Gulliver of Mars

Leonid Gennadyevich Parfyonov, t.me/parfenon, December 16, 2022

At the General Assembly of FIDE (International Chess Federation) at Paris in 1995, Filipino Florencio Campomanes resigns as President. He has held the office since 1982.
Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov, President of Republic of Kalmykia, was suggested by Campomanes as his successor. It turns out that the Russian delegation is against it.
Also, a statement from Garry Kimovich Kasparov is circulating opposing it. Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov urges Campomanes to stay. Campomanes thanks for the trust, but insists on it. He agrees to be “honorary President of FIDE” if Ilyumzhinov becomes the effective President of FIDE.
The situation is resolved, unexpectedly, when an official of the Russian Embassy reads out an appeal signed by Deputy Prime Minister Chubais and Sports Minister Tarpishchev.
The State apparatus asks to back up Ilyumzhinov’s candidacy. Postscript from the first presidential aide Ilyushin: “Agreed with Yeltsin”. Ilyumzhinov is voted almost unanimously.
A very young man, a millionaire, who does not spare his wealth for the wellbeing of chess, becomes FIDE President.

Photo provided by https://t.me/parfenon_parfenov/2303.

To be sure, Edna, all mankind (except for you, of course) is an inexorable mixture of noble and mean people

Credit: Disney Sorcerer’s Arena

Improvisation in Rehearsal

Letizia rehearsing a choreography at the contemporary dance class and workshop held every Monday evening by Alessandra Innocenti (artistic director of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”) at the elegant premises of Jīva Yoga Studio in Florence, Italy.

Rabbit Hole

An entertainer walks during snowfall at the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy in Moscow, Russia. Photo: Yulia Morozova/Reuters.

And so, Edna, as an old superstition says, if you drop a chopstick at table, you will have guests soon

Artwork © SHARIDANTINALILA2196 (@artistic_pinkblue_squirrel)

Sewing the Rainbow

In the aftermath of his electoral victory, Andrey Vasilievich Filatov gave a long interview to Danila Borisovich Zhilyaev of Gazeta.Ru, in which he spoke about many hot topics such as the sporting bans on Russia that, in fact, preclude any national team from entering international team competitions. This is surely a sore point, but Filatov can at least console himself with the fact that the International Chess Federation (FIDE), despite the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), still enables Russian players to individually enter international tournaments around the world, provided they do it under FIDE flag — a compromise which probably averted a mass exodus of Russian chess pros to other federations. When asked to guess when, and if, peace and brotherhood would prevail over base instincts, Filatov replied: “Everyone has to do their job — we do ours. Our task is first to enter into the Asian family. Then we’ll raise the question of how to fully participate in competitions with our coat of arms, our anthem and our flag. This is the path we are on. For now, the main issue, our goal, is that there should be no discrimination against children, veterans and disabled players. Next, we’ll take care of the national team. We’ll get everything back, we will fly our flag”.

Best by Test

Record of the day (Sunday) at the window of a music shop in a deserted Via San Gallo in Florence is E2-E4, an electronic album of minimalist “krautrock”, produced and released in 1984 by German musician and Ash Ra Tempel founder Manuel Göttsching.

Random Fandom

Nay, Edna, there is no need for an intermediary between two lovers

Artwork © gohgirl

Once Upon Another Time

The incumbent Andrey Vasilievich Filatov was re-elected for a third term as President of the Chess Federation of Russia on Saturday at 15th CFR Congress in Moscow, Russia. He secured 58 votes against 7 for the only other candidate, Russian Grandmaster Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin, with two votes invalid. The Congress then named and appointed 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov as Honorary President of the Chess Federation of Russia. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili and Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky.

A Bed of Roses

Finally, a day of sun after weeks of heavy rain, which caused the Arno river to rise to alarming levels.

Yeah, Edna, we’re seeing things one would never have dared believe

Ghost in to the net

11th World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer plays tennis during David Frost’s lunch getaway to Bermuda on January 11, 1972. Photos: Guy DeLort/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images.

