| | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛂ | | ⛀ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛂ | | ⛂ | | | | ⛀ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
]
_=Huffing.=_ If a player who can capture a piece neglects to do so, his
adversary has the choice of three things:--To compel the player to take
back his move and capture the piece; to huff (remove from the board,)
the man that should have captured the piece; or to let the move stand,
and go on with his own move. A huff does not constitute a move; the
piece is simply removed from the board as a penalty, but the penalty
must be enforced before the player exacting it makes his own move.
_=Kings.=_ When a man arrives at any of the four squares on the edge
of the board farthest from the side on which he started, he becomes a
King, and is _=crowned=_ by putting another man of the same colour on
the top of him. In diagrams, kings are distinguished by putting a ring
round the single man. ⦾ ⦿. Kings can move either backward or forward,
but only one square at a time. If a man arrives at the king-row by
capturing an adverse piece, that ends the move, and the newly made king
cannot move again, even to capture another piece, until his adversary
has moved. [See notes to Diagram No. 7.]
_=The Object of the Game=_ is to confine your adversary’s pieces so
that he cannot move any of them; or to capture all of them, so that
he has none to move. You may succeed in confining the whole twelve of
your adversary’s men, without capturing any of them, as in Diagram No.
2; or such as are left on the board after a certain number have been
captured, as in Diagram No. 3.
[Illustration: No. 2.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛂ | | ⛀ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛂ | | ⛀ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛀ | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
White to Move.]
[Illustration: No. 3.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | ⛂ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | ⛂ | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛂ | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | ⛀ | | | | ⛀ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛃ | | ⛀ | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
White to Move.]
Diagram No. 2 is the ending of our Illustrative Game No. 7.
In No. 3, White gives away a man, bottling up the three black men, and
then catches the other black man. In both these examples it will then
be Black’s move, and as he cannot move, White wins.
_=Notation.=_ The various moves which take place in the course of a
game are recorded by giving each square on the board a number, and
putting down the number of the square the man is moved from, and the
one it is moved to. Only those squares upon which the men stand are
numbered, and the black men are always supposed to be originally placed
upon the lower numbers, from 1 to 12; the white men being placed upon
the squares numbered from 21 to 32. Diagrams Nos. 4 and 5 show the
method of numbering the board, and the men placed in position.
[Illustration: No. 4.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| 5 | | 6 | | 7 | | 8 | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | 9 | |10 | |11 | |12 |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
|13 | |14 | |15 | |16 | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| |17 | |18 | |19 | |20 |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
|21 | |22 | |23 | |24 | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| |25 | |26 | |27 | |28 |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
|29 | |30 | |31 | |32 | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
]
[Illustration: No. 5.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
]
In checker notation the number of the move is never given, as it is
in Chess. The moves of the black men are distinguished from those of
the white men by being hyphenated, but there are no marks to show when
pieces are captured. Letters or figures in the margins are used to
refer to possible variations in the play.
_=Openings.=_ There are a number of standard openings in Checkers which
are formed by the preliminary moves on each side. These openings are
known by various fanciful names, dear to all checker-players. In the
following list they are arranged in alphabetical order for convenience
in reference.
