Vaclav Kotesovec chess problems and programs

fairy
chess
composer
and
programmer

News:

ISC 2012 - preliminary results (added 30.1.2012)

Chess Composers - blog by Eric Huber and Vlaicu Crisan (added 29.1.2012)

Ural problemist - A. Selivanov - new awards (updated 23.1.2012)

Best problems - issue 61 (added 14.1.2012)

Phénix - updated 12.1.2012

Suomen Tehtäväniekat - new awards (added 7.1.2012)

Alybadix by Ilkka Blom - NTFS boot-CD, ISO with demo version (added 7.1.2012)

Popeye 4.59 - I don't recommend this version, many bugs. Stable is 4.55. (added 5.1.2012)

Schweizerische Schachzeitung - 8/2011 (added 25.12.2011)

Problemiste - Chess Composition Center - new French site and internet magazine (please send originals for 2012 to Alain Biénabe and Jean Lochet) (added 13.12.2011)

Sachmatija 4/2011 - originals (added 12.12.2011)

Finales y Temas 66, 67 (PDF) - added 9.12.2011

Mat Plus - DL archive - two awards of h#2's tourneys (added 3.11.2011)

Selection of new tournaments (for full list please see website by Ján Golha)

Componist - new Romanian magazine, please send originals to Dinu-Ioan Nicula (added 28.1.2012)

Klaus Wenda 70 JT (PDF) - prolonged to: C 1.5.2012 (added 7.11.2011)

Nicolas Dupont 50 JT - C 31.8.2012 (added 7.11.2011)

Frequently updated databases:

WinChloe - updated table "Echecs" - total 416284 problems in database (updated 11.1.2012)

PDB Server - 291477 problems in database (14.1.2012)

Brian Stephenson - Meson - Chess Problem Database. 141539 problems (28.11.2011)

Yet another chess problem database - free database by Dmitri Turevski. Total 312291 problems, but many duplicates (28.11.2011)

Eduardo Sadier - The Art of Direct Mate in Two - free database of more than 122000 twomovers (updated 12.8.2011)

Endgame Study Database IV - by Harold van der Heijden, 76132 endgames studies

I recommend following pages:

Chess problems columns in Slovakia - page of Ivan Jarolin, column "Pravda" published now without delay

MatPlus Forum

Wenigsteiner-JahresPreis

FIDE Album 2007-2009 - final lists of received entries

FIDE Album 2001-2003 - Errata

FIDE Albums 1914-2000 error list - by Ilkka Blom

Computer Test Fide Albums - by Steen Christensen

WCCI 2007-2009 - complete results

Handbook of Chess Composition (PDF) - 5th edition

Popeye

EG - study magazine - all issues 1-156 (1965-2005) in PDF format, total 823 MB, 6410 pages! (also issues 153-156, see my list of all files (zip)).

Shredder - Endspieldatenbank - online include 6-pieces endgames, total 1153 GB, superfast

Composers Names In Various Alphabets - everybody is invited to correct the content of the lists (informations about errors please send to Thomas Maeder or edit itself)

Problemist(e) - version "Problemist for PocketPC" v2.20

ChessProblems.ca - Series-Movers Informal Tourney

Chess problem community for Russian speaking people - website by Vladimir Tyapkin

Vladimir's Public Gallery

Variant Chess - issues 1-64 in PDF, list of files

New series tournament - by Itamar Faybish

Video from Marianka 2011 - French song by 92 (!) old Czech composer Josef Krivohlavek and Michel Caillaud

Tournaments:

Mini tournament (C 31.5.2011) - closed, winner Pavel Kamenik

Help for composers:

Best sites with addresses of Chess magazines and current judges
chess magazines (J.Golha)
Chess Magazine (V.Rallo)
zhurnaly po kompozicii (A.Selivanov)
revues (C.Poisson)
compositions tourneys (J.Golha) - sorted by closing date and with table of stipulations!

