may 16 2023
For this May session, the Master and the listeners got used to the regular cut after an hour!
The game of the day turned the neuron with its abundance of variations which left little room for fairy tale.
Below is the report of the session with the Master still at the top.
Good reading to all.
P.S.: next lesson is scheduled for June 24 (see agenda)
Master's words
"A single nation that manages to lower the intelligence, the morality, the quality of man on almost the entire surface of the earth, has never been seen since the globe existed. I accuse the United States of being in a constant state of crime against humanity" (H. de Montherlant). Again, HdM did not know the rest...
"A breastplate against pleasure, a spider's web against danger" (Marie de Rabutin, known as the Marquise de Sévigné, about the condom).
"Mercy! -- I've used up all my reserves" ("Les pleins pouvoirs" 1997).
"Being so pretty and being called Constance, what a problem !" (G. Barray in "Les trois mousquetaires" 1961).
"How many servants does it take to make a governing majority? Take three parts servility, three parts rapacity, five parts stupidity and you have the formula" (O. Mirbeau).
"No one who has not been a member of parliament would have any idea of the human vacuum" (L. Daudet).
"If you were my husband, I would serve you a poisoned cup of tea -- If you were my wife, Madam, I would drink it" (Lloyd George's reply).
"Chance only favors prepared minds" (L. Pasteur, quoted by M. Niemeijer).
"I like the peasants, they are not educated enough to be stupid" (Ch.-L. de Montesquieu).
"Ecology, yes; environmentalists, no" (Ph. Lamour, 1978).
"The excuse of lack of time is comparable to that of the assassin who maintains that he was drunk at the time of the crime. From an experienced master, the inability to manage the clock is as serious as a miscalculation" (A. Alekhine).
Two breakthroughs on squares of different colors in a real game: an echo-chameleon. I knew the two opponents: the player of White (extremely sympathetic pedagogue) was my age, his opponent (just as adorable) was a regular at French tournaments. Then a nice exercise from the Italian maestro who deals with the fight Rook and Knight against Rook in a much more affordable way than his compatriot Centurini !
The pawn endgame is infinitely simpler than my game of Bagneux 1976 commented here http://lecoursdumaitre.e-monsite.com/pages/cours/cat-2009/14-avril-2009.html but the idea is basically the same. Finally a study in the form of a festival, the figures generously offering the maximum... Their soul will survive, of course !
As exercises, two Bishop endgames which were lost, but could have been saved by... the same idea. A study where the win will go through a reciprocal zugzwang but beforehand, be vigilant on the 3rd move. Finally, two Rooks against what are not yet two Queens.
Today's game is preceded by two others of theoretical importance, which nonetheless raise questions: compare the games on this opening from 60 years ago with those of the last decade; one can wonder who plays the best. In some cases, the main line is just... the same as it was then.
The Viking gets a big advantage. When your name is Aïvars, it's normal to have a spicy game: at least that's what all those think who, like your canister master, consume a lot of ajvar made from red pepper and chilli . The exchange sacrifice of the ex-world champion was very overestimated, the newspapers of the time harping on his praise, while it is … losing. The rebuttal is a brilliant move from the Rook, but two other moves from the same Rook also refuted, a little earlier, the comments of the said ex-champion. Even 3; and also a move of his own Rook!
Training: a series a little more difficult than usual, the 2nd, 5th & 9th are the easiest. Tries especially in the 3rd, 4th, 8th & 11th. The last has a twin. A superb 3# that I discovered half a century ago during the Spassky-Fischer match. We leave the solution (please hide it) of the superb and difficult "modern bohemian" in 4 moves.
Three helpmates 2#, first quadruplets: the 2nd problem by eliminating the matting piece, and so on. The next one has "set play" (henceforth called 1.5# helpmate): be careful. The last one has a twin, which I thought was more difficult. Model mates in the helpmate 3#. A nice long helpmate where the 1st white move is the most difficult. Model mates in selfmate 3#. Movements of the White King in the one in 4. Finally the traditional "Gamni" with the glued solution, due to my leniency which surprises me myself.
Have a nice treat. Adeus até à próxima.
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