+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| |AYRSHIRE | | | | | |
| ALMA. | LASSIE. |BRISTOL. | CENTRE. | CROSS. |DEFIANCE.| DENNY. |
| | | | | | | |
| 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-16 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 10-14 |
| 23 19 | 24 20 | 24 20 | 23 19 | 23 18 | 23 19 | |
| 8-11 | 8-11 | 16-19 | 8-11 | | 9-14 | |
| 22 17 | | | 22 17 | | 27 23 | |
| 3- 8 | | | 15-18 | | | |
+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+
| | DOUBLE | | | | | |
| DYKE. | CORNER. | DUNDEE. |EDINBURG.| FIFE. |GLASGOW. | KELSO. |
| | | | | | | |
| 11-15 | 9-14 | 12-16 | 9-13 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 10-15 |
| 22 17 | | | | 23 19 | 23 19 | |
| 15-19 | | | | 9-14 | 8-11 | |
| | | | | 22 17 | 22 17 | |
| | | | | 5- 9 | 11-16 | |
+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+
| | | | | SECOND | | |
| LAIRD | MAID OF | OLD | | DOUBLE | SINGLE | |
|AND LADY.|THE MILL.| 14TH. |PAISLEY. | CORNER. | CORNER. | SOUTER. |
| | | | | | | |
| 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-16 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 |
| 23 19 | 22 17 | 23 19 | 24 19 | 24 19 | 22 18 | 23 19 |
| 8-11 | 8-11 | 8-11 | | | | 9-14 |
| 22 17 | 17 13 | 22 17 | | | | 22 17 |
| 9-13 | 15-18 | 4- 8 | | | | 6- 9 |
+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+=========+
| | | WILL O’ | WHITE | |
|SWITCHER.|WHILTER. |THE WISP.| DYKE. | IRREGULAR OPENINGS. |
| | | | | | | |
| 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 10-15 |
| 21 17 | 23 19 | 23 19 | 22 17 | 22 17 | 23 19 | 22 18 |
| | 9-14 | 9-13 | 8-11 | 8-11 | 8-11 | 15-22 |
| | 22 17 | | 17 14 | 25 22 | 22 17 | 25 18 |
| | 7-11 | | | | | |
+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
_=The Middle Game.=_ The best way for the student to learn the manner
in which the various openings are followed up, is to play over
illustrative games, and in doing so he should be careful always to play
with the winning side next him. In selecting openings, take those
that show the greatest number of wins for the side you propose to
play. In all checker books there are marks at the foot of the column
to show which side has an advantage, if any exists, at the end of each
variation. The Alma, for instance, shows a great many more winning
variations for the black men than for the white, and is consequently
one of the best openings for Black.
Any person who plays correctly can always be sure of avoiding defeat;
that is, no one can beat him if he makes no slips, and the worst he can
get is a draw. It is a common error to suppose that the first move is
an advantage. [See Illustrative Game No. 7.]
The strategy of the game consists in so deploying your men that
alluring openings are left for your adversary. These openings are
always pitfalls of the most dangerous character, and whenever you think
a good player has made a mistake and left you a chance, you should
examine the position with great care, or you will probably walk into a
trap. The first of the example games given in this work is a case in
point. White’s move, 27 24, is apparently the best possible, yet it
immediately and hopelessly loses the game. Sometimes these traps are
set very early in the opening, and sometimes after the pieces have been
pretty well developed.
There are many cases in which a good player may take advantage of
the weakness of an adversary by making moves which are really losing
moves, and which would lead to immediate defeat if he were opposed by
an expert. But if he feels that his adversary is not skilful enough to
take advantage of these losing moves, a winning position may sometimes
be rapidly obtained by departing from the regular development of the
opening.
The beginner should be satisfied with learning only one or two forms of
the openings, committing to memory as many variations as possible. When
he meets with a line of play that beats him, he should study out the
variation in his text books, and see at what point he made the losing
move. To be perfect in any one opening a person must know at least
five hundred variations by heart; but if he finds himself caught in a
variation which he does not remember, or has never learned, he should
trust to good judgment rather than to defective memory.
_=The End Game=_ usually resolves itself into one of four well-known
positions. These four positions are those in which there is a win for
one side or the other owing to the peculiar position occupied by the
opposing forces, although they may be numerically equal. Every checker
player must know these four positions thoroughly, or he may abandon
many a game as drawn which he could win, and may lose many a game which
he could draw. These four positions are here given as they are usually
found in the books, but the player must be able to recognize at once
any position which resembles them, or can be made to lead up to them.
The student will find many games marked as “won” in which he cannot see
any winning position unless he is familiar with the four endings. The
expert strives to exchange his men so as to bring about one of these
positions, after which he knows he has a won game, although his less
skilful adversary may be unconscious of his advantage.
