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Diana Lanni

Number of games in database: 18
Years covered: 1979 to 1993
Last FIDE rating: 2040
Overall record: +7 -5 =6 (55.6%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games.

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Most played openings
C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense (4 games)
B08 Pirc, Classical (2 games)


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FIDE player card for Diana Lanni

DIANA LANNI
(born Oct-22-1955, 69 years old) United States of America

[what is this?]

Woman Candidate Master. Diana Lanni was one of the first women experts (2000+) in the United States. She is said to have been an inspiration for the protagonist Beth Harmon in the novel (later television series) "The Queen's Gambit" by Walter Tevis.

Last updated: 2022-09-03 11:38:47

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 page 1 of 1; 18 games  PGN Download 
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. D Lanni vs M R Katrein 1-070197980th US OpenA45 Queen's Pawn Game
2. J Ellis vs D Lanni  1-028197980th US OpenC45 Scotch Game
3. D Lanni vs R Benedek 1-051197980th US OpenB40 Sicilian
4. T Redman vs D Lanni  ½-½35197980th US OpenE60 King's Indian Defense
5. D Lanni vs G Trammell 1-027197980th US OpenC00 French Defense
6. L Williams vs D Lanni  1-0301981Quebec OpenC63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense
7. T Salazar vs D Lanni  0-1391982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)A22 English
8. Z Nikolin vs D Lanni  1-0391982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense
9. D Lanni vs M Ruck-Petit  1-0291982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)B08 Pirc, Classical
10. D Lanni vs V Unni  ½-½361982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)C64 Ruy Lopez, Classical
11. D Lanni vs E Belle  0-1401982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)B22 Sicilian, Alapin
12. C A Groves vs D Lanni  ½-½411982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)D02 Queen's Pawn Game
13. D Lanni vs G Alzate  1-0471982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)C41 Philidor Defense
14. V Justo vs D Lanni  0-1301982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense
15. N Gaprindashvili vs D Lanni  ½-½211982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)D34 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch
16. D Lanni vs E Polihroniade  ½-½401982Lucerne Olympiad (Women)B08 Pirc, Classical
17. P Ruggiero vs D Lanni  ½-½261993ConcordC63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense
18. C Mavraedis vs D Lanni  1-0231993Continental Open U2000C29 Vienna Gambit
 page 1 of 1; 18 games  PGN Download 
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Lanni wins | Lanni loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-14-21  Caissanist: Lanni was apparently the main inspiration for Beth Harmon, per User: sbc: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... .
Jan-14-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: While never meeting Lanni or playing any events with her, as she had already disappeared from the New York scene, I recall Lanni being regarded as a player with promise and wondered what had become of her.
Jan-16-21  Caissanist: A bit more about Lanni from Jennifer Shade:

<My first book, Chess Bitch, also covered Diana’s life in some detail, from a high stakes chess game for cocaine in a Miami strip club to a rehab stay at the Bellevue Hospital in New York. Diana later got involved in sports betting and even had a stint in jail while in California, after which she was inspired to walk a very straight line.

Diana credits chess itself for her recovery, as the “The logic of chess was an alternative system to the chaos of life.” This mirrors Beth Harmon’s passion for the chessboard, “It’s an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it. I can dominate it. And it’s predictable, so if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame.”>

Shahade has put up a podcast with an interview with Lanni here: https://thepokergrid.com/2020/12/24... . It seems the lady has not had an easy life, I'm glad that chess helped her find a better way.

Feb-09-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  SteinitzLives: So now, NIC has an article saying Beth Harmon is based on Diana Lanni.
Feb-09-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  SteinitzLives: A friend just showed me that chess.com may have had the first story on this before NIC did, not sure.
Feb-12-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  wwall: I had that Beth Harmon was based on Diana Lanni on Dec 14, 2020 on my chess blog.

https://billwallchess.blogspot.com/...

Diani follows me on my chess twitter

https://twitter.com/notifications

Feb-08-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: Interview with Lanni:

https://www.tatler.com/article/dian...

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