Why?

Why prizes for solutions other than the author’s original ones are lower? (Such solutions can be rewarded with up to a half of the prize or the players can receive no prize at all).
The reason is quite simple. We don’t know and we can’t be sure if they have been worked out by the player on his or her own, or with the use of another piece of chess software. And we do not reward “solutions” provided with the use of chess software.
As regards the author’s original solutions, stronger chess programs generally don’t provide them, so they are recognized without any reservations. Nevertheless, a prize can always be divided between the author’s original solution and a better or an outstanding solution different than the author’s original one.
Goldchess team