User Profile: Fusilli

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Fusilli
Member since Aug-09-04 · Last seen Dec-09-25

Mariano Sana, Argentinian by birth, in the US since 1995. Naturalized US citizen. I hold a PhD in Demography from the University of Pennsylvania, and I am an associate professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University: https://as.vanderbilt.edu/sociology.... Previously, I was at Louisiana State University (2003-2009).
My published academic work can be seen here: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/Mar.... My review of Gary Alan Fine's "Players and Pawns" is here: https://www.academia.edu/69647923/P....
My avatar comes from a cartoon of mine drawn by a friend. My username, besides the pasta, is my late cat's name (he died in March 2021, age 19), inspired by this cartoon: https://condenaststore.com/featured....
My first tournament was at age 12 in 1979. I finished 8th in the Argentine junior championship in 1985. So, I was good enough, but not great. (That same evaluation might still be apt today, on a good day.) Unfortunately, no game scores survived from those years. I started to play again after grad school. I play between 0 and 4 tournaments per year.
I won the Louisiana State Championship in 2007. I lost the first game and then won six in a row. This was my last round win, where I got lucky after playing the opening pretty terribly: J Rousselle vs M Sana, 2007.
I also won the under 2200 section of the US Open in 2014. Again, Swiss gambit. Lost the first one, then won five in a row, lost game 7 (M Sana vs J Sheng, 2014, a rather atypical game), and won games 8 and 9. My last round win was featured as a Tuesday puzzle: K Gulamali vs M Sana, 2014. (Try it! Black to play at move 29. But you can also do black to play at move 22 as a principled-move puzzle.)
I'd say that I am essentially a good but inconsistent player. My playing style is a mix of strategic and tactical. I'm usually very willing to sac a pawn or allow positional weaknesses in exchange for active piece play. For years I hovered around 2200, down to mid 2100s a few years ago after a disaster and a 50-point loss at the 2019 World Open. (Aging and MS fatigue had much to do with that.) On good days, I have had nice wins: T Bartell vs M Sana, 2009, R Burnett vs M Sana, 2012, M Sana vs C Blocker, 2014, M Sana vs R Burnett, 2015. But on a bad day, I can play horribly and lose against whoever is sitting in front of me.
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2011, but it didn't cause me trouble until 2018/9. I have a weak right leg (I often use a cane now) and I fatigue easily. Medication, well-timed naps, and exercise help.
I play blitz games on chess.com under the username RealFusilli.

My participation on this website goes through ebbs and flows, and the majority of my posts are about chess. I often post on my own forum just to keep records for myself. Everyone is welcome to visit and share! (But please don't post about politics here.)

>> Click here to see Fusilli's game collections.

   Fusilli has kibitzed 6305 times to chessgames [more...]

   Dec-08-25 Murray Marble

Fusilli: Murray Marble, 1908 Mate in 3 [DIAGRAM] When you give up, see the solution here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCU... (Or ask your engine, of course)

   Dec-08-25 Fusilli chessforum

Fusilli: <stone> It's more of a prank than a puzzle! When I use an engine, it's generally the one on chess.com. I know that if I set up a position, there is a box to click if O-O is available. Actually, four buttons, for each side and each type of castle.

   Dec-07-25 J Friedman vs Gulko, 1993

Fusilli: This is a big <oops!> of a game.

   Dec-06-25 J Cuenca Jimenez vs F Oro, 2025

Fusilli: What an interesting positional game. Black's bishop looks bad, but white has his own pawn structure weakness, and Faustino maneuvered admirably.

   Dec-06-25 Faustino Oro

Fusilli: I usually don't care to cheer for any GM in particular, but I second my fellow Argentinian <Augalv>!

   Dec-05-25 London Chess Classic (2025)

Fusilli: <keypusher> Check the email I sent you on 11/23, please.

   Nov-30-25 F Baumbach vs Y Sakharov, 1977

Fusilli: Black seems to have had trouble managing his queen here. 3...Qe7 looks like an odd choice. The queen is misplaced in the KID scheme that followed, to the point that black eventually sends her back to d8. Later, 15...Qc7 misplaces the queen again. (The computer says 15...b5 gives ...

