I translate from the (Greek language) blog kallitexniko-skaki (=artistic chess) to English all the posts with non-local interest, forming this way the blog chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com.
If you visit the web page of the British Chess Problems Society [here] and follow the path - who has designed the pages : click (left) on [Brian Stephenson's pages] - click (up) on [Chess Composition] - click (left) on [Links] - click (right) on [Chess Composition], you find the blog chess-problems-gr in the third position
1. First : The World Federation for Chess Composition WFCC,
2. Second : The British Chess Problem Society BCPS,
3. Third : Our Chess-problems-gr, with comment "A blog from Greece (in English) about chess composition - very warmly recommended!" (Thanks!!),
4. Fourth : The American The Good Companions,
etc.
Yesterday I learned that the blog chess-problems-gr has got a distinction, together with other chess blogs, from the company onlinecomputersciencedegree.com, which is using the blog in their offered lessons. We have a badge to advertise it. Thanks. (It has been discontinued since September 2012).
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
C20101130 : Composition Contest Archakov MT
A competition on creation of the chess compositions devoted in memory of Volgograd master Vladimir Archakov (1938-2005).
Sections : #3 (judge - V. Sychov, Belarus), h#3 (judge - A. Semenenko, Ukraine).
Compositions must be send up to 30.11.2010 to e-mail: rosini@t-k.ru
The publication of results will be in 2011 in the newspaper: "Molodoj" (Volgograd, Russia) and on a site: http://www.efrosinin.t-k.ru.
Dispatch of results to foreign participants only by e-mail!
Sections : #3 (judge - V. Sychov, Belarus), h#3 (judge - A. Semenenko, Ukraine).
Compositions must be send up to 30.11.2010 to e-mail: rosini@t-k.ru
The publication of results will be in 2011 in the newspaper: "Molodoj" (Volgograd, Russia) and on a site: http://www.efrosinin.t-k.ru.
Dispatch of results to foreign participants only by e-mail!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Adventure in composition
In this post we try to show with examples the adventure in the composition of a chess problem.
The new and very productive composer Diyan Kostadinov, coming from Bulgaria, proposed during the World Congress in Crete a composition contest with a new fairy piece, the KoBul King. (Ko Kostadinov, Bul Bulgaria).
The KoBul King acquires the abilities of moving and capturing of the last captured friendly piece. (If Black captures a white Rook, then the white King continues to be a royal piece but moves and captures exactly like a rook). The white King returns to its normal situation when Black captures a white Pawn.
We have now a piece that is controlled by the opponent, thus nice problems with tactical play can be composed.
The crucial fact today is that there exists no software to check compositions with the new piece, so we have an opportunity to work as we used to work many years ago : only with our minds.
We decide to compose a helpmate in two moves.
Idea : In a helpmate problem, black is moving first.
B1 : [The black KoBul King bKK will go to a square].
W1 : [The white KoBul King wKK will capture a Bishop and will become instantly KKB (KoBul King Bishop)].
B2 : [The KKB will move someplace else...].
W2 : [...where will be threaten by the wB (but the bKKB will not be able to capture the wB, because wKK will be transformed instantly to wKKB and will capture the bKKB) thus will be mated].
There will be also a second variation with Rooks.
Let us see the Plan A.
Desired solutions :
1.KKg4 KKxc2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBd7 Bf5#
1.KKg5 KKxe1(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRc5 Re5#
Seems to be good. The white pieces do not stay idle in the variation where they have not the first role. In the first the wR holds e8, in the second the wB holds c4.
Unfortunately there is a cook :
1.KKf3 KKxc2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKh1 Be4#
Let us move all the pieces one place left to help bKKB escape. See Plan B.
The desired variations, slightly modified, still work.
Unfortunately the cook remains because wRd2 holds h2 (But how did that escape from our keen eye?) :
1.KKe3 KKxb2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBg1 Bd4#
Let us move the position one file left, hoping that bKKB will manage to escape. See Plan C.
Besides the desired solutions, a new cook has appeared :
1.KKe4 KKxa2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKa8 Bd5#
So, if we can not correct the problem moving the pieces to the left, let us try to move the initial position A one file to the right. See Plan D.
Unfortunately this placement has got six solutions as normal helpmate, totally undesirable for our goal, to compose a KoBul Kings helpmate.
1.Kh4 Kf3 2.Ra1/Rb1/Rc1/Rd1/Re1/Rg1 Rh2#
Will we be forced to add a white pawn to the initial position, to stop bKK from going to f3? Let us see Plan E.
