[Retros] Fairy Retros - final comments

[per olin]

1) The Codex

Asked here on RetroCorner some weeks ago how satisfied we are with Codex Chapter II. Not very much has been expressed for or against. So if everybody else is happy, then I am less unhappy.  The Codex has been drawn up by PCCC; this is of course the only body, which can change it. We can only indicate the need for change. 


2) Answer from a FIDE Album Fairies director

Some years ago I asked the definition for fairy chess from J. Lörinc, director for the fairies section of then ongoing Fide Album competition. The answer starts as follows:

Quote

Frankly speaking, I do not know, what is the precise definition of  "Fairy chess" or "Fairies (for FIDE Album purposes)".

However, from the practical point of view, I assume the following definitions:

Fairy chess is a chess using unorthodox pieces and/or unorthodox rules and/or unorthodox boards and/or (in problems) unorthodox stipulations. I.e. anything except orthodox chess.

Fairies (for FIDE Album purposes) are all problems not assigned to other 7 sections: #2, #3, #n, e.g., h#, s#, retro. Anything. As my previous experience as a judge shows, some authors even send problems
with retro elements to fairies, especially when retrograde analysis do not make the core of problem - and previous directors have accepted them.

Unquote

This sums up the situation: there is no definition for fairy chess in the Codex and for FIDE Album purposes it is something else! 


3) Additional thoughts

- Chess problems are art and sports. We have taken the competitive element into the art by having composing competitions, there are titles and world championships awarded for successful problemists. We even have world champions for something so undefined as fairy chess. Try to find  a world champion in some other genre, who is surrounded by equal happy ignorance.

- Directly to me (not via RetroCorner) has been asked the question: is it necessary to have a strict classification of chess problems? The answer is yes and no: no, if we just consider ourselves as artists; yes, if we have competitions and world champions within different genres of our sport.

- If our art and sport would need some scientific approach, I know from what part of the world this could come.

- There has been concern for the future of 'real' retros and, on the other hand, also assurance that these retros still have a future. How many decades have there been predictions for the death of direct twomovers? There is still hope for traditional retros, much can be done without Circe and its thousand variations. 

Have the feeling that I have said what I wanted to say.

Sincerely yours

Per 
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