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© Copyright 1998, Jim Loy
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others. But, this article will eventually be part of a book that I am writing.
So, please do not distribute it widely.
If you need help reading checkers notation, please print out the numbered board.
This is not a complete guide to the White Doctor opening (a gambit). Some of the main lines are not mentioned here. But, you can learn a lot about this difficult opening, by studying these moves. Although theory claims that White has a strong advantage, I find that Red often has winning chances.
Mainly, this article is another example of my search for cooks. I go through variation after variation, seeing if the published moves look good. Most of these corrections (cooks) are fairly simple. Somebody should have discovered them decades ago. Unattributed lines are my own work.
10-14 22-18 12-16 24-20 16-19* 23-16 14-23* 26-19 8-12* (White Doctor) 25-22(C) 6-10 30-26(v1) 11-15(B) 27-23(A) 15-24 28-19 4-8 32-28 8-11 29-25 9-13 (2-6 draws PP) 31-27 5-9? (2-6 draws PP) 19-15 10-19 23-18! 3-8 21-17 7-10 (2-6 27-24 WW) 16-7 2-11 25-21 1-5 27-23 (The correction. Parsons gave 17-14? to draw in Churchill) 12-16 17-14 WW
A - 22-17 15-24 28-19 4-8 29-25 (Other moves may be stronger) 8-11 25-22 9-13 17-14 (27-23? 5-9 RW, Loy) 10-17 21-14 2-6 27-23? (22-18 draws, G. Bass) 6-10 22-17 13-22 26-17 5-9 RW (Called a draw in Churchill) G. Bass, MSA
B - 2-6 27-23 9-13 (11-15? 16-11 WW? Albrecht) 32-27 10-14? (Nobody will move this, as it is a published loss) 22-17? (This is the published win. Other moves may win) 13-22 26-10 6-24 23-19 11-15 (Correction. 1-6? WW Todd-Zvorak, 1977 I-D) easy draw
C - 30-26 6-10 27-23 11-15!? (Called a loss in PP. 9-13 draws PP) 16-11!? (25-22 draws PP) 15-24 28-19 7-16 20-11 3-8 11-7 25-22 9-13 (Correction. Fortman. 11-16? Loses PP) 29-25 5-9 32-28 1-5 (11-15 19-16 WW?) 22-18 11-15 18-11 8-24 28-19 4-8 19-16 12-19 23-16 8-12 16-11 draw. There may be a WW somewhere.
v1 - 31-26(v3) 11-15 27-23 15-24 28-19 4-8 29-25 8-11 22-18(v2) 1-6(B) (Titus called this a loss) 26-22(A) 9-14 (10-14 loses, Titus) 18-9 6-13! (Loy. 5-14? loses, Titus) 23-18 (32-28 10-15 RW or 30-26 5-9 32-28 10-14 White runs out of moves) 10-15 19-10 7-23 16-7 3-10 22-18 2-6 (5-9 25-22 2-7 21-17 7-11 30-25 23-26 17-14 draws) 18-14* 10-17 21-14 13-17 32-28 (White must allow Red to king) 23-27 28-24 (25-22 17-26 30-23 27-31 23-19 31-27 19-15 14-10 draw) 27-32 24-19 32-27 19-15 27-23 14-10 23-19 10-1 19-10 20-16 12-19 25-22 draw
A - Red must be prepared for: 32-28! 10-14* 25-22 (White will have to return his extra piece) 6-10 19-15* 10-19 22-17 9-13 17-10 7-14 18-9 5-14 16-7 3-10 23-16 12-19 draw
B - 2-6 (the published draw) 25-22 9-13* 32-28? 6-9 (draw Todd-Heath, Badger Ladder in Churchill) 19-15 (30-25 10-14 RW) 10-19 21-17 1-6 30-25 6-10 25-21 19-24 (or other wins) 28-19 10-15 19-10 12-19 23-16 7-30 16-7 3-10 RW
v2 (off v1) - 23-18(G) (more popular) 9-14* 18-9 5-14 22-17 14-18* (11-15? 25-22 15-24 16-11 WW PP) 17-14 10-17 21-14 11-15*(F) 19-10 12-19 26-22(D) 18-23 22-18 19-24 20-16 24-20 16-12 7-11 12-8 3-12 10-7 27-31 7-3 31-27* 3-8 11-16 8-11(C)16-20 18-15 27-24 11-8(B) 24-19 15-11 2-6 25-21? (11-7 draws PP) 1-5 21-17?(A) 6-9 14-10 19-15 (Correction. 9-13? draws, Robertson) 10-7 9-13 RW
A - 11-7 12-16 (Not 6-9? 14-10 19-15 10-6 15-10 8-11 10-3 11-15 Red has troubles) 8-12 23-27 draw (Frazier)
B - 25-22 12-16 11-8? (May draw?) 23-26! 30-23 16-19 23-16 24-19 (BW PP) 15-11* 19-3 32-27* 3-7 11-8 2-6 22-18 7-2 8-4 6-10 14-7 2-11 27-23 draw?
