News    2014
                             News 2015 
For daily draughts news see:  Alldraughts.com

Vieuw also regularly our facebook and twitter pages for amusing and beautiful draughts compositions and stories!
Please, become a follower. Suggestions and contributions are welcomed.
Join the KvD 75-jubilee composition contest!
a      


December                
Tjalling Goedemoed
Has extended a former composition of Leen de Rooij (#19-M) with a forcing: See the Draughts working place #34 !


Diversity must be there!
Mini-X-mas solution game by Henk van der Heijden, De Problemist December 2015

These two problems have also been
put
by Henk on facebook with the
question: 
"Are they, yes or no,
satisfactory enough?"
Below the fb-comments received.

L: Beautiful and quite difficult
composition, e.g. through the stroke
after 35-30 bywhich 16-11 becomes
possible. Silent moments to enjoy!

R: Not that beautiful: two big strokes
in the beginning are not elegant and
the initial position asks for a side
solution, that, indeed, is present.
 

Leen de Rooij
    Got this motif, with the MM-code 6021 1.6.7.8.25.26 (--) = 12.31 (37),
    with black to move on his board. On (8x17) white wins by 37-46, 46x2+
    Timoneda and on (7x18) by 37-48, 48x2!
    However, white cannot have played as last move 17-12 or 18-12, as he missed
    the straightforward gain before by 37-46. So, the white king must be positioned
    by a shot or stroke. Quite a challenge to create a composition on this motif.
    After endless trying, Leen succeeded to make a composition, allthough with a
    very terrible initial position. Who is able to create something better?
   
    So, again, there is work to do in the Draughts working place!


KvD-75-year-compositions?
        On the occasion of our 25-year jubilee of the KvD, Gerrit van der Linde made
        a real unique problem:  25 men, 25 moves, and an end with only a white man
        on square  ... 25 !
        Is it an idea to compose something like that for our 75-year jubilee?

        See the earlier request, including suggestions, deadline, and way of submitting!

        Tjipke Smedinga has sent in a quite original creation; will be shown January 12.

Fred Ong (1947-2015)
  
Passed away on Thursday November 5, due to the disease of Parkinson.
    "In between the PC and the draughts board, there was Fred's world. No writing
    anymore: he has been switched off
", was the text on the Mourning Card.

    Besides a draughts player, Fred was an enthousiastic composer in his youth,
    from 1963-1971: there are 55 of his draughts compositions in TurboDambase,
    of which a number will stand easily the test of time. 

    Three of his compositions can be viewed and played in the Showroom !

Source: Hein Wilsens, De Problemist December 2015, page 214.


    De Problemist of December contains again 40 pages with interesting
    issues about draughts composing and draughts games!

    The front page and last page with the content can be read here.
    For the remaining 38 pages one should subscribe.


Franck Laurant: "Amis damistes, Ici, http://ffjdi64-144.sportsregions.fr/, vous trouverez

deux belles combinaisons réalisées lors du récent championnat de France. Bonne recherche!"  


   Jan Burggraaff is now presented, as promised before, by three
    compositions in our Showroom. Quite worthwhile, again, to play!

    Thanks to Jasper Lemmen for his preselection on Alldraughts.


Draughts working place: two new compositions on the motif below. Click here!
(N.B. The diagram contained an error: the black man on 35 should be a king! This has been corrected now.)

Virmantas Masiulis was able, within 5 minutes, to make a composition on the motif below of
Leen de Rooij
without a black king in the initial position. See the draughts working place!

Draughts working place: How to arrange this motif, 2 kings versus 5 men and a king?

    This motif just felt on Leen de Rooij's draughts board, in between the birthday 
    of our Dutch Santa Claus and that of his wife!

    He couldn't resist the challenge to transfer it into a composition, but ended up
    with a gigantic phantasy position including two black kings.
   
    So, Leen put this motif and his trial in the draughts working place for help:
    "Who would be willing, and able, to create a better composition of this motif?"


Jan Burggraaf  (1913-1989)
  
Our Showroom contains only one draughts problem
    of this great composer. That's not right and will be
    corrected with a 2nd and 3rd composition.
   
    See his ten beautiful compositions on the website
    Alldraughts, all starting from a game-like position!

Two Motifs

3021 27.31.32(--) = 41.47(03)

3020 06.11.18(--) = 08.26(--)
From the MotifMine of Rob Spijkers,
arranged by him into two elegant
7x7-miniatures.

Click here to play these motifs and,
through a subsequent link, the two
compositions based thereon.

Questions to Rob about motifs?
Contact the MotifMine!

Now it has become quiet in Emmen after the hectic WC: again full attention for draughts composing!

November       

Fortunately, hooligans are unknown in draughts, like for soccer, as this would
be the picture of the WC final in Emmen. This as cold comfort for the Dutch!
        
See the latest news of the WC draughts on wcdraughts and Alldraughts!
   Jan Groendijk (left) just got second after Alexander Georgiev,
    followed by Roel Boomstra who became third on the WK.

    A real fantastic achievement of these two Dutch draughts
    youngsters!

    Both guys have, considering their young age, still sufficient
    possibilities to win a WC in due time!

 Jan and Roel, our congratulations with your beautiful draughts games and results!

Keep amazing reviled draughts game in honour
    Is the message of Arne van Mourik in the Dutch newspaper of
    'de Volkskrant', as there is only very little attention of the press
    for the world championship draughts in Emmen, The Netherlands,
    from 8 until 25 November.
    And: draughts composers create beautiful conceptual art!

    See the facsimile of this Dutch article on the webpage 'Notorious'.
    ánd his columns during the WC on the website wcdraughts!

Hopefully, other draughts players and composers are inspired by this to promote also our beautiful game!
Source: Arne van Mourik, de Volkskrant, November 4, 2015

Like a locomotive
    Martijn van der Klis and Klaas Bor (our two draughters who are also
    excellent in the development of computer software!) travel with high
    speed through the motif listings of the MotifMine of Rob Spijkers.
    They are quite optimistic in getting these in both TurboDambase and
    Toernooibase

    On the other hand, Rob Spijkers estimates to have 6 years (sic!) of work
    to type over the more than 30,000 remainder motifs in word files.
    Hopefully, there can be found a way to speed-up this activity!?


3001 = MM code of motifs with 3 black men versus 1 white king!
    Martijn van der Klis and Tom Kieboom, those of the new 
    webpage Motifs, wondered if there are other examples 
    of motifs known, like Timoneda, wherein one white king
    against three black men is able to win in a sharp way.
    An e-mail to Rob Spijkers, man of the MotifMine, gave
    the answer on very short notice: 250 but not always sharp!
    Upon our response "Could you do some mining for three 
    representative sharp examples? Again, without any delay, 
    Rob sent three ones. See our modest motifs collection here!


October                             

World Championship Draughts: November 8-25, 2015, Emmen, The Netherlands

Roel Boomstra is one of the candidates for the title. For those involved with Computer-draughts tournaments
and for the members of Hijken DTC, the father of Roel, Feike Boomstra, is unforgettable.

In commemoration of Feike Boomstra a unique match is organized on November 15, 2015 at the same venue 
of the WC in Emmen. A match between a large number of the world´s  best programs against strong players.

Read further the full article of Jaap Bus, that has been devoted to both of them.

Source: Jaap Bus, End games and more, October 27, 2015


The MotifMine ('MM')
    Has been constructed in the 90's by Rob Spijkers* and counts nowadays even
    50.566 motifs, that gradually will be digitalized. A 'gold mine' of motifs,  not
    that well-known by draughts players and problemists.
    It is agreed with Rob to place the motifs collection, step-by-step, in digital
    format (18.300 present already) via a link on the webpage Motifs on the site.
    In this way, the MotifMine will become broadly available!
    In the meantime, you may make use of his MM to check if a motif is known or not, when
    TurboDambase doesn't give an answer. Simply send an e-mail,  motiefmijn@ziggo.nl ,
    containing the motif in the desired code.
    For example, enclosed Timoneda motif has the code: 3001 01.06.25(--) = -- (02):
#BP#BK#WP#WK [3 black men, 0 black king, 0 white king, 1 white king], the square numbers of the black men, the square
numbers of the black kings in between brackets [-- if, as in this case, there is no black king], the square numbers of the  
white men [again -- as there is no white man], and, finally, the square of the white king. Extra info is very wellcome, e.g.

author, date, solution and first date of publication, in order to add new motifs to the 'MM' collections!


* With the help of Johan Konings and Kees van de Ruit, ánd the motif collections of Zonnenveld en de Zwart.

Roel Boomstra
    Recently placed a number of new 
    compositions on our facebook page.

    Upon our request for a third problem
    of him in the Showroom, Roel came
    with another composition that was
    made a bit earlier.

    See the diagram, that comes alive in the
    Showroom!

    Again a beautiful example how games
    can inspire for the making of draughts
    compositions.




Mariska Veer
    Won the price
    of the most
    beautiful
    combination
    of the Dutch
    junior girls
    tournament
    in Groningen,
    July 13-18, 2015.

    Who knows
    Mariska
    personally and
    is willing to
    interest her
    for draughts
    composing?
   
    We still miss
    a female
    problemist
    among us men!

Source: Martijn de Jong, Het Damspel, October 2015.


