The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Jim Loy, Bozeman, MT, the composer of Embarrassment, which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #17.
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #17.
After two consecutive blowouts this year, this contest was extremely close with several ties and lead changes during the month. Every problem was voted best by at least one judge. Pulling away in the last 2 days, "Embarrassment", a published play correction by Jim Loy, won with 8 votes. In the 2012 National Tournament, Jack Francis fumbled the Embarrassment win, colors reversed, against Teal Stanley.
Here is their game run-up: 12-16, 2117, 9-13, 25 21, 16-19, 23 16, 11-20, 30 25, 5-9, 24 19, 8-12, 27 23, 4-8, 32 27, 9-14, 22 18, 13-22, 18 9, 6-13, 25 18, 13-17, 21 14, 10-17, 19 16, 12-19, 23 16, 17-21, 27 23, 8-11, 31 27, 2-6, 28 24, 6-10, 24 19, 1-5, 16 12 forms Embarrassment, colors reversed.
In second place, with 5 votes, was "Close Call", a 12-star chase, sacrifice, and escape by Roy Little. Roy came that "close" to extending his 2-game winning streak. It was Jim Loy who got "computerless" Roy involved in these contests back in 2012.
In third place, with 4 votes, was "Pawn Play", a lesson in perpetual draw avoidance, by Bill Salot, who broke his 2-game losing streak
In fourth place, with 3 votes, was "Photo Finish", a rare, new, 3x3, 12-star, deferred 2-for-1 by Ed Atkinson. It demonstrated that good, original, 3x3 problems can still be created. Ed said, "The competition was really tough, good publicity for problemists."
Last, with 1 vote, was "New Lemonade", a long, hard chase to a 1st Position win, by Louis Cowie, another "computerless" composer. His first setting was a "Lemon", so the repair was named "Lemonade". But the repair proved faulty. Hence the final setting became "New Lemonade".
During Contest #17, 315 visited the site, another new record for these contests. The 21 vote total has not been exceeded since Contest #10 in April 2013. Those are good signs.
Here is how Contest #17 was introduced:
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It is easy to misplay long, hard mid-games and endings. When we do, we not only miss good moves, but some of the game's hidden beauties as well. Here is an opportunity to simulate such situations. Play these problems as if you were competing crossboard against the animator. The difference is when you decide on a wrong move, the animator will show you the right one. Also timely notes will pop up to highlight points that otherwise might be missed along the way.
Contest #17 consists of Strokeless Strategies, a complete reversal from the Giant Strokes in Contest #16
The solutions to these problems ordinarily would require time, care and patience because they shun shots and similar shortcuts to success, instead settling into subtle struggles with secrets that most players seldom seize. But you and your animator can reap the benefits with a minimum of effort.
Composers, who gave you stingers and shockers in the past, show their flexibility here. In this contest, each trunk solution has at least 10 star moves, at least 2 key variations, and nary a single stroke. Exploring their insights will be worth your while.
Which one impresses you most? There is no need to actually solve them; instead soak up their ideas via the animations; then vote to determine the winner, and come back later to check on the voting trends.
The polls will remain open through the month of June.
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