Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #1
2012-01-02 through 2012-01-16
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The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Bill Salot, the composer of UNDERCUT, which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #1.
RESULTS OF
UNOFFICIAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
CHECKER PROBLEM COMPOSING CONTEST #1,
JANUARY 2012

Two original, unpublished checker problems named "Scooper" and "Undercut" met face to face on the "POSITIONS" section of this Forum over a period of two weeks in January 2012, during which time they were reviewed by 12 willing and able judges. This may have been the largest review panel ever to pass judgment on such a competition (Much larger problem composing contests, conducted by Leeds Mercury (1893-94), Pittsburgh Leader (1910-11) and ACF Bulletin (1969-70), had fewer judges.

Both problems were praised and received votes: "Scooper" 4 and "Undercut" 8. "Scooper" was composed by Louis Cowie and "Undercut" by Bill Salot, a pair of 82 year olds.

Remarkably, Mr. Cowie, a long time master player and problemist, does it all without a computer. Since he could not vote, his competitor did not vote either.

Now that these two old American codgers have shown the way, it is time for some young international whippersnappers to take up the challenge in future contests. Send your best original, unpublished efforts to Bill Salot at wjsalot@comcast.net or at
1006 Elmwood Drive, Colonial Heights, VA 23834, USA.

AFTER THE CONTEST, JIM LOY FOUND A DUAL SOLUTION TO SCOOPER, THUS DISQUALIFYING THE PROBLEM. SEE 13 9, THE THIRD MOVE FROM THE END OF THE TRUNK.
SCOOPER
Composed By: Louis Cowie

DISQUALIFIED

13-9 (3rd move from the end of the Trunk) shouldn't have an asterisk. The reason is that 6 1 and 6 2 instead lead to long dual White wins by holding 2 Red pieces on the left side of the board, as confirmed by an 8 piece database, Jim Loy.
Current Votes:
Red to move. White Wins
Trunk26-31A, 25 27, 31-24, *10 7B, 17-10 15 6, 24-15C, 13 9 (DUAL SOLUTIONS: 6 1 and 6 2 also win in a long ending, Jim Loy), 5-14D, *6 9White Wins
AIf 8-11, *25 27, 11-9, *13 6White Wins
BNot 19 16, 24-27 or 17-22Draw
CIf 3-10, *12 3White Wins
DIf 3-10, 12 3, 5-14, *3 7White Wins
UNDERCUT
Composed By: Bill Salot
Current Votes:
White to move. Draw
Trunk*18 15, 20-24AB, *22 18C, 24-27, *29 25, 30-21, *26 30, 28-24, *23 19, 27-32, *19 16, 24-27, *15 19Draw
AIf 28-32, *15 19, 32-27, *26-31Draw
B If 28-24, 15 10 or 15 11, 24-27, *26 31Draw
CNot 15 19, *24-27, 26 31, 17-26, 31 22, *27-31, 22 18, now *28-32DRed Wins
Dbut 31-27, *18-22Draw
Please enter your original, unpublished, dual-free problems in future contests by sending them at anytime to:
Bill Salot
1006 Elmwood Drive
Colonial Heights, VA 23834-2905

or at wjsalot@comcast.net.