Herman de Jongh (1898-1985)
This draughts grandmaster was one of the strongest draughts players in the first half of the twentieth century.
Got wellknown by his standard book Technique moderne du jeu de dames, published in 1937 in Paris.
Is still remembered by his famous opening variant, to which his name is given.
Made also a number of beautiful game-like draughts compositions. Click here for the diagrams!
Source: Ton Sijbrands, De Volkskrant October 3, 10,and 17, 2015.

       ATTENTION: Composition contest of the Draughts Problem Society (KvD)

     To celebrate the 75-year jubilee of the “Kring voor Damproblematiek” in 2016, 
     we organise a composition contest for our members. Also non-members from
     The Netherlands and abroad are cordially invited to participate in this contest. 
     The contest contains two categories, of which one category is devoted in 
     particular for starting draughts problemists!   CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION.See the PDF file.

Naturel Statistics
    On the, new, webpage 'Motifs' wrong information was given about the
    number of different fields where-upon the 'Naturel' ends.
    We simply forgot to count also the king naturels for the fields 6 upto 50!

    This has now been corrected and also extended with three statistic overvieuws:
    man naturel, king naturel and total naturel.
   
    Last but not least: the page Motifs has now been translated in English!
                                                                                 Martijn van der Klis and Tom Kieboom


World Cup 2015 in draughts 64

    The International Draughts Federation IDF – FMJD Section-64 together with
    the Portuguese Draughts Federation, in accordance with the Calendar of the
    competitions in 2015, holds from October 31 (arrival day) till November 8,
    2015 (departure day) in Albufeira, Portugal the 6th Stage of World Cup 2015
    in draughts-64 – International competition “Portugal-2015”.

    Click here for further information and/or contact Franck Laurent.



  KvD -> 75 years!
KvD->LXXV
On January 12, 2016 our KvD Society will celebrate its 75-th birthday,
i.e. LXXV, as shown by the end position of the 'composition' on the left.

On the occasion of our 25-year jubilee of the KvD, Gerrit van der Linde
made a real unique problem:  25 men, 25 moves, and an end with only a
white man on field  ... 25. Click here and enjoy!

An idea to compose something like that for our 75-year jubilee?
Problem is: we use only 50 of the 100 fields, so that 75 have to arise
from an addition on two different fields.

Suggestions:
1. An ending, not sharp, with WP7 en BP5.
2. King stroke 7x5 from WK7 and BP10,18.
3. Single oppositions: WP35 and BP 40 w.o.m.; WP50 and BP25 w.o.m.;
     WP48 and BP27 b.o.m.; WP45 and BP30 w.o.m..; WP40 and BP35 w.o.m.
4. Motifs, etc., e.g. WP20,40 and BP15 b.o.m.
5. An LXXV initial or end position, as shown in the diagram.

Please, send your creations to Tom Kieboom before Januari 12, 2016,
in order to place them on the website on the day of our jubilee!


All on stroke!

        This composition of Oege Dijkstra hides something special.

        Daredevil white sets twice all of its pieces on stroke!

        Look how that occurs.

        Curious to see other special cases on the board: go to Curiosa.


Damwerkplaats
   
Oege Dijkstra (left) made in De Problemist of October a request to
    create a true composition based on his new end game.

    Tjipke Smedinga (right + c.s.?) immediately started working.
    See the end game and compositions in the Draughts working place #30!


De Problemist of October is there
   

    Both the front and back pages, including the contents,
    of De Problemist can be seen for free on the de site.


    Getting interested to see the other thirty-eight pages?


    Take then a subscription!


Motifs on the site
        Probably not as beautiful as this colourful motif, but important for starting
        problemists. The modest number of examples given may-be helpful to see
        how draughts problems may arise from a certain motif.

        Or, how a draughts composition can be finished in a sharp way by using an
        extension of a motif.

        Like the Showroom, the page motifs will grow gradually in time by adding
        more examples. Your input is wellcomed by Tom Kieboom!


Duplo's in the Draughts working place

    Virmantas Masiulis, almost a permanent employee of the working place,
    made exactly the same composition as Leen de Rooij did on his motif.
    Reason for Leen to appoint Virmantas as co-author of this problem!
    Read Leen's complete comments on the four problems of Virmantas
    in the Draughts working place #29.

    Oege Dijkstra did almost the same with the motif  of Bolzé, intoduced
    by Johan Konings. Zee Johan's comments in the Draughts working place # 26!


Alternative motif

    Of Virmantas Masiulis, triggered by the motif of Johan Konings, that has
    been created as a new extension of the Bolzé-motif from 1901.

    In addition, an arrangement of this motif in the form of a 7x7 miniature.

    See the Draughts working place #28!



Draughts History
         
This site of Arie van der Stoep contains the newest insights into the  
            birth of draughts, the evolution of draughts during many centuries and 
            the position of draughts in the society in the past.

            The insights obtained are the result of his scientific research since 1975.

Jeu de dames . . .
  
            Is played this month, in different ways, by our secretary Arjen Timmer:
                as future husband ánd with his second and third draughts composition
                in the Showroom, where he creates no less than two white 'dames',
                required to win eventually the game.
                ('His' picture, taken during the KvD reunion, September 12, 2015)


DE PROBLEMIST  
Contents of the October issue that will appear soon (40 pages):

The Dutch text can be easily translated in any other language through  www.bing.com/translator:
mark the text you would like to be translated, click on it with your right mouse button and choose your language.

Reinier Cornelis Keller                                                        Hein Wilsens
Hoe komen problemen nou tot stand?                               Tom Kieboom
Reünie 2015                                                                        Hein Wilsens
Dam-problemen                                                                  Leen de Rooij
Probleemrubriek                                                                Arne van Mourik
Een centimeter van eeuwige roem                                        Olga Teer
Oplossinge probleemrubriek juni 2015                              André Schokker
Zesenveertig/vijf                                                               Tjipke Smedinga
De beste problemen van tien jaar geleden                       Menno Veldstra
Dammen met Zwarte Piet                                                   Tom Kieboom
Forcings                                                                          Tjalling Goedemoed
Wie aan zet is, wint                                                          Hans Alderliesten
Een tegen allen (12)                                           Gerrit van Mastrigt en Arie van der Stoep
Noodhulp                                                                           Martin van Dijk
Eindspel                                                                             Gerrit de Bruijn
Boeken                                                                               Diverse auteurs
Mémoires pour servir le futur                                            Jacques Céron
Indeling van probleemcollecties (2)                                   Pieter Kuijper
Frits Tusveld (1)                                                                Arne van Mourik
Van Emden in de partij                                                    Arie van der Stoep
De leeuwentemmer (1)                                                  Tjalling Goedemoed
Namen en oplossingen                                                     Arne van Mourik
Reacties & correcties                                                         Hein Wilsens
Met de groeten uit Tilburg                                                 Hein Wilsens

September        

Leen de Rooij
   Has made two compositions. One of these is based on the extended
    motif of Johan Konings, shown on the left.
    See the Draughts working place #27.

    Hopefully, this will lead to more inspiration for others!

    Finally, as Oege Dijkstra mentioned below: also beautiful compositions 
    based on the simpler motif (without BP40,45 en WP50) are seldom.

Oege Dijkstra
   
Has made this composition based on the motif that Johan Konings
    placed in the Draughts working place (#25), together with the request
    'Who can create an acceptable composition from it?'

    In addition, Oege did find in TurboDam base a beautiful composition of
    Dirk de Ruiter from 2008, besides a number of disasters.

    Look and read further in the Draughts working place!

Solution game KvD reunion 2015
    Was won by Gerrit de Bruijn.

    Curious about the problems ánd solutions?

    Click here!


André Schokker
    Noticed that both the left and central problem of Miljenko Lepsic
    in the Showroom contained a side solution.
    These two compositions, therefore, do not resemble his qualities and
    have now been replaced by two other compositions.

    Thanks to the attentive chairman of the KvD.


Johan Konings
    Possesses a collection of about 40,000 motifs (sic!).

    But now, hereby, his request for help for this motif from 1901!

    Has himself made a couple of draughts compositions, but is convinced 
    that there are much better compositions possible.

    Look and work for this request on the Draughts working place, #25!


Solutions of the Alldraughts end games: click here!
The 'Making-of' the new web page 'Motifs': a preview!
    Martijn van der Klis and the webmaster have been quite busy to create
    this webpage. Some time ago, Ad de Hoon suggested to include such a  
    webpage, including a separate button on the homepage. And he was and
    is right: draughts problemists often start or finish with motifs, eventually
    to bring a draughts composition to a sharp ending. According to Leen de
    Rooij, there are about 40,000 (sic!) motifs known, sothat a tough choice
    is inevitable, as is the case of our Showroom,  to get it manageable.
    Hereby the start of 'Motifs', that will grow further from time to time!
Above you see the most simple form of a motif, the 'naturel', with its 50 possibilities, as a start.
A separate button on the home page will become later: after an English version of it is ready. 

Pieter Kuijper
Winning composition of the KvD reunion

As only one, this 6x6 miniature, surprisingly, fulfilled both 

themes of the composition contest:

1. Compose a draughts problem that ends in opposition,
in its broadest sence.

2. Compose a draughts problem inwhich white's last move
ends on the field that white has left or has occupied during
its first move.

 

Phantom of Draughts on the reunion!

Great consternation: suddenly, there appeared a draughts monster to catch Arjen Timmer. In first instance,
that was scaring, but it appeared to be a bachelorette joke: our secretary is getting to be  married in October!


Draughts working place
        Virmantas Masiulis has made for compositions on the motif of
        Leen de Rooij: see #24 of the working place (September 15, 2015).

