JF-2017/II postponed for mid-August

Dear authors, readers, the first fairy tournament of this year, JF-2017/I is just finished with 54 problems. I’m grateful to all participants, and wishing the judge, Tadashi Wakashima, to enjoy your works!

About the next fairy tournament, JF-2017/II, I need to tell you that I’m going to postpone the beginning of it till mid-August. I regret about it myself, but otherwise I can’t finish all my obligations, mostly about judging. With almost regular updates of two websites I really have no time for anything else, including the own composing too. 

Of course, I’ll continue to update wfcc.ch, and will publish fairy announcements on JF upon request. 

I’ll write about the next fairy tournament after WCCC in Dresden, 5-12.08. – Julia.


Welcome to the judge of JF-2017/I

I’m delighted to welcome the judge of informal tournament JF-2017/I (01.Jan.2017 – 30.Jun.2017) –Tadashi Wakashima – Several times the judge of the WCCI and FIDE Album in fairy section, an indefatigable promoter of chess composition in Japan, the delegate of Japan in WFCC and the chief editor of the Japanese magazine “Problem Paradise”. Many of you might remember Tadashi as the tireless organizer of the successful 55th WCCC in Kobe in September, 2012.

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42 fairy problems are published in the tournament JF-2017/I, and by the end of June I’d gladly accept about 8-10 good fairy problems. Please, not more than one problem per sending! – Julia


Retro and PG problems 2017 – 2018

JF-LOGO-1Retro and PG problems 2017 – 2018

Dear Retro & PG composers,

In April 2013 I’ve published the first PG problem on JF (No.299 by Nicolas Dupont, who convinced me to publish this genre 🙂 ), and since that have organized two competitions of two-years period in Retro&PG genres: Retro and PG 2013-2014 (judge:  Hans Gruber),  Retro and PG 2015-2016 (judge: Thomas Brand).

Dirk Borst 2016Today I’m very glad to announce a new Retro and PG tournament 2017-2018:

The judge: Dirk Borst – a talented Dutch composer, very experienced in fairy and retro problems, also in fairy proof games! Dirk is known not only as a composer, but also as a noted judge, and a fairy editor of Probleemblad magazine.  Warm welcome to Dirk and my gratitude for accepting the judge’s work! 


The judge of JF-2016/II

pachl_franz_dorisI’m very glad to announce the judge of informal tournament JF-2016/II – Franz Pachl – an International Judge with 90 problem-tourneys judged, an International Grand Master with 140 album points. Franz has composed near 1.400 problems, of which 1.000 are honoured. His favorite genre is fairy-chess. 

Franz was born on 8.01.1951, married since 1972, has a son Markus (1975) and a grandson Neo (2011). (On the photo: Franz with his wife Doris).

 Warm welcome to Franz!

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You’re welcome to participate in the second informal tournament of this year – JF-2016/II, July-December!
Any fairy problem can participate, and I’m here for you to publish it faster. – Julia


End of JF-2016/I

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Dear Friends,

JF‘s informal tourney for fairy problems published in January-June’2016 – JF-2016/I is ended on June, 30th. The judge of this period – Petko Petkov – has a list of 96 fairy problems (all original problems published on JF this year, till 30.06.2016, except Retro&PG problems). I’d like to thank all authors who participate in this tournament and all of you who’s given the spirit, creativity, ideas, advises and experience in your works and comments in this period! Thanks a lot to Petko Petkov for his current and future work! 

I’m sorry to tell you that the judge of the next period, July-December’2016, is not appointed yet. Of course, I’ll gladly accept and publish your works, at your own risk 🙂 .

Judging is something not easy to ask for… even hoping that it’s not only a hard work to be done, but it’s also a challenge, a honor, a pleasure in analyzing of many interesting works, and a final satisfaction about the result. Please, let me know if any of you would be willing to take JF-2016/II. I’d be very grateful for it!

And the last thing.. and one of the most important of the year – WCCC2016! Good luck to all of you who will participate in composing/solving competitions! Have a nice trips and a nice stay in Belgrade who’s coming! Myself, I’ll be very glad to come and to meet all of you! (222 participants as of now!) – Julia


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Dear Friends,

First of all, I wish you a happy and successful year 2016! As always, you’re very welcome here, on JF!

The second informal tournament of the previous year – JF-2015/II – has finished on the 31st of December, 2015 with 128 published problems (excluding versions and Retro&PG problems). Thanks a lot to all participants and to the judge, Ofer Comay, for his future work! 

The year 2016 will be also split into two informal tourneys for fairy problems
I – January-June, II – July-December
.
 