[Illustration: _=First Position.=_
Black to move and win.
WHITE.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | ⛀ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛂ | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | ⛂ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛁ | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
BLACK.
]
[Illustration: _=Second Position.=_
Black to move and win.
WHITE.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | ⛀ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛀ | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛁ | | | | ⛂ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛂ | | | | ⛃ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
BLACK.
]
[Illustration: _=Third Position.=_
Either to move; White to win.
WHITE.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛃ | | ⛁ | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | ⛁ | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | ⛁ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | ⛃ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
BLACK.
]
[Illustration: _=Fourth Position.=_
Black to play and win. White to play and draw.
WHITE.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛁ | | ⛁ | | ⛀ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛃ | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | ⛃ | | ⛃ | | ⛂ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
BLACK.
]
The first position is one of the most common endings on the checker
board, and should be very thoroughly understood. The letters in
the margin refer to the variations. There are a great many minor
variations, for which the student must be referred to Janvier’s
Anderson, page 265.
_=First Position.=_
27-32
8 11
32-27
11 7
27-23
7 10
22-26
A 10 6
26-31
6 9
31-26
9 6
26-22
6 10
23-18
10 6
18-14
6 1
22-18
1 6
18-15
6 1
15-10
1 5
10- 6
5 1
14-13
1 5
6- 1
5 9
1- 5
9 13
10-14
13 9
14-18
9 6
18-15
30 25
15-18
6 10
5- 1
25 21
1- 5
10 6
18-15
21 17
5- 1
6 9
15-18
17 13
18-15
9 14
1- 5
14 17
15-10
17 22
10-14
22 25
5- 1
25 22
1- 6
22 25
6-10
25 22
10-15
22 25
15-18
25 21
B wins
------
Var A.
30 25
23-18
10 6
18-14
6 1
26-30
25 21
30-25
1 5
25-22
5 1
22-18
1 5
18-15
5 1
15-10
1 5
10- 6
5 1
14-10
1 5
6- 1
5 9
10-15
B 9 5
15-18
5 9
1- 5
9 6
18-15
21 17
5- 1
6 9
15-18
9 5
18-22
17 14
1- 6
5 1
6- 2
1 5
22-17
14 9
B wins
------
Var B.
9 14
1- 5
21 17
5- 1
17 13
1- 5
14 17
15-10
B wins
_=Second Position.=_
1- 5
8 11
5- 9
11 15
9-14
15 11
14-18
11 16
18-15
16 20
15-11
20 24
3- 7
24 19
7-10
19 23
10-15
23 27
15-19
27 32
19-24
32 28
24-27
28 32
27-31
32 28
31-27
28 32
27-23
32 28
23-18
28 24
18-14
24 19
6-10
19 23
10-15
23 27
15-19
27 32
19-24
32 28
24-27
28 24
27-32
24 28
32-27
28 32
27-24
32 28
24-19
28 32
19-15
32 28
15-10
28 24
10- 6
24 19
14-10
19 24
10-15
24 28
15-19
28 32
19-24
32 28
11-16
28 19
16-23
12 8
23-18
8 4
18-14
4 8
6- 1
8 11
14- 9
13 6
1-10
11 16
10-15
16 20
15-19
B wins
_=Third Position.=_
White to move
18 15
A 6- 1
14 9
24-28
23 19
1- 5
9 6
B 28-32
19 24
5- 1
24 19
W wins
-----
Var A.
24-28
23 27
6- 1
14 10
28-32
27 24
1- 5
10 6
W wins
------
Var B.
5- 1
6 10
W wins
------
Black to move
6- 1
18 15
C 1- 6
14 10
6- 9
23 19
24-27
15 18
D 27-32
19 24
9- 5
10 14
32-28
24 27
W wins
------
Var C.
1- 5
14 10
24-28
23 19
28-32
15 18
32-27
10 6
27-32
19 23
5- 1
6 9
W wins
------
Var D.
