Inactivity or not?

Of course not!
We do not post frequently this last period but there is much work done in the backstage.

First, I've prepared the translation in Greek of the Award for the composition content Manolas-60 JT. I believe that is useful for Greek-speaking friends of this blog to easily read an Award. Most of the awards I have seen are written in languages I do not understand and I try machine translation (very funny) or I see only diagrams and solutions, losing the enlighting comments of the Judges.

Second, there are new fairy conditions in the composition contests of the World championship this year in Crete, Greece. Read here for Half-Check, KoBul Kings, CapZug and who knows what new will be born from the imagination of the composers.

Half-Check : The check from a piece is "half" and if it is still preserved by the same piece in the next move, then it is "full". If it cannot be stopped then, it is mate.

KoBul Kings : The Kings take the move/capture properties of their last friendly piece captured, and become normal kings again when a friendly pawn is captured.

CapZug : In given number of moves we must bring the opponent side to a situation to capture something, while it is not under check.

In front of the new conditions all the composers are equivalent (newbie, tenderfoot?). So the new composers must rush!

We prepare our problems, and if someone needs explanations or cooperation, here we are!

Manolas-60 JT Preliminary Award

The Preliminary Award for Manolas-60 Jubilee Tourney is ready.

You may find a copy in .pdf form here

Many thanks to all participating composers.

Manolas-60 JT 2010

Section A (direct mate #3) Award
1st Prize : Arieh Grinblat & Evgeni Bourd (Israel)
2nd Prize : Leonid Makaronez (Israel)
3rd Prize : Alberto Armeni (Italy)
1st Honourable Mention : Ing. Miroslav Svítek (Czech Republic)
2nd Honourable Mention : Manos Pantavos & Nikos Pergialis (Greece)
3rd Honourable Mention : Evgeny Fomichev (Russia)
1st Commendation : Valery Kopyl (Ukraine)
2nd Commendation : Vladimir Kozhakin (Russia)
3rd Commendation : Joaquim Crusats (Spain)
4th Commendation : Carlo de Grandi (Greece)
Special Mention : Christian Poisson (France)

Section B (helpmate #3) Award
1st Prize : Christer Jonsson (Sweden)
2nd Prize : Carlos Lago (Argentina)
Honourable Mention : Evgeny Fomichev (Russia)
Commendation : Stefan Milewski (Poland)
Commendation : Nikos Pergialis (Greece)
Commendation : Menachem Witztum (Israel)

Section C (selfmate #3) Award
1st Prize : Evgeny Fomichev (Russia)
2nd Prize : Ivan Soroka (Ukraine)
Honourable Mention : Alberto Armeni (Italy)
Commendation : Ivan Soroka & Vitaliy Shevchenko & Ivan Borisenko (Ukraine)
Commendation : Soroka Ivan (Ukraine)
Commendation : Gunter Jordan (Germany)

Section D (fairy #3) Award
Prize: Juraj Lörinc & Ladislav Salai Jr. (Slovakia)
Honourable Mention: Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia)
1st Commendation: Ioannis Garoufalidis (Greece)
2nd Commendation: Alberto Armeni (Italy)
3rd Commendation: Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia)
4th Commendation: Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia)

Chess and machines

I noticed a post about [Computer Chess Algorithms] which contains a chronological list of evolutionary steps of the chess-playing-machines.
Apart from the historical content, a judgement of the facts by the blogger reaches the conclusion that [If you play in deep positional style, the computer might not be able to evaluate well the position] and you might win.
Interesting!