WCCC-53 WCSC-34 bulletin

The bulletin of World Congress on Chess Composition is ready.
You may download it from here.

In the photo we see Kostas Prentos (standing), Emmanuel Manolas, Themis Argirakopoulos. (This photo was sent by Dimitris Skyrianoglou, member of the Greek National Team of Solving Chess Compositions).

We sum up here the twelve Greek succesful entries in the WCCC 2010, in Crete.

13th SABRA Tourney
3rd Honourable Mention : Kostas Prentos
Commendation : Kostas Prentos & Diane Barnard (USA),

8th Romanian TZUICA Tourney
1st Section, orthodox : 2nd Honourable Mention : Kostas Prentos

Good Zug Tourney
4th Honourable Mention : Kostas Prentos

Champagne Tourney
Section A : 1st Honourable Mention : Kostas Prentos

1st Bulgarian Wine Tourney
1st-3rd Prize : Kostas Prentos,
1st-3rd Prize : Vlaicu Crişan (Romania) & Kostas Prentos,
5th Prize : Themis Argirakopoulos & Kostas Prentos.
Special Prize : Emmanuel Manolas
1st Honourable Mention : Themis Argirakopoulos
Commendation : Themis Argirakopoulos & Emmanuel Manolas

Metaxa Tourney
Honourable Mention : Ioannis Garoufalidis

Composers' results in WCCC 2010, Crete

In this post we shall see the themes and the composers' prizes in the composition tourneys held in Crete, during WCCC 2010.

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Congress Long Composing Tourney, Judge : Chris Feather (Great Britain).

Theme : Helpmates in 3 to 4 moves are required with at least two phases (solutions or twin) without set play, without zeroposition, no duplex. Fairy pieces are allowed, but fairy conditions are not. In the diagram White has at least a King, a (normal) Queen, and one more piece normal or fairy, and any number of additional normal pieces/pawns.

Prize : Chris Handloser (Switzerland).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) Aleksandr Semenenko & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine) & Gennady Chumakov (Russia), (3) Ofer Comay (Israel).
Commendations : (1) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia), (2) Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina) & Mike Prcic (USA) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia), (3) Evgeny Fomichev (Russia), (4) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (5) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia).

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Congress Quick Composing Tourney - #2, Judge : Christopher Reeves (Great Britain).

Theme : In an orthodox two-mover, either a white try fails to a black promotion, or the black promotion is the only move without set mate in an initial position with incomplete blocus. In a phase of play (or in more phases) this black promotion (to the same square but not necessarily to the same piece) is answered with a white mate.

Prizes : (1) Paz Einat (Israel), (2) Jorma Paavilainen (Finland).

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Congress Quick Composing Tourney – h#2, Judge : Živko Janevski (FYRO Macedonia).

Theme : In a helpmate two mover, a white line piece aims towards the bK and there is between them a piece (black or white). A black thematic piece is placed with the first black move (B1) onto this line, either nearer to the bK, or nearer to the white line piece, resulting to two solutions.

Prizes : (1) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (2) Vito Rallo & Mario Parrinello (Italy).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Gerard Smits (Netherlands), (2) Johan de Boer & Gerard Smits (Netherlands), Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia).
Commendations : (1) Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina) & Marco Bonavoglia (Italy) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia) & Mike Prcic (USA), (2) Bjørn Enemark (Danemark), (3) Janne Syväniemi & Kenneth Solja & Harri Hurme (Finland).

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13th SABRA Tourney, Judge : Menachem Witztum (Israel).

Theme : Creation and opening of a white line, as follows : Move B1 : A black unit X captures a white piece on the line. Move W1 : A white line piece comes on the line. Move B2 : The black piece X moves.