   Nov-28-25 Walbrodt vs Loew, 1898

Fusilli: <juan31> Que paliza!

   Nov-28-25 N Theodorou vs G Jones, 2025

Fusilli: <Olavi> Thanks! I was frankly surprised to see anything in the queen's gambit declined named after a contemporary player. I thought everything in that opening had been settled half a century ago or earlier!

   Nov-23-25 moronovich chessforum

Fusilli: Hi <moro>, sounds good! I am doing fine, and ready for Thanksgiving over here next week. Cheers!

indicates a reply to the comment.

My Facerook Wall

< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 108 OF 114 · Later Kibitzing>
May-20-25		Fusilli: <areknames> <I don't understand the meaning of "hood the second PhD of my career".> Generated with Google AI: Hooding is a tradition where a faculty advisor, mentor, or Dean of the Graduate School places a doctoral hood over a graduate's head during a hooding ceremony, typically held at a graduation or commencement ceremony. This ceremony signifies the graduate's completion of a doctoral degree and their transition from student to scholar. This was the second advisee of mine to get a PhD, that's why I wrote "the second of my career." <Even though I dislike the term...> I'm happy to host! Everyone willing to shoot the breeze in peace is welcome! (As long as we leave politics out, as noted on my forum blurb.)

May-20-25		Fusilli: <areknames: <z> it was my older brother. ... Still sucks big time, though.> I hope you can find peace and comfort, my friend. I hope there are wonderful memories to cherish. Why don't you share one with us?

May-20-25		Fusilli: And in other news... I baked my first chocolate mousse! And it turned out awesome. I followed chef Ludo Lefebvre's recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqP... Notice the measurements are in the comments section. Also, can someone tell me what he says, at 1:06, right after "it's better to have" and before "egg white"? I don't understand his accent there.

May-20-25		stone free or die: <<ak> ... we had lost contact in the last few years and I am so far away from everyone and everything. I still need to find out the details of what actually happened.> So sorry, that makes it all the more difficult I'm sure. My personal view is that those of us who remain have the deeper challenge.

May-20-25		stone free or die: <Fusilli> I'm the Boston guy, I think <CIO> is Seattle, but let him say for sure. I do envy your tomatoes overwintering. Boggles my mind actually! As for the photos, yes Instagram or the kin is fine, even if transient. I do remember you posting a charming picture of your wife (I believe a flower of some kind was involved - ha!). I do blogs myself, which allows me to permanently make historical chess clippings available for all. I also utilize Google drive as well. But it's not a strict requirement, you can describe, with words, your juicy tomatoes dribbling down your cheeks on each bite as well! Cheers.

May-21-25		areknames: <Fusilli> Mate, the thing is that there are no wonderful memories. Growing up with Johan (Giovanni) was a nightmare. He was 4 years older than my twin brother and I, was extremely jealous of us and resented our very existence. The bickering and the beatings were constant. When he hit puberty at about 13 our parents had to send him away to boarding school because they feared for our lives, for good reason. He was only allowed to come back home when we were old enough to defend ourselves and fight back. Still, the increasingly violent fights continued for years. I derive some comfort from the fact that we reconciled in later years and that I did my best to help him, financially and in other ways. In the end, I was unable to do enough to change the very sad trajectory that was his life.

May-22-25		Fusilli: <areknames> Ouch. I can see why the memories bit won't work. Sorry if I overstepped by asking. Thanks for the additional background.

May-22-25		areknames: You didn't overstep <Fusilli>, no need at all to apologise.

May-23-25		OhioChessFan: <Also, can someone tell me what he says, at 1:06, right after "it's better to have" and before "egg white"? I don't understand his accent there.> I think he says "It's better to have all egg white." With clarifying words, I think this is his point: Don't whip egg yolk and egg white together. Don't addd egg yolk and egg white together.

May-23-25		OhioChessFan: I've found the older I get, the more apt I am to reconcile with family. I had a father who I wasn't at odds with, but no particularly close relationship. We sort of reconciled in his last year of life when he mostly put me in charge of taking care of his financial matters. I'm very glad we had that year. I have a sister at odds with the rest of the family, who my other sister won't speak to, but I've found it in me to at least maintain contact. I don't know that I'd have had it in me 10 years ago, but aging and facing my own mortality has softened the old conflicts.

