Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #8
2012-12-01 through 2013-01-05
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The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Louis Cowie, Painesville, OH, the composer of Tricky Rabbit , which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #8.
CONTEST 8 - NO STROKE ZONE - WAS A DISASTER.

The two top vote-getting problems had to be disqualified. Fatal flaws in them were found independently by Jim Loy and Liam Stephens, with assists from their large databases. The flaw details are in red below. They have also been added to the printed solutions.

Tit for Tat, a brilliant idea by Ed Atkinson, led with 5 votes, until it was upset by the even more brilliant, killer pitch at the 2nd move.

Deficit Spending, a 2-piece-down finishing kick by Bill Salot, followed with 4 votes, until it was beset, early on, by a long, 1-piece-down, dual solution.

Both of the above composers evidently tried too hard to make their problems more difficult. The problems have been repaired, but the damage has been done. The repaired settings are not distinct enough to appear in a future contest. Such is the typical penalty for imperfect problem composition.

The disqualifications make Tricky Rabbit, a complex study by Louis Cowie, the winner with 3 votes, his first win in 3 tries. Tricky Rabbit involves one of his unfathomable, trademark settings where difficult, subtle moves abound.

Boomerang, a chase problem by Roy Little, becomes the close runner-up with 2 votes. First Red chases, then White chases in a clever reversal of direction.

Thus concludes the 2012 contests. Join the fray in 2013 as we strive to continuously improve all phases of the ongoing competition.
Tit for Tat
Composed By: Ed Atkinson, Harrisburg, PA

DISQUALIFIED

During the contest, Jim Loy and Liam Stephens upset Tit For Tat. 30-26 at the second move is the wrong pitch. Instead *20-24, 27 20, 19-23* (a RW in the eight piece databases), 31 26, 23-27, 26 23, 30-26, 23 18, 26-22, 18 15, 27-31, 15 11, 22-18, 11 8, 18-15, 8 3, 31-27, 1 5, 27-23, 5 9, 15-11*, 3 7, 23-18, 7 16, 12-19, 20 16, 18-15, RW, play by Jim Loy
Current Votes:
White to move. Draw
View Animation
Trunk*32 27, 30-26 (INSTEAD *20-24 RW), 31 22, 2-7, *1 6, 7-11, *6 10, 11-16, *27 24, 20-27, *10 15, 19-24 or 19-23, 28 19, 16-23, *15 19, 23-26, *19 23Draw
Deficit Spending
Composed By: Bill Salot, Colonial Hts, VA

DISQUALIFIED

During the contest, Jim Loy and Liam Stephens pointed out a dual draw at the second move from the end of Note C. Instead of 14 18, White can upset the RW in Note C by playing *28 24, 19-28, 12 19 (a draw in the databases), 17-22, 14 18 (several moves draw), 22-25 18 22 (several moves draw), 25-29, 19 23, 27-31, 23 19, 31-27, 19 15, 28-24, 15 10, 24-19, 10 6, 19-15, 6 9, 27-23, 9 14, 23-19, 14 17, 19-16, 17 14, 16-11, 14 17, 11-7, 17 14, 7-2, 14 17, 15-10, 17 13, 2-6, 13 17, piece-down draw, play by Jim Loy. 4 8 at D draws similarly, Bill Salot
Current Votes:
White to move. Draw
View Animation
Trunk*9 6A, 10-14B, 6 10C, 14-17, 10 14D, 19-23E, *4 8, 11-16, *8 11, 16-20, *11 15, 17-22, *28 24F, 20-27, *14 17Draw
ANot 4 8, *19 15, 28 24, *11-16, 24 20, *16-19Red Wins
B19-15, *6 2, 11-16 or 10-14, *2 7Draw
CNot 4 8, *11-16, 6 10, *14-17, 10 14, *18-23, 8 12, *23-27, 14 18 (INSTEAD *28 24 DRAWS), *19-24Red Wins
DNot 4 8, *11-16, 8 11 (INSTEAD *6 10 DRAWS AS IN C), *16-20, 10 14, 19-15 or 19-16Red Wins
E18-22 (18-23, *14 18, Draws), *4 8Draw
FNot 14 17, *23-19, 15 24, 20-27, 17 26, *27-31Red Wins
Boomerang
Composed By: Roy Little, Oklahoma City, OK
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*23 19A, 11-16, 20 11, 27-20, 19 15 (or 11 7 first), 20-16, *11 7, 16-19, *15 11B, 19-15, 7 2C, 15-8, 2 6D, 9-13, *30 26E, 8-11F, *6 10G, 11-16, *10 15White Wins
ANot 24 19, 27-18, 19 15, *11-16, 20 11, *12-16, 30 26, 16-19 or 16-20Draw
BOr 30 26 first, but not 15 10, *19-15, 10 6,*15-10, 6 1 or 6 2Draw
CNot 11 8, *15-11, 7 2 or 7 3Draw
D30 26, 8-11, *2 6, 9-13, *6 10, sameWhite Wins
ENot 6 10, *12-16, 10 15, 16-20 or 8-3Draw
FOr 12-16, *26 23, 8-12, *23 27White Wins
GNot 26 23, *11-15Draw
Tricky Rabbit
Composed By: Louis Cowie, Painesville, OH
Current Votes:
White to move. Draw
View Animation
Trunk*22 31A, 6-1B, 15 10 (or 8 3 first), 24-19, *8 3C, 19-15, *10 7, 15-8, 3 12, 5-9, 13 6, 1-3, *32 27, 3-7D, *27 23, 7-11, *31 26, 25-29 or 11-15, *26 22Draw
ANot 22 29, 26-31 or 24-19Red Wins
B24-19, *15 10, 6-15, *8 4, 15-8, 4 11, 25-29, *32 27, 30-25, *31 26Draw
CNot 8 4, 19-16 (or 25-29, 32 27, *19-16, same), 11 7, *16-11, 7 2, *25-29, 32 27, *29-25, 27 23, *25-22, 31 27, *30-25, 27 31 or 27 24, 22-17, 23 18, *25-22Red Wins
D25-29, *27 23Draw
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.