        
Leen himself struggled quite long to create an arrangement, that will appear
        the beginning of October. So, still two weeks time to go for his challenge!


Facebook party during our yearly reunion
    The number of members of our facebook went over one hundred.
    Therefore, congratulations to Henk van der Heijden (editor Social Media)!
    You missed the reunion and are curious what happened during the solving
    and composing contests? See the report with diagrams on facebook or
    become also an fb-member!
    Any questions about facebook? Contact Henk via e-mail for help.

End games encore, but this time with the challenge to solve them on Alldraughts!

Games & End games
       Again two website columns that have been translated into English.
   
        Click on Games and End games and, please, send any incorrect typing,
        language or content to the webmaster!


Eric van Dusseldorp  ->  Jaap Bus

        A brand-new and peculiar end game of Eric van Dusseldorp
        inspired Jaap Bus to make an impressive draughts composition.

        Read and view the beautiful 'End games and more' weblog!


Ad de Hoon
        Playing draughts in full concentration, was node missing a webpage 'Motifs'!
        And he was right: motifs are often used as a start of a draughts composition, or,
        working from front to back, to save a composition with a sharp ending.
        Martijn van der Klis and Tom Kieboom are now quite busy to create such a page
        on our website.
        Therefore, motifs are very well-comed, please send them to us by an e-mail!


Virmantas Masiulis
  
        Manages a private weblog showing regularly his new compositions.
            Quite nice to see and play the work of this draughts composer from
            Lithuania, who also is active in our Draughts working place.
           
            The text can be easily translated with bing.com/translator.
            Thanks to Arjen Timmer for the input. 


Harry de Waard
    Has made, according to TurboDambase, more than 1000 compositions, of which
    many are juwels, but is not active anymore as draughts composer. But who knows,
    there are more examples of problemists that eventually started again!

    The composition shown is a beautiful example, worthwhile to solve and to play:
    a good position and a double combination met counterstroke. See the Showroom.

    Thanks to Ardjan de Jong for the input.


Leen de Rooij
        Has placed this motif, with black on move, in the Draughts working place (#23).
        The white king may also be situated on other fields of the long line.

        "Is this motif new?" and "Who is able to make a composition from it?"
        are Leen's questions.

        Leen himself struggled quite long to create an arrangement, that will appear
        the beginning of October. So, one month time to go for his challenge!


Explosive duel
        White has played 33-29 and subsequently looses the game by black's
        answer of a very surprising and beautiful stroke combination.

        This duel from 1975 between Alexeï Bezversjenko and Nikolaj Misjtsjanski,
        from begin to end, can be can be played on the screen!

        Source: Ton Sijbrands, de Volkskrant August 15, 2015.


August                        
Draughts working place
  
Seemed to be closed during the summer holidays: no activities at all!
    (In contrast to our KvD facebook, where much repair work was done!)

    Tom Kieboom got as kind of a 'lucky shot' this position with white on
    move on the draughts board.
    This position couldn't be found in the TurboDambase.

    Is it a start of a beautiful composition? Take a look in the working place!


Martijn van der Klis
This time two beautiful compositions of this young problemist in the Showroom, to solve or to play
with moving diagrams!
                               


Philip Ham (1908-1971)
    Was Dutch draughts master since 1937, well-known as draughts journalist with
    columns in several newspapers, and one of the best players of 'blind draughts'.

    Philip's creative power is also visible in his draughts compositions, showing
    impressive new ideas.
    Three of his draughts problems may now be seen in the Showroom!

Source: Johan Bastiaannet, De Problemist August 2015, pp. 130-131.


'The art of winning' - encore !

   
This book of Tjalling Goedemoed (draughts coach, promotor, publicist,
    player, problemist ánd editor of our colums Forcings) has now been
    extensively reviewed by Wouter Sipma in De Problemist of August (in Dutch),
    in a very positive way.

    Quite justified, as also the subtitle of this book, written in English,s:
    "The beauty of the game of draughts"!

    A next edition is already being prepared and will appear in November.  


Boris Shkitkin (1936-2015)
   

    An In Memoriam of Serge Yushkevtitch (in Ehglish) appeared in De Problemist of August.

    Boris Vasilievitch Shkitin was one of the draughts problemists who 'coloured' for decennia
    the East-European draughts composing.

    He made many wonderful creations on the board and was also a fearful draughts player.



If you want Alain's free booklet of draughts compositions, as offered on our facebook, send him an e-mail!
On the right, a beautiful composition of Alain Tavernier: both in initial position and development. This one
together with two others, from fantasy positions but surprising combinations, are placed in the Showroom.


Forcings & Problems

  
For your convenience, the web pages Forcings and Problems
    has been translated into English too, as we have many foreign
    visitors of our website.

    Click on Forcings and on Problems and send any mistake, from
    type errors, bad English, to wrong contents, to the webmaster!


Frank van Sterkenburg (1926-2012)
An 'In Memoriam' has been published in De Problemist of August, 2015. Much too late, but we were not aware
of his passing away. As a sustainable memory to Frank, three compositions have been included in the Showroom.

What a beauty of a 'Mondriaan-like' draughts painting!

Made by the Swiss Sam Weyeneth: look further at our Photo gallery!

Draughts cryptogram
Apart from knowledge of draughts, this requires sufficient knowledge of the Dutch language.
If so, read further on our Dutch 'Nieuws' page!

Showroom

    Former participant of the World Championship Draughts ánd winner of
    the second World contest end-game composing, Miljenko Lepsic from Croatia,
    has composed more than 2600 7x7 miniatures.

    Three examples have now been included in the Showroom.

    Thanks to Henk van der Heijden for this input.


The five big animals of South Africa
   
Inspired Leen de Rooij, during his recent trip to and in South Africa,
    to compose five new draughts problems, devoted to these beautiful
    animals: elefant, leopard, lion, buffalo, and rhinoceros.
    He couldn't stop and made two other ones: springbok and crocodile!

    Click here to see/solve/play his seven draughts compositions and to
    read his full South-Africa report (in Dutch)!
    (Has further been 'arrested' through our web-index page 'notorious')

Multiking-draughts compositions
   No kings in the initial position, but four black kings that appear during the solution
    on the board, while white is still able to win!

    Six compositions of this kind from different authors, that  have been sent by
    Ardjan de Jong.

    'Our' draughts board has many possibilities to play games that will go on very
    differently, but also has also many peculiar possibilities to create quite surprising
    compositions.
   
    Click here and enjoy these very special compositions in full 'draughts swing'!

Nine problems, for beginners, to solve!
   From an old magazine 'het Nieuwe Damspel' of 1974.
    It's a nice test for beginners and less experienced players to solve them.
    White plays and wins in all these positions: most of the combinations do have 
    a small end game.
    Click here for the nine draughts problems.
    On Sunday, August 9, you can see, again on Alldraughts, the solutions!


Showroom
  
Last week English translations has been added to the accompanying
    Dutch text above and under the moving diagrams, as you as visitor
    of the Showroom probably have noticed.
    Reason: the majority of the visitors of our website are from outside
    The Netherlands!
   
    The translations have still to be further corrected for mistakes and
    other imperfections. Please, send these to Tom Kieboom!
From time to time, it is the intention to make the website gradually bilangual, as far as possible.


Yearly meeting and reunion of the KvD on Saterday, September 12
May-be, if you are willing to come to Holland, or being there by accident, it is worthwhile to meet a number
of draughts composers that day. For more detailed information, see the Dutch announcement under [Nieuws],
as the meeting also will be in Dutch. Sorry for still that language inconvenience in the internet world.

.The position given of Derk Vuurboom's composition was wrong. Has been corrected. Thanks to André Schokker.
Showroom
   Again, a number of  'butterfly-beautiful' draughts compositions 
    have been placed in our Showroom of:

    Sergej Perepelkin
    Edgar Plasschaert
    Max Verlouw
    Anne de Vries
    Derk Vuurboom

    Click on the names and enjoy solving and/or playing these ones!

    Thanks to Arne van Mourik for his input.
Please, look also for draughts compositions of your own or of others that deserve a place in the Showroom.
If so, send  an e-mail to Tom Kieboom. There is room for three problems per draughts composer!

(The beautiful draughts butterfly is from draughts club Emmen: you may see him fly on their website)
July

Compositions created during draughts games of Nijmegen Open tournament!
Both Eric van Dusseldorp and Henk van der Heijden won their draughts games through beautiful combinations.
Look at the diagrams and notations below: draughts game and composition may easily go hand in hand!

Source: Henk van der Heijden, KvD facebook July 29, 2015



In De Problemist of August (as English translation):

Frank van Sterkenburg (1926-2012)      Ton Weenink & Arne van Mourik
Boris Shkitkin passed away      Hein Wilsens
Column draughts problems      Arne van Mourik
The best problems of ten years ago      Menno Veldstra
Solutions of the draughts problems of April 2015      André Schokker
King-draughts problems      Leen de Rooij
B.V. Shkitkin + (in English)      Serge Yushekevitch
Additions to A. Gimbutas' memorial  (in English)      Serge Yushekevitch
One against all (11)      Gerrit van Mastrigt & Arie van der Stoep
Endgame      Gerrit L. de Bruijn
Memories to serve the future  (in French)      Jaques Céron
Books: Hisrory of draughts composing (2)      Johan Bastiaannet
Books: The art of winning      Wouter Sipma
Forcings      Tjalling Goedemoed
At the Brederodelaan      Olga Teer
Jearly meeting and reunion      KvD-council
Classification of collections of draughts problems (1)      Pieter Kuijper
Reactions & Corrections      Hein Wilsens
With greetings from Tilburg      Hein Wilsens

Although most articles are written in Dutch, the many draughts diagrams together with the notations
make it still worthwhile to take a subscription to our bimonthly magazine. Click here for information!


