Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #39
2018-05-19 through 2018-06-30
So far 311 visitors have viewed this contest 961 times.

The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Ed Atkinson, Pennsylvania, the composer of Smoke and Mirrors, which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #39.
The "Mystery Theme" of this contest was dubbed "Captive Cossacks" by Ben Boland in his "Familiar Themes", 1938. The theme is undefined, but you know it when you see it. It is among composers' favorites, but only occasionally (some say rarely) arises in games.

These 7 problems collected 6 votes from the United States and 5 from other countries, plus a total of 300 non-voting visitors. The new low of 11 votes worldwide is not a sign of the imminent demise of these contests. Composers will continue to show their wares with or without votes of support.

The winner of Contest 39 was the only entry of the stroke type. It was Smoke and Mirrors, by Ed Atkinson. It received 4 votes, thanks to Liam Stephens (Ireland), Lloyd Gordon (Canada), Kathy Wirthwein and Wilma Wolverton. Incredibly it was Liam's 7th consecutive vote for a winner.

A 3-way tie for second, with 2 votes each, included Two Happy, by Roy Little, which got Gene Ellison's vote; and Alternating Current, by Brian Hinkle, which got Gary Ellison's vote. Those two problems had similar solutions and may have stolen votes from each other. The third party in the tie was Mixed Vegetables, by Bill Salot. Tony Gallagher (UK) and Jim Somers (Ireland) voted for it.

Fifth, with one vote, was the instructive A Walk through Time, by Brian Hinkle. Slava Gorin (Russia) voted for it.

Last with no votes were Back at You, by Ed Atkinson, and 5-Ways, by Bill Salot.

Roy Little was the only composer with only one problem entered. His second one was disqualified just before the contest started.

The top 4 voters on the Problem Evaluation Ladder are now as follows:
1) Liam Stephens 7 wins in 7 tries,
2) Lloyd Gordon 2 wins in 2 tries,
3) Gene Ellison 4 wins in 6 tries,
4) Wilma Wolverton 3 wins in 5 tries.
Fifteen others are batting no better than 50%. Picking winners is not easy.

Here is how Contest 39 was introduced back in May:

Mystery Theme, May 19 - June 30, 2018: The solutions to any two of these problems will show you their uncommon mystery theme. Knowing the mystery theme should make the other problems in this contest easier to solve. Although Boland's Familiar Themes devotes a page to this theme, none of the current contest problems are included there.

However this is a composing contest. Four composers each entered two problems, but one problem was disqualified, leaving a total of seven. You don't need to solve them to enjoy them. If you are not a solver, just visit the animated solutions and their notes. Then vote to tell us which one impresses you most.

