The Laird and Lady opening: tricky and trappy, but balanced
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- The Laird and Lady checkers opening is full of tricks and traps. But it's also pretty even in strength, which makes it appealing to players of all classes. In this video, I cover one popular variation that includes an extravagant tactical sequence, proving once again the importance of considering every single move on the board, regardless of how ridiculous it may initially look.
Additional and supplemental resources:
Checkercycle's early 19-15 instead of 26-23: • "LAIRD AND LADY A CHEC...
and 19-15 instead of 31-26: • THE LAIRD AND LADY OPE...
People: "I'm playing chess while they're playing checkers."
Checkers:
I don't know where you went to but thank you for all the work you've put into Checkers on RUclips.
Thank you. Videos will be published regularly this summer.
Man I look forward to these Saturday posts. Thanks Ryan. Laird and Lady is rarely played as opposed to the black doctor option I’ve noticed online.
Thanks, Thomas! And that is good to note -- I guess in major tournaments, the Laird and Lady is still probably preferred over the more risky Black Doctor. Both are great, and playing both is good for variety!
Nice but
Ryan, You doing alright? Haven't seen you post or play lately. Hope all is well. Look forward to playing soon.
All is good, my friend! I just haven't had much time to dedicate to checkers this year. It is great to hear from you and I hope you are doing well!
I haven't played out this line, but at 2:35 when red moves 13-17, why isn't the 25-22 reply from white the best option? Red would then have to reply by taking either 17-26, leaving white with a 31-22-15-8 triple jump - or if red replies with 18-25, then white has the double 29-22-13? In the latter case, red would get the checker back, but only by weaking his own double corner to do so.
Exactly..
Really great question, thank you Patrick! You are correct -- if the 25-22 reply, then red would need to jump 18x25, as the 17x26 jump would result in red losing a piece and position. After 18x25, 29x13, despite being down a piece, red actually has a stronger position. After 6-10, white's single corner is broken and cannot stay one piece ahead. It must now develop out of the double corner to maintain a draw.
Thank you for this
Even though I consider myself to be adept at the game,I used to always think attacking from the flanks was great and would wonder why I would lose and be trapped
So thank you for informing me about the center as I employed the x formation as opening online checkers and it gave me edge and more flexibility so thank you
That is fantastic to hear and I appreciate you sharing your experiences! It's a common belief that the side or flank moves are safest and best, but in fact, it's the opposite as you know now from experience!
Awesome video Ryan, I love the new format btw its so easy to follow! If you go to the sequence at 4:59 could you also move 6-9, 20-4, 9-18, 23-14, 21-25, 30-21, 3-8? Would that work?
Thank you very much, my friend! I appreciate the feedback about the video format -- I'll keep this overhead view for a while, but may change it up from time to time. Variety is good! As for the sequence -- yes, 6-9 instead of 5-9 is sound, but it actually makes it a little bit harder for red to draw (as white is still a piece ahead at this point). With 5-9 played instead, the piece remains on 6, which requires white to make those star moves of 19-15-11, and it tempts 17-13 after the red king presses with 26-22. But if 6-9 instead, then after the 3x3, white can simply play 14-9, 5x14, 17x10, and then the red king has to be careful of pressing too much or it may end up losing!
Really instructive game :) thanks for showing us this beauty!
Thanks, Alex! Always great to see you in the comments section, and I hope you are doing well!
Thank you so much ❤
great . like the number board also. you links where interesting as well. awesome thanks :)
Thanks, John! I'm always happy to provide additional and supplemental lines of play. Checkercycle does an excellent job (as he does in all of his videos!) covering two other variations in this Laird and Lady opening.
Could someone help me. At 2:03 red goes from 15-18, then in the vid white goes 26-23. But its white forced to take red by moving 14-23?
White is going in the opposite direction. Attacking down in the video, not up.
In this variant of checkers, pieces can only move and jump forward, not backward.
Amazing, thankyou for covering this
Thank you! I appreciate you watching!
2:45, why wouldn't white play 25-22 and capture 2 for 1 or 3 for 2?
If 25-22 is played, then red captures 18x25, 29x13, and after 6-10, the red position is strong. Maybe not a technical win, but also not playable in any practical sense.
Hello, I just found this channel. Checkers master here! Against my friends who don't know how to play checkers 😄. Anyways, I was wondering if there's a video somewhere that explains having "Opposition" or the "the move"? Whatever its called, I've heard a couple of different ways to figure it out. I wonder what the creator of these videos prefers to use?...🤔😏
Eventually I'll talk about "the move." It's an important component of the game, no doubt. But also perhaps a little overrated. I think both can be true!
All Checkers program i have played cannot win with 2 vs 1. i mean if i set myself to the corner and start to move between those two squares the game will never end, they cannot push me out from that corner.
Yes, you are unfortunately correct! Many programs do not have a built-in end game database, which hinders the ability to win a simple 2 kings vs. 1 king ending.
