began.

Training took place at a nice, if rustic resort camp. Each player had an individual room in a series of cabins with several rooms per cabin. However, Coach Anderson signaled to Marvin to come over to where he stood in front of the lodging area. When Marvin approached, Coach handed him a large duffel bag.

"There's a tent in here," Coach said, "and I suggest you set it up in a sheltered area, but be sure it isn't somewhere that has much runoff when it rains."

Marvin looked perplexed. "I don't get it," he said, "why should I set up a tent? I'm usually in Room One, Cabin One, you know, the Captain's room."

Coach smiled and it wasn't an agreeable smile. "Not this year," he said, "You get Tent Number One in Space Number wherever you set it up. Like I told you, find a dry, sheltered spot. And oh, yeah, there's some mosquito spray in the bag. You're going to need it."

Marvin sputtered incoherently but it was all no use.

The next morning Marvin crawled out of his tent tired and stiff. Well, at least there was breakfast, as he saw the other players entering the Mess Hall. But when Marvin reached the door, Coach was waiting for him.

"Done your laps yet?" he asked.

"Laps? What laps?" Marvin replied.

"Your five laps around the lake before breakfast."

"Is everyone doing that?"

"Just you. You're special, remember? Now off you go and make it fast. We're not keeping the Mess Hall open just to wait for you. And no cheating. I'll be watching and counting."

Marvin started jogging and got back only five minutes before the Mess Hall was closing. He had to eat fast and didn't even get to finish his tomato juice.

The players gathered in the main Training Room for their first session. Training was set up with group sessions, individual study, game play, physical training and so on.

When the players were seated, the new tactics coach, Jiggy Jigson, took the floor. Jiggy had recently been hired to replace the previous coach, who had retired.

"Okay, team, " Jiggy began, "this year we're starting with something different. Our boy Marvin is going to do an exhibition. We'll be showing checker problems on the projector and Marvin will be solving them. He has one minute per problem and for each one he fails to solve correctly within that time, he'll have to run a lap around the lake before lunch. That's in addition to the five laps he's already accountable for ahead of each meal. You love running laps, right Marv?"

Everyone laughed--- except Marvin.

The session began. Marvin didn't do too badly but pretty soon he accumulated five more laps.

At that point Jiggy said, "Okay, Marv old boy, tell you what. How about double or nothing. You do one more problem and the rest of the team does it along with you. If you get it right before anyone on the team solves it, we'll cancel your extra laps. If not you run double --- ten laps, plus five, making fifteen. Won't leave you any time for lunch but ain't that a shame!"

There was more laughter from the other team members, who didn't seem at all sad to see Marvin being given a hard time.

"Come on, Jiggy," Marvin said, "can't I catch a break?"

"That's 'Coach Jiggy'," Jiggy replied, "and I should give you extra laps for disrespect. But I'll let it go one time only, okay? Now, are you in or are you out?"

"I'm in," Marvin said, thinking that no matter what he'd be running laps until he fell on his face with exhaustion.

"Great," Jiggy said, "here we go."

The following problem appeared on the screen, with a timer on the bottom.

Marvin set to work, knowing he might not even have sixty seconds, as a teammate might solve it at any moment.

---

Do you think you can beat Marvin and the other Doublejumpers by solving this one quickly? Fortunately, there's no need to rush and you won't have to run laps unless you wish to. Be forewarned, in this problem there are some move order transpositions that may give the appearance of dual solutions, but there is really only one winning line. When you've given this your best, race over to Read More to see the solution and the rest of our story.

Solution and Conclusion

"Got it" Marvin said, but at the same time one of his teammates, Willy Salad, called out "Solved!"

"Well, well, well," Coach Jiggy said, "it seems like we have a tie here. Okay, let's see the solution. Marvin, you go first.

Marvin showed the following play.

