The ACF Website wishes a big congratulations to Ed Atkinson, the composer of Mining for Gold , which was voted the winner of
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #45.
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest #45.
5 kingless entries turned out to be in a 2-horse race decided by a score of 7 votes to 6. Ed Atkinson's compound stroke, Mining for Gold, a win, edged Roy Little's 5-piece sweep, Hot Spot, a draw. Ed's stroke was triggered by a Domino pitch; Roy's by an In-and-Out pitch. Gary Ellison, Mark Sokolovsky, Leo Springer (Netherlands) and Liam Stephens (Ireland) voted for Mining for Gold. Gene Ellison, Tony Gallagher (UK), Lloyd Gordon, Slave Gorin (Russia) and George Hay voted for Hot Spot.
Tie for a distant 3rd with less fireworks and only 2 votes each were Last Stand, a win that John Aker achieved in a game; Swiss Cheese, a composed escape by Bill Salot; and Sting Like a Butterfly, a co-authored, historical masterpiece by John Drummond (1861) and Jim Loy (2019). Drummond published an intricate win over a stalwart defense in his analysis of a Single Corner game. But 158 years later, Jim found the one drawing twist necessary to validate Drummond's defense. Donald Oliphant (UK) and Kathy Wirthwein cast their votes for it.
Among those who have voted in more than 3 contests, the International Voters' Ladder has a new leader:
1. Leo Springer (Netherlands) 3 winners picked in 4 tries (75%)
2. Liam Stephens (Ireland) 9 in 13 tries (69%)
3. Gene Ellison 7 in 12 tries (63%)
4. Lloyd Gordon (Canada) 5 in 8 tries (62.5%)
5/6/7 (tie). Slava Gorin (Russia) & Kathy Wirthwein 5 in 10 tries (50%); Wilma Wolverton 3 in 6 tries (50%)
14 others have either not voted in more than 3 contests or have scored less than 50%. It ain't easy!
425 visited the contest web site, 19 of whom voted.
Here is how this contest was introduced:
Unofficial World Championship Checker Problem Composing Contest 45 - Kingless Kapers
May 18, 2019 - June 30, 2019
Since prehistoric times, when checkers was played with stones on grids carved in the floors of caves, some of us devotees of the game have abhorred studying unnatural problems that could not arise in games. This contest is for those of us who feel that studying game settings is the path to a higher national ranking. Two entries in this contest arose in games, and the others look like they might have. There are 3 draws sandwiched between 2 wins, all arranged by increasing size.
This contest is also for others of us who feel that studying counterintuitive play improves powers of visualization, regardless of whether the settings can be reached in games.
Witness the animated solutions and vote for your favorite to determine the winner and World Champion. Before the polls close, consider climbing on to the Voters' Ladder by making your vote public via e-mail to the address below the web site diagrams.
| Current Votes: | ||||||
 | ||||||
| White to move. White Wins | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Current Votes: | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
| White to move. Draw | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Current Votes: | |||
 | |||
| White to move. Draw | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| Current Votes: | |||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||
| White to move. Draw | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Current Votes: | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| White to move. White Wins | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|