End games
According to the Dutch draughts dictionary  the definition of an end game is:
a) the phase in the game in the late center game whereby one or more pieces break through,
often in a position of eight pieces for both black and white;
b) a position with only a few pieces inwhich white is able to win.

    Gerrit de Bruijn publishes in every issue of De Problemist a column 'End game'
    the beautiful and difficult aspects of the end game in both games and problems.

    In contrast to the start of a draughts game, where-upon one can prepare on the
    moves to begin with, the end game requires a sharp analytic and creative power!
    
    Despite the small number of pieces, the end game is a quite troublesome aspect
    of draughts.

Click here for an example of de Bruijn's column in a former issue of De Problemist (in Dutch).
In addition to a discussion of several end games, several compositions are presented to solve.
Please, send Gerrit new end games for his column!

As an illustration, three examples of end-game compositions are given from De Problemist of October 2014:
L:   Wendel Kruijswijk transformed a simple stroke-move of Timoneda into a 7x7 miniature.

M: Gerrit de Bruijn arranged a 4x5 end game of Arne van Mourik towards a 5x5 miniature.

R:   Arie van der Stoep shows his designed end game in pure 3x3 form.

These three examples are 'straightforward': there are no variants in the solution.
A number of end games given below can be solved and played by moving diagrams.
In alphabetical order of the author's name.
Johan Bastiaannet (1949)

 Editor of the magazine 'Het Damspel' of the KNDB. Three compositions of this Grand Master in the
area of end games, that, dependent upon black's response, contain many variants bevatten. Only the
more important three to five variants are shown on 'his' webpage, including his comment.

1.   Februari 7, 2014                             2.    March 11, 2014                              3.    November 4, 2014
                              
Gerrit de Bruijn (1954)

 Editor of the column 'End game' in 'De Problemist' composes, of course, also end games by himself.
Below three examples that contain several variants. Click here to see if you have found the right
solution or to play them.
 
1. De Problemist April 2001               2. De Problemist June 2012                3. De Problemist October 2014
                                               

1:   Black is able to get a second king, but white stays the winner. 

2:   White cannot prohibit that black gets a king. Eventually, white is able to catch the black king and to
win, although through a narrow escape. 

3:   This one is much more complicated, containing two main variants that subsequently split into several
variants. In this case, black has several real possibilities of strong defence.

These three, were they too difficult to solve? No problem: Gerrit has also choosen three much more
simple end-game positions that will please every draughts player. This elegant trio can be found in the
Showroom to be solved and played!
Jaap Bus (1938)

 Manages the beautiful weblog End games and more. Below three end-game compositions with several variants.
Click here to see/play/read the end games in moving diagrams!

1.                                                               2.                                                                 3. 
                                 
Henk van der Heijden (1951)

L:  An 8x8 miniature resulting in a funny end game that, unfortunately, wasn't sharp, thóúght the composer.
     However, play the author's solution given: is there another defence by black possible?

R: The position of the end game of this miniature, but now starting with another defencive move of black.
     White can now win by only one way, so th end game is sharp. Editor of the column 'Draughts problems'
     of 'De problemist', Arne van Mourik, detected this on the very last moment and couldn't find the position
     after white's move 6-1 in the TurboDambase.
     So, probably, an original end game, o.a. with blacks defensive move 21-27! De Problemist October 2014.
Arie van der Stoep (1944)

   Presents eighteen flighty 3x3 end games, triggered by the hobby.
    of hid draughts friend Michel Sabater.

    Born during mutual holidays and by e-mail correspondence.
   
    Play and enjoy these on Arie's webpage!
Blankenaar Endgames
Jaap Bus has wrote on his blog 'End games and more' an article about the so called “Blankenaar” endgames.
A Blankenaar is an endgame with only a few pieces (three White Kings against a King and a Man).
With mainly short combinations as variants.
The first Blankenaars are from the 19th century and the best of them are still very much worth to look at.
The solution of a Blankenaar can be quite complex, because of  the many possible moves of the White Kings
and the variety of the replies of the Blacks.
Even when using a computer program it is sometimes not evident how to select the thematic variants.
That is why I give some explanation. In particular for an extension of a Blankenaar I added to the article
because of a very surprising new variant.
An extra:  click here for a real end-game classic, composed in 1939 by the at that time 16-years old Henri Gans!

               
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