Endgame Problems

[Lisle Cormier]

Below are a few useful endgame ideas.

Single Corner Forced Exchange
Double Breeches
Triangle Cramp
Single Corner Cramp
Man-Down Double Corner Cramp
Bridge Position
The Pocket
Self Incrimination
The King Shot
Single Corner Block
Bridge Position #2

[Lisle Cormier]

From Boland's Familiar Themes, this problem uses control of the single corner to force a winning exchange.



White to Win.


Answer:
15-10*, 13-17, 11-15*, 17-22, 15-18*, 22-25, 18-14*, 25-29, 14-9*, 29-25, 30-26*, 25-30, 26-22*, 21-25, 9-13*, 25-29, 13-9*, 30-25, 9-5, 25-18, 10-6*. White Wins.

[Lisle Cormier]

The double breeches standard from Familiar Themes.



White to Win.


Answer:
19-16*, 30-26, 29-25*, 4-8, 25-21*, 26-22, 21-17*, 22-26, 16-12*, 8-11, 12-8*, 11-16, 8-11*, 16-20, 11-15*, 26-23, 17-21*, 20-24, 14-9*, 5-14, 15-18*. White Wins.

[Lisle Cormier]

Here is another Familiar Theme in a hidden setting.



Black Plays, White Draws.

Answer:
15-18, 23-19*, 6-9, 26-23!*, 18-27, 30-26*, 27-31, 26-23*, 17-22, 25-18, 31-27, 19-16*, 27-24, 16-12*, 24-20, 12-8*, 20-16, 23-19!*, 16-23, 8-3*. Drawn.

[Lisle Cormier]

This problem combines two themes - the Single Corner Cramp and the Fugitive King. It is easier to solve from a macro view than move-by-move. Hold the four checkers cramped in the single corner, then attack the king without allowing the cramp to unwind. Since it only requires two checkers to hold the cramp, White can use a waiting move when necessary to gain tempo on the king.



White to Win.


Answer:
10-7* (A), 28-24, 14-18, 24-19, 17-22, 19-15, 18-23, 15-19, 22-26, 19-24, 26-30! (B), 24-28, 7-10 (C), 28-24, 10-14, 24-28, 14-18, 28-24, 18-22, 24-28, 22-26, 28-24, 26-31, 24-28, 31-27, 28-24 (D), 27-32, 24-27, 23-18, 27-24 (E), 32-28*, 24-27 (F), 28-24,
27-31, 30-25, 31-26, 25-21, 26-31, 21-17 (G), 31-26, 17-14, 26-31, 14-10, 31-26, 10-7, 26-31, 18-22. White Wins.

A. White holds the single corner cramp with pieces on 20 and 7.

B. White restricts the Black king to squares 24, 28, and 32.

C. The piece on 7 is no longer needed to hold the single corner cramp, which is now maintained by Black pieces on 20 and 23. Thus it can be employed to attack the fugitive king. In addition, changing the guard to 23 from 7 allows the piece on 23 to serve the double function of holding the cramp and containing the king.

D. 28-32, 30-25, 16-19, 23-7, 32-23, 7-10. White Wins.

E. 27-31, 18-15, 11-18, 20-4, 18-23, 4-8. White Wins.

F. 16-19, 18-23, 19-26, 30-23. White Wins.

G. Not 18-23?, 16-19*, 23-7, 8-11*, 7-16, 12-28. Drawn.

[Lisle Cormier]

Jim Loy's problem book has a beautiful correction of Problem 97 in Gould's Problem Book. Jim, you found a gem.



White Plays, Black Draws.


Answer:
21-17, 23-26*, 11-15, 26-23*, 15-10, 23-26*, 10-6, 3-8*, 6-1, 8-11*, 22-18, 11-8!* (A), 17-13, 26-22*, 18-14, 22-17*, 14-10, 8-11*, 10-6, 17-14*, 6-2, 14-10*. Drawn.

A. Quiet and deadly! Otherwise, 26-22?, 18-14*, 22-13, 14-9*. Black Wins.

[Lisle Cormier]

A nice problem from Boland's Bridges.



White to Draw.


Answer:
7-2*, 19-15 (A), 9-5!* (B), 18-9, 10-6*, 1-10, 5-1*, 9-13 (C), 1-6*, 13-17, 2-7*, 17-14, 7-2*. Drawn.

A. 19-23, 2-6* (a), 23-26, 6-2*, 26-22, 2-6*, 22-17, 10-7!* (b), 1-10, 7-2*, 10-15, 2-7*. Drawn.

(a) 2-7?, 18-15*, 9-6, 23-18*, 14-9, 18-14*, 9-5, 14-9*, 6-2, 15-6, 7-11, 6-10*, 2-7, 10-14, 7-2, 14-18, 11-16, 18-15, 16-20, 9-14, 20-16, 14-18, 16-20, 18-23, 20-24, 23-19. Black Wins.

(b) 6-2?, 17-13*, 2-6, 1-5!*, 12-8, 3-12, 10-7, 13-17*. Black Wins.


B. 2-6?, 1-5*, 12-8, 3-12, 10-7, 15-19, 7-2, 12-16*, 2-7, 16-20*, 6-10, 20-24, 10-6, 24-27, 7-2, 27-31, 2-7, 31-26, 7-2, 26-22, 6-1, 19-15, 2-6, 22-17, 14-10, 5-14, 1-5, 17-21. Black Wins.

