1st Unofficial World Championship Problem Composing Contest

[Bill Salot]

"SCOOPER"

Black to Play; White to win

"UNDERCUT"

White to Play and Draw

Please express your opinion and vote within 2 weeks for the one you think best.

Then send your own original, unpublished compositions for future contests to Bill Salot at either wjsalot@comcast.net or 1006 Elmwood Drive, Colonial Heights, VA 23834-2905, USA

More entries will make better contests.

SOLUTION TO “SCOOPER”:

26-31A, 25 27, 31-24, *10 7B, 17-10 15 6, 24-15C, *13 9, 5-14D, *6 9, WW

A – If 8-11, *25 27, 11-9, *13 6, WW

B – Not 19 16, 24-27 or 17-22, Draws.

C – If 3-10, *12 3, WW

D – If 3-10, 12 3, 5-14, *3 7, WW

SOLUTION TO “UNDERCUT”:

*18 15, 20-24AB, *22 18C, 24-27, *29 25, 30-21, *26 30, 28-24, *23 19, 27-32, *19 16, 24-27, *15 19, Draws

A – If 28-32, *15 19, 32-27, *26-31, Draws

B – If 28-24, 15 10 or 15 11, 24-27, *26 31 Draws.

C – Not 15 19, *24-27, 26 31, 17-26, 31 22, *27-31, 22 18, now *28-32, RW, but 31-27, *18-22, Draws

[George Hay]

Hi Bill, I have a correction (?) that does not take away from the problem, and may be a plus!
For Undercut, note A it looks to me after White moves 26-31, the last move shown, Black ends up
in the same loosing position jumping either way! Black can then only prolong the game with 13-17.
For after White jumps 22x13, White has "the move" and a First Position win!?
--George Hay



Full Disclosure: I did use Cake, but it's not all Cake!

[Jay H]

Hey.....that "clincher" ending theme is the same as used in "Checkercycle"'s most recent you tube video.........credited to none other than Bill Salot himself.
Coincindence these problems both show thier faces at the same time....

[Jason Solan]

I'm very much a sucker for man-down draws, so undercut gets my vote.
Excellent problems.

[Eric Strange]

Undercut got my vote, After looking at both problems and analyzing them in my head, Scoopers position I instantly felt black would lose and saw how to finish it. I stared at undercut for a while not seeing what the best move was or how to capitalize on the position. I was on the right path with the first 2 moves but the man down draw escaped me from a couple moves back. I had to run this through a program and the man down draw was brilliant. Bravo

[vhabgood]

I vote for the undercut. I can imagine this problem coming up in a real situation better. Both problems are well composed.

[liam stephens]

I voted for undercut - fine ending.

[Danny_Alvarez]

both problems are great.... i think undercut has a bit more depth though.

cheers
Danny