May-24-25		Check It Out: Yes, Seattle WA. Famed for its rainy climate and passive/aggressive temperament :D its more like a steady drizzle so folks stay inside a large chunk of the year and forget how to interact with others. <Areknames>, sorry to hear about you family's loss.

May-24-25		areknames: <Check It Out: <Areknames>, sorry to hear about you family's loss.> Thank you.

May-29-25		Fusilli: <Check It Out: Yes, Seattle WA. Famed for its rainy climate and passive/aggressive temperament> I guess that means you hardly ever need to water your outdoor plants!

May-29-25		Fusilli: <OhioChessFan: I've found the older I get, the more apt I am to reconcile with family.> Pablo (my brother) and I always loved each other, but could just not get along very well when we were young. At times it was very confrontational. We just have very different personalities. Our relationship began to improve after I left Argentina. It seems like distance was beneficial for both of us. And I feel endless gratitude for everything he did for our elder parents, to the end, with me far away. Today we get along better than ever. We video-talk on WhatsApp a couple times a month. I can't say I "reconciled" with him because our relationship was never broken, but the quality of our relationship most definitely flipped in a good way. <I have a sister at odds with the rest of the family, who my other sister won't speak to, but I've found it in me to at least maintain contact.> I had a similar situation with a cousin. Pablo cut all ties, but I kept contact with her. She died in 2023. Because she had no closer kin, Pablo ended up signing the legal documents required for the funeral and doing other errands, triggering odd, mixed feelings on him.

Jun-04-25		Fusilli: Blitz on chess.com I am white. I just played 21.Bg3-e5: click for larger view Black had to play 21...f5, returning the exchange after 22.Qxa8 Qb6 23.Qf3 Rxd3. But he played 21...Qd2. click for larger view And now it's mate in 5!

Jun-05-25		areknames: Ok, I'll shoot from the hip: 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23. Bf6 Ke8 24. Bb5+ B (or R) d7 25. Qg8 or h8 mate. Interpose spite check at 23 and it's mate in 5.

Jun-07-25		Fusilli: <areknames> Accurate shot! And that's how the game ended.

Jun-07-25		stone free or die: 23.Bf6 is a nice quiet move (even if it happens to attack the rook). That finish must have felt good (for White at least!).

Jun-08-25		Fusilli: <sfod> It did!

Jun-09-25		FSR: Hi, <Fusilli>. I was wondering if you were considering playing in the U.S. Senior Open in Northbrook, Illinois on July 25-27. https://new.uschess.org/us-senior-o... I am. If you are, it would be great to see you again. I am also playing in the World Senior Championship (over-65 section) in Gallipoli, Italy on October 20-November 2. https://www.worldseniorchampionship... My 65th birthday is in August.

Jun-09-25		areknames: <FSR: I am also playing in the World Senior Championship (over-65 section) in Gallipoli, Italy on October 20-November 2.> That sounds just great. For some reason most (if not all) of the recent FIDE Senior Championships have been played in Italy.

Jun-09-25		Fusilli: <FSR: Hi, <Fusilli>. I was wondering if you were considering playing in the U.S. Senior Open in Northbrook, Illinois on July 25-27.> Hi <FSR>, thanks for the note. Early plans for my brother to visit me in late July have been canceled, so I might, but I am not sure. It depends on work. I have a lot of stuff to get done this summer. It also depends on health, or rather, physical status. I am healthy, but I have mobility challenges and things related to that. I'll keep you posted! Italy sounds awesome! Just don't stay at any White Lotus! (I'm watching that series these days. Season 2 takes place in a hotel in Italy.)

Jun-09-25		Fusilli: <areknames> <For some reason most (if not all) of the recent FIDE Senior Championships have been played in Italy.> Perhaps a wealthy patron is involved, akin to Rex Sinquefield for US chess?

Jun-09-25		FSR: Thanks, <Fusilli>. Hope you can make it.

Jun-11-25		areknames: <The White Lotus> sounds most interesting, in the best of HBO tradition. I have always liked shows set in hotels/resorts. I will have to keep my ear to the ground on this one, a lot of these kinda shows find their way to free-to-air TV here.

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