"Its Gone But Its Still With Us"--answer

[Mr. Checkers]

Even though contemporary professional checkers does not recognize it many modern checker sets still carry it on. Manufacturers production of checker sets of all kinds is in the millions each year, so they basically dictate our checkered enviroment for us. I doubt if that will ever change--black and red checkers and boards are not going away; nor are all the novelty checker sets that we see on ebay these days. "Checker Trivia question of the Day"? What is "Gone But Its Still With Us" yet today? (Cont.)

[Palomino]

The first checker set I purchased as a boy was a cheap folding black/red checkerboad with thin black and red plastic checkers, I don't remember the price but I purchased it at the local Ben Franklin Dime Store the dime store is gone now but it's still with us yet today, they just changed the name to Family Dollar Store and they still sell the same black/red checkerboards with the same thin black and red plastic checkers. I guess that's inflation!

Regards, "Pal" Bucker

[Mr. Checkers]

Excellent answer Pal, but it is not the one we are looking for. Keep up the good work that you are doing for this segment of the ACF Forum. Ms. Becky

[Palomino]

Okay, I'll give it another try (but I like my first answer best ), here it goes.

The HUFF is "gone but".

In modern play if a player is able to capture an opponent's piece during his move, he must do so or forfeit the game, captures or "jumps" are mandatory. If a square diagonally in front of a man is occupied by an opponent's piece, and if the square beyond that piece in the same direction is empty, the man must "jump" over the opponent's piece and land on the empty square. The opponent's piece is captured and removed from the board. If there are two or more ways to jump, you may choose among them, regardless of whether they are multiple or not.

The HUFF (sometimes called the BLOW ) is an old rule which dealt with a player who failed to jump when he had the opportunity to jump. If a player failed to make a capture (jump) during his turn, his opponent had the options of (at the start of his own turn), (1 ) forcing him to take back his "non-jump" and force him to make the jump, (2) letting the non-jump move stand, or (3) removing, from the board one of the pieces which could have jumped. This third option, was the "HUFF". After doing that, the player then made his own move.

I believe if you purchase one of those cheap checker sets (as I mentioned in my first answer) with the folding black/red checkerboards with thin black and red plastic checkers, you will fine in it's "Rules for Play" that the "HUFF" is "still with us, yet today."

Regards, "Pal" Bucker

[Mr. Checkers]

Excellent answer Pal!!