25th TT Chess Composition Microweb C 5.5.2009


The choice of thematic area for this TT was easy. But precising the theme and then finding thematic examples turned out to be slightly more difficult than expected. Anyway...

Being in Jurmala meant for me (besides meetings with other problem chess fans and exploring the country with my wife) also some composing. Usually I try to participate in theme tourneys and the program of the congress in this respect was very rich. I even managed (in the collaboration with James Quah) to finish something worthy in the quick tourney. The theme of the tourney asked for pinning theme in h#2 and some fairy pieces were allowed. Even the quick look into the congress bulletin (external PDF), at page 48, indicates there are quite wide possibilities in this area, especially in fairies. However, for the judge post I have selected a person capable of composing (and judging) in the orthodox area too.


Announcement

Chess Composition Microweb announces formal thematical tourney for any type of chess problems (both orthodox and fairies are accepted) in which:

(a) some piece X is pinned at some time (possibly in the initial position),
(b) X is then unpinned,
(c) X is later pinned again.

See explanations below for more clarification.

Judge: James Quah (Singapore)

Any stipulations and any fairy elements are allowed. The tourney might be divided to multiple sections if enough problems are received depending on the opinion of the judge (e.g. orthodox - fairy, direct - help, or whatever any division judge deems suitable).

Entries should be sent by email to juraj.lorinc@bigfoot.com before May 5th 2009. The award will be published at Chess Composition Microweb.

Please, let know your friends about our competition!

Strucny slovensky preklad temy: Turnaj je vypisany pre akekolvek ulohy, v ktorych je nejaky kamen priviazany, potom odviazany a potom zas priviazany. Priklady ukazuju vhodne typy uloh (postupne budu doplnane).

Examples

CCM shows some thematical examples and finally I was able to identify some more: Special example files:

Explanations

First version of the theme proposed sounded like this: The same unit is pinned at least twice during the same line of play.

This was understood to mean: One of pins might be present already in the diagram position. In any case, the theme unit must be unpinned at least once (meaning it was pinned before this unpinning) and subsequently pinned at least once (meaning it become pinned after this pinning).

However the ambiguities that might have caused confusion led finally to the setting the theme using three points as above.

Accumulation of subsequent unpin-pin effects is of course OK.

Pin definition (for the purposes of the tourney): A unit (king excluded) is pinned, if it cannot leave its square randomly (or along a line) because that would mean the check to the own king. Arrival effects causing the selfcheck (like repelling by grasshoppers or cutting the paralysis line in Madrasi) are not considered to be pins.


Results

We had 23 problems competing in the tourney, submitted by 14 authors:
And here are the winners: the award by James Quah. The award was amended and one of problems was omitted (remark in the text of award in italic).

Send any claims against this award to Juraj Lörinc before October 21th, 2009, please.

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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