(30.04) No.1610 & 1610.A (hs#2.5 & hs#3) “Robert Sharp” (Wagga Wagga / Australia). 2 originals: “Both problems show the Sharp-Theme, curiously with almost identical play, in hs# 2.5 by White, in hs# 3 by Black!” (Author)
(29.04) No.1609 (hs=5) János Csák and Gábor Tar (Hungary). Sacrifices.
(29.04) No.1608 (h#1 ; All-in-Chess) K. Seetharaman (India). One more not implemented condition?
(29.04) No.1607 (++ ; Circe Couscous (promotion before rebirth)) Joost de Heer (Netherlands). The variation of Circe Couscous to be included in our Fairy Chess Classification?
Our thanks to all the maintainers of these sources. Going forward, we plan to add more elements from all these sources as well as any interesting elements that are freshly invented. We will also add more information to each element like history, popularity, solving program support and example problems. Also planned is a user interface to search and explore the elements. In these dark days, some light and order! We welcome you to join us!
Please post your opinions, suggestions and queries! – The Fairy Chess Classification Project Team
It’s not only my effort bringing to you all those good news in the beginning of the spring 🙂 No, not at all! It’s about the great collaborators we have here!
One more award on JF! By the one who has already judged JF Fairy section in 2014 (JF-2014-I / Award), but now will show himself in Retro & PG problems. The one who brings so much of positive attitude mixed together with a deep analysis to everything he touches, the one having the sun inside… this time delivers JF Retro&PG 2019-20 Award in a very short time after the end of the tournament, for your nice Sunday’s time!
click to see the Award in PDF, 16 pages
My gratitude to Vlaicu, congratulations to the winners, and best wishes to all participants! Your fine works are always welcome to JF!
Some more words about the awards on JF: as you can see in the Tournaments section, I have two delayed awards. The good news are that Tadashi Wakashima (JF-2017-I) expects his award to be ready by the end of May, so you might see it in June! The bad news are that after some years of promises Diyan Kostadinov (JF-2013-II) keeps silence, and I’m sorry for now I couldn’t answer your questions about this too late award.
Dear composers, now I’m glad to announce to you that our fairy judge for JF-2021-I (01.01.2021-30.06.2021) will be Ofer Comay!
It was not so long ago, August 2015, when Ofer accepted to be the judge of JF-2015-II. In the tournaments section you can find a great work done by Ofer with over 100 problems of that tournament:
To my words from before I’d like to add I’m very grateful to Ofer for supporting JF (and me) the 2nd time, for his positive, objective and human approach, for the nice personality and great experience we will enjoy on JF again! Well, I believe other editors understand how I feel. They know how it is not easy to look for the judges, to ask for such a big work… and then not really knowing how to find words for being thankful enough.
Important information from the judge to the composers: “I will split the tournament to two sections: 1) problems like hs, serial, with no fairy pieces and conditions; 2) problems with fairy pieces and/or fairy conditions.”
(16.04) No.1604 (hs#4 AP) János Csák & Gábor Tar (Hungary). AP Valladao.
(13.04) No.1603 (PG 3,5 ending with triple check mate / Add pieces ; Circe Parrain, Point Reflection) Pierre Tritten (France). For the animation purposes the initial game array position is shown on the diagram instead of the empty position sent by the author. The task is to find 2 final positions.
(10.04) No.1602 (#2 ; Breton) Thomas Maeder (Switzerland). “The mechanism reminds of 1365. The play looks less orthodox here because…” (Author)
(08.04) No.1601 (hs#2 ; Masand) Julia Vysotska (Latvia). “6 & 4 for Marjan’s Birthday!” – a cooperation without sacrifices starts from the initial position on 6×4 squares ; 6 pieces of each color ; 4 half-moves of each color ; and some little tricks… with a Happy Birthday wishes to Marjan Kovačević!
Animated diagrams use Py2Web by Dmitri Turevski and WinChloe‘s graphics, Christian Poisson
Here’s Chris giving the same pose as his Grandfather, in the painting!
The human touch: Chris Tylor by Shankar Ram
Some interesting information about Chris Tylor, our most active contributor to the Fairy Chess Classification Project: In December 1888, T. Fisher Unwin, the London publishing house, published a 112 page book of poetry called “Chess: A Christmas Masque” by Chris’s Grandfather, Louis Tylor. (Masque: a type of theatre entertainment including poetry, singing, and dancing, performed in England in the 16th and 17th centuries).