Awards status of journals:
Sachova skladba
Sachove umeni
Pat a Mat, originals and awards
StrateGems
Die Schwalbe
harmonie
Suomen Tehtäväniekat
Ural Problemist
Sachmatnaja kompozicija
Schach
Theme tourneys of Chess Composition Microweb
Phénix
Probleemblad
feenschach

Articles by VK

published on my website

William A. Shinkman, #20 - C+! - about W.A.Shinkman (American composer with Czech roots) (added 30.11.2010)

Magnified echo - PDF (added 26.9.2010)

New statistics of tested selfmates (more than 10 moves) - PDF (added 22.8.2010)

Final statistics for s#10 tested by program Gustav - PDF, with examples (added 21.11.2009)

Testing of long selfmates from the book by Valery Surkov - results of testing (added 26.10.2009)

GUSTAV - fastest program for orthodox selfmates and moremovers - all orthodox selfmates in 8 moves from WinChloe database now tested! (added 6.10.2009, updated 21.10.2009). Examples of tested selfmates - updated 28.6.2010, 5 new cooks in 1. Prizes (long selfmates) found.

Testing of long selfmates from the WinChloe database - PDF (added 13.7.2009, updated 13.9.2009)

Fairy chess endgames - new results 2008 (PDF) - "Electronic edition of chess booklets by Vaclav Kotesovec", volume 2 (added 14.5.2008, corrected 25.5.2008). In September 2008 downloaded 2727 times!

Miroslav Soukup (24.10.1903 - 1981 ?) - about famous Czech chess editor and composer (added 25.4.2008, updated 24.8.2011)

How many pins is possible by one Ubi-Ubi ? - added 23.1.2008, updated 9.6.2009

Vaclav Tuzar (1.5.1868 - 23.4.1908) - the 100th anniversary of the death of Vaclav Tuzar (added 14.1.2008)

Vaclav Kotesovec: 30 years of cyclical pin (1977-2007) - PDF - "Electronic edition of chess booklets by Vaclav Kotesovec", volume 1 (added 8.11.2007, corrected 20.11.2007). In period 8.11.2007-30.9.2008 downloaded 2275 times!

4 GB RAM and chess solving programs - added 4.9.2007, updated 10.6.2008 - info about pywin64.exe, updated 2.7.2008 - how break 32 MB limit under Vista, updated 17.9.2009 - how break 32 MB limit under Windows7, updated 25.1.2010 - Alybadix 4 GB RAM under DOS, updated 17.5.2010 - new record: h#4 by Adrian 2 m 53 s !

Dual core processor and solving of chess problems - added 14.8.2007

Summer mathematical problem by Vaclav Kotesovec - added 9.8.2007, PDF version. Úloha byla reprodukována 1.12.2008 v soutěži Q.E.D.

How compile and run Popeye under Linux system ? - about break 699 halfmoves limit under Windows (added 18.7.2007)

Step by step in helpmates - (added 6.7.2007, 3 new examples added 19.3.2009)

Palkoskova fakulta - about famous Czech composer Emil Palkoska (added 23.1.2007, last update 29.11.2010)

Acrobat 8 and chess diagrams - disillusion (added 5.11.2006, updated 7.11.2006)

Only G-promotions in fairy chess (added 10.7.2006, last example added 19.10.2008)

Shift of groups of pawns in chess problems (added 28.4.2005, updated 4.11.2005)

Alybadix 2005 and (fairy) chess endgames (added 23.4.2005)

CIRCE problems, in which EVERY move is capture (added 1.3.2005, last examples added 10.7.2007)

Imitator and solving programs (added 14.8.2003)

Experiences with scanning of chess publications and creating PDF files (added 4.6.2003, updated 10.2.2005)

Hashing and pruning (in Czech with English summary, added 18.4.2003)

Some tips for program WinChloe (added 28.3.2003)

POPEYE - fantastic results also for orthodox helpstalemates (added 25.2.2003, last example added 12.11.2010)

