The cover problem is one of the few non-orthodox cover problems in ST during
the past six years. The composer, Teppo Mänttä, turned 50 in the end of October.
Teppo is internationally known for checking the correctness of FIDE-Album problems
and for economising published problems. As a composer he has lately turned more
and more to the fairy field. A selection of his problems and a description of
his activity is on pp. 182-184.
The ST h#3 2002-2003 award by Michal Dragoun is on pp. 168-173. As Michal notes,
Christopher Jones dominates the award, congratulations to him! In the next ST
we will publish the selfmate awards of 2000-2001 and 2002-2003, and perhaps
also other awards.
On pp. 174-177 Pauli Perkonoja discusses the study section award of the recent
WCCT. Pauli writes that he would not have been surprised to see the studies
by Harri Hurme and Kralin & Pervakov in higher places. Regarding the judging
process, Pauli proposes that every country participating in a section could
rank the section's entries. Awards, which arrive too late, would automatically
be disqualified. The possible lack of expertise would decrease in importance
with time.
Eero Bonsdorff passed away in the beginning of September at the age of 82. Together
with Olavi Riihimaa and Karl Fabel Bonsdorff wrote the authoritative work on
mathematical chess problems, Schach und Zahl. An obituary by Hannu Harkola is
on p. 178.
The reconstruction column edited by Harri Hurme is on pp. 179-181. In the previous
column the problem to be reconstructed was a 2# by Ilmari Mäkihovi, which can
be found in the FIDE-Album 1945-55. The new task to reconstructed should be
easier, please turn to p. 180-181 and test your skill!
Neal Turner provides us once again with a Hard Nut to Crack on p. 181. In a
recent Finnish solving competition this 2# proved to be extremely difficult.
The annual meeting of our society takes place in 2005 on February 26, (announcement
on p. 185). The Finnish Solving Championship of 2005 will be in WCSC format:
Two days, both with three sections with three problems in each section. The
competition will take place in Helsinki, February 26-27, and is open for everybody.
Registration ensures that you can participate, please inform Jorma Paavilainen
at the latest on February 23 on your participation.
Our new GM, Unto Heinonen, introduces himself on p. 186 with three problems
from his long composing career.
On the next page there is the announcement for submission to the FIDE-Album
2001-2003, along with a list of errors found in the Album 1995-1997 by Ilkka
Blom.
Every now and then we publish Finnish problems, which have been successful in
international competitions. Kari Valtonen has compiled altogether 23 successful
studies by our composers on pp. 188-194. The originals section covers the following
ten pages 195-204.
The traditional autumn meeting of Finnish problemists is reported on p. 205.
The program included solving, composing and discussions on topical issues. On
the next page Marko Ylijoki presents the top problems of the recent PCCC h#-competition.
This ST issue is the first one that is prepared as a joint effort by Hannu Harkola,
Jorma Paavilainen and Marko Ylijoki. We hope to lessen the workload on the editor
in chief and are happy that Hannu and Marko have agreed to help.
The next ST is due to appear in January 2005. Happy New Year to our readers!
Published 7th December 2004