The British weekly The Spectator, in its 22-Dec-1888 issue, described the book as “A LITTLE poem, this, but dealing with great mysteries, and one which will commend itself to those who, like Milton’s fallen angels, love to reason of- ” Providence, Fore-knowledge, Will, and Fate, Fixed Fate, Free-will, Fore-knowledge absolute (https://www.gbnpharmacy.com/pharmacy_xanax.php).”
Viktor and Andriy quoted this book as a new addition to their anthology of world chess poetry. And with poetic license, they said Chris’s work in chess problems was a creative link to and a continuation of his Grandfather’s book!
The book has been considered culturally important and has been reprinted recently. A public domain PDF is available here.
Somewhat in the spirit of Lewis Caroll, it starts with a dream by a boy who falls asleep on Christmas eve, before a chess board and sees the chessmen start to move and speak. Here are some excerpts:
Louis Tylor relaxing
A pleasant dream. Me thought the smooth square board
Grew rugged as the chequered field of life;
My chessmen took a human shape and moved,
The White with purpose good, and the Black with ill.
….
When the play is over, and the match is won,
Times of joyous contest ended, joyous rest begun;
Then the players, foes no longer, only rival friends,
Drink a parting health together; So the evening ends
When the play is over.
….
Read the full book from the link above, or better still, buy a hard copy online!
Published with a gratitude to the initiator and author of this article, the soul of Fairy Chess Classification Project, Shankar Ram! (JV)
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Manfred Rittirsch, the Schwalbe announces a THEME TOURNEY.
For problems with any stipulation on the standard 8×8 board using a combination of 1) Eiffelchess plus 2a) chameleons/chameleonchess and/or 2b) neutral pieces (not halfneutral). No other fairy conditions/pieces are allowed. Tourney director: Arnold Beine, Grund 15, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany; arnold.beine@web.de Judge: Manfred Rittirsch | Closing date: 30.11.2021 | Prize money: 200 €
(05.04) No.1600 (hs#4) Vitaly Medintsev (Russia). A very human friendly problem for the end of Easter holidays!
(05.04) No.1599 (h#2.5 ; Mars Circe) Armin Geister & Daniel Papack (Germany). “Hidden behind a massive position there is a complex strategy with dual avoidances.” (Authors)
(05.04) No.1598 (hs=2 ; Neutral piece, Chameleon piece, Locust ; Haaner Chess, Circe Parrain) Karol Mlynka (Slovakia). Would rather see such twins as different problems.
I believe, announcing an award is one of the most enjoyable jobs for any editor. And the one I’m glad to present to you is also so carefully made, including detailed analysis of problems and versions, written in a pleasant style of sharing opinions, and fully prepared for publication after all… not leaving any work for me (except writing these few words I couldn’t really find to express my delight and gratitude)!
Dear authors, readers, enjoy some wonderful reading for Easter holidays! My warmest congratulations to the winners! And my deepest appreciation to one of the JF’s most faithful contributors Kjell Widlert, the 2nd time overtaking this hard work – for me, for JF, and for all of you!
click to see the Award in PDF, 25 pages
Well, I have to admit I’m very happy about my own results as well. For about 5 years of composing not more than 3-5 problems per year, when catching some time from other jobs, when getting some inspiration stronger than the guilt about all my waiting lists 🙂 And now, not only happy about the distinctions, but also appreciating Kjell’s comments very much, good words and wise observations by the high class judge and composer.
Coming soon: Aleksey Oganesjan (Russia), Nicolas Dupont (France) & Vlaicu Crișan (Romania), Karol Mlynka (Slovakia), Armin Geister & Daniel Papack (Germany)
(30.03) No.1595 (h#2.5 ; Take & Make) Niels Danstrup (Denmark). “…there are echoes and chameleons 🙂” (Author)
(28.03) No.1594 (PG 15.5 ; Black Manager, Black Passes if Stuck) Nicolas Dupont (France). “This problem is the first published illustration of this new couple of possibilities.” (Author)
(28.03) No.1593 (h#4 ; Anti-Circe, PWC) Gábor Tar (Hungary).
(28.03) No.1592 (#3 ; MarsCirce) Armin Geister & Daniel Papack (Germany). The dedication for “Perseverance” has a double meaning…
(19.03) No.1591 (hs#2,5 ; LEO) Georgy Evseev & Boris Shorokhov (Russia). Four bK mates on adjacent squares.
Dear composers, now I’m glad to announce to you that our fairy judge for 
