Many greats including world champions Miki Borghetti, Sergio Scarpetta and Alex Mosieyev has been defeated in Chee's variation of the Will o' the Wisp opening. This variation first came into use in Kurnik in 2006 by the great master Darion "the game", who defeated legends Juan and Max on the same day with this line. While briefly noted in Kears as a draw, no further play were given in the literature.
I learned that this opening was named after a phenomenon known as the Will o' the Wisp or Jack o' Lantern, mysterious lights seen at night (which is what inspired the Jack o' Lantern pumpkin carvings during Halloween). The phenomenon is known as Dab Ntxaug in Hmong. 1.11-15 23-19 2.9-13 22-18 3.15x22 25x18 4.10-14 18x9 5.5x14 29-25 6.8-11 25-22 7.6-10 27-23 8.11-15 24-20
[ Kingsrow's book plays 8...23-18 9.14x23 31-27 10.1-5 27x11 11.7x23 26x19 12.10-14 32-27 13.3-7 19-16 14.12x19 24x15 15.2-6 27-23 16.4-8 30-26 17.7-11 22-18 18.6-9 28-24 19.13-17 15-10 20.9-13 18x9 21.5x14 10-6 22.11-15 draw, Kingsrow 10 ]
9.15x24 28x19 10.4-8 22-18
[ a Darion line 10...22-17 11.13x22 26x17 12.8-11 31-26 13.11-15 19-16
[ 13...32-28 14.15x24 28x19 15.7-11 19-16 16.12x19 23x7 17.2x11 26-23 18.3-8 ( 18.11-15? 20-16 white win, 15-18 and 15-19 both lose ) 18...30-26 19.11-15 26-22 20.8-12 17-13 21.15-19 23x16 22.12x19 draw ]
14.12x19 23x16 15.15-18 17-13 16.10-15 16-11 17.7x16 20x11 18.1-6 32-27 19.6-9 13x6 20.2x9 30-25 21.15-19 draw, Kingsrow ]
[ favored by Chee and Cake, the Chee Will O' The Wisp 10...32-27 11.8-11
19-16
[ 11...22-18 12.1-5 18x9 13.5x14 19-16 14.12x19 23x16 15.10-15
[ 15.14-18 30-25 16.10-15 ( 16.10-14 26-22 17.2-6 22x8 18.3x19 20-16 19.6-10 draw, Clint Olsen x Chee ) 16...26-22 17.7-10 16x7 18.2x11 21-17 19.3-8 31-26 20.15-19 22x6 21.13x31 6-2 22.31x24 2-7 23.11-15 7-11 draw, Cake ]
15...27-23
[ 15...26-22 16.15-19 ( 16.14-18? 30-25 17.2-6 31-26 18.6-10 27-24 19.10-14 16-12 20.7-10 24-19 21.15x24 22x6 22.24-27 6-1 23.27-31 25-22 24.31-27 1-6 25.11-15 6-10 26.14-18 10x19 27.18x25 26-22 28.25-30 19-15 29.27-23 15-19 30.23x16 20x11 white win, Kingsrow 10 ) 16...27-23 17.19x26 30x23 18.2-6 22-18 19.6-9 31-27 draw ]
16.15-18
[ 16.13-17 26-22 ( 16...30-25 17.15-18 16-12 18.18x27 31x24 19.11-16 20x11 20.7x16 24-20 21.16-19 25-22 22.19-23 22x13 23.23x30 13-9 24.30-26 9-5 25.26-31 20-16 26.2-7 5-1 27.31-27 1-6 28.27-24 6-2 29.7-10 16-11 30.10-15 draw, Cake ) 17.17x26 31x22 18.2-6 ( 18.15-18 22x8 19.3x26 30x23 draw ) 18...22-17 19.6-10 16-12 20.15-18 23-19 21.18-23 17-13 22.23-27 13-9 23.14-18 9-6 24.18-23 6-2 25.10-15 19x10 26.7x14 2-6 27.14-18 30-25 28.23-26 6-10 29.18-23 25-22 30.26-31 22-18 31.31-26 draw ]