C. 9-5, 1-6*, 5-1, 2-7*, 10-14, 6-9*. Drawn.

[Lisle Cormier]

These companion problems from Wiswell's Checker Magic highlight a theme called The Pocket.

A Study in White


White to Win.


Answer:
30-25*, 14-18, 21-17*, 18-23, 25-22* (A), 9-13, 17-14*, 23-26 (B), 22-17!*, 13-22, 19-15*. White Wins.

A. 17-13? forms The Pocket.

B. Or 23-27.


The Pocket


Black Draws.


9-14*, 13-9, 14-17*, 25-21, 17-22* (A), 9-6, 22-26*, 6-2, 26-31*, 2-7, 31-27*, 7-16, 27-24*, 19-15, 24-19*. Black Draws by The Pocket.

A. Not 23-27?, 21-14, 27-31, 9-6*, 31-27, 6-10!*, 27-23, 19-15!*, 11-18, 10-15*, 18-22, 15-18*. White Wins by The Pocket.

[william]

Thank you lisle

for those interesting and fascinating problems . I am just surprised that there has been no contributions but your own here , as the idea of starting an " interseting endgame " article , is a good one . KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK , and if I get a bit of time to myself then i will try and post few

WILLIAM

[Lisle Cormier]

Thank you lisle

for those interesting and fascinating problems . I am just surprised that there has been no contributions but your own here , as the idea of starting an " interseting endgame " article , is a good one . KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK , and if I get a bit of time to myself then i will try and post few

WILLIAM

Thanks, William. I am glad you are enjoying them.

[Lisle Cormier]

I call this theme Self Incrimination because Black, in three instances, is punished by a two-for-one shot if he exposes a White piece to capture. The first two times, Black can avoid threatening the White piece. But the third time, Black must allow the drawing shot. Another classic from Wiswell's Checker Magic called Imagination.

Imagination


White to Draw.


Answer:
16-11*, 18-22, 26-17, 13-22, 9-6*, 1-10, 11-7!*, 3-8 (A), 7-3*, 8-12, 3-7*, 10-15 (B), 30-25!*, 15-18 (C), 7-10*, 22-26, 10-14*. Drawn.

A. Black avoids the self incrimination that would result from moving the piece on 10 and allowing the shot by 30-25*.

B. 10-14, 7-10*, 14-18, 30-25*. Drawn.

C. Otherwise, there is self incrimination by 22-26, 7-11*. Drawn.

[Lisle Cormier]

The King Shot is a well known and useful theme. These two problems from Wiswell's Checker Magic illustrate less obvious variations on the shot.

Brooklynite


White to Draw.


Answer:
30-26!*, 9-13, 26-23!*, 14-17, 22-18*, 6-9, 11-15!*, 17-22 (A), 15-10!*, 22-26, 23-19!* (B), 26-31 (C), 10-15!!* (D). Drawn.

A. 17-21, 23-19*. Drawn.

B. 10-14?, 26-31, 14-5, 31-26*. White Wins.

C. 26-30, 10-15*. Drawn.

D. A triple threat King Shot.


The Stumbling Block


White to Win.


Answer:
30-25* (A), 2-6, 10-7*, 6-10, 25-21, 10-15, 7-2, 15-19, 2-7*, 19-23, 7-10*, 23-26 (B), 22-18*, 26-30, 18-15*, 30-25, 15-11*, 25-22, 10-15*, 1-5, 11-7, 5-9, 21-17!*. White Wins.

A. 22-18?, 13-17*, 18-15, 2-6!*, 10-7, 6-10*, 15-6, 1-10, 7-2, 17-22, 2-6, 10-14*, 6-10, 14-17*. Drawn.

B. 1-5, 10-14*, 23-26, 22-18*, 26-30, 18-15*, 30-25, 14-18*. White Wins.

[Lisle Cormier]

Here is the old "stuff 'em in a corner" routine.

Quicksand


White to Win.


Answer:
20-16*, 12-19, 27-23*, 19-26, 17-14*, 10-17, 29-25!*. White Wins.




White to Win.


Answer:
6-10*,14-18, 10-15*, 18-22, 13-17*, 22-25, 15-19!*, 16-23, 31-26!*, 23-30, 17-21!*. White Wins.

[Lisle Cormier]

This position from Boland's Bridges caught my attention because of its practicality. Black has sacrificed a man in order to break through for a king while maintaining a strong defense with his remaining forces. The caption "White to Win" should bring hope since many of us have faced an uphill battle when caught between a fortress and a marauding king. In this instance, at least, the aggravator is punished for this cheeky behavior.

There are three strategic possibilities for White:
(1) Allow the man on square 18 to crown and attack White's pieces from behind. The tradeoff must be that White gains a move that breaks through Black's fortress without losing material.
(2) Move the piece on square 17 in the hope of having more waiting moves than Black.
(3) Move the piece on square 17 with the intent of sacrificing a man through square 6 in order to crown and attack Black from behind.

White's first move is an important point that should clarify how to both defend and attack this type of fortress.



White to Win.