POPEYE is best for testing of orthodox seriehelpstalemates (added 23.1.2003, last example added 6.1.2011)

Chess endgames with fairy pieces Pao, Vao, Leo, Lion and Grasshopper (added 16.10.2002), see also Grasshopper endgames after 25 years - Pat a Mat 38/2002 (p.206-208). John Beasley created english version of both my articles for 'Variant Chess', issue 41 - Endings with Grasshoppers, Lions and Chinese pieces (added 25.11.2002)

Solving time paradox II (added 2.10.2002, updated 3.10.2002)

Big computer test (added 25.9.2002)

How solve chess problems on small boards ? (added 21.6.2002, updated 27.6.2002)

Some system tips for chess programs (added 7.6.2002)

Interesting problem for testing (added 23.8.2001)

Solving time paradox (added 16.8.2001)

Hashing (in Czech, added 17.3.2000, updated 15.12.2000)

Compare of solving programs (added 21.3.2000, updated 16.6.2001, in English), comments (in Czech, updated 15.12.2000)

Between chessboard and computer (book, 1996, PDF 30MB) A guide for English-speaking readers by John Beasley, 1996 (added 13.4.2000)
Algorithm descriptions - part of "Between chessboard and computer", VK 1996, in Czech, (added 12.4.2000)
Fairy endgames - part of "Between chessboard and computer", VK 1996, (added 19.4.2000, updated 8.9.2000)

List of all my books, booklets and articles - (last update 15.6.2011), see also e-books

Articles by other authors published here

Toward a new development of the traditional Chess Composition by adding new pieces in the initial position - by Kiril Stoyanov (PDF, in English) (added 19.3.2011)

Kdo se skrývá pod pseudonymem Ingeborg ? - article by Jan Kalendovský about unknown author with pseudonym Ingeborg (in Czech) (added 6.8.2010)

A Missing Soukup Problem? - by Steven B. Dowd (added 25.6.2009)

New length record s#258 is cooked - info by Frank Müller (added 25.6.2009), new attempt for the absolute lenght record in the selfmate (added 1.10.2009)

solution of sd=53 by Eduard Omasta - unique solution of my problem sd=53, 22 Sachove umeni 3/2009, which sent Eduard Omasta (added 1.6.2009)

Knihy, které nevyšly - article by Jan Kalendovský (with supplement by VK) about Czech books, which was not published. In Czech. (added 24.4.2009)

Setkání s Miroslavem Soukupem - article about Miroslav Soukup by Jaroslav Karel (PDF, in Czech) (added 12.3.2009)

Meine Problemschach-Favoriten - article by Klaus Funk with more than 1000 (!) problems (PDF, in German) (added 2.2.2009), new file AUW-Duplex Stalemate (added 23.3.2009)

Sonet cvrčka - poem by Karol Mlynka (about Grasshopper) (in Slovak) (added 21.5.2008)

Vladimir Kos (*20.6.1928 - †2.7.2007) - necrology of V. Kos by Jan Kalendovsky (9.7.2007)

The longest moremovers? - article by Bedrich Formanek (added 18.3.2002)

Best chess problems and books by VK

"234 best chess problems" by Vaclav Kotesovec

(320 pages, 609 diagrams, photos, tables)
published: PDF 3.9.2008 (little correction 20.12.2008), printed book 22.9.2008

free download PDF (5 MB)
mirror
(in period 3.9.2008-31.5.2009 downloaded 2952 times!)

more info about printed books
(informace o tištěné knize)

Fairy twomovers 2008-2010
by Vaclav Kotesovec

(54 pages, 36 twomovers, 54 diagrams)
published 28.2.2011

free download PDF (2 MB)

info about printed booklet (via e-mail)

Application of Graph Theory in Chess Problems
(Dual-free Leaper and Hopper tours)
by Vaclav Kotesovec