Prizes : (1) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (2) Abdelaziz Onkoud (Morocco), (3) Paz Einat (Israel), (4) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (5) Aleksandr Semenenko & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine), (6) Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Vasil Dyachuk & Valery Kopyl (Ukraine), (2) Emanuel Navon (Israel), (3) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (4) Gerard Smits (Netherlands), (5) Bojan Vučković (Serbia), (6) Kenneth Solja & Janne Syväniemi (Finland), (7) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (8) Aaron Hirschernson (Israel), (9) Valery Gurov & Boris Shorokhov (Russia).
Commendations : (_) Jean Hayman (Israel), (_) Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia) & Mike Prcic (USA), (_) Abdelaziz Onkoud (Morocco), (_) Mike Prcic (USA) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia) & Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina), (_) Živko Janevski (FYRO Macedonia), (_) Kostas Prentos (Greece) & Diane Barnard (USA), (_) Michael Barth (Germany), (_) Valery Kopyl (Ukraine), (_) Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia).

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8th Romanian TZUICA Tourney, Judges : Vlaicu Crişan & Eric Huber (Romania).

Theme : Help-selfmates (hs#n) or help-selfstalemates (hs=n) with at least two phases, where the last black move is made by the King or a royal unit. All fairy conditions and pieces are allowed.

1st Section : orthodox
Prizes : (1) Dieter Müller & Michael Barth & Franz Pachl (Germany), (2) Petko Petkov (Bulgaria).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Paz Einat & Ofer Comay (Israel), (2) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (3) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (4) Valery Gurov & Boris Shorokhov (Russia).
Commendations : (1) Dieter Müller (Germany), (2) Abdelaziz Onkoud (Morocco), (3) Gerard Smits (Netherlands).

2nd Section : fairy
Prizes : (1) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (2) Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) František Sabol (Czech Republic), (3) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia).
Commendation : Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria).

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Good Zug Tourney, Judge : Dan Meinking (USA).

Theme : New fairy condition “CapZug” = Obligation for capture is the only possible continuation without double threat (Capture ZugZwang). Helpmates CapZug (hx=n) are required, from 5 semi-moves and more (n>=2.5).

Prizes : (1-2) Geoff Foster (Australia) & Arno Tüngler (Germany), (1-2) René J. Millour (France), (3) Petko A. Petkov (Bulgaria).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Cornel Pacurar (Canada) & Arno Tüngler (Germany), (2) Michael Barth (Germany), (3) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia), (4) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (5) Geoffrey Caveney.
Commendations : (1) Cornel Pacurar (Canada) & Arno Tüngler (Germany), (2) Eric Huber (Romania), (3) Dieter Müller (Germany), (4) Pierre Tritten (France), (5) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (6) Michael Barth (Germany).

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Champagne Tourney, Judge : Michel Caillaud (France).

Theme : To celebrate the fourth Congress in Greece in a short time, the tourney is devoted to number 4, and there will be two sections (Α) Proof Games, or (B) Any other kind of Retro Problems.

Section A :
Honourable Mentions : (1) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (2) Ivan Denkovski & Gligor Denkovski (FYRO Macedonia), Marco Bonavoglia (Italy).
Commendations : (1) Allan Bell (Ireland) & Jonathan Mestel (Great Britain), (2) Marco Bonavoglia & Marco Guida & Mario Parrinello & Vito Rallo (Italy).

Section B :
Prize : Paul Raican & Vlaicu Crişan (Romania).

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10th Moskovskaya Matreshka Tourney, Judge : Valery Gurov (Russia).

Theme : Helpmates h#2 without fairy elements. Between bK and a white line piece there are two pieces X and Y of any color. The twin is made by exchanging places of the pieces X and Y.

Prizes : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) Jean Haymann (Israel), (3) Vasil Dyachuk & Valery Kopyl (Ukraine).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Viktor Zaitsev & Aleksandr Bulavka (Belarus), (2) Aaron Hirschenson & Menachem Witztum (Israel), (3) Aleksandr Semenenko & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine).

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3rd Arves Jenever Tourney, Judge : Marcel Van Herck (Belgium).

Theme : Studies, where the mate is made by a pinned piece/pawn, without double check.