Vacancies for young draughts comopsers (m/f)
Do you play draughts and are you between 12 and 25 years old?
Make a draughts problem and send it to Arne van Mourik!
Doesn't matter what others think of your creation.
If you find it a joyful one: just do it and you will get responds of Arne.
Eventually with remarks for improvement.
And ... your composition may appear both in De Problemist ánd on our website!

Diversity in draughts compositions: three examples!
L: Nol Polman (1895-1984) was the grandmaster of small compositions.
M: Alfons Ottink (1956) composes stroke combinations from game positions.
R: Serge Yushkevitch (1953) sometimes creates beautiful draughts curiosa.
For everybody there is something in the Showroom: click on the diagrams and let them move overthere!

How is our website visited?
Reasonable, with a relatively high interest from Russia and the United States. Youngsters are still a minority:
10% <40 years, 20% 40-60 years, 70% >60 years. The percentage female is 20%. (Source: Google Analytics) 


Nijmegen Open Tournament  (copied from our facebook: become also a follower!)

    Don't worry the Dutch; draughts
    diagrams and notations are
    really international!



   Click here and enjoy the new
   draughts compositions under the
   button "problematiek" during
   this tournament.


    Again a beautiful initiative to
    join draught players and
    componists together!


    











Showroom
       Frans van Leeuwen (1926-2013), author of the beautiful book
        "de DAM Quichotte  van de honderde velden", produced with
        the support of Arne van Mourik, has been active from his
        eleventh birthday with draughts composing and philosophy.

        A talented artist and story teller, with a surprising virtuosity.

        A second an third composition, of great elegance, have now
        been included in the Showroom.

        This to enjoy more of his draughts composing activity.



Heerhugowaard Open Draughts Tournament
  
Up to now, our KvD facebook contains
    only contributions in Dutch, like this one
    about the results of some members of
    our Society in this Dutch tournament.
    It would be nice if also foreigners become
    active with contributions, ranging from
    asking for help to repair imperfect draught
    compositions upto all kinds of news facts.

Therfore, you are cordially invited to join our KvD facebook. You may and will enjoy the items presented there!
It is really an extra contribution for your contacts with draughts players and composers, worldwide, in addition
to our magazine De Problemist and this website dekvd.net. Let's make it more multi-langual, you draughters!

FFJDI 64-114 tournament on August 8-14
  
    A great draughts event on 64-144 draught
        boards in beaut-ful Baume-Les-Dames,
        France. More than € 1000 prices to win!
        Contact person is Franck Laurent.
        Click here for the program and additional 
        information!

asper Laurent
Fractionating games into problems
    Jasper Lemmen distils draughts games and then collects on the right moment
    a pure fraction of the game as a draughts composition. Quite a  'refined' way,
    to name it also by the chemical nomenclature of the webmaster of our draughts
    composing society 'KvD', of composing draughts problems with, of course,
    positions that could have been derived from a draughts game!
    How this enthousiastic webmaster of Alldraughts.com is working could be red
    in the issue of our magazine 'De Problemist' of April, and now here on-line.
    Although In Dutch, but easy to follow through the many diagrams and notations.
    May-be, this also will inspire draughts players to become member of the 'KvD'!


Meeting and reunion of the Society of draught composing: September 12!

    Each year there is in the morning a meeting of the Society 'KvD' for
    their members (who also receive our magazine 'De Problemist').
    In the afternoon everyone interested is very wellcomed to join our
    contest for both solving and composing draughts problems, including
    a price for the winner!

    This time the event takes place in Bunschoten, The Netherlands, 
    on Saterday, September 12, 2015.
    Further details and information will follow soon!


Last reminder solving contest: deadline July 18!
Here are the four problems, together on one XXL draughts board, white on move and wins. Click on Alldraughts.




Draughts club Schaesberg 75 years

   Draughts composer Leen de Rooij has been for 21 years a member of this
    draughts club, with great pleasure.
    Therefore, he has composed four jubilee problems with the opposition 27/48,
    as 27 + 48 = 75 !

    These four problems can be viewed on the website of the Draughts Society of
    the Provence of Limburg, The Netherlands:  
www.pldb.nl


A new, well hidden composer

    Well hidden beneath a female alias this grandmaster fooled the entire 

    draughts world with a brilliant combination.

    (It is not an unknown phenomenon, even Ton Sijbrands Wiersma did it once. 

    The audience was thrilled when several spectacular things happened on the 

    board and stood on the tables to follow it all. Sijbrands and Wiersma had, 

    however, already had the entire game on the board the night before.)

    Read this fantastic story further on Alldraughts.com!

P.S. We, also, have been fooled by this composer: see the combination under alias 'Linda Schnieders' in our Showroom!)


Roel Boomstra - Jan Groenendijk
Beneath a fantastic fight between these two Dutch top-draughts players during the tournament of Salou, 
ending in a perfect draw. May-be, this game will be also an inspiration for draughts composers!
Source: Ton Sijbrands, de Volkskrant July 4, 2015


W. Ebsite & F. Acebook
On a hot Saterday, July 5, 2015, in Holland, three draughts composers
were very busy in order to recompose and repair a composition that
simply may be called 'a disaster'.
Within that day, a sharp "double problem" and two sharp compositions
were derived. See the Draughts working place #21.

Leen de Rooij celebrates his 60th years of draughts composer!
These two compositions have been published on July 2, 1955 in the Dutch newspaper "Trouw" when he was
only 13 years old! May-be, these two were made during, boring, lessons on high school .., Leen admitted once.
Since then, Leen de Rooij has been constantly active in both draughts composing and by acting as a teacher
for many draughts composers. Last year he became Honorary Member of our Draughts Composing Society.
This proves that composing draughts problems, including beautiful combinations, forcings and end games,
is an activity that cannot be underestimated by draughts players. Please, join the draughts composers club!
It gives a lot of compassion and fun, and can be done at any time you want, where you are, on your own.
(Try to find the solutions of the two problems shown above. They can be found in that Dutch newspaper!)

David Riupassa
    Was draughts composer from 1978-1987 (44 problems in the TurboDambase
    compositions), was also member of the board of our Society and is still an
    active player of the draughts club RDS in St Oedenrode, The Netherlands.

    Therefore, a place in the Showroom with three of his problems, chosen by
    our editor Social Media Henk van der Heijden, is more than correct.

    Hopefully, David will get again the inspiration to play draughts on his own, i.e.
    to compose new draughts problems!

 Reminder: the draughts problem solution contest!



    Deadline July 18!



    A nice challenge!



    Fine compositions!



    And prices!



    Please, attend!


    Click here!


June

Auke Scholma
    Published, as editor of the the column DRAUGHTS in the Dutch newspaper
    'Dagblad van het Noorden', some compositions that have been created on
    our KvD facebook.

    Apart from beautiful combinations by draughts players in a number of recent
    tournaments, draughts composers are creating even more beautiful ones.
   
    Take a look, try to solve these four problems or play them by using the
    solutions given.


Showroom
    Hans Leushuis studied from 1966 in Nijmegen and was
    member of a friends club, being very active as draughts
    player and composer. During the years 1967 tot 1987
    he composed a series of problems. Since then Hans never
    took the draughts board anymore to play or to compose.
    Three of his 'old' compositions can be seen in 
the Showroom. 
    In the meantime, we'll wait for a new composition?


Draughts books
    Michel Sabater published a booklet (in a limited edition of 50):
     "Forcings, Combinaisons et Stratégie", 54 pages. 
    Contains 100 diagrams: 54 end games, 42 forcings and draughts problems,
    and 4 end games with King.
    Bram Doeves collected his printed and on-line draughts columns in the book
    "Dammen: derivaat van een ruimtespel". In 200 pages the author shows more than
    400 diagrams dealing with combinations, offers, gambits and end games.
    As shown before: Tjalling Goedemoed's e-boek "The art of winning: 
    the beauty of the game of draughts", with many of the most beautiful forcings.
    More information about these books and how to order them: see page Book! 
(The first two books have been summarized and reviewed before in our magazin De Problemist of  April and June, respectively.
"The third of winning" will be reviewed extensively in our coming August issue of De Problemist!)

Join our Facebook draughts working place!
   
An increasing number of draughts players and composers are joining through
     our facebook in order to create new draughts compositions.

     Starting with a new (?) idea by someone, others react with suggestions for
     improvement, and so on, within a couple of days!

     In this way, already a number of original draughts compositions have been
     created. An example of such process can be seen by clicking here.

So, become also a member of our draughts facebook: thé interactive and cooperative way of composing!

   By subscribing to, being a follower of, and reading:
   Our bimonthly magazine De Problemist
   The compositions in the Showroom, Forcings, End games
   The Draughts working place
   Our Facebook and Twitter discussions and creations

    And, last but not least, by participation in the draughts
    solving contest.
Until July 18 at noon you can send or
    bring in your solutions of the four problems presented!