16...21-17 17.18x27 17x10 18.7x14 16x7 19.2x11 31x24 20.14-18 30-25 ( 20...24-19? 21.18-22 26x17 22.13x22 19-16 23.11-15 16-11 24.15-18 20-16 25.18-23 16-12 26.23-27 11-8 27.27-32 8-4 28.32-27 4-8 29.27-23 8-11 30.22-26 30-25 31.23-18 25-21 32.18-14 11-16 33.26-31 16-20 34.31-27 20-16 35.27-23 16-11 36.23-18 11-16 37.18-15 16-20 38.15-11 red win (second position), Darion x Chee ) 21.13-17 24-19 22.18-23 25-21 23.23x30 21x14 draw, WCC ]
12.12x19 23x16 13.2-6
[ 13.10-15 27-23 14.15-19
[ 14.7-10 16x7 15.2x11 22-17 16.13x22 26x17 17.15-18 ( 17.3-8 17-13 18.15-18 23-19 19.8-12 13-9 20.11-15 9-6 21.15x24 6-2 22.10-15 2-7 23.15-19 7-10 24.24-28 10x17 25.28-32 17-14 26.18-23 31-27 27.23-26 30x16 28.12x19 draw, Cake with human input ) 17...23-19 18.11-15 19-16 19.18-23 16-11 20.15-19 11-7 21.14-18 7-2 22.10-15 17-14 23.23-27 31x24 24.19x28 21-17 draw ]
[ 14.2-6? 22-17 15.13x22 26x10 16.7x14 16x7 17.3x10 30-26 18.15-18 20-16 19.18x27 31x24 20.10-15 16-12 21.6-10 12-8 22.1-6 26-23 23.15-18 23-19 24.18-23 8-3 25.14-18 3-7 26.10-14 7-2 27.6-9 2-6 28.9-13 6-9 white win, Cake ]
14...22-18 ( much more simple is 14...16-12 15.11-16 (forced, to avoid triple) 20x11 16.7x16 22-17 17.13x22 26x10 18.19x26 30x23 draw, Kingsrow 10 ) 15.1-5 ( 15.19-24 18x9 16.24-28 16-12 17.28-32 23-18 18.32-28 9-5 19.28-24 18-14 20.11-15 14-9 21.15-18 21-17 22.13x22 26x17 23.7-11 17-13 24.18-23 9-6 25.1x10 5-1 26.10-14 1-5 27.23-27 5-9 28.14-18 30-26 29.27-32 9-14 30.18-23 26x19 31.24x15 13-9 32.2-7 9-5 33.15-10 14-9 34.32-28 5-1 35.28-24 9-6 36.10-15 6-2 37.15-18 1-5 38.24-19 2-6 39.18-15 5-1 40.19-23 6-2 41.15-18 1-6 42.23-19 6-1 43.18-14 2-6 44.19-24 1-5 45.24-19 6-10 46.14-17 10-6 47.19-23 5-9 48.17-13 9-14 49.11-15 14-9 50.15-19 20-16 51.19-24 9-5 52.23-19 6-2 53.7-10 16-11 draw, Kingsrow 10 ) 15...18x9 16.5x14 26-22 17.19x26 30x23 18.2-6
[ 18.11-15? 16-11 19.7x16 20x11 20.3-7 11-8 21.7-11 8-3 22.11-16 3-8 23.15-19 31-26 24.19-24 22-18 25.14-17 21x14 26.24-27 14-9 27.13-17 8-11 28.16-20 ( 28.27-31 11x20 29.31x15 23-19 30.15x24 20x27 white win, Cake ) 28...23-19 29.27-31 26-23 30.31-27 19-16 white win, WCC and Cake improvement on a Chee win ]
18...22-18 19.6-9 31-27 20.13-17 23-19 21.14x32 21x5 22.32-27 16-12 23.27-23 19-16 draw ]
[ 13.1-5 27-23 14.14-17
[ 14.5-9 22-18 ( 14...22-17? 15.13x22 26x17 16.9-13 30-26 17.13x22 26x17 18.10-15 17x10 19.7x14 16x7 20.2x11 31-26 21.3-8 red win, Jolt x Chee ) 15.10-15 16-12 16.15x22 26x10 17.7x14 23-19 18.2-7 30-25 19.13-17 31-26 20.7-10 26-23 21.11-15 20-16 22.15x24 23-18 23.14x23 21x5 draw, Kingsrow ]
[ 14.10-15 23-18 15.14x23 26x10 16.7x14 16x7 17.3x10 20-16 18.10-15 ( 18.14-17? 21x7 19.2x20 31-27 20.5-9 30-25 21.9-14 25-21 white win ) 18...30-26 draw ]
14...21x14 15.10x17 31-27 16.2-6 ( 16.7-10 16x7 17.2x11 27-24 18.17-21 24-19 19.11-15 19-16 20.15-19 16-11 21.19-24 11-7 draw, Cake ) 16...27-24 17.6-10 24-19 18.5-9 16-12 19.9-14 22-18