(76 pages, 280 diagrams, 33 graphs, 20 tables)
published 31.5.2009

free download PDF (3 MB)
mirror
(31.5.-30.6.2009 downloaded 643 times)
info about printed booklet (via e-mail)

Grasshopper Tours - English summary about "Hopper Tours" by John Beasley (Variant Chess 61, July 2009, p.115).
Geometrically longest king's closed tour on 8x8 chessboard - new record by Zvi Mendlowitz (added 3.2.2011)

Non-attacking chess pieces (fifth edition)
by Vaclav Kotesovec

The book is devoted to the question of the number of arrangements of non-attacking chess pieces of the same kind on chessboards of various sizes and types. The best-known example is the n-Queens problem, but this publication has a much wider range and includes other chess pieces (kings, rooks, bishops, knights) and many fairy pieces.
Even though the book is about chess and each problem can be placed among chess-mathematical problems, it will be more readily understandable by mathematicians than by chess players or composers. A partial knowledge of linear algebra, difference equations, generating functions and power series is necessary.

New in the fifth edition:

For general asymptotic formulas see new chapter 13.1

For new results for m x n non-attacking kings on a 2m x 2n chessboard see chapters 2.3 and 2.3.9

For non-attacking kings on the cylindrical chessboard, see the new chapters 2.6, 2.6.9, 2.7 and 2.5

For new formula for the number of ways of placing n² non-attacking kings on an 2n x 2n toroidal chessboard, see the new chapter 2.9

For explicit formula for the number of ways of placing 6 non-attacking queens on an n x n toroidal chessboard, see the updated chapter 1.3

For non-attacking nightriders on the cylindrical chessboard, see the new chapters 6.5 and 6.6

Roots of a polynomials as points in the complex plane

Added pieces semi-wazir, semi-fers and semi-knight (interesting from mathematical view point), see new chapters 9.1.1, 9.3.1, 9.4.1 and 5.1.1

Reduced PDF size

published 9.1.2012, free download PDF

(12 MB, 703 pages)
(1.2.2012 - all editions downloaded total 3121 times)
temporary mirror

Old computer programs by VK

VKSACH - solving and composing program of VK (only in Czech language)
download (vksach.zip, 101 kB, v8.7 17.7.1999)
Note for (foreign) VKSACH users

VKS\SUPPORT directory (not need for VKS, but recommended)
help page for SUPPORT programs
download (support.zip, 192 kB, 30.8.1999)

INPFONT - convert INP/OUT to HTM for import into WORD97 (need 1ECHECS.TTF of Ch.Poisson)
help page for INPFONT
download (inpfont.zip, 110 kB, v4.5 18.3.2003, contains 4ECHECS.TTF)
download (examples.zip, 68 kB, 9.8.1999)

Links to other programs (include comments)