Correction rapid draughts
Arne van Mourik became already on April 11 champion rapid draughts of the provence of Utrecht. That's why
he was admitted to participate in the Dutch rapid draughts tournament in June, now in the city of Utrecht. 
In the morning it went OK, Arne reached the next group B, but in the afternoon Arne lost his concentration and,
therefore, almost all his games. Finally, he ended on the 16th position.
Nevrtheless, his draughts promotion on the radio was a succes!


Rapid draughts in Utrecht (The Netherlands)
    Our editor of the column 'Draughts Compositions" in De Problemist,
    'midfor' Arne van Mourik on the picture, took part in this tournament
    with top-players and ended as 12th, being the best of our provence
    Utrecht.
    A Dutch radio interview, last Saterday, June 13, of Arne can be heard
    through the link below: 

    http://www.radio2.nl/uitzending/id-331838/date-20150613/echt-jasper.html
    Choose as starting time 1:52:30 (to avoid very long waiting!)
   
The game discussed between Jan Groenendijk and Virny can be played on the
    website of Salou Open: http://salou-open.nl/?lang=nl&p=results.
                                                                               An overview of this rapid draughts tournament can be seen on Alldraughts.

Simple end games

    With the summer approaching, composer Jaap Bus presents ten simple endgames. 

    Unpublished before, though most of them are rather old. 

    However, when playing the Applets automatically it is impossible to understand 

    why the moves of White are the only way to win and why Black cannot escape. 

    In other words, it is not possible to enjoy the composition.  

    So, Jaap Bus has added a recommendation to the title of his article.

    Take a look at his beautiful weblog Endgamesandmore!

De Problemist of this month: a beautiful composition of Roel Boomstra
After his second Dutch championship KvD-member Roel Boomstra started draughts composing again.
Inspired by the combination during his game against rival Alexander Baliakin, he made this 10x10 problem:
"The combination is in this way not so difficult to find, but the resulting end game is beautiful. May-be it is
known, but I couldn't find it in the composition data base."
This composition is also placed in the Showroom, next to another composition of Roel Boomstra, inspired
by a beautiful coup of wold champion Alexander Georgiev.


Still no subscription of De Problemist? That's a pitty: you will miss many beautiful draughts issues!

Fourfold thanks!

From left to right and in alfabetical order: Henk van der Heijden (KvD: facebook & twitter), Michiel Kroesbergen
(KNDB: Het Damspel), Jasper Lemmen (Alldraughts.com), and Hein Wilsens (KvD: De Problemist). These four have
contributed a lot to promote our website, to great satisfaction of the webmaster of dekvd.net.
Therefore, this gratitude to them, here, loud and clear. Such cooperation is the way foreward in draughts!


Lambert-Jan Koops
    Published last year a book (in Dutch) dealing with world champion 1956 draughts
    Marcel Deslauriers, a real magician on the draughts board.

    The Canadian (1905-1988) was not only a very clever draught player, but also a
    very interesting personality.

    During all the tournaments he joined, Deslauriers was by far the strongest
    enemy and opponent of the communists. 

    This book of 301 pages ( € 23,84 including mailing costs within The Netherlands)
    can be best described as a draught-technical monograph.

    Interest? Clik here en scroll on our books page for your order!
Source: Hein Wilsens, De Problemist of december 2014. E-mail of the author:
info@lambertjan.nl
Jan Groenendijk
This 16-year young top talent succeeded to win the tournament of Salou, against many strong players!
Vadim Virni lost his game through a double-bait move by Jan Groenendijk, followed by a short but
surprising  combination. Inspiration for draughts composers? Thereafter, it was for him no problem at all
to finish the end game to a happy end. Click here for another beautiful combination of Jan!
Source: Ton Sijbrands, de Volkskrant van 6 juni 2015


Solving contest
    Also this year Alldraughts.com, "Heerhugowaard Open" draughts competition,
    and our Society of Draughts Composing organize a draughts solving contest.
   
Solve the four draughts problems and win one of the three prices!

    This time the compositions are from our editor social media
, Henk van der
    Heijden, and your webmaster, a very nice gesture of Jasper Lemmen.


Game combination
Triggered by Ton Sijbrands' example* of a combination from a 20x20 position, Jasper Lemmen sent
the position above from a game between Fred Ivens and Frans van de Velde from 1973: after black
had played 9-14, white won the game through a beautiful straightforward combination.
Really joyful for both draughts players and composers!
*
de Volkskrant of May 9, 2015: scroll towards the diagram below and compare.

Michiel Kroesbergen
    Found, triggered by the 'opening' of our draughts working place,
    as editor game compositions of the magazine 'Het Damspel', a number
    of former compositions of his own. Only two were considered as acceptable
    and were shown in the March 2015 issue of 'Het Damspel'.

    Michiel's two examples of this form of draughts composition, illustrating
    combinations from game-like positions, come 'alive' in the Showroom.

May

Guest speakers Draughts Problems column
    "De probleemrubriek" is the heart of our bimonthly magazine De Problemist.
    Each issue contains thirty new draughts compositions to be solved. Four months later,
    the authors' solutions plus comments of a guest speaker are given.

    Although our magazine is (merely) in Dutch, this column can be easily read by the
    many diagrams and the international notation of the solutions.

    This year we may celebrate our 50th guest speaker, see the name-list enclosed.
    
    Arne van Mourik is still seeking for, also foreign, guest speakers. Please react!


Kos-Mos: Compositions, Games & More
Tjalling Goedemoed constructed a draughts game that eventually results in a sharp composition.
Read his fairy-tale (in Dutch, but understandable) about the draughts players Kos & Mos!


Draughts working place
    Tjalling Goedemoed made an extensive and beautiful evaluation
    of a number of arrangements created in the draughts working place.
    Although in Dutch, it is quite readable through the diagrams and
    solutions presented.

    Click here to read it and/or go to the draughts working place!


Contents coming June issue of De Problemist (in Dutch)
Leden KvD maken dienst uit op Nederlandse Kampioenschappen. Hein Wilsens  

Finesses in het spel van Cock van Wijk (2). Arne van Mourik
Probleemrubriek. Arne van Mourik
Oplossingen probleemrubriek februari 2015. André Schokker
KvD nu ook op Twitter. Hein Wilsens
Hoe ontstaat een damprobleem bij Jaap Bus? Tom Kieboom
Regulations for the International draughts composition contest. S. Yushkevitch
De top van Atlantis. Olga Teer
Beste problemen van 10 jaar geleden. Menno Veldstra
Dam-problemen. Leen de Rooij
Forcings. Tjalling Goedemoed
Zesenveertig/vijf. Tjipke Smedinga
Boeken. Diverse auteurs
einDsPel. Gerrit L. de Bruijn
FFJDI 1er Concours International de Problème Dames Canadiènnes 2014. Ard-Jan de Jong
Reacties & correcties. Hein Wilsens
Met de groeten uit Tilburg. Hein Wilsens


Why not?
The webmaster, himself, placed a composition from his teenagers' years on the homepage. Shame on him!
But, as an excuse, we'll forgive him: He and his wife, are going to be 70-ies, within a couple of days.
After the celebrations, he will become again active on the website page!

No succes ... encore ... yet ... or not?

    Tom Kieboom's arrangement of a composition of Oege Dijkstra does not
    appear that sharp, as Christian van der Schaaf noticed sharply.
     At the same time he offered an alternative by the composition on the left.

    Leen de Rooij, upon extensive discussion on our facebook, succeeded to
    make an even better arrangement of the original composition.

    Christian did a last, forcing, attempt to improve Oege's composition.

    Take a look in the draughts working place #19.

No succes ...
    For the webmaster and Feyenoord-fan in the Dutch soccer competition. 
    Also Leen de Rooij, fan of Ajax that lost from last-placed Dordrecht, was
    unfortunate, both on the soccer field and draughts board.

    He created a beautiful combination on the board, but was not that content
    about the end result.
    Worthwhile to help Leen: go to the draughts working place #18!


Correction (see 'Game combination' below)
Arne van Mourik: "The game played was not in a club but a national competition, probably between the Dutch
teams 'OG' and 'DCIJ".
Surprizingly, this 20x20 position cannot be found in the more tham 1000 positions of the standard collection of
Venema and Gortmans!

So, on which name should it be put? Ton Sijbrands suggests that he knows this position ("clever truc") from the sixties...."


Showroom
    Hessel van den Hurk became again, through our "KvD-digital-media", enthousiastic
    for the art of draughts composition.

    And he is quite capable, just see  his three compositions in the Showroom.

    After many years of 'draughts-rest', Hessel is now quite active on our facebook with
    new creations on the draughts board, and recently became member of our society!

 Game combination
This explosive 20x20 position appeared in the game between Cees van Duyvenbode and Alex den Doop
(club competition 1996/1997, Utrecht, The Netherlands).
White played 42-38, whereupon black reacted with a beautiful combination!
May-be, this inspires for the creation of a sharp draughts composition?
Source: Ton Sijbrands, de Volkskrant of May 9, 2015.

Hessel van den Hurk
    Couldn't put a crown on his draughts composition and was, therefore, not that
    satisfied as he told others on facebook.

    Take a look at his creation in the draughts working place (#17) and you may possibly
    help Hessel to sharpen the end of it.

    It's really worthwhile: on a certain moment black is four times on shot!


Christian van der Schaaf
    Looking a bit surprised on his facebook picture, realising as draughts player but
    no real draughts composer (his own words), to see two of his compositions of
    the eighties in our Showroom of this website.

    Is still interested in draughts composing and has improved recently one of the
    so-called 'King's Day creations' by adding a beautiful forcing in idem dito position
    through our facebook!


