What is the name of the girl Holden used to play checkers with?

The girl Holden used to play checkers with is Jane Gallagher. Holden remembers playing checkers with Jane during summers when their families stayed near each other in Maine. Their games become a tender memory because Jane often kept her kings in the back row instead of moving them forward, and Holden accepted that unusual rule rather than pressuring her to play conventionally.

Jane matters to Holden even though she never appears directly in the novel. He is distressed when his roommate, Ward Stradlater, says he is taking Jane on a date. Holden worries about Stradlater's intentions and repeatedly asks whether Stradlater made sexual advances toward her. The uncertainty fuels Holden's anger and contributes to their physical fight.

Jane represents a connection Holden associates with trust, innocence, and shared history. She is not simply another romantic interest: Holden's memories of her are tied to emotional safety and to the period before adult relationships seemed threatening or artificial. Common mix-ups include Phoebe, Holden's younger sister, and Sally Hayes, his former girlfriend. Faith Cavendish is an older woman Holden meets in New York and has no connection to the checker games.