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)

The deadline for JT-Manolas-60 has passed

The deadline, 12-July-2010, to send chess compositions for the International Chess Composition Competition Jubilee Tourney Manolas-60, has passed.

As you see in the following table, 42 composers have participated, and we thank them warmly.
The composers represent 21 countries.
98 problems have been sent, mostly direct-mates and help-mates, few self-mates or fairy.

Now the Judges will receive anonymized diagrams to prepare the ranking.
When the award will be ready, all the participants will receive an e-mail notice.

Countries (=21)	Composers (=42)	#3 (=38)	h#3 (=37)	s#3 (=8)	fairy #3 (=15)	Problems (=98)
ARG Argentina	1	.	1	.	.	(=1)
BLR Belarus	1	0.5	.	.	.	(=0.5)
CZE Czech Republic	2	2	3	.	.	(=5)
DEU Germany	3	.	1	2	1	(=4)
ESP Spain	1	1	.	.	.	(=1)
EST Estonia	1	1	1	1	.	(=3)
FIN Finland	1	.	1	.	.	(=1)
FRA France	1	2	.	.	.	(=2)
GRC Greece	5	19	16	.	3	(=38)
HUN Hungary	1	.	1	.	.	(=1)
ISR Israel	5	4.5	2	.	.	(=6.5)
ITA Italy	3	1	1	1	2	(=5)
LTU Lithuania	1	.	2	.	.	(=2)
POL Poland	2	.	3	.	.	(=3)
RUS Russia	2	6	1	1	.	(=8)
Skopje (MK)	1	.	1	.	.	(=1)
SLO Slovakia	2	.	.	.	5	(=5)
SRB Serbia	1	.	.	.	3	(=3)
SWE Sweden	1	.	1	.	.	(=1)
UKR Ukraine	5	1	1	3	.	(=5)
USA United States of America	2	.	1	.	1	(=2)

The deadline for JT-Manolas-60 is near

Dear readers,
these last weeks there were no posts on this blog, because I had heavy workload as a school teacher (period of exams for students).
Some recent posts in the parent blog (kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.com in Greek language) were of local interest only, so they were not translated.
For example, tomorrow a solving contest will be held for the Greek championship. Well, it has been not announced here, but I will soon post the selected problems.

Now, I have special interest for the international composition contest [Jubilee Tourney Manolas-60], whose deadline 2010-July-12 is near.
I invite you to participate.
A table with already received problems is placed on the upper right of this blog.
In some sections you can easily calculate your chances of winning :)

Many thanks to the participants
and best regards to all readers
Manolas Emmanuel

Doubleislander's dedication

Doubleislander's dedication

The problems on this post were sent as a present to the composition contest [Jubilee Tourney Emmanuel Manolas-60] by a friend who prefers to be anonymous. We will name him/her as Doubleislander (from two islands).
The problems are quite simple, but the pieces are set in a way to represent the symbols J T E M 6 0 (initials from the name of the tourney).
We thank the Thrilling Anonymous!

	(Problem 429) Doublislander, dedicated to JT Manolas-60, original, Helpmate in 2. Condition : Circe. h#2 Circe (4 + 8)
[8/3prssb/5k2/5r2/5b2/3P1K2/4QP2/8]

With condition Circe, the captured piece is reborn on its initial square (example : the wQ on d1).

	(Problem 430) Doublislander, dedicated to JT Manolas-60, original, Helpmate in 2. Condition : Chameleon - Chess. h#2 Chameleon Chess (3 + 7)
[8/1pppkp2/3b4/3p4/3P4/3S4/3K4/8]

Helpmate : Black plays and helps White to mate.
With condition Chameleon - Chess, the moving pieces are transformed (i.e. the Knight moves and becomes Bishop, the Bishop moves and then becomes Rook, the Rook moves and then becomes Queen, the Queen moves and then becomes Knight).

	(Problem 431) Doublislander, dedicated to JT Manolas-60, original, Selfmate in 2 moves. s#2 (5 + 8)
[KSrb4/s7/qpp5/k7/pRPS4/8/8/8]

Selfmate : White plays and forces Black to deliver mate.

	(Problem 432) Doublislander, dedicated to JT Manolas-60, original, Helpmate in 2 moves. h#2 (3 + 10)
[8/2R3K1/2bp1pp1/2r1k1q1/2p3s1/2P3p1/8/8]

	(Problem 433) Doublislander, dedicated to JT Manolas-60, original, Helpmate in 2 moves. Condition : Madrasi. h#2 Madrasi (5 + 8)
[8/1PB5/p2r4/b7/pPp5/k2R4/rsK5/8]

With condition Madrasi, if two dissimilarly coloured pieces of the same kind (i.e. wR and bR) are mutually threatened, then they are paralyzed and the only power they have, whilst the threat is pending, is to paralyze each other.

	(Problem 434) Doublislander, dedicated to JT Manolas-60, original, Helpmate in two moves. Condition AntiCirce. h#2 Anticirce (5 + 7)
[8/3pp3/2r2R2/2b2P2/2P2S2/2k2r2/3sK3/8]

With condition Anticirce, the capturing piece is reborn in its initial square. The captured piece disappears.


The solutions will be posted here in a few days.

Dedication for Manolas-60

The good composer Ioannis Garoufalidis has composed a "selfmate in 3 moves" problem, and has dedicated it to the Composition Contest Manolas-60 which is ending on 12 July 2010. We are thanking him warmly.

Let our readers try to solve this problem without peeking at the solution which is written at the bottom of this post.

