Popeye – release 4.63!

release-4.6305 May, 2013

Popeye release 4.63!

 

It’s a pleasure for me to let you know that a new version of Popeye – release 4.63 is available from now for download!

See what’s new in the release notes:

New fairy conditions
——————–
Circe Take&Make (aka Anti-Take&Make)
Magic square type 2
Marine Chess and Ultramarine Chess
SuperGuards
Wormholes

New fairy pieces
—————-
Marine Knight
Marine Pawn
Marine Ship
Poseidon

Plus, there’re also many bugs fixed.

Personally I’m very happy about this release, because the Marine piecesMarine Knight, Poseidon and Marine pawn – are added! The next days see the 2nd part of the article about Marine pieces by IGM Petko A. Petkov, and also the announcement of Marine TT by Julia’s Fairies!

I’m very grateful to Thomas buy cialis jakarta Maeder for a very fast implementation of these pieces! 


WinChloe update – 04/2013

WinChloe – April’s update of
WinChloe & Echecs database!

    • Two versions of WinChloe solving program are released during April 2013, and the last one is WinChloe 3.23 as of today! Features added or corrected:

3.23 (apr. 13)
Correction of a bug preventing to copy (RTF) more than one record.
——————
3.22 (apr. 13)
4 bugs fixed :
– Isardam works now with all the fairy pieces
– No more crash with the combination Maximum conséquent + Maximum conséquent blanc
– 64-bits engine is now Windows 8 compatible
– Pawns were not correctly handled in selfmates with only 2 black pieces.
New stipulation programmed:
– Direct inverse de série
New conditions programmed:
– Poursuite monocolore noire
– Circé jovien
– Circé diagramme jovien
– Circé jovien strict
– Circé espion double échange
– Promotions blanches interdites
– Promotions noires interdites
New theme programmed: Avanta

  • The latest update (as of 12-Apr-2013) of WinChloe Echecs database is available for those, who uses it. The number of problems has increased till 469088!  
  • 196 of original problems published at juliasfairies.com (including two TT’s of 2012) are added to WinChloe Echecs database as of 12-Apr-2013. Thanks a lot to all who does this huge work of updating and to the author, Christian Poisson!!

Milan Velimirovic (21.04.1952-25.02.2013)

milan-velimirovic Milan Velimirovic
21.04.1952♦25.02.2013

Milan Velimirović passed away on the 25th of February, 2013….

On the 61-st year of his life, the world known Serbian chess composer, international grandmaster, Milan Velimirović, has died after a short bout with cancer.

candleSincere condolences to Milan’s family, relatives and friends!

I’d like to quote some very good words written about Milan:

  • By Marjan Kovačević on Mat Plus website:

“Dear friends, Milan Velimirović passed away this morning. The terrible news came much faster then a possible medical help he had avoided till the last days. His problems with health were obvious at the end of last year, soon after concluding the monumental work „Themes & Terms“, in a collaboration that he enjoyed so much, with his Finish friend Kari Valtonen. The last months he spent at home. In January, he had an idea to recover for his favourite solving competition ISC, but he couldn’t make it. Before that, in December, he participated in the last round of the Serbian League of Solvers 2012, that he won in a convincing way. →Read more… (click to show/hide)

When you have hirsutism, it’s super uncomfortable to visit places like drugstores. This is the primary reason why I choose to buy Propecia on https://healthylombard.com/buy-propeciafinasteride-online/. Ordering the medication online, I know I’m not judged, and I won’t be humiliated by anyone, including an online consultant who is always super-friendly with me. My five stars to domain.com. You are great!

  • By Siegfried Hornecker on Mat Plus website:

“To me, Milan was a friend, and I am honored to be able to say that. When I first came to the MatPlus.net forums in 2007, he already was generously helping me out and with the revival of his magazine, he also allowed me to publish my originals in it and even to write a few articles in MatPlus Review. →Read more… (click to show/hide)

“With the sadly premature death of Serbia’s Milan Velimirović the problem world has lost one of its great exponents and promoters. Emerging as one of the most prominent of a group of talented composers based in Belgrade in the late 1960s, he was greatly influenced by Miroslav Stošić, who died in 1975 at the age of 25, and whom Milan regarded as an elder brother. A Grandmaster for both composition and solving, editor of the top class magazines Mat and Mat Plus, the author of a number of important contributions to chess problem literature, director of solving events, and the driving force behind the Mat Plus website, Milan’s enthusiasm for chess composition knew no limits, as those who had the pleasure of meeting him at problem meetings could testify. →Read more… (click to show/hide)