Prizes : Oleg Pervakov (Russia).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (2) John Nunn (Great Britain), (3) Evgeny Kopylov & Oleg Pervakov & Andrey Selivanov (Russia).
Commendations : (1) Sergey Borodavkin (Ukraine), (2) Vitaly Kovalenko (Russia), (3) Andy Ooms & Eddy van Beers (Belgium) & Dolf Wissmann (Netherlands).

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10th Japanese Sake Tourney, Judge : Tadashi Wakashima (Japan).

Theme : New fairy condition “Half-Check”. The check is initially considered half, but if the threat is present in the next move by the same piece, then it is a full check. Helpmate two-movers are required.

Prizes : (1) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (2) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (3) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (4) René J. Millour (France), (5) Petko A. Petkov (Bulgaria), (6) Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia).
Special Prize : Michel Caillaud (France).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (3) Petko A. Petkov (Bulgaria), (4) Aleksandr Bulavka (Belarus), (5) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (6) Mark Erenburg (Israel).
Special Honourable Mention : Michel Caillaud (France).
Commendation : (1) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (2) Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia), (3) Vlaicu Crişan (Romania), (4) Michael McDowell (Great Britain), (5) Gerd Reichling (Germany).

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1st Bulgarian Wine Tourney, Judge : Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria).

Theme : New fairy piece “KoBul King”, where the King moves like the last captured friendly piece, and returns to normality when a friendly pawn is captured. Two-movers orthodox #2 and helpmate h#2 are required, with only exception their KoBul Kings.

Prizes : (1-3) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (1-3) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (1-3) Vlaicu Crişan (Romania) & Kostas Prentos (Greece), (4) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (5) Themis Argirakopoulos & Kostas Prentos (Greece).
Special Prize : Emmanuel Manolas (Greece)
Honourable Mentions : (1) Themis Argirakopoulos (Greece), (2) Dieter Müller (Germany).
Commendation : Themis Argirakopoulos & Emmanuel Manolas (Greece)

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Uralsky Problemist Tourney, Judge : Andrey Selivanov (Russia).

Theme : Selfmates in 2 to 6 moves without white pawns.

Prizes : (1) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (2) Evgeny Fomichev (Russia), (3) Vitaly Kovalenko (Russia).

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Ukraine Tourney, Judge : Yakov Rossomakho (Russia).

Theme : Orthodox two-movers #2 with record expression of different classic themes of tactical content.

Prizes : (1) Kiril Stojanov (Bulgaria) & Nikola Veliky & Vasyl Markovtsky (Ukraine), (2) Paz Einat & Ofer Comay (Israel), (3) Chris Handloser (Switzerland).

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Metaxa Tourney, Judge : Pavlos Moutecidis (Greece).

Theme : Selfmates in at least 6 moves are required with two white queens on the initial diagram and up to 9 units in total. No fairy conditions and/or pieces are allowed.

Prizes : (1) Andrey Selivanov (Russia), (2) Andrey Selivanov (Russia).
Honourable Mention : Ioannis Garoufalidis (Greece)
Commendation : Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria).

The new president for WFCC (ex PCCC) said...

The permanent committee for chess composition (PCCC) of the "Federation International des Eschecs" (FIDE) is now a Federation and has the title "World Federation for Chess Composition" (WFCC).
The statute rules have been modified (to conform with Suisse law).
After the elections for presidency (four years of service) we have :
President : Harry Fougiaxis GRE
1st Vice President : Hannu Harkola FIN
2nd Vice President : Georgi Evseev RUS
3rd Vice President - Treasurer : Thomas Maeder SWI
Two more officers are going to be elected soon in newly established positions, an auditor and a reserve auditor.

As the new president of WFCC mr Harry Fougiaxis said to us, he has the impression that the elected team has uniformity and a willingness to help the world of chess composition.

First plans for action
1. Registration of name and statute rules of WFCC in Verne, Suisse.
2. Improvement of relations with FIDE.
3. Coordination and restructuring in the work subcommittees of ex-PCCC, (Solving - FIDE album - Studies - WCC Tournament etc).
4. The titles (GM of FIDE for chess solving, GM of FIDE for chess composition) will continue to be supported by FIDE.