It does seem safe, doesn't it?
Would you say that the following is a cook?
1.Rxe2(wKK=KKR)+ KKRxe2(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRf1 KKRxc2(bKK=KKB)#
NO, it is not! Black continues with 3.bKKxg2(wKK=KK)! without fear of threat.
It seems safe, but the idea of putting a white pawn was not good, because we should try first to find a better arrangement of pieces adding black pawns.
Let us see Plan F. It is Plan B with a bP on h5 and the bK on h4. We expect it to have the two desired solutions starting with keys 1.Kg3 and 1.Kg5.
We the amount of experience we have by now, it is easy to see the cook (the cooks) in this edition.
1.Ra1/Rf1/Rg1/Rh1 KKxb2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBe1 Rf2#
What would you say about putting a bP on f2? See Plan G.
Is seems to be ok, but it is not economical. And that white pawn on b4 could be removed. But wait a moment! The black pawn on f2 can stop the move Kh4-e1, but it can also be promoted. And here is the new cook :
1.f1=S Kxb2(bKK=KKB) 2.Sg3 Bf6#
Let us turn the chessboard 180 degrees to avoid promotions, and also replace the white pawn. See Plan H.
We expect to have only the desired solutions with keys 1.Kb6 and 1.Kb4.
For a moment we thought we saw a new cook :
1.b6 Rxd8(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRc6 Rc8#
Luckily there is 3.KKRxe6(wKK=KKB)+! and the bK is completely safe.
But we cannot escape so easily! See this cook :
1.b6 Bc4 2.KKc6 Rc7#
Last try : We move bPb7 to c6. See Plan Ι.
Solutions :
1.KKb5 KKxf7(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBe2 Bc4#
1.KKb4 KKxd8(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRf4 Rd4#
(Five from nine pieces are on white squares, so the problem will be discernible when printed. We do not flip it left/right).
Mr Christian Poisson has promised that in the next edition of his software WinChloe, it will include the condition KoBul Kings (Rois KoBul?). We will check then to see if this problem we composed today is cooked or not.
With computers we lost a great part of the adventure of composition, but cooked problems have ceased to be published any more.
I hope that I have relayed to you a part of the fascinating process of chess problem composition. The friends composers Themis Argyrakopoulos (from island Ios) and Kostas Prentos (from Thessaloniki) had crucial role in cook-hunting.
Now the problem will be sent to a composition contest to be judged, and maybe receive a distinction.
The new and very productive composer Diyan Kostadinov, coming from Bulgaria, proposed during the World Congress in Crete a composition contest with a new fairy piece, the KoBul King. (Ko Kostadinov, Bul Bulgaria).
The KoBul King acquires the abilities of moving and capturing of the last captured friendly piece. (If Black captures a white Rook, then the white King continues to be a royal piece but moves and captures exactly like a rook). The white King returns to its normal situation when Black captures a white Pawn.
We have now a piece that is controlled by the opponent, thus nice problems with tactical play can be composed.
The crucial fact today is that there exists no software to check compositions with the new piece, so we have an opportunity to work as we used to work many years ago : only with our minds.
We decide to compose a helpmate in two moves.
Idea : In a helpmate problem, black is moving first.
B1 : [The black KoBul King bKK will go to a square].
W1 : [The white KoBul King wKK will capture a Bishop and will become instantly KKB (KoBul King Bishop)].
B2 : [The KKB will move someplace else...].
W2 : [...where will be threaten by the wB (but the bKKB will not be able to capture the wB, because wKK will be transformed instantly to wKKB and will capture the bKKB) thus will be mated].
There will be also a second variation with Rooks.
Let us see the Plan A.
 | (Problem 471 Plan A) Emmanuel Manolas, original (please do not copy), 07/10/2010, h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (4+4) |
| [8/8/2p5/8/2P2k2/3B4/2bKR3/4r3] | |
Desired solutions :
1.KKg4 KKxc2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBd7 Bf5#
1.KKg5 KKxe1(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRc5 Re5#
Seems to be good. The white pieces do not stay idle in the variation where they have not the first role. In the first the wR holds e8, in the second the wB holds c4.
Unfortunately there is a cook :
1.KKf3 KKxc2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKh1 Be4#
Let us move all the pieces one place left to help bKKB escape. See Plan B.
 | (Plan B) h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (4+4) |
| [8/8/1p6/8/1P2k3/2B5/1bKR4/3r4] | |
The desired variations, slightly modified, still work.
