january 10 2023
The core group was present for this first session of the new year, with the exception of Pierre.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy new year with an inflation of problems and chess, as usual.
In this course, a pyrotechnic festival of sacrifices on h7 and g7 (or h2 and g2) selected by the Master in top form.
There are, of course, some warm-up studies and exercises for next time, and, of course, plenty of fairy tales to finish turning over the neuron clouded by excess.
Good reading to all.
P.S.: next session on february 4
Master's words
Is criminal incompetence and insanity becoming widespread? Nevertheless, dear friends, remain islands of civilisation. Best wishes for the new "year of grace". A prominent member of the Circle said this to us ten years ago: "The year is starting under very bad auspices. Let us hope to avoid at least the bad hospices". But if God wills it, we will see so many beautiful things again this year, as Françoise says...
« Modern Western civilisation appears in history as a real anomaly: Of all those known to us more or less completely, this civilisation is the only one that has developed in a purely material sense, and this monstrous development, the beginning of which coincides with what is known as the Renaissance, has been accompanied, as it was bound to be, by a corresponding intellectual regression... This regression has reached such a point that Westerners today no longer know what pure intellectuality can be, that they do not even suspect that anything of the kind can exist; hence their disdain, not only for Eastern civilisations, but even for the European Middle Ages, whose spirit hardly escapes them any less completely » (R. Guénon in... 1924).
« In the emerging society, even the enthusiastic collaboration of the sodomite and the lesbian will not save us from boredom. » (N. Gomez Davila in 1954).
"Life is a hierarchy building. Only death is democratic" (ibidem).
"You're my lucky star, I'm so glad that I found you. You're my guiding light, chase the shadows from the night " (Snowy White).
"I've been a WCCI judge once, and that was once too often" (J. de Heer).
A magic pawn supported by a valiant Knight, without the Black Rook succeeding in sacrificing himself against it. A study of the Georgian sorcerer which is unanimously appreciated, but had particularly enthused Goran Antunac, my opponent in the Parisian tournaments at the time... where it was composed. And of course, you are used to it, a good-bad reversed a little later.
Two bishops against one is an easy win, except when the last pawn vanishes. Then you have to move up a level. Queen and rook do not win against two queens, unless... Then Queen and Knight against Queen: this is sometimes a fantastic adventure, remember Beliavsky-Polugayevsky but in this course it's much easier.
As exercises, a warm-up of Bishops, then an incredible rescue. Then, the art of dealing with a deceptive material advantage, and finally the right choice in Knight against 3 linked pawns: the faithful of the course will be at a great advantage !
Four games on the theme of the double bishop sacrifice on h7 (h2) and g7 (g2). In this order: do you know an example where the sacrifice on the Knight file precedes that on the Rook file? Tarrasch could have sacrificed on g2 instead of h2, but then he would have had no need to resacrifice!
A fifth game (between two world champions), although exciting, is not "thematic", the second sacrifice not being forced (it was not carried out). We give it anyway, because it reminds this one between the same opponents
Tribute to Marco Bonavoglia, who in turn is letting go. We already have 5 of his works on our course, here is a delicious PG. in 7,5 with 2 variations, and a promotion exchange.
For practice, a handful of 2#s of which only the first two and the 7th-10th will make you think. Of the two helpmates, we found the shorter one to be the more difficult. Finally, a super-cycle in selfmate.
Forty years ago, our friend J.-M. Loustau, a great problemist and regular attendee of our course, wrote a long and magnificent article devoted to Havel's miniatures. It so happens that I consider Miroslav Kostal, known as Havel, to be the greatest composer of all time (followed by Loyd, Loschinsky and a few others, of course). I specify that I limit myself to direct non-fairy problems ("mate in n moves") and therefore Caillaud, Gamn, Petk & Abdu are (momentarily) not invited! Here is a selection of these prestigious miniatures. If I leave the solution, it's not that they are difficult to solve, but to highlight the main variants leading to the pretty mates (obviously models), very often in echo.
Have a good time. See you in a few weeks if Deus vult.
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