1. ... 18-23 2. 27x18 10-7 3. 1x10 17-14 4. 10x17 4-8 5. 3x10 28-24 6. 20x27 19-16 7. 12x19 11-7 8. 2x11 8x15x22x31x24x15x6x13x22x29 9. 5-9 29-25 10. 9-14 25-22 11. 14-18 22x15 White Wins.

"I see," Jiggy said. "Willy, your turn."

Willy showed this line of play.

1. ... 10-7 2. 1x10 17-14 3. 10x17 4-8 4. 3x10 18-23 5. 27x18 28-24 6. 20x27 19-16 7. 12x19 11-7 8. 2x11 8x15x22x31x24x15x6x13x22x29 9. 5-9 29-25 10. 9-14 25-22 11. 14-18 22x15 White Wins.

"So who's right?" Jiggy said. "Seems like we have two solutions. But Willy's solution matches the solution provided by the problem composer. So Willy wins. Marvin, fifteen laps. Better get going and if you do them too slowly, I'll give you some extras for good measure."

"Hey there coach, wait a minute, Willy's solution is just a transposition of moves. It's really the same thing. Anyhoo Willy's last board on the reserve team, ain't you going to give me priority as the senior player or nothing?"

Jiggy put his hands on his hips. "I'm the Coach. My word is final. And 'anyhoo' after your antics last season in the playoffs, you're last on everyone's list. Thirty laps, Marvin, not fifteen. You've got a choice. Start running around that big old lake out there or leave the team."

"You can't ... you ... fine! Just fine! I quit! I'm done! I've taken more harassment than anyone deserves! Sleeping outdoors in a ten like I'm a mangy dog, makin' me run all the time and gettin' nothin' to eat, all this humiliation ... I ain't takin' it no more! I quit! Quit, you hear me!"

Coach Jiggy stared Marvin straight in the eyes. "Good," he said, "I've been hoping you'd say that and I'll be happy to be rid of you, and seeing as how you're no longer a member of the Doublejumper team, you've got 15 minutes to leave the camp before I have you run in for trespassing."

"Sure," Marvin said, "just call the bus and I'm outta here as soon as it picks me up."

"Oh, no," Jiggy said. "You're not riding the team bus. That's for team members only. Find your own ride. Or start walking or maybe even running! Ha ha ha!"

None of Marvin's teammates laughed, however. They couldn't believe the scene unfolding before them.

"I'll call a rideshare," Marvin said. He walked out of the room with an angry stride and an even angrier countenance. He had few belongings; they were all in his tent. Quickly he packed a duffel bag and called for a rideshare from a nearby small town.

It took a about 30 minutes for the rideshare to arrive, with Coach Jiggy watching him all the while, and after about 20 minutes threatening him with the police. The rideshare took Marvin into town, which had a population of only around 1,100, and so Marvin had to arrange another rideshare to a larger town. From there he was able to get on a regional bus to the nearest train station and finally get on a train to Detroit.

The trip from camp to Detroit, usually just a few hours on the team bus, took Marvin nearly 20 hours with waiting time. On arrival at the Detriot train station, he called Priscilla at her office.

"What is it, Marvin? I'm really busy, and aren't you at training camp?"

"Uh, honey, well you see ... "

Marvin quickly related what had happened. There was momentary silence on the other end of the line and then Priscilla said, "You quit a multi-million dollar a year contract. Seriously, have you lost your mind?"

"Yeah, well, uh, guess I kinda did ... quit, I mean ... but can you like send one of your cars to pick me up?"

Another silent pause. "I don't think so. Take the city bus and then walk the rest of the way, and while you're doing that, think about what you've done." The call disconnected.

Marvin sheepishly fished in his pocket for a few dollars in cash to pay the bus fare.

---

What will happen to our hero now? Once again he seems to have gotten himself into a very bad situation. We'll have to wait until our next episode to find out.

Today's problem is an original composition by Lloyd Gordon, who said he tried to eliminate the transposition solution but found it to be quite a task. However, the problem in its present form suited our story perfectly. Thanks, Lloyd!