[ 19...19-16 20.17-21 22-18 21.14-17 18-14 22.17-22 26x17 23.13x22 14-9 24.22-25 9-6 25.25-29 (25-29 and 10-15 ends up in same ending)
[ 25.10-15 6-1 26.25-29 1-6 27.29-25 6-9 28.25-22 9-6 29.15-19 6-2 ( do not give the move to red by making an extra move away from square 2 for example 29...6-9? 30.19x26 30x23 31.21-25 9-6 32.25-30 6-2 33.30-26 23-19 34.26-23 19-15 35.11x18 2x11 36.23-19 red win ) 30.19x26 30x23 31.21-25 23-19 32.25-30
[ 32.11-15 19x10 33.7x14 2-6 34.22-18 16-11 35.18-15 11-8 draw, Clayton Nash x Chee ( 35...6-9? 36.15x8 9x18 37.8-11 red win ) ]
32...19-15 33.11x18 2x11 draw, Cake ]
25...6-2 26.10-15 2-6 27.29-25 6-9 ( 27...23-18? 28.15x22 6-2 29.22-26 30x23 30.25-22 23-19 31.21-25 19-15 32.11x18 2x11 33.25-29 red win, Alex M. x Chee ) 28.25-22 9-6 29.15-19 6-2 30.19x26 30x23 31.21-25 23-19 32.25-30 19-15 33.11x18 2x11 draw, Kingsrow ]
20.17-22 26x17 21.14x21 18-14
[ 21...19-16? 22.10-15 18-14 23.15-18 23-19 24.18-23 14-9 25.23-27 30-26 ( 25...9-6 26.27-31 6-2 27.31-27 19-15 28.11x18 2x11 29.18-22 11-8 30.22-26 30x23 31.27x18 red win ) 26.27-31 26-23 27.31-26 23-18 28.26-23 18-14 29.23-27 red win, Cake ]
22.10x17 23-18 23.7-10
[ 23.17-22 12-8 ( 23...19-15 24.22-25 15x8 25.7-10 8-4 26.25-29 4-8 27.29-25 8-11 28.25-22 11-7 29.22x15 7x14 30.15-11 14-18 31.13-17 18-14 32.17-22 14-18 33.22-25 18-22 34.25-29 30-26 35.21-25 26-23 36.25-30 23-19 37.30-25 22-17 38.11-7 19-15 39.3-8 12x3 40.25-21 3x10 41.21x7 15-11 42.7x16 20x11 draw, Sergio x Chee ) 24.3x12 19-15 25.22-26 30x23 26.21-25 15x8 27.7-10 8-3 28.25-30 23-19 29.30-26 draw, Cake ]
23...19-16 24.10-15 16x7 25.15x22 7-2 26.22-25 2-6 27.25-29 20-16 28.29-25 6-10 29.25-22 10-15 draw, Cake ]
[ 13.1-6 27-23 14.14-17 21x14 15.10x17 22-18 ( 15...23-18 16.6-10 18-14 17.10-15 14-9 18.15-19 22-18 19.19-24 9-5 20.24-28 26-23 21.28-32 5-1 22.17-22 1-5 23.32-28 5-9 24.28-24 18-14 25.22-26 31x22 26.24-19 22-18 27.19x12 9-6 28.2x9 14x5 29.7-10 23-19 30.13-17 5-1 31.12-8 1-6 32.17-21 6x15 33.3-7 30-26 34.21-25 26-22 35.25-30 22-17 36.30-26 17-13 37.26-22 13-9 38.8-3 15x8 39.22x24 8-12 40.24-19 9-6 draw, Kingsrow 10 ; 15...31-27? 16.6-10 27-24 17.17-21 16-12 18.10-14 red win; analyzed by Cake, a Matteo finding ) 16.6-9
[ 16.17-22 26x17 17.13x22 18-14 18.11-15 16-11 19.7x16 20x11 20.15-18 14-10 ( 20...23-19? 21.18-23 19-16 22.3-7 red win ) 21.18x27 10x1 22.27-32 1-5 23.32-28 5-9 24.28-24 draw, Cake ]
16...31-27 17.7-10 16x7 18.2x11 18-15 draw, Kingsrow 10 ]
13...27-23 14.6-9
[ 14.1-5? 22-17 15.13x22 26x17 16.14-18
[ 16.5-9 17-13 17.11-15
[ 17.10-15 16-12 18.15-18 ( 18.7-10 31-27 white win, Cake ) 18...21-17 white win, Cake ]
17...16-11 18.7x16 20x11 19.15-18 30-26 20.18x27 31x24 21.10-15 26-23 22.15-18 21-17 white win, Kingsrow 10 with human input and Aurora 3.0 analysis ]