Some perennial problems have already been spotted (like the delayed preparation of the FIDE Albums) and there are ideas for useful usage of internet.

You have read (in world exclusiveness) the first "press conference" of the new president of WFCC, mr. Harry Fougiaxis.

Some Results from the WSCS 2010

Some results from the Championship in Chess Problem Solving, which took place this year in Crete, Greece. Judge in the Solving events was mr. Axel Steinbrick.

You may find all the problems of the solving tourneys and their solutions here.


Solvers and Points (max=60) in the Open Solving event
1. Evseev 60
2. Vuskovich 60
3. Zude 59
4. Selivanov 58
5. Comay 56.5
6. Nunn 55
7. Murdzia 54.5
8. Tummes 54
9. Fomichev 52.5
10. Kovacevic 51.5
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17. Prentos 49
48. Papastavropoulos 33.5
72. Papathanassiou 23
75. Skyrianoglou 21
78. Konidaris 18
82. Manolas 7.5
83. Efthimakis 6

Countries and Points (max=180) in the Championship WSCS Tournament
1. Poland 130
2. Russia 129.5
3. Germany 128.5
4. Great Britain 126.5
5. Serbia 118
6. Belgium 113
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14. Greece (Konidaris - Papastavropoulos - Prentos) 91
20. Greece B (Efthimakis - Manolas - Skyrianoglou) 44.5


Solvers and Points (max=90) in the Champioship WSCS Tournament
1. Nunn GBR 71
2. Murdzia POL 69.5
3. Pfannkuche GER 64.0
4. Evseev RUS 63.5
5. Van Beers BEL 61.5
6. Selivanov RUS 61.5
7. Vuckovic SRB 61.5
8. Kopyl UKR 61.0
9. Piorun POL 60.0
10. Viktorov RUS 59.5
11. Zude GER 58.0
12. Fomichev RUS 56.5
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19. Prentos GRE 52.5
48. Papastavropoulos GRE 34.0
56. Skyrianoglou GRE 28.0
65. Papathanassiou GRE 20.0
68. Manolas GRE 16.5
69. Konidaris GRE 13.5
70. Efthimakis GRE 5.0


In the "Machine Gun" contest 30 two movers are presented on a screen for 1 minute each and the solvers must find and write the key. The perfect score would be +30-0 (thirty correct by +1.0 and no wrong answers by -0.9) but it is not approachable.

Solvers, Given Answers and Points (max=30) on "Machine Gun" solving contest
1. Mestel J +10-2 8.2
2. Kovacevic M +10-5 5.5
3. Selivanov A +8-3 5.3
4. Caillaud M +7-2 5.2
5. Mukoseev A +10-6 4.6
6. McDowell M +7-3 4.3


Solvers and Points (max=45) in the "Open Fairy Solving" contest
1. Juraj Loerinc 32.5
2. Vlaicu Crisan 27.5
3. Eddy van Beers 27.25
4. Boris Tummes 26.5
5. Thomas Maeder 26

In the "Solving Show" a new presentation program was used, created by Ioannis Garoufalidis, Judge - composer - solver - programmer - physics teacher. In this type of competition take part the top solvers of the WSCS tournament. It is a knock-out procedure. Each pair of solvers sees for a short time a problem and one of the solvers proposes the key-move. If his answer is correct, then he gains a point, otherwise the opponent gains a point. The first who achieves a predetermined score of points (initially 3) is the winner. The next pair steps in and the spectacular event goes on. In case of an unsolved problem, the audience can take part. Almost a hundred two-mover problems and two and a half hours were needed to complete this competition.

Final results in the "Solving Show" competition
1. Araz Almammadov AZR
2. Marek Kolcak SLO
3. Arno Zude GER
4. Dmitri Pletnev RUS

For composition contests we will have news soon.