9- 5
10 6
27-32
19 23
5- 1
6 9
32-28
23 27
W wins
_=Fourth Position.=_
Black to play
28-24
32 28
24-20
28 32
22-18
31 27
23-19
27 31
19-24
32 27
24-28
27 32
18-22
31 27
22-26
30 23
28-24
B wins
-----
White to play
31 27
23-19
27 31
19-24
32 27
24-20
27 32
22-18
31 27
28-24
27 31
18-23
31 26
Drawn
_=Traps.=_ The beginner should be on his guard against being caught,
“two for one,” especially in such positions as those shown in Diagrams
Nos. 6 and 7.
[Illustration: No. 6.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | ⛀ | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛀ | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛀ | | | | ⛂ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| ⛂ | | | | | | ⛂ | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
]
[Illustration: No. 7.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛀ | | | | ⛀ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛀ | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | ⛂ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | ⛂ | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | ⛂ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | ⛂ | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
]
In No. 6, White will play 19 16, forcing you to jump, and will then
play 27 23, forcing you to jump again. In No. 7, White will play 30
26, making your man a King. He will then play 32 28, and wait for your
newly made King to jump. This will give him three of your men, and he
will catch the other before it gets to the king row.
Another common form of trap is to get a player into such a position in
the end game, when he has only one or two men, that he cannot get to
the king row without being caught; sometimes because he is driven to
the side of the board by the man following him, and sometimes because
the man meeting him can head him off. The adversary can do this only
when he has “the move.”
_=Theory of the Move.=_ When the position is such that you will be able
to force your adversary into a situation from which he cannot escape
without sacrificing a piece or losing the game, you are said to have
the move; and if he does not change it by capturing one of your men he
must lose the game. As the move is often of the greatest importance in
the end game, every checker-player should understand its theory, so
that he may know when it is necessary to make an exchange of men in
order to secure the move, and when he should avoid an exchange which
would lose it. The move is only important when the number of men on
each side is equal.
In order to calculate the move, the board is supposed to be divided
into two systems of squares, sixteen in each. The first system is
formed by the four vertical rows running from your own side of the
board, as shown by the dotted lines in Diagram No. 8. The second system
runs from your adversary’s side of the board, as shown in Diagram No.
9.
FIRST SYSTEM.
[Illustration: No. 8.
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
]
SECOND SYSTEM.
[Illustration: No. 9.
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
]
In order to ascertain if you have the move when it is your turn to
play, add together all the men, both black and white, in one of the
systems, taking no notice of those in the other system, and if the
number is _=odd=_, you have the move. In Diagram No. 10, for instance,
if you have the black men, and it is your turn to play, you will find
three men on your own system, and therefore you have the move, and must
win by playing 10-15. When White moves, there will again be an odd
number of men on your system, and you will still have the move, and he
must sacrifice both his men.
[Illustration: No. 10.
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | ⛀ | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | ⛀ | | ⛂ | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | . | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
| . | | ⛂ | | . | | . | |
+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+
]
[Illustration: No. 11.
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | ⛀ | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| ⛀ | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| ⛂ | . | | . | ⛀ | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | ⛂ | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | ⛂ |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
| | . | | . | | . | | . |
+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+
]
In Diagram No. 11, if you count up the men on either your own or your
adversary’s system, you will find that the number is even, and as you
have not the move you should force an exchange immediately, which will
give it to you, and win the game.
Every single exchange of man for man _=changes the move=_ when only
one of the capturing pieces remains on the board, and the following
rule is given for ascertaining how proposed exchanges in complicated
positions will affect the move:--The capturing pieces of both black and
white in both systems must first be added together, and if the number
agrees--in the matter of being odd or even--with that of the number of
captured pieces in each system, the move will not be changed; but if
one number so found is odd, and the other is even, the move will be
changed.
ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES.
The asterisk shows the losing move.