You’re welcome to participate in the first informal tournament of this year – JF-2016/I, January-June!
I always try to publish your problems as soon as I can. Hopefully, in 1-2 days. But at some periods I really get too many of your works, and I’d like you to know that in such cases I give a priority to either the problems I consider as more interesting or to the new authors or those authors who has less of publications on JF.

ppetkov_dobrichI’m happy to announce the judge of this period – Petko A. Petkov – International Judge, GM in composition, famous fairy composer and a leader in the world rank list with 454.25 points in the FIDE Albums. Till now, Petko has judged four JF’s thematic competitions and was also one of the strongest and active authors on JF. This time I’m grateful to Petko for taking one more job, although, loosing him as an author for this period. Warm welcome to Petko!

Good luck to all of us in 2016! – Julia


The judge of JF-2015-II

OferComayI’m happy to announce the judge of informal tournament JF-2015/II – Ofer Comay – a problem composer of all genres, and a former world champion in chess solving. Ofer is also known for his theoretical contribution in end-game study theory and he is the author of one of the first chess problem solving program (CS) in the early 80’s.

In the last years Ofer is focused on fairies and helpmates. He is also involved in other projects – a co-founder of a software company and the author of the popular science book “Science or Fiction?” which, in short, tries to show to every science amateur that a central part of the standard model of particle physics is a bluff… Ofer has three children and two cute grandsons.

 Warm welcome to Ofer!

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You’re welcome to participate in the second informal tournament of this year – JF-2015/II, July-December!
Any fairy problem can participate, and I’m here for you to publish it faster. – Julia


End of JF-2015/I

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Dear Friends,

The first informal tourney for fairy problems published on Julia’s Fairies website in 2015, January-June – JF-2015/I is ended on June, 30thThe judge of this period – Kostas Prentos – will have a huge work, judging about 170 problems! I hope, it will be not only complicated, but also pleasant task, as there’re many very good works. And I’m sure, that all authors will be patient to wait for the Award as long time as it is needed.

Some short info about current issues:

  • I’m sorry, I really had no time even to think about an appointing of the judge for JF-2015/II (July-December), will try to do it during July
  • I’ve a pleasure to tell you that yesterday I’ve got the Award JF-2013/III from Eric Huber and I’ll try to publish it as soon as possible, hopefully on the end of this week or the beginning of the next one
  • I should tell you that during July and the first part of August I won’t be able to publish so many problems as the last time, as I need some time to analyze the problems coming for my TT, the 1st RBB, to compose myself for WCCC’s TTs, and also to go there..

I hope for your understanding. And I wish good luck to all of you in WCCC’s competitions! – Julia


Julia’s Fairies 1st RIGA BLACK BALSAM TT

RigasBalzams-BlackCurrantJulia’s Fairies is pleased to announce its composing tournament within the
58th World Congress of Chess Composition

1st RIGA BLACK BALSAM TT

Judge: Julia Vysotska

Theme: Help-play with Half-neutral pieces. Thematic play of half-neutral pieces in H#/=/==, HS#/=/== problems in 2-5 moves; Ser-H#/=/==, Ser-HS#/=/== problems up to 10 moves. Other fairy pieces (also standard neutral pieces) are allowed. Fairy conditions are NOT allowed.

Computer tested problems only! Half-neutral pieces are fully implemented in the last version of Popeye and also most of problems can be tested by WinChloe, except half-neutral King (and Royal piece).

Please send entries to Julia Vysotska by e-mail at julia@juliasfairies.com until July, 31st, 2015
or during the Congress, for participants only, until 17:00 of August, 3rd, 2015.

Prizes are bottles of RIGA BLACK BALSAM Currant.
The tourney is open worldwide, however the prizes are for congress participants only.

See Examples with animated solutions in the detailed announcement or use PDF file to print out.

Welcome to participate! – Julia

Retro and PG problems 2015 – 2016

JF-LOGO-1Retro and PG problems 2015 – 2016

Dear Friends,

In April 2013 I’ve published the first PG problem on JF, but later have organized a competition for Retro and PG problems 2013-2014 (judge:  Hans Gruber). I’m grateful for your interest and activity in this complicated genre, and I’m happy to announce a new PG & Retro tournament for the next two-years period: 2015-2016. Your compositions are very welcome!

ThomasBrandThe judge: Thomas Brand – a well known German composer, retro section editor of Die Schwalbe since 2008, the international judge for retros (and helpmates), who also runs his own retroblog (thbrand.de/retroblog). And the most exciting news: Thomas promises to provide the award very soon (about January 2017!).
Warm welcome to Thomas!