[Retros] Fairy retros

[per olin]

Fairy retros

The recent die Schwalbe 238 has some interesting retro problems with stipulations as follows:

Black -1 & h#2 (Maximum, Ultrapatrol, Kamikaze)
-10 & #1 (Proca, Anticirce Calvet)
Proofgame in 5.0 (Supercirce)
SPG 7.5 (Losing chess)
SPG 10.5 (Duellist)
SPG 19.0 (Circe)

Have earlier had some correspondence with the Schwalbe editors about the fairy conditions in retros. The question has been and still is: are these problems retros or fairies? The justification for classifying these as retros has been that the main content of the problem is of retro nature. 

Codex/FIDE Album classification for chess problems is: a)twomovers, b)threemovers, c)moremovers, d)endgame studies, e)selfmates, f)helpmates, g)fairy chess, h)retros + mathematical problems. The wide practice is that anything that is not a)-f) or h) is g)fairy chess  nonwithstanding how orthodox the problem might be. Lets now take as an example a direct mate in two moves or a helpmate. They easily find their way into the classification above. Then we take a twomover or a helpmate with circe-condition; these are then in group g)fairies. Question 1) why is a proofgame with circe-condition a retro and not a fairy problem?

Having a look at the Codex we note that there is no definition for retros; fairy is mentioned only once in a footnote. There must be many aspects to this, e.g. you are awarded the title of FIDE Judge for retroanalytical problems; the next morning you wake up and notice you have to get familiar with all fairy conditions in the world.

Further questions: Question 2) what is the definition for retroanalytical problems? Question 3) what is the definition for fairies? Question 4) should retros (and many of the other groups) have a subdivision g1)orthodox retros and g2)fairy retros?  

Have here expressed some thoughts that are perhaps outside the scope of Retro Corner. Anyhow, it would be interesting to hear what others think in the matter. Answers to any of questions 1-4, in any order, are welcome. Warning: the more you think about this, the more confused you will be. The end result might be that you are very confused, but on a higher level!

Best regards

Per Olin


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