february 4 2025

There was a major technical problem for this second session: the Master was deprived of internet and managed to get round the obstacle using a back-up box.
This time there were no password problems on Teams side, which is all that was needed. !

In this course, a review of Rook + Knight versus Rook followed by a Pawns endgame with some surprising moves, then a superb study of Mitrofanov and we end the correction of the exercises with a foire d'empoigne.
The game of the day is a titanic battle between Kasparov and Karpov, in which Karpov's 4 (!) linked pawns are rightly frightening.

For the fairy part of the course, another tribute to the creativity of Roméo Bédoni, along with a few other well-chosen compositions.

The next session will be held on 1 March.

Happy reading!

Master's words

"Wealth, beauty, and fame are transient. When those are gone, little is left except the need still to be useful." (Gene Tierney).

"Trying to make order out of my life was like trying to pick up a jellyfish." (Gene Tierney).

"Treating your mind like it was something to play with... So what's the difference if you don't wake up ? What's the difference if you do ?" (Scott McKenzie). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5GnVUll7do

"Proclaiming respect for people's will, after having managed to fabricate it, is the secret of democracy." (A. Bonnard).

"Justice is like the Blessed Virgin: if she doesn't appear from time to time, doubt sets in." (M. Audiard).

"Le bruit est pour le fat, la plainte est pour le sot ; l'honnête homme trompé s'en va et ne dit mot" (The Leisure Hour, january 1901, in French in the text).

"What remains when everything has been forgotten": this definition of culture, attributed to E. Herriot, seems to predate : Ellen Key 1891.

"The written word remains -- and public servants pass away". (J.Gabin in "Deux hommes dans la ville" 1973).

"The reactionary is the one who mistakes lanterns for bladders" (J. Dutronc).

« He plays such strange openings and complicated games that he is often as embarrassed and puzzled as his opponents, if not more so.. » (J.R. Capablanca talking about Nimzovitch).

Another example of the famous ‘as far away as possible’ theme, with a reminder of Centurini's 1853 masterpiece. In his honour, we welcome a new visitor, not from Genoa, but from Milan, which is not too far away. !

Another example of the ‘’middle ground‘’, as in Nataf-Chabanon, a variation of the 47th move.. https://lecoursdumaitre.e-monsite.com/pages/cours/cat-2021/25-mai-2021.html Then a bishop crushed by pawns, and finally another ‘bishop story’..

For the next session, another trip back in time (this time to 1750) based on a famous game from the 20th century, followed by a Queen and Knight versus Queen of the great woodcutter, a Rook versus pawn struggle and a long Russian study with two variations..

Monstrous game, especially in what follows the game actually played, as in the 16th of 1986 between the same players https://lecoursdumaitre.e-monsite.com/en/pages/lessons/supplement/kasparov-karpov.html Would you be prepared to leave 4 ‘passed’ pawns linked to your opponent in the middle of the game? A host of mini-studies, breathtaking attacks and counter-attacks. Pay particular attention to the variations of the 25th, 27th, 28th (a case of reverse good-bad), 33rd, 36th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd and 47th moves..

So we're celebrating our 100th lesson since the beginning of 2015, the date when ‘modern technology’, perfectly mastered by our marvellous ‘ouaibe-masteurre’ (webmaster), made it possible to broadcast our lesson all over the world. !

In fairy compositions, a Caillaudesque masterpiece by Michal Dragoun.

Training: in 2#, a slightly easier series than last month, the strongest seem to be the 5th, 6th, 11th & 12th. In 3#, a bohemian by Carlos and a Macedonian masterpiece with a quadruple square occupation. In tribute to a composer who died a year ago, a difficult 5# where the solution has remained attached.

The first one helpmate (with a twin) made me suffer a quarter of a century ago. Rest with the other 3 and the selfmates, the only one a bit difficult having the solution next to it. To close, a superb long direct from a Macedonian duo.

Who remembers the 1970 interzonal tournament in Palma de Mallorca, brilliantly won by Bobby Fischer, which propelled him to the world championship two years later? Ex-aequo in 2nd place, ahead of many stars, was a young German student, Robert Hübner, who passed away at the beginning of January. He was never a chess ‘pro’, even though he was once 3rd in the world. A specialist in Egyptian papyri, he was a phenomenal connoisseur of foreign languages, capable of learning Finnish in record time or writing a new translation of the Iliad.

As a candidate for the world championship, he had some bad luck, having to interrupt matches against Petrossian (1971) and Kortchnoi (1980) or endure a tie-break at roulette (!) against Smyslov (1983). Later, he courageously opposed the insane measures taken by the authorities (or those pretending to be) to ruin the lives of players the world over. In all circumstances, his coruscating formulas worked wonders. But as every genius has a flaw, what was his? A brilliant analyst who sought the truth at all costs in a game of chess (to the point of devoting 400 pages to 25 games), he was disinterested in beauty, going so far as to refuse any use of the exclamation mark after a move, which he seemed to regard as childish. A concept whose first aspect we share, but whose second is the opposite of our way of seeing!

"Those who say they understand Chess, understand nothing." (R. Hübner).

"Looking at history, I see no changes in the course events take. The way human society operates remains deplorable. No matter
if you talk about the Peloponnesian war or the twentieth century, it’s all a lot of misery, which according to my opinion sprouts
from actions caused by emotions, which perhaps in earlier times of man’s development were necessary to survive, but which now
disrupt society. Progress could be made if reason could gain supremacy over emotions. I believe that this idea is influenced by my
reading of Plato: man should make an attempt to control his emotions with the help of correct reasoning. If I am informed correctly,
psychologists advocate the opposite course these days." (R. Hübner).

"I remember Jan Timman complaining that Robert Hübner's review of his book was longer than the book itself" (V. Anand). Typical! An example of his immense talent is here : https://lecoursdumaitre.e-monsite.com/en/pages/lessons/cat-2016/may-17-2016.html Requiescat in pace.

Another death to mourn: Henrik Juel, who never ceased to make retro accessible to everyone. We paid tribute to him here :

https://lecoursdumaitre.e-monsite.com/en/pages/lessons/cat-2005/january-25-2005.html

Bonne régalade. Deus vos custodiat.