february 5 2008

Master's word

After last week's heavy work, a lighter programme. There are two tough helpmates, but they are for Daniel, the "new man", who promptly frees his neurons held in slavery for 40 years (well, a little less, I forgot he was a railway worker). Besides, I "forgot" to remove the solution, click on the "training" button or put a cache!

Some selfmates too, including one in maximum play (Black must play the geometrically longest moves). Solution on request. A Novotny in study, a

Polish joke and... something to clear the air (or simply refresh the memory) in Q / R, so ransacked by the bigélos: remember Moro, a year ago, 6 years after Svi. I might as well start at the beginning, i.e. Philidor.

A mid-game exercise promised last Tuesday, in which the grandmaster unabashedly admits the weakness of his calculation on the field (see the 17th move). When you know who he is, you are brought back to a more accurate appreciation of your own level. The hero of today's game is the same player, who considers it to be one of his best, while also admitting to having played well... for the wrong reasons, but nevertheless knowing how to find the right ones a few minutes later!