Summary of Tehtäväniekka 2/2022

 

Our cover shows four compositions, all published in 1922. With this set we congratulate the Finnish Chess Federation, founded on June 10, 1922. See p. 83 for the solutions and a dedication problem to the federation.

The first pages of this issue deal with the European Chess Solving Championship, which took place in Riga, Latvia, in May. See pp. 56–62 for the report, results, problems, and solutions. The event was a success, the participants felt at home and enjoyed the hospitality of our Latvian colleagues. It was a pleasure to have extra activity in addition to the traditional solving events, as Marjan Kovačević organised a new kind of a competition, Add-a-Piece Tournament. This promising idea was used also in Marjan’s 65 JT, see p. 82 for this competition.

For the award for studies published in this magazine in 2020–2021, see pp. 63–68. The judge Amatzia Avni was quick and professional, thank you very much for smooth co-operation! Two other awards follow, the first one for selfmates published in 2018–2019, pp. 69–73, and the second one for more-movers of 2020–2021, pp. 73–78.

Defensive motifs and the Kinnunen theme are the topics in an article by Joose Norri on pp. 79–82. On the next pages we have an article titled Excelsior IV, in which Kari Valtonen dives deeper into the evergreen idea, see pp. 84–90. There is plenty of interesting material in both articles! On p. 90 you are invited to study Paha pähkinä no. 93, selected by Neal Turner. He presents a composition, which caused headaches for the solvers during our spring meeting.

In the beginning of April, we gathered for the spring meeting of our society. See p. 91 for a short report on the pleasant weekend filled with composing, lectures, discussions and solving. On the same page we have a dedication problem to Lauri Kosunen, who turns 70 on July 13. There is also a change to the h#-award published in TN 1/2022. Neal Turner has compiled a set of twelve recently successful Finnish compositions, see pp. 92–96.

The originals columns are on pp. 97–107. We are delighted to welcome the Ukrainian IM Vladislav Tarasiuk as our new editor for original studies! He is a renowned study expert both as a composer and a judge. We trust that the column is now in capable hands. You are encouraged to send your compositions to the editors of the columns.

The next issue is due to appear in autumn before the Fujairah congress, see the invitation on p. 68.