“Очень печальная новость пришла из Сербии, где ушел из жизни международный гроссмейстер по шахматной композиции и международный гроссмейстер по решению Милан Велимирович (21.04.1952 – 25. 02. 2013). Это большая утрата для мировой шахматной композиции. Трудно оценить вклад Милана в развитие шахматной композиции в ее самых разных направлениях. →Read more… (click to show/hide)

“Скоропостижно скончался 25 февраля этого года, на 61-м году жизни известный шахматный композитор, международный гроссмейстер, Милан Велимирович! Жаль, очень жаль, что его нет уже среди нас. Как видно из печати его кончина не оставила никого равнодушным, и это естественно. →Read more… (click to show/hide)


Christopher Reeves (19/2/1939 – 3/12/2012)

Christopher Reeves (19/2/1939 – 3/12/2012)

 

From the RIP written by  David Shire:

“It is with great sadness that The British Chess Problem Society records the death of one of its most illustrious members, Chris Reeves. To attempt to write anything so soon after the passing of a man whose life has been so full and rich is not easy. 

He will be missed by many and remembered with great affection.”

Today I’ve a pleasure to publish a problem by Kenneth Solja to the memory of Christopher Reeves – No.181.


Some more comments I’d like to quote here:

“Christopher was a great composer, deeply in love with our art. Above all: such a kind man and a dear friend, spreading enthusiasm and good vibrations all around.
Last months he seemed to be active and successful in his professional activities, including lectures in Sao Paulo, and many projects he wanted to complete. Terrible, shocking loss…” (Marjan Kovačević)

“As a composer, Chris was the equal of his contemporaries, the British triumvirate of Rice, Lipton and Barnes. He was a fantastic editor (Chris had only just relinquished his post as the two-move sub-editor of “The Problemist”) and a warm-hearted friend…” (Ian Shanahan)

“This winter brings much sad news, indeed — A. Christopher Reeves was a problem superman.” (Kevin Begley)

See also the article by David Shire in memory of Chris Reeves: The Twomovers of Chris Reeves (Mat Plus 42, January 2012).


Dan-Constantin Gurgui 50 JT

→ Tourneys 

The “e4 e5” magazine announces a formal tournament for the 50th birthday of Romanian problemist  Dan-Constantin  Gurgui.  H#2, with a free theme, no zeropositions, duplex  or fairy pieces.   Start date: January 1st. Closing date: December 31st 2013.  Judge: Zivko Janevski, International Judge of FIDE, P.Box 163, 1480 Gevgelija, Macedonia, zivko@t-home.mk

Please send your entries to chessplayerro@yahoo.com.  The problems will be published in “e4 e5” magazine. All participants will receive the award by email. Maximum number of entries per composer: 5.  Please reprint.

(added 01.12.2012)

Phenix is back!

French review “Phenix” is back !

I’d like to quote Laurent Riguet (mail: travailphenix@yahoo.fr) who’s written on November, 25th:

Hello dear chess friends !
After the death of Denis Blondel in june, the french problemists decided to continue the review, so… Phenix is back !
I send last week end phénix 213…218 to subscribers.
I would be very happy if you had one original (or more!) for the next review (px 222) with originals !
best wishes
Laurent Riguet

Welcome back to Phenix!! And let’s send our problems for the next issue – before the end of December,2012! But I’m also happy to get Phenix-216 yesterday. My problem published there is just added to My Problems – see No.22 composed yet in January.


DM – moment of silence – 11:48am ET

___________________________
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Dear Friends,

I’d like to draw your attention to the comment by Randy Meinking, brother of Dan Meinking.

11:48 a.m. EDT is equal to 4:48 p.m. GMT. Let’s get the word out! 

___________________________
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Dan Meinking (1960-2012)

Dan Meinking
1960   –   2012

25th November, 2012

With a deep regret I have to inform, that a famous composer, Dan Meinking, has died yesterday from the heart attack. Dan was well known in the world of chess and won multiple Cincinnati and Dayton Chess championships in the early 1980’s. He was awarded the title of “FIDE Master of Chess Composition” in 2009 by the International Chess Composition Union. He was an avid game designer and his Alpha Sleuth and Lexmaze puzzles published in “Brain Games” games books. 

Visitation will be held at Good Shepherd Church on Kemper Road on Tuesday Nov. 27, 2012 at 9:00 AM with Mass to follow at 10:00 AM.