---

	(Problem 406) Garoufalidis, Ioannis, Dedicated to "JT Manolas-60", Selfmate in 3 moves. s#3 (12 + 2)
[7K/7R/1P3Sk1/2P1Q1P1/5PP1/8/PP6/qS6]

White plays and forces Black to mate in 3 moves. The solution has got three variations.

---

We give again the declaration of the Composition Contest Manolas-60, as it has appeared in various magazines and web sites.

International Chess Composition Contest : "Jubilee Tourney Manolas - 60", Closing date 2010-07-12.
The Greek committee for Chess Composition announces the "Jubilee Tourney Manolas – 60".
Theme free. Accepted are original three-mover chess problems in the following four sections:
A. direct mate #3, with at least three variations. Judge Emmanuel Manolas.
B. helpmate h#3, with exactly three solutions, no zero-positions, no twins. Judge Harry Fougiaxis.
C. selfmate s#3, with at least three variations. Judge Ioannis Garoufalidis.
D. fairy #3, with accepted elements : {one fairy condition} or {one fairy condition and one fairy piece type} or {one or two fairy piece types}. Judge Kostas Prentos.
Computer-checked problems may be submitted by each composer to more than one section. For each problem, the following information is expected : Name & e-mail & country of the composer, diagram & FEN notation & stipulation & solution of the problem.
Send e-mails, with subject "JT-Manolas-60", to manolas.emmanuel@gmail.com .
Closing day : 12-July-2010.
The participants will receive a copy of the award by e-mail.
The award will be published in blogs "http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com", "http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.com".


"Jubilee Tourney Manolas - 60"
#3 (мінімум, три варіанти гри у рішенні) - суддя: Emmanuel Manolas
Н#3 (обов’язково має бути три рішення без близнюків) - суддя: Harry Fougiaxis
S#3 (мінімум, три варіанти гри у рішенні) - суддя: Ioannis Garoufalidis
Казкові #3 - з одною казковою умовою; або з одною казковою умовою і казковими фігурами одного типу; або з казковими фігурами одного чи двох типів - cуддя: Kostas Prentos
Термін: 12. 07. 2010
manolas.emmanuel@gmail.com
Кожен автор може надіслати свої роботи, перевірені на комп’ютері, до будь-
якого розділу конкурсу. Обов’язково слід вказати своє ім’я і прізвище, e-mail і
країну, позицію задачі на діаграмі і у нотації з повним розв’язком.
Всі учасники отримають копію присудження по електронній пошті.
Присудження буде опублікованим на сайтах:
"http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com",
"http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.com".

---

Solution of Problem-406, (Ioannis Garoufalidis) :
Key : 1.Sd7! zugzwang.
1...Qxb1 2.Qf5+ Qxf5 3.Sf8+ Qxf8#
1...Qxb2 2.Qf6+ Qxf6+ 3.Rg7+ Qxg7#
1...Qxa2 2.Qe8+ Qf7 3.Sb8 Qxe8#

We expect that the more creative readers will send their compositions to the Manolas-60 Contest.

Dedication for Manolas-60 (and Exercise)

Mr Ioannis Kalkavouras, internationally known composer, has composed a more-mover problem and has dedicated it to the Composition Contest Manolas-60, which was recently announced. We warmly thank him.

The readers may try to solve this problem (it has a main logical variation) and post their solution as comment.
We furthermore expect, from the more creative readers, to e-mail entries to the composition contest Manolas-60 (closing July-12-2010).

---

	(Problem 386) Kalkavouras, Ioannis, (after W. Bar) Dedicated to "JT Manolas-60" Mate in 9 moves. #9 (7 + 8)
[3b1SK1/3p4/3P1kp1/4p2R/S3Pp2/5P2/2r4p/8]

The thematic try is [1.Rf5+? gxf5!].

Key : 1.Rh6! Kg5
2.Rh3 ( > 3.Sh7# ) Kf6
3.Sc5 ( > 4.Sxd7# ) Rxc5
4.Rh6, Kg5
5.Rxh2, Kf6
6.Rg2 g5
7.Rh2 g4
8.Rh5 ~
9.Rf5#

C20100712 : Composition Contest Emmanuel Manolas-60 JT

After the chess problems and the solving contests, which were presented in this blog, we are in the happy position to announce an International Chess Composition Contest, organized by the Greek Chess Composition Committee, with the opportunity of the sixtieth birthday of this blogger Manolas Emmanuel. Here is the announcement :

International Chess Composition Contest : "Jubilee Tourney Manolas - 60", Closing date 2010-07-12. The Greek committee for Chess Composition announces the "Jubilee Tourney Manolas – 60". Theme free. Accepted are original three-mover chess problems in the following four sections: A. direct mate #3, with at least three variations. Judge Emmanuel Manolas. B. helpmate h#3, with exactly three solutions, no zero-positions, no twins. Judge Harry Fougiaxis. C. selfmate s#3, with at least three variations. Judge Ioannis Garoufalidis. D. fairy #3, with accepted elements : {one fairy condition} or {one fairy condition and one fairy piece type} or {one or two fairy piece types}. Judge Kostas Prentos. Computer-checked problems may be submitted by each composer to more than one section. For each problem, the following information is expected : Name & e-mail & country of the composer, diagram & FEN notation & stipulation & solution of the problem. Send e-mails, with subject "JT-Manolas-60", to manolas.emmanuel(AT)gmail.com . Closing day : 12-July-2010. The participants will receive a copy of the award by e-mail. The award will be published in blogs "http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com", "http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.com".

---

Notes :
In e-mail replace (AT) with the character @.
The FEN (Forsyth-Edwards) Notation is described here and here.