Old newspapers online
    In 2010 Arne van Mourik published an article about about the digital availability
    of Dutch newspapers from the "Koninklijke Bibiotheek" (Royal Dutch Library).
    By this, you can find almost all draughts compositions there, more than on
    other draughts websites .
    However, it costs you a lot of time to find them, as they are quite hidden...
    Therefore, the hard work of Arne van Mourik and Klaas Bor on the database
    compositions of TurboDambase is and will be of great importance!


Game composition?
This end-game position might inspire you for a game-like draughts composition. This position appeared in
the game of the Dutch national final of 2015 between Roel Boomstra and Ben Provoost, white on move.
Black cannot respond with 41-47 as white then will play 22-36: black will loose by white's threat 38-32.
Source: Ton Sijbrands, de Volkskrant of May 2, 2015.


Draughts cooperation and competition!
    Recently, fast and heavy cooperation is occurring on our facebook,
    resulting in some better and good draughts compositions.
    Even during and after our King's Day, April 27th.
    In this way, facebook becomes a serious competitor of the draughts 
    working place on our website, which is much slower!
    Although, Henk and Tom are conculega's: become a follower of facebook!


April
'Honorary compositions'
Christiaan van der Schaaf asks attention for the draughts composition capacities of our fresh honorary
members, Arie van der Stoep and Leen de Rooij. He considers the two compositions shown below as the
best of the last ten years. Arie's miniature is special by its simplicity and beauty. Leen's 13x13 contains
an action that seems to be inspired by the Lord.
As long these creations can still be made, I'am a happy fellow, according to Christiaan.
L: Arie van der Stoep. A number of forcings while the white piece travels from 23 to 2.
If black 47x24 as second move, instead of 17x6 given, white has the necessary tempo to withstand
the escape of the black piece on 32 by 3.30x19 14x12 4.25x5 17x6 5. 5x37.
R: Leen de Rooij. The white action 25-20, 20x29 en 29-24, by which a white piece returns on 11,  forms
the  'heavenly" highlight of this creation.


Johan Konings
    Is succeeded as editor of the column 'Draughts Problems' of the 'Brabant Draughts
    News' by Henk van der Heijden (our editor social media).
   
    Henk saw, however, that there is no draughts composition in our Showroom, despite
    the fact that Johan has also been one of the editors of our journal 'De Problemist'.

    This has been corrected:  three of Johan's compositions have now been included!


Poespas in As

    Leen de Rooij has published an interesting cat and draught story  on the website of 
    the Draughts Society of Limburg (provence of The Netherlands).

    It appeared there already in 2012, but was never published elsewhere.

    Therefore, here a 'reprise': the compositions shown may be seen!


Adri Geurts
    Did also a 'piece' of repair work in the draughts working place by, citing his words:
    "Making the composition of Jasper Lemmen (DP april 2015, blz. 47, dia 14)  scharp,
    without loosing the original theme!"
    Arne van Mourik did find, unfortunately, two look-a-likes in the TurboDambase,
    an 'accident' that occurs more often with more than 150.000 problems published.
    Which of the three variations on the same theme is now the best? Take a look!


Krijn Hemminga
    "I don't make that many problems anymore, but my interest got back by all those digital
    things*!"
 [*this website, facebook and twitter of  this Draughts Society]
    On request, Krijn sent eight of his compositions, made between 2004-2008.
    A beautiful "super-long forcing" can be seen and played on the webpage Forcings.
    Three of his other compositions have been put into the 
Showroom.

    We hope to see again new compositions of him in the column Draughts Problems of
    Arne van Mourik in our bimonthly journal De Problemist!


Roel Boomstra
    Winner* of the exciting Dutch draughts championship: Congratulations!

    (*Just in time by winning his last game of the tournament!)

    We hope Roel can find now some 'rest' by composing a new draughts problem:
    there are still places for him to go in our Showroom.


"What and half-what" for draughts players?
With the left diagram you can (re)play the solution of Jasper Lemmen's difficult composition!
May-be, this problem was too problematic for you? Therefore, you'll find in the right diagram
a much more easy draughts problem of Tom Kieboom: via a 3-2-1-shot-action white wins in
a straightforward manner. Together with a request to send, better, simple draughts problems for
less experienced players, problemists and puzzlers to Tom Kieboom. This to open on the website
an 'Exercise Room' for this categorie* of interested draughters!
*Was unable, as webmaster, to solve Jasper's problem: so I also still need much more exercise.


Feed for draughts players

        Jasper Lemmen's challenge for, in particular, draughts players:
        find the right combination with the instruction 'white begins and wins'!

        The clue of this composition is a surprising move in a game-like position.

        Next weekend, this diagram will come 'alive', so that the surprising
        solution can be seen and enjoyed.


   - Warning for draughts composers: some white moves can be interchanged and the end is not sharp. -


Klaas Bor

    For 25 jaar very busy with the creation, the maintenance and
    the continuous extension of the  indispensable TurboDambase,
    containing about 600.000 games and compositions!
    So, he was still a youngster (see picture) when started with that.

    Therefore, quite right that Klaas was appointed as honorary
    member     of the Royal Dutch Draughts Society (KNDB) on March 14.

In addition, we thank him for the great work done to create the draughts composition database containing more
than 150.000 composities. This database is indispensable for us as draughts composers!
Finally, Klaas was kind of 'rescue ranger' to save our moving diagrams on the website, a couple of years ago.
Recently, he offerde us the solution for making links to specific parts of webpages.
So, Klaas, many thanks, again!


Draughts working place
    Henk van der Heijden and Tom Kieboom have been trying to repair
    the original compositions of Jasper Lemmen and Oege Dijkstra,
    respectively.

    See their work described under #14 en #15 in the draughts working place,
    including the references to the original compositions.

    And judge if the results of their efforts are the best possible ones.


Crying over X-mas' spilt milk?
    The result and solutions of the four draughts problems of our X-mas game has been published
    in the quarterly journal 'Het Damspel'.
    That's the reason that this could not be done earlier by this journal's editorial board.
    The diagrams plus solutions can now also be seen on this website.
    Winner is Kees Maliepaard from Veenendaal (The Netherlands) and receives a free one-year
    subscription of our bimonthly journal 'De Problemist'.
    Het Damspel counts about 5000 readers, the number of participants of the X-mas game was ...  9!
    So, that's less than 2 promille.
    Draughts players are still not that enthousiastic about compositions of draughts problemists!


Henk van der Heijden
    Goes on full speed as our new 'Editor Social Media' and has now,
    next to our recent facebook page, also made a twitter account
    of our Draughts composing society.

    Using these two media it is now possible to communicate fast and
    effective all kind of interesting draughts issues.

    Matters that cannot be done through our journal and website.


Michiel Kroesbergen

    Devoted his entire column "Game-like compositions" in the journal Het Damspel of March
    to our draughts working place: "The nice aspect of such a working place is that it creates
    cooperations of draughts composers, leading to possibly beautiful compositions."
    
    Michiel himself also did some work by trying to improve the first composition submitted
    to the working place by Jasper Lemmen.

    But is not fully satisfied: may-be others are able to improve his arrangement further?

The April issue of our journal 'De Problemist' contains the following subjects:
Het rapport, Jaap Bus
Probleemrubriek, Arne van Mourik
Finesses Cock van Wijk, Arne van Mourik
Hoe ontstaat nou een damprobleem? Tom Kieboom
KvD op Facebook, Hein Wilsens
Oplossingen probleemrubriek, André Schokker
Zesenveertig/vijf, Tjipke Smedinga
Dam-problemen, Leen de Rooij
Beste problemen van 10 jaar geleden, Menno Veldstra
Imposant, Hans Alderliesten
Klaas Bor lid van verdienste KNDB, Hein Wilsens
einDsPel, Gerrit de Bruijn
Teer-Haagh en een motief, Hein Wilsens
Mijn herinneringen aan de Sluiters, Jaap Bus
Van Maastricht tot Maasbode, Arne van Mourik
Een tegen allen, Gerrit van Mastrigt en Arie van der Stoep
Forcings, Tjalling Goedemoed
De eeuwige worsteling, Arie van der Stoep
Mémoires pour servir le futur, Jacques Céron
Boeken - Sabater, Arie van der Stoep
Hoe komt de partijnotatie weer tot ‘onze’ stand? Tjalling Goedemoed en Tom Kieboom
Unusual jubilee, Sergey Yushkevitch
Variaties van Jaap Bus op een probleem van Adri Geurts, André Schokker
Een sterke speler, Martin van Dijk
Heusdens-Shidlauskene, Hein Wilsens
Reacties & correcties, Hein Wilsens    
Met de groeten uit Tilburg, Hein Wilsens    ------ the editor in chief ------------------>
Also wishing to receive De Problemist? Click here!

Oege Dijkstra
    Has brought this creation to the draughts working place.

    Asking for help to repair it with a sharp end!

    Look also (again) to Oege's beautiful forcing-compositions.

    May-be, it gives you inspiration to transform his present problem into a
    much better, sharp, end result!


Definite results Concours FFJDI 144
  
The 1st International Concours of Canedian Problemism.
  
Last year, the FFJDI organized a concourse on 144 problemism.
   
    In addition to the tentative results given in the februari news below,
    containing some incorrect data, we now present the definite results.

    The compilation is made by Ardjan de Jong, who won the first price,
    also on behalf of Franck Laurent from the organizing committee.


