J Maiwald vs Shabalov, 1992

<Nigel Short>

heh-- hey ask the exact same question and post it in <Woody Wood Pusher> forum.

hehe...

I have a rather "tempestuous" history with <Mr. Short> at this site, but luckily he seems to have completely forgotten who I am= which is a good thing IMO as I have enough trouble as it is around these parts.

That said- I am a <huge admirer> of his chess- attacking, ferocious chess- and his will to win-- and his dedication to keep playing at the highest level of competition that he is able to get invited to.

Also the guy was number 2 in the world for cripe sake so he gets automatic props for that obviously.

I think he is a trememdous <live chess commentator>.

Perhaps second only to the immortal <GM Shipov> for combined teaching value, humor, and pithy style.

I think <Mr. Short> actually wears a pith helmet while he's working, but I can't be sure.

All I know for certain is that he denied wearing pajamas at 4;30 pm--

But I'm not sure I believe him.

<no superego>

Must be nice. I'm largely in agreement with your post on the censorship angle - Bugs Chapelle etc.

I have no <id> left, apparently. So all we have to do is find someone with no <ego> and we can hang out together to build a ghost.

no time for TV, Linares starts in 4 hours.

The <short> imbroglio was over 2 years ago, which is why he's forgotten all about it...

heh...

Also, the admins. deleted most or all of it.

Thank you for asking! Sooner (I hope) or later, I'll reach a new lifetime rating peak, at which point I'll post an essay decrying the deflation in the middle ranks of USCF – close to 150 points by my estimation.

But French existentialists tend to leave me rather empty. I'm one of those people who think social norms are a useful shortcut to deontological ethics.

I prefer Homer's conception of Sisyphus: Son of Aeolus, father of Odysseus through a premarital affair with Anticlia; clever but punished for his hubris.

but dont mention the war...

heh.... Your post there was the first thing I read this morning and I laughed so hard I DECIDED TO PLAY THE SPANISH GAME!!!!!!!

heh...

I put the end position on your <Player page> to show you, and the game is dedicated to you also.

These Spaniards are crazy....

Well OK then! I will also think of you as the <Homeric Brand>.

Yes, plain old fashioned <social norms> are less <hysterical and extreme> than Existentialist ethics, to be sure.

All that moaning and hand wringing when you could just go out and watch a Marx Brothers film.

(I think that is Spanish?!)

I'm so glad you decided to play a Spanish game, and even more pleased you enjoyed it and <won>! I checked out the end position in <OD>'s place, exciting stuff!!

<Where is door?> HAHAHA

You should have typed that in, hehe

I can't believe it has been 15 years since you last played it, but hopefully now it will be another 15 years before you even consider changing again!

The next step is to play the Ruy as Black, like you said, and then you will be able to claim a Spanish passport and health service.

There really are so many possibilities now for you to look into <JFQ>, a whole new world! I expect you will be starting with a re-read of MSMG, and why not, Fischer had the Spanish in his blood! But don't forget to thumb through some of Karpov's games as well, especially with Black.

I'm really pleased for you, there is nothing like the excitement of learning a new opening and taking it out for a spin the first few times!

I can't wait to hear about more swashbuckling adventures in your Spanish tale <JFQ>!

asta la wago amigo!

Also because of my six month apprenticeship with the <English>--

The <1.e4> Scotches I've been playing this last month have been like dry toast to me--

I have a taste for openings where the tension lasts longer now.

The <Ruy> seems like a perfect fit for me now that I've actually bit the bullet and tried one.

My Dad and I played for years-- From the time I was five till I was thirteen-

And we only ever played the <Ruy> although of course neither of us knew any theory.

I just assumed those were the "proper moves."

I wasn't even aware of <1.d4> as a "real opening" until my Dad stopped playing me and I checked a few chess books out of the Liberry.

So if this works out I will now have two openings with white <1.e4 and 1.c4> and three with black <1....c5, 1...e5, and 1...Nf6>.

Course, from the White side I still have to be ready for Sicilians Petrovs Frenchies and even Philidors since you can't force Black to play what you want him to.

I am very excited about this new adventure!!!

There is some <Spanish stuff> already posted at <Elephant House for Chess Study> as well...

“The passion for playing chess is one of the most unaccountable in the world. It slaps the theory of natural selection in the face. It is the most absorbing of occupations. The least satisfying of desires. A nameless excrescence upon life. It annihilates a man. You have, let us say, a promising politician, a rising artist that you wish to destroy. Dagger or bomb are archaic and unreliable - but teach him, inoculate him with chess.” --H.G. Wells

also complaining about chess.

heh

Well Ok - I'll go in for the <search kibbutzing> special Gold Card PREEMY function THEN...

I made the post under the name <everybody else> so you can find it that way...

Put in Profile

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/a...

Best,
notyetagm

I indeed searched in vain for 15 minutes or so, and then exhausted and dejectedly logged off and watched a bit of <Revolutionary Road> that I have lined up for tonight; see if it is any good.

Thanks for posting the stuff at my place, going in now.

Mr. Winslet

I think it's ridiculous to suggest the Soviet World Champions and superstars lacked creativity in their games.

What about <Tal>? And all the others, but in a less obvious way.

Also, in a sense, <Bobby> might be considered the opposite of a risk taker.

He wanted to win-- in the shortest, most brutal way possible.

His creativity lay in finding any way at all to win--

Making him a polymorph chessplayer with a polymorphy style.

heh

If a deep tactical opportunity was there, he could often find it-- hence all the <first place brilliancy prizes> he won.

And if he saw the opportunity to win by grinding someone down in 130 moves for a sure win that only he could see ahead of time... he would do that.

No World Champion has ever been a foolish risk taker or ever will be- you can't win that way at the top level.

But all those guys risked their ego and whole life work everytime they hit the clock.

They all took risks on the board-- they were just smart enough about it so they could become Champions.

So here it is again:

----------

True... but strange, indeed.

hmmm

I read through the Time Article, very interesting, and found myself mostly "in agreement" with the gents quoted on page -5- of the article: Dr. Kurt Alfred Adler, and Aaron ... what'shisname, the Biochemist chap...

In agreement is a big word maybe.

But I do not really buy those "former Soviet Union Communism lack of creativity and risks-taking" theories.

IMO the Former Soviet chessplayer's characteristics are determined by factors and circumstances much "closer to home" - also considering the vastness of the territory and huge cultural differences regarding EG Music, literature...

Any thoughts?

Anyhoo - maybe I am wrong, and I would need more time to form and word a proper viewpoint.

High time to take care of some Saturdaily bidness now, and be back in time for Lynn Aires games.

-------

Shows how incredibly alert Tal was to King(un)safety.

I don't know the continuations, but I will start studying this now, because I do see something for White but have to set it up first.

You'd certainly think Rfd1 should precede a Nb5, no?

Back later.

BTW - the Zaitsev that <Jess> and I discussed yesterday is on the board at TopaKamcorder!

<whiskeyrebel: There are more latent threats in this position than a blindfold leapfrog bout in the dog-run.> (after move 25)