C - 18-15 27-24 15-11 24-20 8-3 16-19 3-8 2-6 25-21 12-16 11-7 23-27 32-23 19-26 30-23 16-19 23-16 20-2 21-17? (A typo in Churchill. Insert 8-11 1-5 before this move) 6-10 RW
D - 20-16(E) 2-6* 32-27 6-15 14-9 3-8* 27-24? (Other moves draw) 19-28 16-12 8-11 12-8 15-19! (Correction. 7-10? Draw Steiner, EDJ, 1962) 8-3 18-22! 26-17 (or 25-18) 1-5 RW
E - 26-23 19-26 30-23 18-27 32-23 2-6 (RW, Goans-Webb, Dist. 9, in Churchill) 25-22 6-15 14-9 easy draw
F - 2-6? (Correctly called a WW in PP) 32-27? (26-22* WW Frazier) 11-15 19-10 12-19 26-23 19-26 30-23 6-15 14-9 (WW Robertson) 15-19 23-14 (23-16 7-10 draws, Frazier) 19-24 27-23 24-27 23-19 27-31 25-21 31-26 19-15 26-22 15-10 7-11 9-6 22-18 14-9 18-14 9-5 14-7 6-2 7-10 2-7 10-15 7-16 3-7 21-17 7-10 16-12 15-11 draw (Frazier)
G - 22-17 11-15 32-28 15-24 28-19 2-6? (3-8* draws PP) 17-13 10-14 21-17 14-21 16-11 7-16 20-11 9-14 25-22 14-17 22-18! 5-9 18-15 9-14 11-8 (WW Maine-Emery, MSA, Jan. 18, 1938) 1-5 15-11 (Correction. 8-4? 3-7 19-16 12-19 23-16 draw? B. Titus) WW
v3 (off v1) - 29-25(v4) 11-15(I) 22-17(H) 15-24 28-19 9-13(A) (Called a loss in some books. 2-6 or 4-8 PP draws) 17-14 10-17 21-14 4-8 27-23 1-6 32-27 6-10 25-21 10-17 21-14 13-17! (Frazier) 23-18 17-22 18-15 7-10 14-7 2-18 30-26 5-9 26-17 9-13 27-23 13-22! (Just showing off) 23-14 22-26 31-22 8-11 15-8 3-26 draw (Frazier)
A - 2-6(C) 25-22 4-8(B) 17-13 8-11 31-26 9-14 (11-15 draw PP) 27-23 14-17 21-14 10-17 22-18 (loss, Atkinson) 6-10 18-14! (Correction. 13-9? RW Atkinson) 17-21 23-18 10-17 18-14 1-6 32-28 3-8 28-24 WW
B - 9-13 19-15 10-19 16-11 7-16 20-11 5-9 30-26 6-10 11-7 10-15 7-2 4-8 32-28 1-6 27-24 (loss, according to Atkinson) 12-16 24-20 8-11 28-24! (Correction. 31-27? RW, Atkinson) 19-28 26-23 & 23-18 draw. Red may have to be careful.