16...23x14 17.6-9 30-26 18.9x18 17-14 19.10x17 21x14 20.11-15 16-11 21.7x16 20x11 white win, Juan x Darion ]
[ 14.14-17 21x14 15.10x17 31-27 ( 15...23-18? 16.6-10 16-12 17.1-5 18-14 18.11-15 20-16 19.15-19 red win ) 16.6-10 27-24 17.1-5
[ another variation 17.1-6 24-19 18.6-9
[ 18.11-15? 16-11 19.7x16 19x12 20.6-9 ( 20.17-21 20-16 21.15-19 16-11 22.19-24 11-7 23.24-27 7-2 24.6-9 2-6 25.10-14 6-10 26.14-17 23-18 white win, Sergio x Chee ) 20...23-18 21.15-19 18-15 22.10-14 15-10 23.19-24 10-6 24.24-27 6-1 25.27-32 1-5 26.17-21 20-16 27.32-27 16-11 28.27-24 11-8 29.24-20 8-4 30.20-16 4-8 white win, Kingsrow 10 ]
18...16-12 same ]
17...24-19 18.5-9 ( 18.11-15 16-11 19.7x16 19x12 20.17-21 23-18 21.15-19 18-15 22.10-14 15-10 23.19-24 10-6 24.24-27 6-2 25.27-31 2-6 26.13-17 22x13 27.31x22 draw, Kingsrow ) 18...16-12 19.9-14
[ 19.17-21 22-18 20.10-15 19x10 21.7x14 26-22 22.14-17 23-19 23.17x26 30x23 24.21-25 19-15 25.11-16
[ 25.25-30 15x8 26.30-26 23-19 27.26-22 18-15 28.22-18 15-11 29.13-17
[ 29.18-23? 19-15 30.23-19 15-10 31.19-16 11-7 32.16-11 7-2 33.11x4 2-6 34.9-14 ( if 34.4-8 20-16 35.9-14 10-7 36.3x10 6x15 37.8-3 16-11 white win ) 34...10-7 35.3x10 6x15 white win, Sergio and Matteo x Chee ]
29...8-4 30.17-21 19-15 31.21-25 15-10 32.25-29 10-6 33.18-14 6-1 34.9-13 1-6 35.14-9 draw by Kingsrow 10, cannot go 6-10 ]
25...20x11 26.25-30 23-19 27.30-26 draw, Kingsrow ]
19...22-18
[ 19...19-16 20.17-21 22-18 21.14-17 18-14 22.17-22 26x17 23.13x22 14-9 24.22-26 23-18
[ 24...9-6 25.26-31 23-18 ( 25...6-2? 26.10-15 red win ) 26.31-27 6-2 also draws ]
25.26-31 9-6 26.31-27 6-2 draw, Kingsrow ]
20.17-22 26x17 21.14x21 18-14 22.10x17 23-18 23.7-10 19-16 24.10-15 16x7 25.15x22 7-2 26.22-25 2-6 27.25-29 20-16 same, draw ]
[ 14.10-15? 22-17 15.13x22 26x10 16.7x14 16x7 17.3x10 30-26 18.15-18 20-16 19.18x27 31x24 20.10-15
[ 20.14-18 16-11 21.6-9 11-7 22.9-13 7-2 23.10-14 ( 23.18-22 26x17 24.13x22 2-7 white win, Kingsrow 10 ) 23...2-7 24.13-17 7-10 white win, Kingsrow 10 ]
20...16-11 21.6-10 11-8 22.1-6 26-23 23.15-18 23-19 24.18-23 8-3 25.14-18 3-7 26.10-14 7-2 27.6-9 2-6 28.9-13 6-9 white win, Kingsrow 10 with human input ]
14...22-18 15.1-5 ( 15.10-15 16-12 16.15x22 26x10 17.7x14 23-19 18.13-17 31-26 19.1-6 30-25 20.6-10 26-23 21.11-15 20-16 22.15x24 23-18 23.14x23 21x5 draw, Cake ; Clint Olsen and Max won against me with this but it should be white win 15.13-17? 23-19 16.14x23 21x5 17.11-15 16-11 18.7x16 20x11 19.15x24 26x19 20.24-28 11-7 white win, Cake ) 15...26-22 16.10-15 ( 16.14-17? 21x14 17.10x26 31x22 18.9-14 18x9 19.5x14 22-18 20.14-17 23-19 white win ) 16...16-12 ( this also draws 16...31-27 17.15-19 16-12 18.19x26 30x23 19.7-10 27-24 20.10-15 23-19 21.14x23 19x10 22.23-26 10-6 23.26-31 6-2 24.31-26 24-19 25.26x17 21x14 26.9x18 19-15 draw, Kingsrow with human input ; 16...30-26? 17.7-10 16x7 18.15-19 23x16 19.14x30 7-2 20.10-14 22-17 21.13x22 2-6 22.9-13 6-9 23.30-25 9x18 24.25-29 18x25 25.29x22 red win ) 17.15-19 23x16 18.14x23 21-17 19.9-14