If you think you are a good judge of problems, get on the ladder, and find out how good you really are. Do so by telling Bill Salot (before the contest ends) which problem got your vote. His address is below the diagrams below.
A Walk Through Time
Composed By: Brian Hinkle, Missouri
Current Votes:
White to move. Draw
View Animation
Trunk*13-9, 2-7, *9-6, 7-11, *6-2, 11-16, *2-7, 15-19, *22-25, 19-26, *25-30, 16-20, 30-23, 14-17A, *7-11B, 17-22C 11-8D, 22-25, *8 11, 25-30, *11-15, 31-26, *23-27 30-25, 15-19, 25-30, *19-15, 26-22, *27-32, 30-26, 32-27, 22-17, 15-19, 17-14, 27-31, 26-22, *31-27, 22-18, 27-32, 18-22, 19-15, 22-17, 32-27, 17-13, 27-32, 13-9, 32-27, 9-6, 27-32, 6-2, *15 19, 14-10, 32-27, 2-7, 27-23, 7-11, 23-18E, 10-7, 18-23, 7-3, 23-18, 3-8, 18-23, 8-12, 23-27, 11-16, *27-23FDraw
A20-24, *23 27, 24-28, *27 32, 31-26, *7 11, 26-23, *11 16, 14-17, *16-20, Payne’s Double Corner Draw, 1756.Draw
BThe composer notes that with white to move, there are a total of 5 pieces in his king row columns, an odd amount, as required for 3x2 double corner man down draws.
CFor voting purposes, the original part of this contest problem ends after this move. The composer points out that the position is now published play by W. J. Wray, New London Day, Connecticut, April 27, 1898, No. 804, (from Wray’s Sheffield Independent) at the 20th move (16-20); also shown in Boland’s Masterpieces, 1947, Page 201, under his No. 15.
DA continuation (animated) is offered to show some unusual White defenses aimed at luring 20-24 into Payne’s Double Corner Draw, and to demonstrate most published attacks available to Red, while avoiding 20-24. A trap is dodged at every star move.
EJ. H. Tregaskis, 1874; also R. D. Yates, 1878, Boland’s Masterpieces, Page 200, No. 13
FThe composer points out that Red cannot break through so the Red kings can now be brought back down the board to force White to demonstrate Payne’s Double Corner draw as shown in note A.
Two Happy
Composed By: Roy Little, Oklahoma
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*30 26A, 27-31B, *26-22, 17-26, *25 30, 7-11C, 30 23, 11-15, *20 24, 15-18, *24 28, 18-27, *28 32White Wins
ANot 20 16, 27-23 or 27-31Draw
B7-11, *25 30, 27-31, *26 22, 17-26, Trunk at 6 (7-11)White Wins
C7-10, 30 23, 10-15, sameWhite Wins
5-Ways
Composed By: Bill Salot, Virginia
Current Votes:
White to move. Draw
View Animation
Trunk*30 26, 23-30, *32 27A, 6-9, *24 19B, 9-14C, *25 22D, 17-26, *27 31, 30-25 {5-ways}, 31 29, 14-18, *19 15, 18-22, *15 10, 21-17, *10 6, 17-14, *6 1Draw
ANot 24 19, *30-26, 25 22, *26-23Red Wins
BNot 27 23 (Not 27 31, *9-13, RW), *9-14, 24 19, *30-26, 23 30, *14-18, Red Wins Not 24 20, *9-14, 25 22 (27 23, *30-26, 23 30, *14-18, RW), 17-26, 27 31, *30-25, 31 29, 14-18, 20 16, 18-22, 16 11, *21-17, 11 7, *17-14, 7 2, *14-10Red Wins
C17-22 (9-13, *27 23, *17-22, Draws), 25 18, 30-26, *18 15Draw
DNot 27 23, *30-26, 23 30, *14-18Red Wins
Back at You
Composed By: Ed Atkinson, Pennsylvania
Current Votes:
White to move. Draw
View Animation
Trunk*9 6, 5-1, *22 25, 1-10, *2 7, 10-3, *25 30Draw
Alternating Current
Composed By: Brian Hinkle, Missouri
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*22 25A 3-10, *25 30, 10-15, 30 23, 15-18, *24 28, 18-27, *28 32White Wins
ANot 7 2 *26-30, 2 6, *30-26, 22 25, 26-30, 25 22, 30-26Draw
Smoke and Mirrors
Composed By: Ed Atkinson, Pennsylvania
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*24 27A, 14-21, *13 9, 31-24B, 20 27, 5-7, 2 25, 21-30, *27 31White Wins
ANot 13 9, *14 7Draw
B5-7, 2 25, 21-30, *27 23White Wins
Mixed Vegetables
Composed By: Bill Salot, Virginia
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*24 20A, 15-24, 20 27, 12-26, *27 31, 9-14B, *21 17, 14-21, *22 18, 13-17, 31 13C, 30-26, 29 22, 26-17, 13 22White Wins
ANot 23 18, *9-14, 18 9, *10-14Draw
B10-15 (10-14, *21 17, 14-21, *22 18, WW), *22 18, 15-22, *21 17White Wins
CNot 29 13, *21-25, 31 29, *30-26, 29 25, *26-23Draw
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.