Countdown Begins Soon!

"Checkmate!" Blog's First Contest Coming Soon!!!

Announcing two important initiatives coming up in the next month:

1) Elaine Howie Fund - a reminder to all my friends to help contribute this holiday season! I will be deciding on how the 2010 fund will be distributed soon!!!

http://checkmateupdate.blogspot.com/2010/07/elaine-howie-fund-for-chess-juniors.html

2) Countdown to Chessmas - now for the real fun!

How it will work:

EVERY DAY (well most days) from December 1 through December 25, I will be posting a puzzle, brain teaser, online scavenger hunt, or some other task for readers to do, which will range in difficulty. Your job is to complete the task, then send me the answer by email with subject line marked "Countdown #" followed by the day number (see side bar for my email - please do not leave answers in comments). For instance, if the puzzle was posted December 15, send an email marked "Countdown #15".

Don't forget to include your name, phone number, and mailing address with your email. This information will be kept confidential, and used solely to track points (each puzzle will be worth a certain number of points) + contact winners. The only piece of information that may be displayed online is your name when announcing top results.

Each part of the contest will be posted around 10 am EST, and answers will be considered until 11:59 pm EST the next day. So if I post a puzzle at 10 am EST on Dec. 15, I will read emails that reach my inbox by 11:59 pm EST on Dec. 16. Remember to mark the email based on the day the part was posted, even if you decide to send the answer the next day.

As mentioned earlier, a certain number of points will be awarded for each part of the countdown. Points may vary, so check each day's post for the point value. To be objective, either your answer will be right or wrong. There will be no "part marks".

Whoever has the most points at the end will get bragging rights and a prize on behalf of my blog, which will likely be some sort of gift certificate. I will mention the prize later on, but rest secure that this prize will NOT come out of the Elaine Howie Fund, and is NOT part of any agreement with third parties. Think of it as my gift to you!

Contest is open to Canadian residents. Readers from other countries are welcome to participate for fun, but will not be part of the main prize pool.

All answers will be posted at the end of the entire contest.

Let me know if you have any questions! Countdown #1 will be posted Wednesday!!!