March

Arne van Mourik
    Entered the draughts working place and brought for repair an old (but unpublished)
    composition that, unfortunately, couldn't be finished in the right way.
    
    It contains a very nice combination, not known TurboDambas, transformed into an
    acceptable position, but also containing a straightforward side solution!

    May-be  ... others do have more luck (or wisdom)!


Dik van den Berg
    Made, allthough he already passed away at age 62, more than 11.000 (sic!)
    draughts compositions. Fb editor Henk van der Heijden noticed on our
    facebook page how strange it is that there is no problem of him in our Showroom.
    Despite the fact that van den Berg is a Grand Master, not only in a quantitative but
    also in a qualitative way. 
    Henk sent me three compositions, that I've placed, shame on me, immediately in
    the Showroom. Click here and enjoy!
    Finally, the Showroom misses still many draughts composers: don't hesitate and
    send me also beautiful draughts compositions! Tom Kieboom


Easter draughts problems
     
    Dear draughts friends,

    For Easter day I have made a clumn with a number of draughts compositions.

    You'll find those on the sites of VBI Huissen, CTD Arnhem and, in due time,
    of PLDB (three Dutch draughts clubs).


    Here are the addresses: www.dvvbi.nl; www.damclubctd.nl en www.pldb.nl.

    Have a fine Easter and enjoy the problems. With best regards, Leen de Rooij

About a majorty endgame and an extraordinary composition
   It is not so often that a draughts composition contains both an instructive practical endgame
    and a fully multi-thematic solution.

    The new article of my Blog Endgames and More shows such a case.

    The composition was published earlier, but never with all the surprising variants it contains.

    With Best regards, Jaap Bus


Henk van der Heijden
  
Started this month as "Editor Social Media" of our Society of Draughts
    Composing and has just designed  and opened our facebook page.

    As suggested by Jasper Lemmen (of 'Alldraughts.com') we realise that next
    to our website also other modern social media are very important to
    stay and bring us in contact with younger generations of draughts players.

    The content and lay-out of this facebook page is still under construction.
    Therefore, suggestions are welcomed!


Tjalling Goedemoed (continued)

    De 'Art of winning', his newest draughts book is online. Tjalling has sold his book    
    for a very friendly price and all draughts players can download it free of charge. 

    In particular, the e-books are intended for foreign draughts players as there is  
    not that much material available. In contrast to chess, books about draughts
    written in English are scarce. 

    So, in addition to the extensive Course in draughts there is now also a book for
    the 'connnoisseur'. A textbook showing the beauty of draughts, including many
    beautiful forcings related to the various positions in draughts games.

Using this kind of illustrations, combining draughts games with compositions, draughts player will also come in
contact with other aspects and examples of the 'art of draughts composing'.


   The Draughts working place
    has resulted in the first three new draughts compositions.
    Mutually inspired by their attempts placed in the working place, Leen de Rooij
    and Tom Kieboom got to a fruitful cooperation, by e-mail, and could transform
    the attempts into nice compositions.

Virmantas Masiulis*
    Visited from Lithuania our draughts working place and led Arjen Timmer know
    to have composed a number of compositions based on the end game of
    Henk van der Heijden
, inspired by Arjen's attempt for game-like composition.

    One of his compositions is given here. The solution: 1. 50-44 39x50 2. 40-34 29x40
    3. 35x44 50x39 4. 30-24 19x30 5. 25x32 16-21 6. 12-7 1x12 7. 6-1 12-17 8. 1-6
    21-27  9. 6x39 27x38 10. 39-48+.
   
    Look at his weblog and in the draughts working place!

*Is named as "V. Masulius" with 89 compositions in the TurboDambase compositions.

New free e-book draughts

    Tjalling Goedemoed has put his draughts book on-line.
 
 
    Vieuw the information on Alldraughts.com and click the link towards Tjalling's e-boek!




Coproduction by seven (!) draughts composers
    Old news from 1967, but still a record, I assume, with respect to the number of
    draught players creating just one beautiful composition in cooperation!
    May-be, there is still somebody who's remembering this composition?
   
    On purpose, I don't give the solution: just do it yourself this time. I'll give you the
    solution in due time in my column  "How is a draughts composition born?"  in our
    bimonthly journal De Problemist.
   
    Now my request: who knows examples of draughts compositions that are
    created by more than two draught players? If so, please send me an e-mail.
                                                      Why? I like such cooperations very much!  Tom Kieboom
                     Thanks to Johan Bulstra, who digged this historic 7-cooperation from the past for me!


Arjen Timmer
    Inspired by the end game of Henk van der Heijden,  Arjen has made this 
    composition, now starting from a game-like position.

    However, it is still far from perfect, reason to submit this problem to the
    draughts working place. Open for help and suggestions.

    Step-by-step there is more and more activity in the working place.
    About seven draughts composers have put their compositions and/or
    are cooperating in repairing work.


Leen de Rooij
    Announced himself, as Grand Master of compositions, for the draughts working place.

    So, also experienced draughts composers do have, sometimes, difficulties to create
    beautiful problems. That's a comfort for the less talented composers, like the webmaster.
    
    It is not always that easy to make great creations, is it?

    Hopefully, his contribution gives you sufficient inspiration to transform Leen de Rooij's
    attempts into a joint beautiful draughts composition!


Franck Laurant's response/reply:
    "Merci beaucoup. Vous savez, en France, le jeu de dames est 'faible'.
    Nous avons fait une deuxième fédération (FFJDI 64-144) et je pense
    que pour le problémisme, le jeu 144 est l' avenir, le futur. J' ai organisé
    le premier concours de problèmes 144. J' espère que l' idée sera reprise
    aux PAYS-BAS, un grand pays du Jeu de Dames. Je serai heureux si les
    "problémistes" des PAYS-BAS pouvaient organiser en 2016 un deuxième
    concours. Bien amicalement.

Thank you very much. You know, in France, the game of draughts is 'low'.
We made a second federation (FFJDI 64-144) and I think, that  for the problemism, the game 144 is the future.
I 've organized the first competition problems 144. I hope that the idea will be taken up in the NETHERLANDS,
a large country Draughts. I will be happy if the "problémistes" NETHERLANDS could organize in 2016 a second
competition. Sincerely."

February

Ardjan de Jong
    Won the "1st International Concours of Canedian
    Problemism" with these twee composities on the
    144-field draughtboard.
    View his compilation of the problems with the
    highest scores and the result of this concours.
    (Look for the corrected definite results above in
    the news of April)
    With thanks to the organisor of this draughts game:
    Franck Laurant.


End game repair
    Of course, repair work of draughts compositions is also done, now and then,
    outside the draughts working place.
    See this example of an end game of Henk van der Heijden, created as an 8x8
    composition, of which the author thought to be not that sharp as desired.

    However, draught problems editor Arne van Mourik saw on the last moment
    before publication that black had a stronger move. With that move the white
    player can only win in one straightforward manner.
    Play this cooperation in the section 'Endgames'!


Draughts composers' years

    Upon reviewing  the Showroom by just looking or replaying the collection of
    beautiful compositions of the various draughts composers I realized missing
    further information about the composer: "What's the age, still alive or not?"
    
    In a way some indication can be derived from the date of publication, but
    this type of information is rather fussy and kind of impersonal.

    Insofar available, i.e. >99% from our librarian Arne van Mourik, the year of
    birth, and if applicable of decease, has now been included.
   
In addition, it shows that the elder are the majority:  young draughts players, please start also with composing!

From Arne van Mourik's top-100

    Including his comments, five compositions have found a place in the Showroom.

    Creations of the draughts composers Laurens Feddema (a really fine joke),
    Siep Korteling (a beautiful zebra crossing), Wim de Ron (a unique 'cliffhanger'),
    and Nol Polman (two evergreens, of which one is given on the left).
   
    Polman (1895-1984) was Grand Master of small compositions: as one of the
    few in his time he made many fantastic miniatures rich in taking the most!

 'Social media-editor?'
   In order to profile our Draughts Composing Society better amongst younger
   generations, we also have to make use of the modern social media such as
   facebook, twitter, youtube, instagram and app's.
      
   Therefore, we are seeking draughts composers that are familiar with one, or
   more, of these social media.

Interested? Send an e-mail to chairman André Schokker: any support, even moderate, is welcomed!


Draughts artists
   Deserve really much more attention for their beautiful draughts compositions.
   So, also, our journal De Problemist and this website: more readers and viewers.
   
    'Promotor' Arne van Mourik is doing his best, in news papers and on the radio,
    but he really needs help from others.

    So, draughts composers, please help to promote our beautiful 'spiritual sport'!

For inspiration (although in Dutch): see Arne's pledge, freely cited from his column of De Problemist juni 2006.


Showroom
    Again extended with three compositions,  'presented' by Ardjan de Jong, of
    A. Golubev
    G. van der Linde
    M. Puertolas
    Click on their names and enjoy these beautiful draughts problems!

                                               Next time, a number of compositions selected by Arne van Mourik will be added.
In addition, compositions of your own or others are welcomed: please send an e-mail to Tom Kieboom.


Ton Sijbrands
    Former worldchampion and, again, blind-draughts record holder
    (against 32 opponents!) made a beautiful composition, inspired
    by one of the blind draught games he played in December 2014
    against Ton Eekelschot.
    Upon analysis of his blind seance Ton Sijbrands found a spectacular
    combination and transformed the position in this game into a
    draught composition, that can be enjoyed in the Showroom.
    Good to see that such a prominent draughts player also believes in
                                                                                composing as part of the beautiful game of draughts!