For many composers Dan was also a very good friend. I’d like to quote some comments about Dan Meinking:

“Needless to say, this is a huge shock to all of us and an enormous loss to our small chess problem community. I am planning to have a tribute to Dan in SG61.” (Mike Prcic)

“I’m very shocked indeed… Dan and I exchanged hundreds of emails this year, as he helped me a lot in the writing of my recent SG article, and he was the Director of the last chessproblem.ca thematic tourney, co-organized by Cornel and I. Bad bad news, can’t trust it.” (Dupont Nicolas)

“For me, Dan was more than a gifted problem composer… he was a great teacher (who helped introduce me to the art of problem composition), a mentor, and a good friend (always… for many years… no matter what).  He will be missed, beyond words.” (Kevin Begley)

“I was lucky to closely communicate and collaborate with Dan for more than a year and had opportunity to value his great talent and remarkable personality.” (Valery Liskovets)

“Shocking and totally unexpected news. Words fall short of expressing my sorrow – we have lost a great problemist, a great person and a great friend. May he rest in peace, he will always be remembered.” (Cornel Pacurar)

“For our small chess problem community enormous loss.” (Bosko Miloseski)

“This is TERRIBLE. I had very enjoyable correspondence with Dan. He was a really fine problemist and man.” (Ian Shanahan)

“He was a really fine problemist and man. For our small chess problem community enormous loss.May he rest in peace, he will always be remembered.” (Микола Чернявський)

“I’ll always remember Dan from our group of Problemists on the ICC chess server. He’d gather several people into a room and we’d shoot the breeze and look at problems for hours. He loved collaborating on compositions and seeing promising ideas come to fruition.” (Ryan McCracken)


You can see Dan Meinking’s Chess Problem Collection here.

Daniel E. MEINKING’s Obituary on The Cincinnati Enquirer.


WinChloe update – 131112

WinChloe – latest update of
WinChloe & Echecs database!

  • The latest version of WinChloe solving program – WinChloe 3.21 is available starting 11-Nov-2012. “Latest news” TAB is added to the top menu, showing latest updates to the program and Echecs database. Looks like: 
  • The latest update (as of 12-Nov-2012) of WinChloe Echecs database is available for those, who uses it. The number of problems has increased till 447279 !  
  • 90 of original problems published at juliasfairies.com are added to WinChloe Echecs database as of 12-Nov.
  • I’ve just installed WinChloe on Windows 8 and it works! So, if anyone likes to use a pleasant Windows 8, you shouldn’t be afraid of it! 🙂
  • I repeat my text from the previous post, 12-Oct, here: I’d like to write more about WinChloe in my section Software/WinChloe – hopefully, will find time somehow! But for now a little info I haven’t mentioned on my pages: although, WinChloe has user interface in 2 languages (French and English), most of fairy pieces and conditions are in French. So, for non-french speaking beginners I’d advice to visit WinChloe‘s author’s website – Problemesis by Christian Poisson – to see the translations and definitions of
    fairy pieces   (http://christian.poisson.free.fr/problemesis/pieces.html),
    fairy conditions (http://christian.poisson.free.fr/problemesis/condus.html); 
    link to WinChloe (http://winchloe.free.fr/) and some more useful information.

Superguards-tourney


To celebrate his birthday and his fairy invention Superguards,
K.Seetharaman, (India) announces
a Theme Tourney for problems featuring Superguards,

the new Fairy Condition.

Definition of Superguards:

Any piece (including Kings and pawns), which is observed by another piece of the same color cannot be captured. Pinned pieces also observe.

The tourney will have two sections:

Section A is for Directmates in Two or Three moves.

Section B is for Helpplay problems of up to three moves, of the following types:

Helpmates, Helpselfmates, Help-stalemates and Help-selfstalemates.

Twins allowed in Section A. Twins and multisolutions (but no Zero positions) allowed in Section B. No other fairy conditions or fairy pieces are allowed.

Judge: K.Seetharaman

Computer-tested problems may be sent to the Tourney Director Mr.C.G.S.Narayanan (India) by email. <cgsnarayanan@hotmail.com> At present Superguards problems can be checked in WinChloe. (version 3.20).

Book prizes will be awarded.

All participants will receive the award by email.

Closing date of the Tourney March 18, 2013.  

→See the the full announcement with examples of Superguards problems HERE!

Welcome to participate!!