Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #30
2016-09-24 through 2016-10-31
So far 307 visitors have viewed this contest 698 times.

The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Jim Loy, the composer of Skilled Trade, which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #30.
Results of Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest 30 - Early First Position

In a close 3-way race, "Skilled Trade", by Jim Loy, escaped with 7 votes to win by 1 over both the aptly named "Squeezed Out", by Roy Little, and "Sore Elbow", by Bill Salot. Roy Little's 3-contest consecutive win streak was broken by that 1 vote. "Mobility Wins", by Ed Atkinson, received the first vote, but strangely no more after that.

"Skilled Trade" and "Squeezed Out" had the shortest solutions and fewest star moves, but their paths to "First Position" were well hidden behind false solutions.

In "Sore Elbow", if the Red king were a single piece, White would have an alternate draw by 27 24 at the 15th move. Then continue 20-27, 31 24, 16-20, and, surprise, you have "Skilled Trade".

The contest had 307 visitors, 20 of whom voted.

Here is how this contest was introduced:

Early First Position - September 24 - October 31, 2016

If you don't know "First Position", you can't completely solve these contest problems because that is where they all end up. Instead you need to study the current ACFB Guest Students' Page to get better acquainted with it. Even if you do know "First Position", these early versions may give you trouble.

"First Position" is the most common and most important of all "Standard Positions". It arises in many ways, some of them weird, like the ones in this contest.

See them animated, choose the one that impresses you most, and cast your vote for it. Help us choose the winner and next World Champion Composer.
Squeezed Out
Composed By: Roy Little
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*2 6, 24-15, *6-9, 12-19, 9 11, 3-12, *11 15, 19-23 {or 19-24 similar}, 15 6 {1st Position}, White Wins
Skilled Trade
Composed By: Jim Loy
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*23 18A, 20-27, *19 24, 27-32, *15 19, 22-15, 19 10, 32-28BWhite Wins
ANot 15 18, *22-15, 19 10, 20-27, 23 19, *27-32, 10 15, *32-28, 15 18, *28-24Draw
B1st Position; if 12-16, *10 14, 32-28, 24 20, 16-19, *14 18, 28-32, *20 24, 19-28, *18 23White Wins
Mobility Wins
Composed By: Ed Atkinson
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*27 24, 31-27, *24-20, 27-23, *19-15A. 23-18, *15-10, 18-15, *11-8, 15-6, *5-1, 3-12, 1 10 {1st Position}White Wins
ANot 19 16, 23-19 (or 23-18 similar), 16 12, *19-15, 11-8, *15-11, 8 4, *28-32Draw
Sore Elbow
Composed By: Bill Salot
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*14 9A, 17-22, *9 6, 22-25, *6 2, 25-30, *2-7, 30-25, *7 3, 25-22, *3 8, 22-17, 8 15, 17-22, *31 26, 22-24, 19 28, 16-19, *15 24, 20-27 {1st Position}, 28 24 {or 23 19}White Wins
ANot 14 10, *11-15Red 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.