[Retros] [Retros' fairy retros

[Thomas Brand]

Dear Andrey,

Again I agree! Indeed, SPGs have a strong "help character", but this in fact 
is true for "release the position" retros, too: there is no fight between 
White and Black as in direct mate or selfmate problems - or in defencive 
retractors: Both Black and White work together.

The difference between "release" retros and SPGs is just the time pressure 
(generated by the stipulation, not by the danger of retro stalemate!!), and so 
you might argue, that SPGs are not  “ideal classical-style/orthodox problems”.

By the way I think SPGs are a fine example for changing requirements for 
judges: In the first time of SPGs, starting with Dawson and Fox with the 
climax of Fabels famous proof game SPGs were more or less task constructions: 
the longer the better. In this case comparing two SPGs was simple just 
counting plys!

In the meantime things have changed: Now there are strategic and tactical 
themes, interesting formal themes etc. -- now judging SPGs is not just purely 
counting but dealing with true contents. Now judging has to deal with these 
topics: much more complicated - and much less "objective" as it was possible 
till say 1970.

And now counting thematical moves, promotions etc. is not enough for judging: 
We have to deal with formal, but also aestetical, thus subjective criteria: 
the same situation as judging say 2# tournaments.

Best regards,

Thomas

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afretro schrieb am 09.09.2009 12:36:

> Dear Bernd,

> Kornilov and I came to the conclusion that “ideal classical-style/orthodox retroanalysis” requires positions in which the standard stipulation “Release the position” is enough. Even the indication of the side which is on the move is in principle a condition affecting retroplay. In most cases, however, we have to deal with retros which are not “ideal” in that sense.

> As to SPGs I realized that they are in a certain way closer to helpmates than to classical-style retros back in 1991, when writing a book on SPGs together with Gerd Wilts.

> There can be several ways to classify retroanalysis, e.g. classical-style & conditional & SPGs & fairy or orthodox (inclusive of SPGs) & conditional & fairy, etc. I don’t insist on any one in particular. It’s a question for discussion and hopefully consensus at some point in the future.

> Yours,

> Andrey

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