More coproductions, now also by the draughts working place?
   
Ardjan de Jong (left) reformed last year a 15x15
    'false attempt' of Tom Kiebomm (center) within
    a couple of days into a beautiful and sharp 9x8
    composition, that, on the last moment before
    its publication in De problemist of October 2014,
    was polished by Arne van Mourik (right) into an
    even better 8x8-miniature!
    Excellent example of the result by co-operation
    of (re)starting and experienced draught composers.
    Therefore: again in the draughts working place!
As you can see from the pictures, it is not easy, but may give you a lot pleasure when there is a fine end result.

Editor column Forcings
    Tjalling Goedemoed, draughts player, componist of draughts problems,
    and promotor of draughts in general, joined the editorial board of our
    journal De Problemist end 2014.


    In addition he took over, as editor, the column 'Forcings' from Frans
    Hermelink, who decided to quit because of his age.


    As you may see from the picture, Tjalling is still somewhat confused by
    all of this. We, however, are very happy with his support!


De Problemist
    For those who have no subscription yet: both front and back pages of our recent
    February issue of our Dutch journal De Problemist can be seen on this website.

    Curious to see the contents of the other 38 pages, including many draughts diagrams
    with accompanying notations (quite understandable for all draughts players)?

    Click here for further information in order to receive a free issue, to request for a
    a subscription on De Problemist, or to make use of our jubilee offer.

    Every two months 40 pages of draughts news, in particular devoted to draughts
    compositions, as you may see on this website by our December 2014 issue!


Draughts working place
    A nice composition of Henk van der Heijden, unfortunately "pre-ending" in this position.
   
    The white king shot may end on various positions, while the subsequent end games
    are not sharp at all.
    
    Therefore, repairing is required in the draughts working place.  Who may help Henk?


Leen de Rooij
    Of this excellent draughts composer a series of very interesting and enjoyable articles
    can be found on the website of draughts club VBI te Huissen, The Netherlands.
    Allthough the articles are in Dutch, you may enjoy these by the many draughts diagrams.
    In particular, the comparison made of the style of draughts composing with that of classical
    music compositions of the following composers is enjoyable:
    Douwes<->Beethoven, Van der Stoep<->Mozart, Stuurman<->Händel, De Zwart<->Bach,
    Scheijen<->Vivaldi en Scheijen<->Vivaldi (shown at the bottom of the index of the webpage).
    View the draughts diagrams and listen to the related music compositions!


Henk van der Heijden
    Special attention for this draughts player ánd componist. As a youngster, he made very
    nice compositions, but came in a time-squeeze with family and work, as many of us.
    May-be, draught composing is best suited for both young and old people ...
    Nowedays, being 63-years, he finds time again to exploit his draughts hobby, and is re-
    starting composing draughts problems, including work in our draughts working place.
    His most beautiful composition is shown here and can be seen and played, together with
                                    two other compositions in our Showroom!

Tommy Dummy
    As self-elected  "Chief draughts working place", Tom Kieboom did also some work to
    improve Jasper Lemmen's first trial presented in the workplace. However, without any
    success to get Jasper's beautiful shot combination to a so-called sharp end.
    Losing the way during the repairing work, this 6x7 position came on the draught-board,
    unfortunately with a stupid last move of black.
    Nevertheless, this failure might inspire you to transform it into an acceptable composition.
                                    Therefore, you are cordially invited to join and work in the draughts working  place!


Sales in "End games and more"!

    Jaap Bus has very recently published on his weblog 'End games and more' a selection
    of end games he composed during the past nine years.
    
    This selection consists of compositions with combinations that lead to convenient
    end games.

    These compositions have not been published before and can be viewed and played on
    your pc by moving diagrams!

Two beautiful compositions 'found' in the draughts working place

    Arne van Mourik consulted the TurboDambase, saw that the shot system of Jasper
    Lemmen's third composition was far from new ánd also found two beautiful problems
    based thereon.
    These two, by Aart Miedema en Dirk Kleen, can be played in the draughts working place.
    
    Henk van der Heijden is still trying to improve the other two compositions of Jasper.
    


De Problemist of February contains again many interesting columns and articles
For those who are somewhat familiar with our Dutch language: the index can be red at the Dutch news page,
including an article about Jacob Viergever (1929-2014), draught composer and former chairman of our Society.

January

Draughts working place
    The request of Jasper Lemmen to help him by repairing three of his 'uncompleted'
    compositions has already resulted in a  constructive cooperation in the working place.
    
    The first raw data (although in Dutch) obtained by simple e-mail correspondence has
    been summarized in the pdf-file enclosed: just to show how this may work.
 
   For reactions: the workers can be found in the the draughts working place!


Solutions of the X-mas game on this website
   Chairman André Schokker has now studied and judged all contributions.

    The two price winners of a free subscription of De Problemist 2015 are:
    Jorgen Wit from Delfgauw and W.G. Sjollema from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 
    Congratulations!

    The solutions of the four draught problems can be viewed and played by moving
    diagrams.

Solutions of our X-mas draught game

    In his column "Draughts" in the Dutch newspaper "de Volkskrant" of January 24
    former world champion Ton Sijbrands (and record holder blind draughts playing
    against 32 opponents!) comments on the four compostions that had to be solved.

    The problems can now be seen and played on the site by moving diagrams.
   
    His two original columns (in Dutch) have been included as facsimile.

Price winners are Ben Smeenk en Teus Stam, who get a one-year free subscription to our bimonthly journal.
Congratulations, thanks for participation and enjoy reading our six issues of "De Problemist" in 2015!


Draughts promotor

    One-man action of draughts historicus and our editor Arne van Mourik by an article
    in a Dutch newspaper and by an intervieuw on the radio to advocate our beautiful
    draught game for a broader audience!
   
    Click here if you wish to read his article in newspaper "Trouw"  of January 22.
    (A short Enlish summary of his message has been included at the bottem of this webpage)
   
    Click here
to listen to his radio interview on "NPO Radio 1" of January 24.

May-be it is also a nice exercise for learning a bit understanding of the Dutch language and it will inspire you to
make locally also some kind of advertisement for draughts!


Draught working place has been opened!
   
   
Work in progress of draught problem composers, showing their compositions
    that are not really finished.

    Help is asked from other draught problemists to bring these trials to a happy
    end: a more or really beautiful draught composition.

    Hopefully, this digital draught garage will lead to a number of coproductions!

    Send your contributions by e-mail to the webmaster, Tom Kieboom

    The first contributions are from Jasper Lemmen, webmaster of
Alldraughts.com,
    as he triggered the installation of such working place!


Laocoön

    
Position inwhich one king is able to win against at least five pieces!

    The diagram shows an example of a white king against eight black pieces,
    'the end' of two draught problems composed by Alexander Nikolaev,
    as shown in our Showroom!   

    Compare these two problems with that of  Andreas Kuyken,  leading to one
    white king against seven black pieces in the Showroom.
   

A series called "One against many" by Gerrit van Mastrigt and Arie van der Stoep has been published (in Dutch)
in De Problemist. In 
De Problemist of December 2014, p. 169-171, you will find two examples of 9x1 Laocoöns!

X-mas problem solving games

    The winners and solutions of our game on this site will be published around January 25.

    Those of our X-mas games in two Dutch journals will appear somewhat later.
 

    Our chairman André Schokker is now busy, hopefully, to judge the many contributions!


Showroom
   
Again extended with a number of compositions.

    This time from Martin van Dijk, Herman van den Berg, Tjalling Goedemoed, Jasper Lemmen
    and Piet Roozenburg (a former top draught player, see the picture), who was elected to
    Dutch sportsman of the year 1948.

   
    Enjoy these and other compositions with our moving diagrams in the Showroom!

Martin van Dijk

    Draughts editor of the Dutch newspaper "Reformatorisch Dagblad", who made a
    nice advertisement for draught composing in general ánd our website in particular!
    voor de damproblematiek in het algemeen én onze website in het bijzonder!

    See the scan of his column of Januari 6, 2015.

  
 Presented further three beautiful examples of fast draught games that might inspire
    draught problemists to compose game-related problems. See the moving diagrams!


Frans Hermelink
    Great composer of many so-called forcing problems, i.e. white forces the black opponent to
    play certain moves without any shot-obligation.
    Has ended now his career as long-term editor of our journal De Problemist.

    A pitty for the readers of De Problemist, but his decision is wise and greatly respected!

    Thanks, Frans, for the enormeous amount of excellent work you have done!    

Arne van Mourik

   
Our editor of the column draught problems and our draught problems library
    tries to obtain a starting position for the coming Dutch draught game finale.

    Follow Arne's progress on Alldraughts.com!


Every week a different draught composition from the Showroom on our homepage
   
    An idea of Arjen Timmer, waking up the webmaster who had also that idea but took no
    action sofar. So, suggestions are and will be greatly appreciated!
    In this way, each week you have a 'surprise-problem' on the homepage to enjoy.
    Elke week dus weer een verrassing
    wie er op de homepage zal staan!  Geeft zo verder wellicht wat meer naamsbekendheid
    aan damproblemisten onder alle damliefhebbers.
Gelijk drie composities van collega webmaster Jasper Lemmen van Alldraughts.com in de Showroom gezet!

    


The older 2014 news beneath is,
unfortunately, only in Dutch!



 News 2014                        
               
 Nederlands         English