Checkers Proficiency

In this connection, here is a word of advice which will help you become a proficient student of checkers and will also increase your playing skill enormously while at the same time giving you a finer imaginative grasp of the game. When you buy a checkerboard, get one with numbered squares.

These are available in many stores and cost no more than the ordinary, unnumbered boards.

Constant use of the numbered checkerboard will make the numbering system second nature to you, so that you will be able to read off the moves effortlessly and concentrate fully on the material you are studying.

If you find it impossible to obtain a numbered checkerboard, you can number the squares on an ordinary checkerboard to achieve the same effect.

Here are some points about the checker notation that you will find useful. The actual moves played are arranged in two vertical columns, with Black\'s moves in the left column and White\'s moves in the right column.

When you are studying the play following a diagramed position, it is a good idea to first go through the main play in the columns (described as the text play or the text continuation ). This will give you a good over-all picture of the sequence of moves and their main objective.

Then, when you have studied this part, you can turn to the notes to the play and consider the alternative moves that have been discussed in the course of the play.

When these alternative lines are given, the sequence of moves is in sentence or paragraph form. In such cases, in order to make it easier for the inexperienced reader to follow the play, all Black moves are preceded by three dots.

You will also need to be familiar with the following symbols:
!    Good move
!!   Very fine move
?    Weak move
??   Very weak move
(K) Becomes a King

From the book <a href=\"http://www.how-to-play-checkers.com/howtoplaycheckers.html\">\"How to Play Checkers\"</a> by Fred Reinfeld and re-Published by DMC Enterprises, Inc.

 

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