Checkers Puzzle for 2 November 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 10 men on 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 29 and 31; Red has 10 men on 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 18. Both sides have the same number of men and kings. 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: 22x15x6 13x22 6x13. Black jumps 22x15x6, removing the men on 18 and 10. Red must take 13x22. Black takes 6x13, removing the man on 9. After this combination, Black has 9 men and Red has 7 men. The game continues from this position. One continuation from the search is 7-10 13-9 4-8 9-5 10-15 19x10.

Alternative 22x15x8: one sample line is 22x15x8 4x11 19-15. Black's 22x15x8 removes the men on 18 and 11. Red's 4x11 removes the man on 8. The board then has 9 men for Black and 8 men for Red. Alternative 23x14x5: one sample line is 23x14x5 16x23x32 22-18. Black's 23x14x5 removes the men on 18 and 9. Red's 16x23x32 removes the men on 19 and 27. Red crowns on 32. The board then has 8 men for Black and 7 men and a king for Red. Compare these sample lines with the solution and check other legal replies before judging the resulting position.

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