Photos

Meeting in Prague, 29.5.2010 (added 29.5.2010)
Meeting of Czech problemists, Prague 30.5.2009 (added 30.5.2009)
Meeting of Czech problemists, Prague 22.11.2008 (added 22.11.2008, one new photo added 8.12.2008)
Meeting of Slovak and Czech chess composers in Modra 21.-22.6.2008 (by Lubos Kekely and by Ivan Skoba) (added 26.6.2008, updated 28.6.2008)
Meeting in Bratislava and Modra 18.-21.4.2008 (added 22.4.2008)
Ivan Skoba in Prague 5.4.2008 (added 5.4.2008)
celebration of "Alexander Fica 60", Prague 13.12.2007 (added 14.12.2007)
celebration of "Vladislav Bunka 70", Kutna Hora 8.12.2007 (added 8.12.2007)
Meeting in Zlin 19.10.2007 (by Ivan Skoba) (added 31.10.2007)
Torsten Linss in Prague 24.5.2007 (added 25.5.2007)
Chess composers - photo jokes (Fotografické žerty) (added 17.4.2007, updated 4.4.2008)
Andrey Selivanov in Prague 6.1.2007 (added 6.1.2007)
Celebration of "Vaclav Kotesovec 50", Prague 10.8.2006 (added 11.8.2006)
Meeting in Prague 9.12.2004 (added 10.12.2004)
Celebration of "Miroslav Henrych 50", Prague 14.10.2004 (added 15.10.2004)
Solving tourney Prague 15.-16.5.2004 (added 17.5.2004)
Meeting in Prague 11.12.2003 (added 11.12.2003)
Vladislav Bunka and VK in Prague 13.3.2003
Solving tourney (Bohemians), Prague 16.1.2003 (added 17.1.2003)
Mugs gallery - last update 28.10.2009, Josef Krivohlavek *90
Meeting in Prague 23.3.2002 - portraits of some composers, photos from meeting (added 23.3.2002)
Hans Gruber in Prague 13.2.2002 (added 13.2.2002)
photos from Prague 9.8.2001 (added 10.8.2001)
photos from Prague 14.6.2001 (added 16.6.2001)
Photos of chess composers (1997-2000) (last update 10.10.2000)
old B/W photos of Czech and Slovak composers (1974-1988) (last update 9.4.2000)
very old photos of Czech chess composers (added 25.2.2007, updated 11.4.2007)

Non-chess

Vaclav Kotesovec - Best photos 2001-2007 - over 200 photos of trees, animals, flowers and lightnings (created 13.7.2004, updated 31.8.2007)
Recipes by Ludmila

- over 280 photos (updated 30.3.2006)
Abstract pictures - created from my photos (added 3.1.2006, updated 28.8.2006)
Slunecna - from Lusatian Mountains (added 10.9.2004, updated 7.3.2005)
Neckyáda ve Stružnici - beautiful article by Ludmila (in Czech) with my photos (added 28.8.2005)
Krylonoce 23.7.-24.7.2011 - legacy of Czech singer Karel Kryl (article by Ludmila in Czech) (added 31.7.2011)
Rychlost světla a nepochopitelný strach fyziků z možných nových objevů - Faster than light? - the horror of experiment for physicists (in Czech only) (added 2.10.2011)

Non-chess links

Name Kotesovec and my family tree (můj rodokmen) - added 15.2.2006
Helpful Czech links - for Czech users only (Linky na zajímavé české stránky)
painters - few links to high resolution pictures
naturfoto.cz - high quality photos of mushrooms
Best mushrooms (added 2.10.2011)

e-mail: kotesovec(AT)chello.cz - (30 MB, preferred address)
kotesovec2(AT)gmail.com - (7 GB, attachments up to 25 MB, for sending of PDF files)
vkotesovec(AT)iol.cz - (100 MB)
For free sending of files up to 300 MB I recommend server uschovna.cz