You know, Edna, they fear your supernatural power even more than they fear each other

Artwork © Jeffrey Haiduk

Philosopher’s beard

12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov and Russian Grandmaster Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin gave a joint press conference Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at Moscow’s TASS multimedia press centre, at which the subject of the Presidential elections in the Chess Federation of Russia was introduced. So far there are only two candidates before the great electors — Karjakin himself and the incumbent Andrey Vasilievich Filatov, who, by virtue of his political connections, is widely seen as the favourite for the Presidency. “We hope that elections will be free and fair without undemocratic interventions”, Karpov said, proudly donning his new goatee beard. “As for the candidates’ programs, our priority must be to protect our professionals, many of whom have to leave Russia in order to survive and earn an income. The first teams must be provided with sufficient salaries: there are companies interested in chess”. Photo: Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov.

The Legend of Zelda

As they say, duty first — pleasure afterwards.

Working Hours

Unlike commercial offices and business incubators, a coworking office has more tenants than owners.

Rain Man

Here it is, another rainy day, and there are just a few people, just a few lights, just a few decorations, no Christmas. Oh, what a wonderful day!

Well, Edna, it is time for you to cross the bridge of the rainbow and take over the Valhalla

Artwork © ry an (@ryanshicks)

Ice Cream

Icicles and a rainbow form over the 壶口瀑布 (Húkǒu Waterfall) on the 黄河 (Yellow River). Photo: Rex/Shutterstock.

Edna, it’s only Wednesday — and yet it is very normal for common mortals to feel exhausted already

Artwork © 鍾博丞 (@o_o.fish)

Even in Chaos

Antoaneta Stefanova – Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu

4th FiNet Chess960 Open; time control: 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Mainz, August 12, 2005

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Position #435

1. e4 g6 2. Ne3 d6 3. f4 c5. 3. ... b5!? 4. d3 f5!? appears a better way to harmonise and balance forces.
4. b3 Bxa1 5. Rxa1 b5 6. d3 0-0?! The decision to castle is quite questionable, as now the Black King can quite easily become a target for attack. 6. ... e6 7. g4!? Qe7 might have been considered here.

The game was annotated by Gene Milener in his book “Play Stronger Chess by Examining Chess960: Usable Strategies of Fischer Random Chess Discovered”, Castle Long Publications, 2006, pp. 242-244, and probably he didn’t need a crystal ball to guess that “White’s next ten plies all move force toward the ‘h’ wing for a possible attack on Black’s King”.
7. f5 (7. g4!?↑)
7. ... Nb6 8. Qh4 Nc6. Black could also play 8. ... f6!? so as to reply to 9. g4 with 9. ... g5 defending well.
9. 0-0. Trading places, but... what is better for the King is not necessarily better for the Rook.
9. ... Ne5 10. Ne2 Nbd7 11. Nf4 Kh8 12. Qh6 Rg8 13. fxg6 Nxg6 14. Nf5 Nde5 15. Nh5 g6 16. Rae1 Qd7

“White has threatened Black’s King, but now her attack begins to weaken”, writes Milener.
17. c3 Rbf8. If 17. ... Nxd3 then 18. Re3↑ eventually followed by Re3-h3. But 17. ... b4!? came into consideration.
18. d4 cxd4 19. cxd4 Ng4 20. Qd2 e6 21. Nfg3 f5 22. exf5 exf5 23. h3 Nf6 24. Nxf6 Rxf6 25. d5 Ne5 26. Nh5 Rfg6 27. Qd4 h6?? A fatal blunder, losing immediately. Milener suggested that “Play might have gone 27. ... Re8 28. Re3 Rg5 29. Nf4 Qg7 30. Rd1 Kg8 31. a3 h6 with positions held”.

28. Rxe5! 1 : 0. Because, after 28. ... dxe5 29. Qxe5+ Kh7 30. Rxf5 Black is hopeless.

Well, okay, Edna, let’s guess... Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald

Artwork © DJ🇬🇭 (@InDaviduall_)

The Last Leaves of Autumn

And he certainly didn’t fail to kneel down and say three times: “Edna magna, sic transit gloria mundi!”

Artwork © Eric Suchowesky (@eskyrustle)