[ 19.11-15 16-11 20.7x16 20x11 21.15-19 ( a much more simple draw 21.15-18 22x15 22.13x22 11-8 23.9-13 15-10 24.5-9 draw, Kingsrow 10 ) 21...11-8 22.19-24 8-4 23.23-27 4-8 24.3-7
[ 24.27-32? 8-11 25.32-28
[ 25.32-27 30-26 26.27-32 11-15 27.32-28 15-19 28.3-7 12-8 29.7-10 8-3 30.9-14 ( 30.10-15 19x10 31.9-14 10-15 32.14x21 15-19 33.21-25 22-17 34.13x22 26x17 35.5-9 17-13 36.9-14 19-23 37.28-32 3-7 38.25-29 7-10 39.14-17 10-14 40.17-21 23-19 41.24-28 19-23 42.21-25 13-9 43.25-30 23-18 white win, Cake ) 30...3-7 31.14x21 7x14 32.21-25 22-17 33.13x22 26x17 white win, Ray x Chee ]
25...11-16 26.3-7 ( 26.3-8 12x3 27.24-27 31x24 28.28x12 30-26 29.12-16 3-7 white win, Sergio x Chee ) 26...16-19 27.7-10 30-25 white win, Juan x Chee ]
24...8-3 25.7-10 12-8 26.27-32 8-4 27.32-27 4-8 28.27-23 8-11 29.24-28 3-8 30.28-32 8-12 31.32-28 12-8 draw, Alex M. x Chee ]
19...17x10 20.7x14 16x7 21.3x10 12-8
[ 21...22-18 22.5-9 draw, Kingsrow 10 ( 22.14-17? 18-14 23.10-15 14-10 (can't go 15-18 because of 31-26) 24.17-22 10-7 white win, Kingsrow 10 ) ]
22.14-17 22-18 23.10-14 18x9 24.5x14 8-3 25.17-22 draw ]
11.1-5
[ 11.14-17 21x14 12.10x17 26-22 13.17x26 31x22 14.8-11 19-15 15.11-16
[ 15.3-8 23-19 16.2-6 32-27 17.6-9 30-25 18.1-6 25-21 19.7-10 20-16 ( 19...21-17 20.9-14 18x2 21.11x25 2-6 22.13x22 6x15 23.25-30 20-16 24.30-26 draw, Chee x Tom ) 20.11x20 21-17 21.12-16 19x3 22.10x19 18-15 23.19-24 27-23 24.24-27 3-7 25.27-31 23-18 26.31-26 15-10 27.6x15 18x11 draw, Cake ]
15...20x11 16.7x16 18-14 17.16-19 23x16 18.12x19 32-27 19.1-5 15-11 20.2-6 22-18 21.6-10 ( 21.19-23 14-9 22.23x32 9x2 23.32-27 18-15 24.27-23 2-6 draw ) 21...14x7 22.3x10 draw, Cake ]
11...18x9 12.5x14 26-22 13.14-17 21x14 14.10x26 31x22 15.8-11 30-25 16.7-10
[ this gives more chance of a white mistake 16.11-16 20x11 17.7x16 25-21 18.3-7 22-18
[ 18...19-15 19.16-19 23x16 20.12x19 22-18 ( 20...32-27? 21.2-6 22-18 22.6-9 red win, Darion x Mag ) 21.19-24 32-28 22.24-27 28-24 draw, Kingsrow 10 ]
19.16-20 18-14 draw, Basic checkers
[ 19...32-27? 20.7-10 18-15 ( 20...18-14 21.10x17 21x14 22.13-17 23-18 23.17-22 27-23 24.22-25 18-15 25.25-30 15-11 26.20-24 19-15 27.30-26 23-18 28.24-28 11-8 29.26-22 8-3 30.28-32 14-9 31.32-27 18-14 32.27-23 15-10 33.23-18 red win, Kingsrow 10 with human input ) 21.10-14 15-11 22.13-17 11-8 23.17-22 8-4 24.22-26 19-16 25.12x19 23x16 26.14-18 red win, Darion x Max ]
]
16...23-18 17.13-17 22x13 18.3-7 20-16 19.11x20 18-15 20.12-16 ½-½