Nice line Ryan
Thanks, Alex -- I know there a ton of traps in this opening, so this may be the first of several Laird and Lady variations that are covered.
@@paulmutembei7213 I'll talk with Alex, as I don't know about this particular cook either, but I'm certainly interested!
I love this channel
Thank you for watching!
where you been ryan!
Nice
Ryan You are not active since 7 months ? Are you doing Alright . it is much of concerning to us. I hope you are okay and will be back soon !
Sorry for the concern -- I appreciate your patience and kind words. I will be publishing videos regularly throughout this summer.
Coming from chess background, i have wrongly underestimated how checkers are actually not that simple after all. in Chess you have many pieces moving and capturing differently but here you only have one motion - going diagonally and capturing by jumping over. However you have to calculate all possible jumps and whether your opponent makes "accidental gaps" that you think you are winning his 2 3 pieces but then you see he takes your 5 6 pi3ces 😄
Thank you for the feedback! I agree -- checkers is certainly deeper than it appears! As you mentioned, it comes down to many jumping calculations (which can be done by both players!). Oftentimes you will find experienced tournament players looking at least 30-40 moves out!
I immediately saw the 21-25 move but I still can't win my games 😅😅😅
That's OK! If you can see such a challenging tactical sequence, you are well on your way to becoming a good player. Even the best players don't win every game!
Mindsport. Very Good!
Thank you!
Laird and lady
How to arrive to this from the start to this variations
1,11-15,19-10,6-15,28-24,8-11,25-21,1-6,23-19,7-10,14-7,3-10,30-25,6-9,25-22,18-25,29-22,10-14,19-10
2)6-9,31-26,2-6,26-22,6-10,22-6,1-17,23-18,17-22,27-24,22-26,30-23,13-17,25-21
3)6-10,25-22,18-25,29-13,10-17,23-18,1-6,27-23,7-10,19-16,12-19,23-7
4)6-9,25-22,18'25,29-6,1-17,23-18,7-10,27-23,10-14,18-9,5-14,32-27,3-7,27-24,17-21,19-16,12-19,23-16,7-10,16-7
5)11-16,20-4,3-8,4-11,7-30,27-24,30-26,18-15,2-7,13-9,5-14,15-10,7-11,10-7,26-23,7-3
That's today assignments ill highly appreciate your submissions to the 5 assignments thanks in advance 🤝😇
Thank you! I'll see what I can find! Some of these variations I do recognize, others I do not. Variations 3, 4, 5 do look familiar, but does 1 and 2 do not. I will do some research and show what I find!
@@azcheckers Thanks for the feedback will be waiting for them. checkers is sometimes a complicated game with infinite variations and very tricky indeed
@@azcheckers Yes carrying out a research is a good idea just imagine there are about 188 plus variation that I saw that's only for laird and lady and old 14th game too the same 100 plus and many more from other games as well.But let's focus on one at a time laird and lady.Thanks and I look forward to hear from you Sir.
The way you write Checkers Annotation is very bad!
It is impossible to understand what your trying to say!
The Laird & Lady is great for White, but I would never recommend it for Red.
Red can draw, but it’s not a very good way for Red to play because it allows White the ability to attack Red Double Corner.
The starting Position of Laird & Lady is the following:
1. 11-15 23-19
2. 8-11 22-17
3. 9-13
White natural follow up move is to attack into Red Double Corner with 3…17-14.
4. 10-17 is forced and White has 2 ways to recapture 19-10 or 21-14
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The first variation you showed is impossible!
If 4…19-10 is played, and Red plays 5. 6-15.
White can’t play 5…28-24.
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The second variation your showed is impossible as well!
The only way 6-9 can be played is if White plays the Laird & Lady Refused Variation!
The starting Position of Laird & Lady Refused is the following:
1. 11-15 23-19
2. 8-11 22-17
3. 9-13 25-22
Red can play 4.6-9 in that variation, but White can’t respond with 4…31-26?
None of the lines your showing are legal moves in checkers.
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In addition, The move 6-9 isn’t even playable in the normal Laird & Lady line.
It loses the game for Red instantly.
The starting Position of Laird & Lady is the following:
1. 11-15 23-19
2. 8-11 22-17
3. 9-13 17-14
4. 10-17 21-14
If Red plays 5. 6-9, White has the crushing response 26-22 which wins a piece and should win the game.
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You should work on your checkers annotation.
Write the Number of the Square the Checker is on first such as square #11
Than add a line “-“
Than say the number of the Square the Checker move to such as square #15.
Than add it all together such as 11-15
The checker started on 11 square and moved to 15 square that’s how you annotate.
Until, you figure out how to write correctly it is difficult to help you.
Also, I wouldn’t recommend playing this line for Red.
Isn’t this game is draw?
Yes, the Laird and Lady is a fundamentally sound game. However, it is complicated, and there are winning opportunities for both sides.