Once Upon A Monday

Professor Antonio Rosino † and four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) enjoying sunset at Venice, Italy, on Monday, February 3, 2014. Photo: Lorenzo/Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

The birthdays

Viola was the birthday girl, but there were gifts by Mado Flynn for Emma and Matilde, too.

Say Cheesecake and Smile

A birthday party at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” is always a happy occasion, and Matilde proved herself to be an impeccable maître pâtissier.

An Evening in July

Giacomo and Leone play chess over the board — they only played online once so far — in the backstage of a birthday-party-at-home situation.

The Year of Living Gratefully

Every time I see my friend 林丽丽 (Lín Lìlì) again, I can’t help but feel that time has passed me by.

Guess who’s come to dinner?

Aurora, Emma, Giacomo, Letizia, and Viola enjoy pizzas and gourmet desserts at the end-of-year dinner of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”. Our young ladies were finally presented with a handmade gift by Mado Flynn.

Time Machines

Two old-timers of our happy school days, Aurora and Giacomo, meet for a friendly game of chess at the end-of-year dinner of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

Playtime

After all, the most important thing one can do to prepare for the week ahead — the last week of school before graduation — is to play Saturday afternoon at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

Round the Moon

Leone, Niccolò, and Riccardo play chess at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” almost every Saturday afternoon.

A Train to Catch

When the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” students miss a chess class it is usually because they are otherwise engaged in important duties, and indeed they always have a very confiderable justification for their absences. The picture on the side, taken at sunset of Saturday, May 9, 2026, was of Niccolò (standing, in red shirt), Riccardo (seated, in blue shirt), and their teammates of the Liceo scientifico statale Antonio Gramsci waiting for the train home at Cesenatico station, on their way back from the 30th Olympiads of Mathematics National Finals, where they reached the semifinals.
They said they are quite content with what they got, which might have been even greater if they had only been just a little more lucky. But more importantly they will keep in their heart forever their Olympic adventure and the youthful feeling of causeless joy and pride in “passing through the crowd with the crowd that was passing through”. Photo courtesy of Niccolò.

Saturdays in May

While ⅔ of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” chess students were in Cesenatico, Italy, to defend the colours of the Liceo scientifico statale Antonio Gramsci in the 30th edition of the Olympiads of Mathematics National Finals, Leone, a young prodigy violinist who astonished audiences everywhere by his wonderful playing, seemed glad that he did not miss his class today.

X – Y
Florence, May 9, 2026
r2q1k1r/ppp3p1/5b1p/3N3B/4P3/4B3/PPP3PP/R4QK1 b - - 0 16

Position after 16. ... c7-c6

In the position of diagram, White intended 17. Bc5+ Kg8 18. Nf4, which would undoubtedly win the day, but Leone was as proud as happy to “spot” a most delightful finish:
17. Bc5+ Kg8 18. Ne7+! 1–0. Black must choose between losing his Queen (18. ... Qxe7 19. Bxe7) or getting mated or both: 18. ... Kf8 (18. ... Bxe7 19. Qf7+ Kh7 20. Bg6#) 19. Qc4! g6 20. Qe6! with mate in a few moves to follow.

Another Spring

Spent Sunday at the Spring Festival flower market in Calenzano, Metropolitan City of Florence, in tow of my friend Mado Flynn, and even this year I took the chance to meet and play chess with Giacomo in memory of happy times spent at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

Roll Over Beethoven

No one can deny that the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” enjoys the undivided honour of being the chess school par excellence of the most Beautiful Minds in town! First and foremost Leone, a violinist prodigy who — at sixteen years old — has already played as soloist to auditoriums crowded with ecstatic audiences, and then, second but equally important, Niccolò and Riccardo who, on behalf and in representation of the Liceo scientifico statale Antonio Gramsci, will participate in the 30th edition of the Olympiads of Mathematics National Finals, scheduled in Cesenatico, Italy, on May 7–10, 2026.

Catwoman Goes to the Opera

It was Sunday evening, and Aurora made her way up to the backstage of the Opera, posing for a Mado Flynn ad campaign for the A.M.A. (Friends of Animal World) Cat Pound.

Cheesecakes and Tartlets

A close encounter of the third kind, between chess, on the one hand, and dance, on the other hand. Aurora, Emma, Letizia, Niccolò, and Riccardo, exchanged gifts and sweets in the dining room of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” yesterday evening.

Magnets and Springs

The desire to unwrap a gift is most fulfilled when others share their gifts.

Happy Non-Birthday!

At the non-birthday party of Viola, a fantasy of pizzas was set out in the dining room of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” yesterday evening, with Letizia’s dietetic cold cheesecake to crown the setting. As by now usual, the party was graced by the special presence of Aurora and Matilde, who enjoyed the gifts Mado Flynn offered them without any guess of what was in it. More photos will follow hopefully soon!