Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #29
2016-07-23 through 2016-08-31
So far 298 visitors have viewed this contest 722 times.

The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Roy Little, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the composer of Broken Trail, which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #29.
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest 29 - Starry Strategies Results:

Roy Little made it three in a row as World Champion or Co-Champion. His "Broken Trail" won the "Starry Strategies" contest handily with 6 votes. It looked like a midgame position, started with 10 star moves and ended in a flurry of Zugzwang traps.

Runner-up with 3 votes was "All-Star Melody" by 87.5 year-old returnee Louis (tough nut) Cowie. His was another natural setting and required precise maneuvering to avoid numerous blind alleys.

In a 3-way tie for 3rd with 2 votes each were, alphabetically, "Bloom" by Jim (It takes a while for a flower to bloom) Loy; "Neatly Scattered" by Ed (18 consecutive star moves) Atkinson; and "Watch Out!" by Bill (just hanging on) Salot.

This was the closest, most competitive contest yet. 298 visited the contest, but 283 of them were too shy to vote.

Here is how the contest was introduced:

Starry Struggles

In this contest, the definition of a star move is the one and only unforced move or jump, obvious or not, that must be made in order to satisfy the terms of the problem. Among the attributes of a good problem are multiple star moves. The solutions to the following original, unpublished, difficult-to-compose, practical studies all amazingly require White to begin by making at least ten (10) consecutive star moves. For better understanding, each animated solution has clarifying notes.

Rather than taking time to thoroughly analyze each problem, it is suggested that you just play the White moves as if you are in a game against the animator. Count how many of the star moves you miss in each one. It will give you an idea of how deceptive they are.

Then decide which composition you rate best, and vote for it. Your vote may crown a new champion.
All-Star Melody
Composed By: Louis Cowie, Painesville, Ohio
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*7 10, 14-18A, *10 15, 23-27, *6 10 {Not 6 2 or 6 9, *18-23 Draws}, 27-23B, *10 7, 23-27, *7 11, 27-23B, *11 16, 23-27, *16 20, 18-23C, *15 18, 22-26, *20 24, 27-20, 18 27, 26-31, *27 32, 20 16, *32 27White Wins
A14-17, *6 9 followed by *9 13White Wins
B(2 places) – 18-23, *15 18, 22-26, *28 24, 27-20, 18 27, 26-31, *27 32White Wins
Bloom
Composed By: Jim Loy, Bozeman, Montana
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*17 13, 9-14, *13 9, 11-15 {or 14-18 first}, *9 6, 14-18 {or 15-19 first}, *6 2, 15-19A, *2 7, 18-23, *26 31, 19-24, *7 11, 23-27, *20 16B, 12-19, *11 16, 19-23, *16 19C, 23-26, *19 28White Wins
A21-25, 29 22, 18-25, 26 30 (or 2 6 or 2 7 first),one of Bowen’s TripletsWhite Wins
BNot 11 15, *27-32, 15 19, *32-28, 19 23, *28-32, 31 26, *32-28Draw
CNot 16 20, *23-26, 1st PositionRed Wins
Watch Out!
Composed By: Bill Salot, Colonial Heights, Virginia
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*23 19, 20-24, *29 25A, 26-22B, *19 15, 22-29, 15 8, 29-25, *8 3, 5-9, *3 7, 9-13, *7 10, 13-17, *10 14, 25-21C, *18 15, 17-22, *15 19, 24-28D, *19 23, 22-25, *23 26, 25-29, *26 30White Wins
ANot 18 14, *24-27, 32 23, *26-22Draw
B26-30, *25 21, 30-25, *18 14, 25-22, *32 28, 5-9, 14 5, 24-27, *28 24, 22-26, *24 20White Wins
C17-22, 18 23 (or 32 28 first), 24-27, *32 28White Wins
DNow same as C. Crawford v E. Fuller 1976 US Nat.White Wins
Neatly Scattered
Composed By: Ed Atkinson
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*23 18, 27-31, *26 22, 31-26, *22 17, 26-22, *18 15, 22-13, *15 11, 13-17, *29 25, 21-30, *10 6, 2-9, 5 21, 30-26, *21 17, 26-23, *17 14, 23-19, *14 10, 19-16, *10 7, 16-12, *7 3, 12-16, *11 7, 16-12, *7 2, 4-8A, *2 6, 8-11, *6 10, 11-16, *10-15, 16-20, *15-19White Wins
A12-16, 2 7, 16-20, 7 11, 1st PositionWhite Wins
Broken Trail
Composed By: Roy Little, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*18 14, 12-16, *13 9, 4-8, *9 6, 16-19, 24 15, 11-25, *6 2, 8-11, *2 6, 10-15, *14 10, 7-14, 17 10, 25-30, *6 2, 15-18, *2 7, 11-15, *7 11, 30 26, *10 6, 26-22, 6 2 {or 6 1 similar; also 28 24 is a longer WW}, 15-19, 11 15 {or 2 6 first}, 19-23, *2 6, 23-27, *15 10, 27-31A, *20 16, 3-8A, 10 15B, 8-12, *15 19White Wins
A(2 places) - All other moves lose by shotsWhite Wins
B16 12 and 6 2 also win hereWhite Wins
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.