Julia's Fairies

Julia's Fairies

FCCP: August 2022 Update!

FCCP project as of August 2022

This time, we have:

  1. A revised version of the “Tree and Leaf” article, based on additional information from Peter Wong
  2. Maryan Kerhuel’s revised documents on the classification of fairy conditions: document, Spreadsheet with list of elements
  3. Maryan Kerhuel’s documents on the classification of fairy pieces: document, Spreadsheet with list of elements
  4. A sneak peek at the future unified model (see the image!), with multiple categories for the same element or group.

Happy Reading! – Shankar Ram


Günter Büsing 75 Jubilee Tourney

Die Schwalbe and feenschach announce a joint

Günter-Büsing-75 Jubilee Tourney

Stipulated theme: Helpmate with at least three moves presenting a “helpmate of the future” (at least two pairs of solutions, each pair showing a separate theme).

Two sections: I) orthodox; II) with any fairy elements.

Send your contributions to the controller Thomas Brand (t.brand@gmx.net), closing date is March 31, 2023.

Judges: Hans Gruber & Ulrich Ring | Prizes: 300 EUR.

Examples can be found here: https://www.dieschwalbe.de/kompositionsturniere.htm


18th TT by Phénix (C 25.12.2022)

Announcement of the 18th thematic tourney by Phénix

ANNONCE DU 18ème CONCOURS THÉMATIQUE

On the occasion of Rex Multiplex 40 years anniversary the editorial staff of Phénix is organizing the
fairy composition tournament Rex Multiplex-40.

  • Section I «Opposition». Judge : Bruno Kampmann
  • Section II «Coopération». Judge : Hans Gruber
  • Section III «Tanagras». Judge: Maryan Kerhuel
  • Section IV «Rétros». Judge: Thierry Le Gleuher

Final date of entries is December 25th 2022 | Announcement with examples | The problems must be sent to the tourney Director : Laurent Riguet, travailphenix@gmail.com


Originals June 2022

JF Original Problems | June, 2022

The judge of JF-2022/I: Vlaicu Crişan
The judge of Retro & PG problems 2021-2022: Thomas Brand

July’s publications (new half-year period!) will come with a delay, after some announcements and FCCP updates

  • (30.06) No.1725 & 1725.A (ser-h#8 ; Chameleon ; Circe Equipollents) – Chris Feather“Both problems show a double chameleon cycle…” (CJF)
  • (30.06) No.1724 (#2 ; Quintessence) – James Quah“This is a quadruple Grimshaw incorporating an English Grimshaw (line-pinned rook), a pawn Grimshaw, and a vertically moving rook…” (JQ)
  • (30.06) No.1723 (ser-s#33) – Paul Rãican“Promotions:QRBBBBB” (PR)
  • (29.06) No.1722 (h#2 ; Breton Adverse) – Manfred Rittirsch“2x repositioning of black obstructing piece to eliminate defense by indirect capture.” (MR)
  • (29.06) No.1721 (#2 ; Senora ; Immune chess) – Michael Barth & Franz Pachl “Schedey cycle” (Authors)
  • (29.06) No.1720 (#10 ; MinDister) – Ralf Krätschmer – The Dister condition was invented for the tourney in Andernach 2022, see the bulletin. Dedicated to Andreas Thoma, who invented the Dister.
  • (29.06) No.1719 (h#2.5 ; Neutral pieces, Moose ; Take&Make, Anti-Take&Make) – Ján Golha“4-fold exact echo mates” (JG).
  • (29.06) No.1718 (h#2 ; illegal/shadow pieces) – János Csák & Béla Majoros – different solutions in the twins, b) bBe8<–>bBd8.
  • (20.06) No.1717 (hs#3 ; Anticipés, Anti-Circe Cheylan) – Eric Huber“The fairy condition Anticipés was the theme of the Messigny 2006 TT. It is not defined yet in the FCCP.” (EH)
  • (19.06) No.1704.1 (h#2 ; Breton Adverse) – Borisas Gelpernas & Thomas Maeder & Jacques Rotenberg –  “Jacques Rotenberg has found many improved settings, but the following one has the agreement of Borisas, Jacques and myself“ (TM)
  • (19.06) No.1716 (hs#4) – Daniel Novomesky – after Mihail Croitor No. 25

Animated diagrams use Py2Web by Dmitri Turevski and WinChloe‘s graphics, Christian Poisson


Award JF-2020/II by Hans Gruber

With a gratitude to the judge, Hans Gruber, and with congratulations to the winners of JF’s informal tournament of the 2nd half of 2020!

“I leaned on Hans Peter Rehm’s advice that it is the main task of a judge to select those problems which she or he considers to be worth to be studied once more by the general audience and to argue why those problems are considered excellent or beautiful (or both). This means that awards should focus, like the FIDE-Album, on the positive selection, and they should single out compositions, not composers. However, my sincere thanks to the composers who gave me the pleasure that I could study the following problems.” (Hans Gruber, from the Award)


RIFACE 2022 : composing tournaments

The 43th RIFACE (International Meeting in France for Chess Problems Lovers) will take place in Issy-Les-Moulineaux, 4th-6th June, 2022.

