Can you find a total of eight differences in the two pictures above? It's a classic sort of puzzle, and unless you're rather skilled with images, finding the last little variation is often quite a challenge.

In today's edition of Checker School, we present two "similar but not quite the same" positions. The optical differences are a little easier to find than in our teaser above, but the over-the-board solutions may prove somewhat more resistant.

In both of today's positions, shown below, White is to play and win. We'll give you a small tip: one of the positions is quite a bit easier than the other, despite similar appearances. Not much of a tip, we agree, but we are known to be notably stingy in the hint department.

Make a difference and find the solutions; but if you can't tell the difference, it will make no difference if you click on Read More to see the answers along with a sample game and detailed commentary. And, for extra non-checker related credit, identify the U.S. destination known as "The City Different."

Solutions

The following material is taken from the Ben Boland classic that is the basis for this series, Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers.

Oldman: 15-18---A, 16-19, 27-32, 20-24, 32-28---B, 24-27---C, 22-26, 27-31---D, 26-30*, 31-27, 18-22, 27-24---E, 22-26---V, 24-27---F, 26-31, 27-23---W, 28-32, 23-18, 31-26---G, 18-15---H, 32-27, 15-11---I, 26-22, 11-15---J, 30-26, 15-11, 26-31---K, 11-16, 22-18, 16-20---L, 18-23. White Wins.

Schaefer: 11-15, 20-24, 15-18, 24-28---U, 18-23, 28-24, 32-28, 24-19, 23-18, 16-20, 22-26, 19-16, 26-31, 29-25, 28-24. White Wins.

Game: 9-13, 22-17, 13-22, 25-18, 11-15, 18-11, 8-15, 21-17, 5-9, 17-13, 9-14, 29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 15-19, 23-16, 12-19, 27-23, 8-12, 23-16, 12-19, 31-27, 3-8, 20-16, 8-12, 27-23, 14-17, 25-22, 1-5, 23-18, 10-14, 18-9, 5-14, 32-27, 7-11, 16-7, 2-11, 27-24, 11-15, 24-20, 6-10, 13-9, 17-21, 9-6, 14-18, 6-2, 18-25, 2-7, 19-24---M, 28-19, 15-24, 7-14, 24-27, 14-18, 27-31, 26-22, 31-27, 22-17, 25-29, 17-14, 29-25, 14-10, 27-24, 18-15, 25-22, 10-7, 22-17, 7-2, 17-14, 2-7, 14-9, 7-10, 9-5, 10-14, 5-1, 14-18, 1-6, 18-23, 6-1, 23-19, 24-28, 20-16, 1-6, 16-11, 6-1, 11-7, 1-6, 7-2, 6-9, 15-18, 9-5, 2-6, 28-32, 18-22, 32-27, 6-10, 27-32, 10-15, 32-28, 30-26, 28-32, 26-23, 32-27, 23-18, 27-32, 18-14, 32-28, 14-10, 28-32, 10-6, 5-9, 6-1, 9-5, 1-6, 32-28, 15-10, 28-32, 10-14, 32-28, 6-9---N, 5-1, 9-5, 28-32, 14-10, 32-28, 22-18, 21-25, 18-15, 25-30, 10-6, 1-10, 15-6, 30-26, 6-10, 26-31, 10-15, 28-32, 5-9, 32-27, 9-14, 27-32, 19-24, 32-27, 24-28, 27-32, 15-19, 31-27, 14-18, 27-24, 18-15, 24-20, 19-23, 20-16, 23-26, 32-27, 28-32, 27-31---O, 26-22, 16-20, 15-19, 20-16, 19-24, 16-11, 22-18, 31-26, 32-28, 26-30, 24-27, 30-26---P, 27-31, 26-30, 28-24, 11-16, 18-23, 16-11, 24-19---Q, 30-25, 31-27, 11-16, 27-32 16-11, 23-18, 11-16, 19-15, 16-20, 32-27, 25-21, 18-22, 12-16---R. Forms above position by B. Oldman, Game No. 1608, and Position No. 1521 in the Draughts Review, Vol. 7, Nov. 1931.

A---Corrects No. 434, Govan Press, where 22-18 is played, allowing a draw.

B---"In Mr. Gregg's criticism he here played 22-26, 24-20, and White Wins, but I showed that in place of 20-24 play 21-17 and it is a draw. 1 make 32-28 a winner." Oldman.

C---24-20, 22-26. White Wins.

D---21-17, or 27-24, 26-31. White Wins.

E---27-31, 28-32, 19-23, 32-28. White Wins; or 27-32, 22-26, 32-27, 26-31, same as Trunk; or 27-23, 28-32. White Wins.

F---24-20, 26-23, 19-26, 30-23, 21-17, 23-18. White Wins. G—30-26 allows a draw by 19-24.

H---18-23, 26-22. White Wins. If 18-14, 32-27, 14-10, 26-22, 10-14, 30-26, 14-10---S, 22-18, 21-25, 26-31, 25-21---T, 18-14, 10-17, 27-23. White Wins.

I---15-10, 26-22, 10-15, 30-26, 15-11, same as Trunk.

J---11-16, 27-23. White Wins.

K---22-18, 21-17, 26-31 (18-23, 17-22), 17-13, 27-32, 13-9, etc. Draws only.

L---16-11, 18-15. White Wins.

M---In Lambert and Oakley's Compilation, Var. 93, 10-14 is played and White Wins.

N---Now with King on 14 on 26, Forms No. 464 by J. Wyllie in Gould's Problem Book, colors reversed, and is won by 11-16.

O---Forms Problem No. 3944 in the Newcastle Chronicle, 1919, White to play and win.

P---30-25 draws here as shown by D. Kellett, while 30-25, 28-32, 11-16, 27-31, 16-11, 31-26, 11-16, 18-23, 16-11, 26-30, 25-29, 23-19, and we have Problem No 4020 in the Newcastle Chronicle, March 1920. Black to play and draw.

Q---"I gave this as a draw, but Mr. J. Gregg showed a win on it." Oldman.

R---This was in Problem No. 434, June 20, 1931, Govan Press, given by S. J. Pickering to correct a problem in Lyman's Problem Book.

S---14-9, 22-18, 21-25, 26-31. White Wins.

T---25-30, 27-32. White Wins.

U---24-20, 22-26, 16-19, 32-28, 29-25, 26-31, 25-21, 18-23. White Wins.

V---30-26 wins as in Note W.

W---If 27-24, 31-26*, 24-27, 26-22, 27-24, 30-26*, 24-27---X, 28-32, 27-24---Y, 26-31, 24-20, 32-28, 20-16, 31-27, 16-20, 22-18. White Wins.

X---24-20, 26-31, 20-16 (20-24, 22-18), 22-18, 16-11, 31-27. White Wins.

Y---27-31, 26-30, 19-23, 32-28, or if 27-23, 26-30, 19-24, 32-28, 24-27, 22-26. White Wins.

The above position by Dr. A. Schaefer, may be found as No. 1, colors reversed in his Checkerist, Nov. 1900.

Answer to the trivia question: "The City Different" is of course Santa Fe, New Mexico, one of the home cities of The Checker Maven.