Problem Composing Contest 37 Results

[Bill Salot]

Among the 6 Double Jeopardy strokes, Surprise Arising, a pure stroke, by Ed Atkinson, came from behind to win with 6 votes. Liam Stephens (Ireland) chose the winner for his 5th consecutive contest, stretching his lead on the Problem Evaluation Ladder. Also publicly voting for it were Gene Ellison and Lloyd Gordon (Canada), who called it “the most imaginative”.

King Me, a deferred stroke, by Bill Salot, came in 2nd with 4 votes. Voting for it were George Hay, Kathy Wirthwein and Brian Hinkle, who called it “artistically created and entertaining”.

In 3rd place with 2 votes was Every Which Way, a deferred stroke, by Roy Little. The votes were by Slava Gorin (Russia) and Wilma Wolverton, who called it “So simple, but amazing”.

The backup problems by each composer trailed with one vote each: Silver Bullet, a deferred stroke, by Ed Atkinson (Richard Marlowe voted for it); plus pure strokes Boxing Lesson, by Bill Salot, and Traffic Jam, by Roy Little (Gary Ellison voted for it). Mr. Little showed integrity by disqualifying his Traffic Jam as soon as he remembered it had been published as No. 34 in his book, “Roy Little’s Checker Problems!” (2015).

All 3 composers had one problem in the top 3 and another in the bottom 3. Overall, the pure strokes and the deferred strokes ended up about even.

The contest site had 352 visitors; 15 voted.

[George Hay]

Congratulations to Ed Atkinson for a surging victory called appropriately Surprise Arising. Congratulations to Liam Stephens for picking the winner a "surprising" fve times in a row! I did vote for King Me, and Brian Hinkle called it! Starting from the start of the King Me diagram, you could catch your opponent napping: *31 26; 27-32? 24 27! 32x23, 26x19x10x1 king me!

--George Hay