Checkers Puzzle for 26 October 2026 — Black to move

The idea

A multi-jump lets one piece capture several opponents in a single turn. Follow every landing square before choosing the first jump: removing a piece can open a new diagonal or make a backward capture available. Men may capture backward, and flying kings may have several landing choices beyond an enemy piece. A capture must continue while another jump is available, except that crowning ends the turn. You may choose among legal branches; you do not have to take the branch with the most captures. Compare the complete routes, the pieces removed and the safety of the final square.

Black to move. Black has 7 men and a king on 3, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 32 (king on 3); Red has 7 men on 2, 5, 6, 7, 13, 16 and 17. Black has 1 more king than Red. Red has a man in Black's half against 0 coming the other way. Black has 3 legal full turns to compare: 3 capture lines and 0 quiet choices. A capture chain is one turn, even when the piece changes direction. Look at its final landing square before committing to the first jump.

Solution: 3x10x1. Black jumps 3x10x1, removing the men on 7 and 6. After this combination, Black has 7 men and a king and Red has 5 men. The game continues from this position. One continuation from the search is 2-7 21x14 7-11 14-10 16-20 10-6 13-17 22x13.

Alternative 21x14: one sample line is 21x14 7-10 14x7. Black's 21x14 removes the man on 17. Black's 14x7 removes the man on 10. The board then has 7 men and a king for Black and 5 men for Red. Alternative 3x14: one sample line is 3x14 17x10 32-28. Black's 3x14 removes the man on 7. Red's 17x10 removes the king on 14. The board then has 7 men for Black and 6 men for Red. Compare these sample lines with the solution and check other legal replies before judging the resulting position.

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