Unfortunately the cook remains because wRd2 holds h2 (But how did that escape from our keen eye?) :
1.KKe3 KKxb2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBg1 Bd4#
Let us move the position one file left, hoping that bKKB will manage to escape. See Plan C.
 | (Plan C) h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (4+4) |
| [8/8/p7/8/P2k4/1B6/bKR5/2r5] | |
Besides the desired solutions, a new cook has appeared :
1.KKe4 KKxa2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKa8 Bd5#
So, if we can not correct the problem moving the pieces to the left, let us try to move the initial position A one file to the right. See Plan D.
 | (Plan D) h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (4+4) |
| [8/8/3p4/8/3P2k1/4B3/3bKR2/5r2] | |
Unfortunately this placement has got six solutions as normal helpmate, totally undesirable for our goal, to compose a KoBul Kings helpmate.
1.Kh4 Kf3 2.Ra1/Rb1/Rc1/Rd1/Re1/Rg1 Rh2#
Will we be forced to add a white pawn to the initial position, to stop bKK from going to f3? Let us see Plan E.
 | (Plan E) h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (5+4) |
| [8/8/2p5/8/2P2k2/3B4/2bKR1P1/4r3] | |
It does seem safe, doesn't it?
Would you say that the following is a cook?
1.Rxe2(wKK=KKR)+ KKRxe2(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRf1 KKRxc2(bKK=KKB)#
NO, it is not! Black continues with 3.bKKxg2(wKK=KK)! without fear of threat.
It seems safe, but the idea of putting a white pawn was not good, because we should try first to find a better arrangement of pieces adding black pawns.
Let us see Plan F. It is Plan B with a bP on h5 and the bK on h4. We expect it to have the two desired solutions starting with keys 1.Kg3 and 1.Kg5.
 | (Plan F) h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (4+5) |
| [8/8/1p6/7p/1P5k/2B5/1bKR4/3r4] | |
We the amount of experience we have by now, it is easy to see the cook (the cooks) in this edition.
1.Ra1/Rf1/Rg1/Rh1 KKxb2(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBe1 Rf2#
What would you say about putting a bP on f2? See Plan G.
 | (Plan G) h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (4+6) |
| [8/8/1p6/7p/1P5k/2B5/1bKR1p2/3r4] | |
Is seems to be ok, but it is not economical. And that white pawn on b4 could be removed. But wait a moment! The black pawn on f2 can stop the move Kh4-e1, but it can also be promoted. And here is the new cook :
1.f1=S Kxb2(bKK=KKB) 2.Sg3 Bf6#
Let us turn the chessboard 180 degrees to avoid promotions, and also replace the white pawn. See Plan H.
 | (Plan H) h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (3+6) |
| [3r4/1p1RKb2/4Bp2/2k5/8/5p2/8/8] | |
We expect to have only the desired solutions with keys 1.Kb6 and 1.Kb4.
For a moment we thought we saw a new cook :
1.b6 Rxd8(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRc6 Rc8#
Luckily there is 3.KKRxe6(wKK=KKB)+! and the bK is completely safe.
But we cannot escape so easily! See this cook :
1.b6 Bc4 2.KKc6 Rc7#
Last try : We move bPb7 to c6. See Plan Ι.
 | (Problem 471 Plan Ι) Emmanuel Manolas, original (please do not copy), 07/10/2010, h#2 2111 KoBul Kings (3+6) |
| [3r4/3RKb2/2p1Bp2/2k5/8/5p2/8/8] | |
Solutions :
1.KKb5 KKxf7(bKK=KKB) 2.KKBe2 Bc4#
1.KKb4 KKxd8(bKK=KKR) 2.KKRf4 Rd4#
(Five from nine pieces are on white squares, so the problem will be discernible when printed. We do not flip it left/right).
Mr Christian Poisson has promised that in the next edition of his software WinChloe, it will include the condition KoBul Kings (Rois KoBul?). We will check then to see if this problem we composed today is cooked or not.
With computers we lost a great part of the adventure of composition, but cooked problems have ceased to be published any more.
I hope that I have relayed to you a part of the fascinating process of chess problem composition. The friends composers Themis Argyrakopoulos (from island Ios) and Kostas Prentos (from Thessaloniki) had crucial role in cook-hunting.
Now the problem will be sent to a composition contest to be judged, and maybe receive a distinction.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
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
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
Monday, October 25, 2010
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.
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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)
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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)
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).
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).
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).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)