C - 4-8 17-13(G) (30-26 or 31-26 transpose) 10-15 19-10 12-19 13-6 7-14 20-16 1-10 25-22 5-9 30-26 2-7 16-12?(D) 8-11 27-23 11-16 32-28 (draw, Parsons) 7-11 31-27 11-15 27-24 16-20 23-16 20-27 16-11 9-13! (Correction. 27-31? draws, Parsons) 11-7 (26-23 27-31 RW) 14-18 RW
D - 22-17(F) 9-13(E) 16-12? (32-28 draws, Lees' Guide) 13-22 26-17 10-15 17-10 7-14 31-26 8-11 26-22 14-18 22-17 18-22 17-14 22-26 32-28 11-16 (Correction. 27-31? Parsons) RW
E - 19-23! 26-19 9-13 19-15 10-19 17-10 7-14 16-12 (32-28 or 31-26 draw? Loy) 8-11 31-26 (32-28 draw? Loy) 11-15! (Correction. 11-16? Draw, Frazier) 27-23 19-24 23-19 15-18 26-23 18-26 32-23 24-27 19-15 27-31 23-19 31-27 19-16 27-23 RW
F - 32-28 10-15 27-23 8-12 (8-11? 16-12* WW, Smith, ECB, correcting Lees' Guide) draws, PP
G - 32-28 8-11 17-13 9-14 30-26 14-18 26-22 11-15 27-24 18-23* 22-17? (One of my favorite positions. Find the RW. 16-11, long draw, Titus) 23-26! 31-22 2-6 RW
H - 30-26 15-24 28-19 4-8 22-18 8-11 26-22 9-14* 18-9 5-14 22-17 2-6* 31-26 (Given as a loss in Churchill. 27-24 14-18* PP draw as 11-15? 31-27! WW, Loy) 11-15 27-24! (27-23? RW in Churchill) 14-18! (Correction. 15-18? 26-22 WW, Oldbury) 26-22 6-9 17-13 1-6 22-17 9-14 32-28 3-8 16-11 7-23 24-19 draw
I - 4-8 30-26 11-15 27-23 15-24 28-19 8-11 22-17 2-6(J) 32-28 (17-13 9-14 32-27 may offer winning chances) 9-13 17-14 10-17 21-14 13-17? 25-21 6-10 23-18! (Correction. 19-15? Draw, Frazier) 1-6 31-27 6-9 27-24 9-13 19-15 WW
J - 11-15? 32-28 15-24 28-19 3-8 31-27! (Correction. 23-18? Draw KE) 9-14 (only way to king) 19-15 10-19 17-3 19-24 25-22 WW
v4 (off v3) - 22-17 2-6! (Or 4-8 and 2-6. Other moves lose) 17-13(C) 9-14(A) 31-26 14-18 26-22 18-25 29-22 10-15 19-10 12-19 30-26 7-14 22-17? (27-23 draws, Frazier) 11-15 (Correction. 19-24? Draw, Frazier) RW
A - 10-15 (considered shaky by PP) 19-10 12-19 30-26 6-15 13-6 1-10 21-17 4-8 (19-24 is similar) 17-13 19-24 28-19 15-24 29-25 11-15(B) 26-23 8-12 25-22 5-9! (Correction. 15-19? or 7-11? lose, Boatright) 13-6 15-18 draw
B - 10-15 26-22 8-12 25-21 15-19 32-28 7-10 22-17 11-15 20-16 3-8 27-20 19-24 (Correction. 15-18? WW Boatright) draw
C - 29-25 10-15 19-10 12-19 17-13(E) 6-15 13-6 1-10 25-22 10-14 27-24 5-9 22-17(D) 4-8 17-10 7-14 31-26 9-13 26-23 19-26 30-23 15-18 23-19 18-23 19-16 23-26 16-7 3-10 20-16 26-30 16-12 8-11 12-8 11-16 8-3 10-15? (30-26 tough draw? Loy) 3-7! (My correction. Or 3-8! to the same. 24-20? draws, Parsons) 15-18 7-11 16-20 11-15 20-27 15-22 27-31 32-27 WW
D - 31-27? 4-8! (Correction. 14-18 R. best, Caldwell) 22-17! (27-23 19-26 30-23 15-18 22-15 11-27 32-23 7-11 24-19 8-12 RW) 19-23 17-10 7-14 27-18 15-22 24-19 8-12 20-16! (32-28 9-13 RW) 11-20 19-15 22-25 15-10 25-29 10-6 12-16 (29-25? 6-1 draw) 6-1 16-19 1-6 9-13 6-1 (6-9 13-17 9-18 17-22 RW) 29-25 1-6 25-22 6-9 14-18 or 22-18 RW
E - 30-26 6-15 25-22 4-8 27-23 (RW in Churchill) 8-12 23-16 12-19 32-27 7-10 (draw, Frazier) 27-24 9-14 31-27 14-18 17-13 18-25 27-23 25-30 23-7 30-23 24-19 23-16 20-11 15-19 7-2 10-15 11-7 3-10 2-7 10-14 13-9! (Correction. 7-10? RW Churchill) easy draw