Richard Pask's "Key Endings" Electronic Reissue

[chipschap]

Thanks again to Richard Pask's onoing generosity, a newly typeset electronic reissue of his "Key Endings" can now be downloaded from the Checker Maven site (http://www.checkermaven.com), at no cost.

We would be most gratetful if you would bring to our attention any typesetting errors, for which we alone take responsibility.

Together with Key Openings, Key Themes, Key Landings, and other books found on our site, a reasonably complete basic checker library is now freely available to everyone. We modestly hope that this will contribute to improved play on the part of checker enthusiasts who previously did not have access to very much checker literature.

We continue with our ambitious project to reissue all of Mr. Pask's Solid Checkers some time in late 2007.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

We would be most gratetful if you would bring to our attention any typesetting errors, for which we alone take responsibility.

Dear Bob / Richard,

this is very serious work and requires a detal accurate slow study and memomrising. I only started looking deeper in this fine revise version and here is what I find so far:

1. Pg. 11, Line 1. 15-1 instead 15-11.

2. Pg. 19, line 6. SI-27 instead 31-27

3. Octopus ending which is covered on pages 62-63 is not forcable! and once, having red pieces, I played it differently in order to prevent this ending, and survived ... not because my opponent missed a win, but because it was just another draw. Here is a full text of this game:

A. Moiseyev vs R. Beckwith
3 moves US Nt 2004,
Las Vegas, NV, August 3

Round 3, G1

11-16 21-17 7-11 17-14 10-17 22-13 11-15 23-19 16-23 26-10 6-15 13-6 1-10 25-22 12-16 29-25 16-19 25-21 10-14 22-17 2-7 17-10 7-14 27-23 19-26 31-22 14-18 (A) 24-19 (B) 18-25 19-10 5-9 10-6 9-13 6-1 25-29 1-6 29-25 21-17 13-22 30-21 22-26 6-10 26-30 21-17 8-11 17-13 30-26 13-9 11-16 10-15 26-22 (C) 9-6 4-8 15-10 16-19 6-2 19-23 2-6 Drawn

Diagram #1

After 14-18*

A. See diagram #1. This move, 14-18, is a good alternative to published play 3-7 which forces the play into the Key Ending # 18 and well covered in Richard Pask book. It was 100% crossboard innvovation on my part and I didn't have any prior knoweldges of this move. However, during the game I spent some time and didn't find significant dangers for red after this move.

B. Right after the game me and Dr. Richard Beckwith looked a little bit over 22-17 which maybe a good alternative to 24-19 but still draws. Later I checked everything after 14-18 by utilizing Nemesis help. Verdict remains unchanged - draw !

Continue from diagram: 22-17 18-23 24-19 15-24 28-19 5-9 17-13 9-14 13-9 8-11 9-6 14-18 etc. Drawn

C. The only move to draw !

Sincerely,

Alex Moiseyev

[chipschap]

Alex,

1. Pg. 11, Line 1. 15-1 instead 15-11.

2. Pg. 19, line 6. SI-27 instead 31-27

Thank you for these corrections; I have uploaded an edited version. No matter how much I proofread there is always something around the corner! Any and all additional corrections welcome; I will make updates as quickly as possible.

As to the Octopus ending on pp. 62-63 and your play corrections, may I have permission to make this into a supplement to include with the download files?

Thank you again.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

may I have permission to make this into a supplement to include with the download files?

Indeed you have my permission ! It would be a great honor for me to contribute something to Richard Pask book.

Also - once I posted something here, it's already in public and becomes an available source, and you or anyone else can use it for references.

Respectfully,

Alex

[Patrick Parker]

this is a good thing for checkers ...thanks

[tommyc]

There is no doubt R.Pask has contributed greatly to checker knowledge on this and many other sites in a labour of love for the game.

He has reproduced and grouped together some finest lines of play(not his own) for the greater benefit of players world wide,but i have to in this case say beware of his reproduction of the "Golden Dozen" which by now is almost 10 years old and including Caytons initial efforts (ground-breaking as they were back then?) are way off the track of more modern play this past ten years.

if i were to ask anyone on the so called Golden Dozen there is but one man........the guy who knows it all Mac Banks.

The major problem i have with Pasks offering is while he means well and the half a loaf is better n no bread scenario.........its not the real deal,so dont take it as Gospel b/c its far from it/

Any serious draughts player in the high echelons of their game especially if they have actually been "at the birth of the new openings" can see this is a seriously flawed document. Having said that Pask can say, well at least i tried to put something out there in the public domain.The question is is it up to standard..............the brutal answer is no!!

Its not enough to say well "its not my play"............it may be 10 yrs old but im just reproducing it....and thats the problem i have with Pasks Golden Dozen.........its seriously flawed.

.

[Ingo_Zachos]

Excellent job!

We want more of it

I am thinking of translating Pask's works to German, as especially the endgame technique of German players needs a boost.

This is the best one-volume book about the endgame that is available.

Greetinx from sunny Dortmund, Germany

Ingo Zachos

[Mr. Checkers]

[Patrick Parker]

book is free and is just general news
however if a thread were created this post would belong there