address: Vaclav Kotesovec, P.O.BOX 43, 11121 Praha 1, Czech republic

Slovníček - dictionary

česky	anglicky	německy	francouzsky	finsky
Czech	English	German	French	Finnish
šach	chess	Schach	échecs	shakki
Král	King	König	Roi	Kuningas
Dáma	Queen	Dame	Dame	Kuningatar
Věž	Rook	Turm	Tour	Torni
Střelec	Bishop	Läufer	Fou	Lähetti
Jezdec	Knight	Springer	Cavalier	Ratsu
Pěšec	Pawn	Bauer	Pion	Sotilas
Cvrček	Grasshopper	Grashüpfer	Sauterelle	Heinäsirkka
Tátoš	Nightrider	Nachtreiter	Noctambule	Aituri
bílý	white	Weiss	blanc	valkea
černý	black	Schwarz	noir	musta
výzva	stipulation	Forderung	énoncé	vaatimus
2 řešení	2 solutions	2 Lösungen	2 solutions	2 ratkaisua
zdánlivá hra	setplay	Satzspiel	jeu apparent	vaihdelma (h#n)
zdánlivá hra	setplay	Satzspiel	jeu apparent	esipeli (#n)
tah	move	Zug	coup	siirto
úvodník	key-move	Schlüssel	clé	alkusiirto
pokus (svůdnost)	try	Verführung	essai	houkutus
hrozba	threat	Drohung	menace	uhkaus
tempo	zugzwang	Zugzwang	blocus	siirtopakko
šach! (+)	check!	Schach!	échec!	shakki!
mat (#)	mate	Matt	mat	matti
pat (=)	stalemate	Patt	pat	patti
remíza	draw	Remis	nulle	tasapeli
úloha (skladba)	problem	Aufgabe	probleme	tehtävä
originál	original	Urdruck	inédit	ensipainos
exošach	fairy chess	Märchenschach	échecs féeriques	satushakki
pomocný mat	helpmate	Hilfsmatt	mat aidé	apumatti
samomat	selfmate	Selbstmatt	mat inverse	itsematti
šachovnice	chess board	Schach Brett	échiquier	shakkilauta
pole	square	Feld	case	ruutu
kámen	piece	Stein	piece	shakkinappula
braní	capture	Schlag	prise	lyönti
(x,y)skokan	(x,y)Leaper	(x,y)Springer	bondisseur(x,y)	(x,y)Juoksija
(x,y)liniový skokan	(x,y)Rider	(x,y)Reiter	(x,y)de la Nuit	(x,y)Kiitäjä
vedlejší řešení	cook	Nebenlösung	démoli	sivuratkaisu
neřešitelnost	unsolvable	unlösbar	insoluble	ratkaisuton
předchůdce	anticipation	Vorgänger	anticipation	edeltäjä
cena (c.)	prize	Preis	Prix	palkinto
čestné uznání (č.u.)	honourable mention	ehrende Erwähnung	Mention d'Honneur	kunniamaininta
pochvalná zmínka (p.z.)	commendation	Lob	Recommandé	maininta

Scanning of old books and periodicals - see also e-books
Total 2020 PDF (or DjVu) files available, 130748 pages, 15678 MB (last update 30.1.2012)
(These files are not public)

History:
19.2.2000 - this page created
16.5.2001 - 10000th visitor (winner of book: Marek Kwiatkowski)
25.9.2002 - scanning of old books and periodicals started
8.11.2004 - improved design of this website
21.3.2005 - 100000th visitor (winner of FIDE Album: Frantisek Sabol, screenshot)
2.6.2006 - changed order of links by current content and by frequency of updates
10.5.2007 - 1000 e-books in PDF archive
16.6.2007 - 200000th visitor (screenshot sent me Udo Degener)
1.10.2007 - 50000 pages in PDF archive
8.11.2007 - electronic edition of chess books by VK started
26.3.2008 - 250000th visitor
8.6.2008 - test for broken links, many links deleted, many marked as "broken"
11.8.2008 - 75000 pages in PDF archive
3.9.2008 - my book "234 best chess problems" published
31.10.2008 - "234 best chess problems" downloaded more than 1000 times
25.12.2008 - scanning of Czech chess magazines published in 20th century finished
27.12.2008 - 300000th visitor (screenshot sent me Udo Degener)
24.3.2009 - 10000 MB in PDF archive
16.4.2009 - 1500 e-books in PDF archive
23.6.2009 - 333333th visitor (screenshot sent me Daniel Novomesky)
28.8.2009 - 100000 pages in PDF archive
7.12.2009 - set rating of Google-books
20.12.2009 - 370000th visitor (screenshot sent me Christian Poisson)
12.4.2010 - 400000th visitor
1.11.2010 - 444444th visitor (screenshot sent me Udo Degener)
11.7.2011 - 500000th visitor (screenshot sent me Udo Degener)
14.7.2011 - e-books and magazines sorted
8.8.2011 - famous chess columns from the newspapers "Narodni Politika" and "Narodni Listy" 1898-1940 added.
9.1.2012 - 2000 e-books in PDF archive
14.1.2012 - test for broken links

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