CHESSBASE ENDSPIEL-CD. Three CD-ROMs containing definitive "Thompson" five-man endgame databases. These are not available on loan, but the Librarian is willing to provide an enquiry service to members by which a position or series of positions can be inspected and the result and best move reported. One box 12cm x 14cm x 2.5cm.

---- Note added 15.vii.2000, revised 4.vii.2001. These "Thompson five-man" CD-ROMs have now been effectively superseded by the "Nalimov" five-man tablebases which are automatically accessed by various chess programs as the endgame is reached, and the enquiry service mentioned here is now little used. It will remain available as long as the present Librarian is in post, but there would seem to be no reason for a future Librarian to provide it.

PROBLEM COLLECTIONS.

A summary of the card and loose-leaf problem collections held in the Library, March 2003

The BCPS Library currently holds 37 boxes containing collections of problems on cards or loose-leaf diagrams. These include many problems which appeared in publications now not easily found, they present material in a simple standardized format, and their use will enable problem database compilers to make very much faster progress than would be possible working direct from primary sources.

A brief description follows. It should be noted that estimates of size have been obtained by counting small samples and multiplying up, and that estimates of content (two-movers, three-movers, etc) have also been obtained by sampling. Most of the boxes appear to be restricted to problems of a particular length, but the possibility that sampling has misrepresented the content of a mixed box cannot be excluded. All problems appear to be direct mates unless stated otherwise. The collections are classified by theme, often in considerable detail, but no account of this has been taken here; it is assumed that database compilers will enter the problems without reference to theme, and reclassify them using automatic thematic analysis programs.

(a) 18 boxes of the White-Hume collection, comprising 10 boxes of two-movers (now numbered 2/1 to 2/3 and 2/5 to 2/11), 6 boxes of three-movers (numbered 3/1 to 3/3 and 3/5 to 3/7), one box apparently equally divided between two-movers and three-moves (numbered both 2/4 and 3/4), and one box of miscellaneous problems, mainly longer direct mates but with some selfmates (numbered misc/1); one two-move box (2/7) also contains some longer problems. In total, these appear to amount to perhaps 75,000 problems, divided roughly 2:1 between two-movers and three-movers, but the thematic classification may well have caused some duplication. There are a few further boxes of the White-Hume collection in the custody or private possession of members.

(b) A collection on postcards held in 16 Clarke's shoe boxes, now numbered from C1 upwards. Boxes C1 to C9 appear to be largely restricted to two-movers, though box C5 contains some longer problems; the remaining boxes cannot conveniently be investigated until White-Hume box 3/7 has been removed. The total appears to amount to over 10,000 problems, but again the thematic classification may have caused duplication.

(c) A large cardboard box addressed to G. W. Chandler, containing perhaps 3000 problems, mainly and perhaps entirely three-movers, apparently collected by T. C. D. Ricketts.

(d) A box containing perhaps 1000 problems from the Dawson-Pirnie collection, mainly three-movers but with some longer problems.

(e) A box containing perhaps 1250 fairy problems from the Kemp archive.

Any member who is compiling databases of problems and who would like to make use of any of these collections should contact the Librarian (John Beasley, 7 St James Road, Harpenden, Herts AL5 4NX, GB - England, johnbeasley@mail.com). In cases where no UK-resident member wishes to exploit the material, consideration will be given to waiving the normal rule that Society property may not be taken outside the UK.

See also the note From the Librarian on the Society Matters page.