Return to my Checkers pages
Go to my home page
© Copyright 1997, Jim Loy
You may print this and show it to 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.
Weaknesses in checkers are not as obvious as most weaknesses in chess. Weaknesses are mentioned throughout checkers literature. But, you are not likely to see a collection of several weaknesses, like this one. Let's look at a few typical opening weaknesses.
Let's look at
the Glasgow: 11-15 23-19 8-11 22-17 11-16 (Glasgow) 24-20 16-23 (15-24 20-11
7-16 27-11 is the same) 27-11 7-16 20-11 3-7 (regains the piece). White can now
move 11-8 (28-24 is better) 4-11 [diagram #1], and it looks like Red's back row
is badly weakened. But White is in absolutely no position to take advantage of
the weakness.
In diagram #1, Red has weakened his single corner. He created this weakness by moving pieces away from the single corner. When you move a piece, you often create a weakness on the square that you just moved from. Well, in this position, White has a weakened double corner. And Red will probably try to trade off more pieces in White's double corner, to weaken it further.
This brings to mind the fact that it is usually easier to attack the double corner than it is to attack the single corner. So, a move like 4-8 (or 29-25), which weakens the single corner a little, is often a very safe move to make, as the weakness can seldom be exploited.
Let's look at
the Double Cross: 9-14 23-18? (Double Cross, a weak opening) 14-23 27-18*
[diagram #2]. White has weakened his double corner, and Red has plenty of
pieces on that side of the board (to help him trade off pieces from White's
double corner). So, White is in a fairly difficult situation.
Let's look at
the Dyke: 11-15 22-17 15-19 23-16 12-19 24-15 10-19 [diagram #3].
"Dyke" is a Scottish word for "wall". Red will try to
establish pieces on 10 and 15, forming a wall or sorts. The Dyke is an attack
on White's double corner. Now, White can actually force Red to weaken his
single corner with 27-23 (22-18 is better) 8-12 23-16 12-19 31-27 4-8 27-23
8-12 23-16 12-19 32-27 3-8 27-23 8-12 23-16 12-19, and Red's single corner is
weak. But, White's double corner is also weak. And Red will probably win this
game.
The "dyke" piece on 19 is both a strength and a weakness. It is a strength in that it attacks and immobilizes White's double corner. And it is a weakness in that it has to be defended. And advanced piece, insufficiently defended, often loses.
This "dyke" idea, of establishing a piece at 19 (or 14 for White) is the most popular way of aggressively creating and attacking a weakness in the opponent's side of the board.
Let's look at
the Edinburgh: 9-13. This is the weakest first move. it weakens the double
corner somewhat, and immobilizes the piece on 13, making it a mere spectator
rather than a participant. It also gives White control of the center, when he
moves 22-18 (strongest) [diagram #4]. In chess, occupying the center with pawns
is often fairly strong and aggressive. I checkers, occupying the center is
often of little use, as the opponent can trade off these pieces at his/her
leisure. Here, Red has some difficulty trading off White's center piece.
Continue, 11-15 18-11 8-15 21-17 13-22 25-11 7-16, and White is strong.
Instead, Red should allow White's dyke idea (after 9-13 22-18) with 12-16 18-14
or 10-15 18-14. White has other good options, rather than the dyke idea.
Let's look at
the Switcher: 11-15 21-17 (weak) 9-13! [diagram #5]. Doesn't 9-13 weaken the
double corner? Yes, but White's single corner is seriously cramped. He/she will
have to deal with this. Play the White side of the Switcher a few times, and
you will see how limited White's possible plans have become. And with this
cramped single corner, White cannot attack Red's double corner. A similar
situation is seen in the Dundee: 12-16 24-20 8-12. Red's single corner is
cramped, just as White's was in the Switcher.
Let's look at
the White Doctor: 10-14 22-18 12-16 (weak) 24-20 16-19* 23-16 14-23 26-19 8-12*
[diagram #6]. This is a gambit (as in chess). Red is a piece down. But, White's
double corner is badly cramped. The opening is considered difficult for Red,
because he has some difficulty regaining the piece. But, the cramp is almost
worth giving up the whole piece.
A Bristol: 11-16
22-18 8-11 25-22 16-20 [diagram #7]. Isn't 16-20 weak, because the piece on 20
is immobile (and the piece moves away from the center)? Yes, somewhat. But it
prevents 24-20 which may cramp Red's single corner. 16-20 (or 17-13 for White)
is a very common cautious move which relieves some tension, and may even help
attack the double corner.
Let's look at a
bad variation of the Single Corner: 11-15 22-18 15-22 26-17? (25-18 is much
better) [diagram #8]. This 26-17? is a near loss. White has abandoned the
center, which is not always a problem. But, white has broken up his position,
by leaving a gap in the middle of it. This is often the sign of a weak opening.
Often this weakness involves moving the piece at 26 (or 7). This piece is
called the "apex" piece (not a good name, as it is in the middle, not
at the apex of anything). In several openings, moving the apex piece is often
weaker than other moves. This is not an absolute rule, there are plenty of
exceptions.
Other opening variations which rip apart the middle of the position are 12-16 23-19? and 11-16 23-19? These openings were considered losses. But, 11-16 23-19? may be a draw. Weaknesses such as these often don't look so bad, but get worse as the game goes on. The player who made the weak move has to keep dealing with his opponent's threats, instead of pursuing his own plans.
Let's look at
the Octopus: 10-15 21-17 7-10 (moving the "apex" piece is weak here)
17-14 10-17* 22-13 11-16* (other moves lose) 23-19 (other moves are strong,
too) 16-23 26-10 6-15 13-6 1-10* [diagram #9]. Moving the "apex"
piece didn't look so bad, at the time. But, because of forced moves, we arrive
at a difficult situation in the diagram. White should be able to attack Red's
double corner.
In chess, time (the initiative) is very important, being the first player to move is an advantage. This is true, to a lesser extent, in checkers. Moving first is an advantage. But as the game goes on, most possible moves are weak. And, in some situations, being first to move means that you are first to create a weakness in your own position. Sometimes, you run out of safe moves, and must weaken your position. If there is something that you feel must be accomplished, then being first to move is an advantage.