Problem Adjudication.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 48

Problem Adjudication.

The Canterbury Times furnishes the following hints on this subject: — •' There being no generally admitted problem code, I, years back, from old and new world materials, fixed up the following rough and ready seale — viz., (1) for difficulty of sohition, 2J points ; (2) foi beauty of the idea, 24 points ; (3) for originality of setting, 2k points ; (4) for construction, 2\ points ; making a total of 10 points for a perfect composition. " As the question of originality depends upon experience and memory, I uive full marks of

2J points when an affirmative answer can be given to any of the questions — (a) Is the theme absolutely original? (b) Is it a harmonious blending of two old ideas? (c) Is there something fresh grafted on to an old idea? " The remaining qualities I ascertain by answering a series of five questions in each case, and awarding half a point for an affirmative answer. ■" Thus, in the case of Difficulty: — (a) Is there anything in the posing which diverts attention from the author's idea? (b) Was the key move hard to find? If so, waß the difficulty brought about by the art of the composer ? (d) Were there plausible 'tries'? (c) Were some of the mating moves well concealed ? - " So, in the matter of Beauty : — {a) Was there a well-defined theme? (b) Did the trick give pleasure? ■(c) Were the mating positions artistic? (d) Were the devices to avoid duals, clever? (c) Was the defence powerful and ingenious ? " Finally, the Constraction : — (a) Does the position look natural? (b) Were the forces put to their best uses? (c) Is the variety proportionate to force employed ? ,(d) Were the mates economical? (c) Is the problem free from avoidable duals ? <( This little catechism and the summing up at fee end, formidable as it appears in print, only takes a few minutes in practice, and solvers_ who do not apply some such process of analysis even in their ordinary investigations, miss, according to my experience, the better half of the pleasure derived from problem-solv-ing. Composers will also find it useful in selecting compositions for competition, and in a second article I propose to apply it myself to the concrete example furnished by my coriespondent."