+-----------------------+-------------------------------+
| Play with Black Men. | Play with White Men. |
+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| _1_ | _2_ | _3_ | _4_ | _5_ | _6_ | _7_ |
+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| 11-15 | 11-15 | 10-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 11-15 | 10-15 |
| 22 18 | 23 19 | 22 18 | 24 20 | 22 18 | 23 19 | 23 18 |
| 15-22 | 8-11 | 15-22 | 8-11 | 15-22 | 8-11 | 12-16 |
| 25 18 | 22 17 | 25 18 | 28 24 | 25 18 | 26 23 | 21 17 |
| 8-11 | 3- 8 | 6-10 | 4- 8 | 8-11 | 4- 8 | 16-19 |
| 29 25 |*17 14 | 29 25 | 23 19 | 29 25 | 30 26 | 17 14 |
| 4- 8 | 9-18 | 10-15 |* 9-13 | 4- 8 |* 9-13 | 9-13 |
| 24 20 | 21 17 |*25 22 | 20 16 | 24 20 | 19 16 | 24 20 |
| 10-15 | 18-22 | 15-19 | 11-20 | 10-15 | 12-19 | 8-12 |
| 25 22 | 25 18 | 23 16 | 22 17 | 25 22 | 23 16 | 25 21 |
| 12-16 | 15-22 | 12-19 | 13-22 |* 9-13 | 11-20 | 12-16 |
|*27 24 | 26 23 | 24 15 | 25 4 | 20 16 | 22 17 | 21 17 |
| 15-19 | 5- 9 | 9-14 |W wins.| 12-19 | 13-22 | 4- 8 |
| 24 15 | 17 13 | 18 9 | | 23 16 | 25 4 | 29 25 |
| 16-19 | 11-15 | 11-25 | | 11-20 |W wins.| 6- 9 |
| 23 16 | 23 18 |B wins.| | 18 4 | | 27 24 |
| 9-14 | 1- 5 | | |W wins.| | 1- 6 |
| 18 9 | 18 11 | | | | | 32 27 |
| 11-25 | 7-23 | | | | | 6-10 |
| 28 24 | 27 18 | | | | | 27 23 |
| 5-14 | 9-14 | | | | | 8-12 |
| 24 19 | 18 9| | | | | 25 21 |
| 6-10 | 5-14 | | | | | 2- 6 |
|B wins.|B wins.| | | | | 31 27 |
| | | | | | | 3- 8 |
| | | | | | | 30 25 |
| | | | | | |W wins.|
+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
_=LOSING GAME.=_ In this variety of Draughts, the object is to give
away all your men before your adversary can give away his, or to block
yourself so that you cannot move. The secret of success in Losing Game
is to get your men on such squares that they cannot be made to jump to
the king row. These squares will be the row next you on your own side
of the board, and every second row from that, horizontally. Get your
men on those squares as soon as possible, and do not be in too great a
hurry to capture your adversary’s men.
_=POLISH DRAUGHTS.=_ Although intended for a special board of 100
squares this game can be played on a common checker board. It differs
from ordinary draughts in two particulars:
Although the men can move only forward, they can take backward, and
Kings can go any distance at one move.
If in taking a piece, a man arrives at the king row, that does not end
the move if he can capture another piece by jumping backward out of the
king row again. As this brings him away from the king row before the
move is complete, he will not be a king until he can get to the king
row at the end of a move.
Kings can go any number of squares in a straight line, and can capture
any piece which is on the diagonal, not protected by another piece
behind it. Kings can also go on for any number of squares beyond the
captured piece, and then turn a corner to capture another piece. In
Diagram No. 12, for instance, the black King could capture all six of
the white men by going over the first one only, and then turning to
the left, and continuing to turn to the left after every capture, as
shown by the squares with the numbers on them, which indicate his five
successive turning-points.
[Illustration: No. 12.
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | 5 | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛀ | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | 1 | | ⛀ | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | 4 | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| 2 | | | | ⛀ | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | ⛀ | | | | | | ⛃ |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | 3 | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
]