Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #41
2018-09-15 through 2018-10-31
So far 314 visitors have viewed this contest 792 times.

The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Bill Salot, the composer of Swordplay, which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #41.
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest 41 - Early 1st Position - Results

Contest 41 closed on Halloween, with 314 visitors, 14 of whom voted. All 4 entries featured a triple jump into a stage of 1st Position.

Swordplay, with 6 votes, gave Bill Salot his 2nd consecutive win. The votes were cast by Gene Ellison, Lloyd Gordon (Canada), Slava Gorin (Russia), Leo Springer (Netherlands) and one anonymous.

Closing fast for 2nd place with 4 votes was the Kingless Earliest with 21, by Brian Hinkle, whose votes were by George Hay, Richard Marlowe, Kathy Wirthwein and one anonymous. The title refers to the 2x2 finish, colors reversed. There is no earlier 2x2 setting of 1st Position with the White single piece on 21.

Third with 3 votes was the Kingless Flip Flop by Roy Little. Liam Stephens (Ireland) voted for it.

Friendly Persuasion, by Ed Atkinson, with 1 vote, trailed, but was not shut out.

The top of the Problem Evaluation Ladder, among those who have voted at least 3 times, now stands as follows: 1) Lloyd Gordon (Canada) picked 4 winners in 4 tries (100%); 2) Liam Stephens (Ireland) 7 winners in 9 tries (78%); 3) Gene Ellison 5 winners in 8 tries (62.5%); 16 others are at 50% or less.

Here is how the contest was introduced:

Without a doubt, 1st Position is the standard position reached most often in checker games. We may never know how many ways it can arise. Here are 4 original, unpublished examples by 4 composers who used similar but different ploys to reach the famous finish.

The problems did not arise in games. They are all in the 5x5 to 7x7 size range. All start with no more than one White King. You will recognize another commonality when you see the solutions.

Enjoy the animated solutions. Help determine the next world champion by voting for the composition that impresses you most.

Compare your problem-evaluating ability with others by joining the Ladder of Voters. Just disclose your vote promptly to Bill Salot at the address below the diagrams. The top of the Ladder, among those who have picked winners at least three times, stands as follows:
1 - Lloyd Gordon (Canada) - 100%
2 - Liam Stephens (Ireland) - 87%
3 - Kathy Wirthwein - 60%
4 - Gene Ellison - 57%
Swordplay
Composed By: Bill Salot
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*27 23A, 16-7, *23 18B, 15-22, *10 6, 2-9, 3 26 {Triple into 1st Position}, 4-8, *20 16, 8-12, *16 11, 12-16, *26 23White Wins
ANot 10 6, *2-9, 27 23, 16-7, 3 17C, *4-8, 17 22, *9-14, 20 16, *8-12, 16 11, *12-16, 11 7, *15-19, 22 26, *19-24, Draws . . . . . . . . C (off A) - 3 19, *14-17, 19 15, 17-22, 15 18, 22-26, 23 19, *26-30, 18 22 (20 16, *30 25, Draws), 9-14, 20 16, *4-8, Draws Draw
BNot 10 6, 2-9 is Note A at 4 (16-7)Draw
Friendly Persuasion
Composed By: Ed Atkinson
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*9 6 {not 26 22, *25-18, Draws}, 1-10, *19 15, 10-19, *26 22, 17-26 {or 25-18}, *12 16, 3-12, 16 21 {Triple into 1st Position}, 32-27, *21 17, 27-23, *17 14, 23-19, *14 10White Wins
Flip Flop
Composed By: Roy Little
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*12 8, 3-12, *19 16, 12-19, *15 10, 6-15, 13 6, 2-9, *26 23, 19-26, 31 6 {Triple into 1st Position}White Wins
Earliest with 21
Composed By: Brian Hinkle
Current Votes:
White to move. White Wins
View Animation
Trunk*19 15, 10-19, 23 7, 3-10, *18 14, 9-18, *26 22, 17-26 {or 18-25}, 30 7 {Triple into 1st Position}, 2-11, 32 27 {or 32 28}, 11-15, *27 24, 15-18, *24 19, 18-23, *19 15, 23-27, *15 10White 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.