Section A, 2-movers

Question by Belarus:
In the second move of a #2, is a promotion of a pawn into Queen or Bishop is permitted? Example: White : Kg8, Rf5, pp. f6, h5 (4)- Black : Kh6, pd5 (2); #2 1.f7! d4 2.f8=Q# or 2.f8=B#

Answer:
This kind of "dual" promotion is acceptable.

Section A, 2-movers

Question:
All examples present black thematical motives. Does it mean that "white themes" (Albino, white promotions, mates by pinned piece, etc) should be treated as less thematical, or non-thematical?

Answer:
The so called "white themes" (as characterized by the question) are thematic and should be treated in the same manner as "black themes" are treated.

Section E, helpmates

Question by Belarus:
Is it allowed to create a twin by changing the place of a thematic piece?

Answer:
This kind of twinning is not forbidden by the theme definition. It is the judges' duty, however, to consider the artistic value of such a device.

Section F, selfmates

Two questions by Israel:
1. Can a white piece be sacrificed on a square protected by White, so that only after the protection is subsequently removed, the black King is able to capture it?
2. Can a white piece be sacrificed on a distant square, i.e. not at first adjacent to the black King, so that only later in play, after the black King approaches this square, the capture becomes possible?

Answer:
The answer to both questions is YES. These are special cases of anticipatory or delayed sacrifices which are allowed by the theme definition (the theme allows a non-immediate capture of the sacrificed pieces).

Section G, fairies

Question by Germany:
The diagram positions - must they be legal beyond the rules which are pertinent to the Single Box condition? In other words, must there be a proof game - with normal orthodox rules applied - which shows, that the problem position can be reached from the normal initial game array?

Answer:
The history of the diagram position is irrelevant, and no theoretical or practical proof game is needed (only in the case of two Bishops of the same colour, no more than 7 pawns are allowed for the side who has them). The position must be "legal" only in the sense that it follows the definition of the chosen fairy type, e.g. for both types there should not exist on the board at any stage additional pieces to those contained in a "single box" etc. (see theme definition).

Information by Mr. Thomas Maeder
I have built a new executable, which Uri and I have seen run on a variety of computers. Hannu has updated http://www.sci.fi/~stniekat/pccc/usingpy.htm (thanks!); if you download py-wcct72.exe from the link on that WWW page, you'll get a working Popeye executable ("at least until the next bug appears", says Uri).

Gevgelija, 15.01.2003

Best wishes,

Director of 7WCCT
ZIVKO JANEVSKI
P.BOX 163, 1480 Gevgelija
Macedonia
zivko@mt.net.mk

Invitation by Z. Janevski
Some words from the WCCT Subcommittee
Themes
Rules
Using Popeye for checking single box problems
Letter No. 1
Letter No. 2
Letter No. 3