The Macindoe Research Facility is a state of the art establishment focusing on digital literacy. It's part of the Presbyterian Ladies' College in Croydon, New South Wales, Australia. We don't know which Macindoe the facility is named for, but by all accounts this is a leading research center not just in Australia but in the world.

Would there be any relationship to checkerist J. B. Macindoe, who lived something like a century and a half ago in Montreal, Canada? It's possible, we suppose. Do they study checkers and draughts at the Macindoe Research Facility? While we'd like to think so, we're not sure it's part of their mission, but we can always hope.

Today's Checker School entry, certainly, is worthy of serious study by serious students. Here's the position.

J. B. MACINDOE
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

B:W23,22,21,20,19:B14,13,12,7,6.

A textbook ending? Indeed it is. Do your own research--- mentally, of course--- and see if you can solve it. Then, click on Read More for the customary detailed notes, solution, and sample games.

Solution

Sample games, comments, and lettered notes come from Ben Boland's incomparable Famous Positions in the Game of Checkers. Numbered notes are by the editor using the KingsRow computer engine and 10-piece endgame database.

13-17---A, 22-13, 7-11, 21-17---B, 14-21, 23-18---C, 6-10, 13-9, 21-25, 9-6, 25-30, 6-2, 30-26, 18-15---D,1, 11-18, 2-6---E, 10-14, 6-10. Drawn---2.

Game: 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-17, 11-16, 24-20, 16-23, 27-11, 7-16, 20-11, 3-7, 28-24, 7-16, 24-20, 16-19, 25-22, 4-8, 29-25, 19-24, 17-14, 9-18, 22-15, 10-19, 32-28, 6-10, 25-22, 5-9, 22-18, 8-11, 26-23, 19-26, 28-19, 10-14, 30-23, 9-13, 18-9, 1-5, 31-26, 5-14, 26-22, 13-17, 22-13, 2-6. Forms above position after 3rd move. J. B. Macindoe.

Game: 9-14, 23-19, 5-9, 27-23, 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 7-11, 26-22, 11-15, 18-11, 8-15, 24-20, 15-24, 28-19, 4-8, 22-18, 8-11, 30-26, 2-7, 32-28, 10-15, 19-10, 6-22, 26-10, 7-14, 29-25, 9-13, 25-22, 11-15, 23-19, 15-24, 28-19, 3-8, 31-27, 8-11, 27-23, 13-17, 22-13, 1-6. Forms above position after 3rd move. L. T. de Beam vs. N. H. Rubin, Game 198, 8th National Tourney Book, 1934.

Game: 10-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 11-15, 18-11, 8-15, 21-17, 9-13, 30-25, 13-22, 25-11, 7-16, 24-20, 3-8, 20-11, 8-15, 28-24, 4-8, 26-22, 8-11, 23-18, 6-10, 27-23, 5-9, 29-25, 9-13, 25-21, 2-6, 32-28, 6-9, 23-19, 1-5, 24-20, 15-24, 28-19, 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 20-16, 11-20, 31-27. Forms above position, colors reversed after 3rd move. Game No. 1564, Draughts Review, 1931.

A---This setting was given to show that 6-10 loses and forms a standard win. See Drummond's Position, Page 151.

B---20-16, 11-20, 19-15, 12-16, now 21-17 draws, or 15-11, 6-10, 11-7, 10-15, 7-2, 15-19, 2-6, 19-26, 6-10, 14-18, 10-15, 19-23, 15-19. Drawn.

C---20-16, 11-20, 19-15, 21-25, 23-18. Drawn.

D---2-6---F, 26-22, 6-8, 22-24, 8-4, 24-27*, 4-8, 27-23. Black Wins. Macindoe vs. Dr. I. Clute.

E---2-7, 18-23, 7-14, 26-22, 14-10, 22-18, 10-7. Drawn.

F---If 19-16, 12-19, 2-7, 11-16. Black Wins.

1---Perhaps the key move in the study, for as shown in Note D, White loses if he goes for the attack with 2-6 (and 2-7 also loses to 26-22).

2---14-17 10-14 18-22 14-21 Drawn.

Macindoe's (Macindoe and Mcindoe) "Fifth" is as important as Drummond's Fifth Position, both occur frequently in play. See also Note A.

The above game was played between Macindoe and Dr. Clute (see Note D), in either their first or second match 1870-1. The games were recorded in the New York "Turf." This game may be found in Lees' Guide and the British Draughts Player.

J. Brown Macindoe died in Montreal, Canada, Dec. 21, 1874.