Themes of composing tournaments:

Thème aidés.pdf | Thème féerique.pdf | Thème rétro.pdf

Address to send the entries : RIFACE.2022@gmail.com for Helpmates and Fairies;
retro.riface2022@gmail.com for retro problems. Time limit to send the entries : Sunday 5th June at 15:00 (French time)


Originals May-June 2022

JF Original Problems | May-June, 2022

The judge of JF-2022/I: Vlaicu Crişan
The judge of Retro & PG problems 2021-2022: Thomas Brand

Coming soon (dear composers, please let me know if I’ve missed you in this list!) : Daniel Novomesky, János Csák & Béla Majoros, Eric Huber, Ján Golha

First of all, the problems featuring JF10JT theme, almost thematical.
Thanks a lot to the composers for a long waiting for this publication!

  • (02.06) No.1715 (hs#2.5 ; Rose) – Hans Uitenbroek“The idea was half a move too short for the Jubilee Tourney”
  • (02.06) No.1713.1 (h#2 ; Circe) – Aleksey Oganesjan – “with a little ‘cosmetic’ imrpovement to No.1713″
  • (28.05) No.1714 (h#3 ; Bishop-Locust, Rook-Locust, Royal piece ; Patrol Chess) – Maryan Kerhuel“theme of JF10JT doubled in each solution, with 2 unpinnings of the same white S” – but with Patrol Chess
  • (28.05) No.1713 (h#2 ; Circe) – Aleksey Oganesjan“Almost thematical for JF10JT, but having 2 pieces more” – Three steps for the unpin to happen.
  • (28.05) No.1712 (#2 ; Rose-Lion ; Anti-Circe) – Michel Caillaud – “Almost JF10JT theme, except that Rose-Lion was not among the allowed Fairy pieces.” – Published with a gratitude for the dedication!

Animated diagrams use Py2Web by Dmitri Turevski and WinChloe‘s graphics, Christian Poisson


JF10JT: the Award by Kjell Widlert

PDF, 32p

With a gratitude to the judge, Kjell Widlert, and to all participants of Julia’s Fairies jubilee tournament

(most of photos from the ceremony by Maksims Pučinskis)


I’ll bring the printed booklets “Award JF10JT” to WCSC 2022! The animated version of the award will be coming soon….


Originals April 2022

JF Original Problems | April, 2022

The judge of JF-2022/I: Vlaicu Crişan
The judge of Retro & PG problems 2021-2022: Thomas Brand

Coming soon: New publications of original problems will appear after ECSC in Riga 13-15.05.22. Please, don’t hurry to send your new problems now, I might get lost in all different emails and can miss them. – Julia

10.04.2022: Julia’sFairies website celebrates its 10 years! I’m happy to have a real celebration on May 15th, with those of you who arrives to ECSC 2022. The Award of JF10JT will appear right after our prize giving ceremony.

  • (30.04) No.1711 (PG 11.5 ; All-in-Chess, Kk Chess) – Andrey Frolkin & Chris Tylor & Paul Raican“The combination All in Chess and Kk Chess shown first time.” – Thank you for the dedication for the ten years of JF!
  • (30.04) No.1710 (hs#8.5) – Torsten Linß“Critical moves with switchbacks, bristols, a few Klasinc manoeuvres and a model mate.”
  • (30.04) No.1709 (s#2 ; Royal Grasshopper ; SAT) – Neal Turner & Henry Tanner“I’ve included a full commentary – unfortunately it still seems to be necessary.” (NT) – But the editor believes that it is always good to give a comment, and that many readers will appreciate it!
  • (30.04) No.1708 (hs#4.5 ; Lortap, White Maximummer) – Daniel Novomeskyafter Peter Harris No.55
  • (30.04) No.1707 (PG 20) – Velmurugan Nallusamy
  • (30.04) No.1706 (ser-h#10) – Anirudh Daga.
  • (13.04) No.1705 (h=3 ; NorskSjakk) – Ali Okan Pandar“Hide the bS or bQ away”
  • (11.04) No.1704 (h#2 ; Breton Adverse) – Borisas Gelpernas & Thomas Maeder“inspired by No.1699
  • (10.04) No.1703 (h=8.5) – Ben SmolkinWarm welcome to 16 year old composer (participant of the 5.YCCC)!
  • (10.04) No.1702 (hs#6) – Vitaly Medintsev“Both sides destroy their direct batteries and then rebuild them…”
  • (10.04) No.1701 (-2 & #1 Proca ; Anti-Circe Cheylan) – Andreas Thoma“The white king always stays on e1!”
  • (10.04) No.1700 (PG 15.0 ; Andernach Chess) – Michel Caillaud – “for the 10 years of JF
  • (09.04) No.1699 (h#2 ; Breton Adverse) – Borisas Gelpernas.

Animated diagrams use Py2Web by Dmitri Turevski and WinChloe‘s graphics, Christian Poisson


Add-a-Year 65 JT (ECSC 2022)

Add-a-Year 65 JT

A quick composing tournament in the frames of ECSC 2022
dedicated to Marjan Kovačević’s 65th jubilee

Theme: Construct a position where adding one piece creates a #2 with unique key-move.
There must be at least one genuine „Add-a-piece try“, failing because of a single cook (second key-move).

The unusual title Add-a-Year 65 JT, was inspired by the words from birthday greetings I got from Michel today. I wanted this title to preserve the joyful mood I had with reactions to Add-a-Piece competition at the time of my 65th birthday. (Marjan Kovačević, 08.04.2022)

Judge: Marjan Kovačević | Director: Borislav Gadjanski | Deadline: 29th April (midnight ECT).
Send problems (with FEN, solution and tries) to borislav.gadjanski@gmail.com