Nice to hear from you again.

Despite some issues with the health, things are going fine, in the bigger picture and it is good to feel the old chessmojo awakens again and it seems like we are in for match that could go both ways. And not the onesided one, that many thought before the first move. It is like many seem to forget, that match play is so different from tournament play.

I hope you enjoy the coming christmas time in France and likewise with the match !

Take care you too, and see you around.

<And not the onesided one, that many thought before the first move. It is like many seem to forget, that match play is so different from tournament play.> Very well said.

Many thanks for your note about Christmas: may you also enjoy the end of the year with your family and relatives. Surely with a bit of snow in Denmark which makes this season special, in France so far it's desperately dry or rainy.

And the same to you.

I sometimes tell my wife that you live close to the big mansion from were Hergés captain Haddock used to live. I know the characters are fictional, but it feels almost like they were real people ;) Almost.

All the best to you too.

And now to the diner. We always eat late.

I'm a Hergé fan since childhood. The good thing is you can read him at various ages and still enjoy it on different levels.

You might already know but Haddock's castle Moulinsart is actually based on a real castle in the Loire valley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3... (Hergé just removed the side wings because it's big.)

Early in the morning it is, 7.1, a nice palindrome to boot.

Yes it is late, for danish standards, when we eat. The typical family starts around 18.00.

I know that the exsistence of Haddocks mansion was/is based on the concrete location you mention. In the danish translation it is called "Møllenborg"= Mill + castle.

And will Ding castle today ? In another french defense ? I dont think he will repeat this opening as it was a typical surprise for a first round game. Also to keep Dings seconds busy with something ells. An old trick. But soon we shall see. Do you have any predictions for today ? I wish I had, but I dont.

Jésper que tu va avoir un bonne jour avec toute le plaisir possible.

Au revoir

Yes I folowed the game today and like many other was impressed by Gukesh play and his timemanagement in a very complicated position.

He is back in the match and it seems like there will be several other games with a winner.

Bu what impressed me most, was perhaps his behaviour at the press conference after the game. So cool and collected. This doesn´t bode well for Mr. Ding, but we shall see. Tomorrow a well deserved rest day.

Hope for a nice evening for you and see you around ! Champions Leaque tonight : None less than Liverpool vs Real Madrid ! Could be the final ;)

Apologies for the late answer, I was busy yesterday.

<Do you have any predictions for today ?> Gukesh will win. Oh, today. A draw ;) Anyhow an exciting match so far.

<You occur to me as a rather strong player with a fine understanding of the royal game.> Thanks for the compliment but I'm a patzer compared to many users here including yourself. I used to play a long time ago but now I'm more into studies (rather than problems) since I like the artistic and aesthetical side of Chess. Which means I'm terrible OTB because I overlook the dynamic side of a position.

How about you? Do you still play? You are still rated 2300 or is it historical (in both cases it's impressive)?

Well, I stopped playing rated tournaments in 1985, but continued to play "loose" games and later I had a sparring partner, a GM, were we inluenced each other mutually. And that was very satisfying and stimulating. Now it is about 14 years, since I played a game, but when big matches like the one we are witnessing right now, the old lion comes out from the cave ;)

I am glad to hear that you find much pleasure in the artistic and aesthetical side of chess...Chess has so many windows and what makes us happy is what matters.

Hope everything is fine in Iasi !

Here, while the players are having a well earned day off, things are fine while we are preparing for my sister who lives in USA, but is visiting us tomorrow for a 48 hours stay. That will be nice to see her again. And see Hannah and her, like two old sisters together !

I really enjoy the match, the evenness of the players and the hardfought games with all kind of openings to boot. Gonna be very interesting to se how it ends. It feels like anything can happen, but the chances for a tiebreak increases from day to day....Hope you also are enjoying it and I send you and Maria all my best wishes !

Wow ! Cloes to a sensation beating the swedish
favourites in handball. Many heartfelt congratulations to your national team !

So glad to hear you now feel free like a bird. Congrats on finishing the job ! Sounds like a big relief, in the best sense of the word.

Here all is fine and we are enjoying the visit from my sister. Many long fruitfull talks and many big laughs. There will be shed some tears, when she is leaving later on today.

And what a game the 11th. Very interesting opening with many unknown territories. It is/was some kind of Blumenfeld gambit, with colors reversed. One of my favourite openings. And somehow nice that Gukesh won. SO many indians fans are happy and that can only be good for chess´popularity.

But today Ding will try to play an opening with fightingchances, which is easier said than done...And my god how time flies. Wasn´t it just a few days since the match started ?

I send all my best wishes to you in good old Iasi and hope you will enjoy,free as a bird;), todays game. I shall try the same !

And it is now wide open with only 2 round to go. How spoiled we, the spectators, are.

You are always welcome !

Hey but though somhow surrealistic, it is real : We have got a new worldchampion, and if you want to get an impression of the atmosphere then just go towww.chessbase.com and see the indian version ! What a celebration !

All is well now and young Gukesh has been the deserved WC for almost 48 hours. And what a match it was. So even and well fought from both of the players. With a variety of all kind of openings. I wouldn´t have asked for more.

Hope you will enjoy the weekend in Iasi and that you christmas preparations are going fine !

Yeah it is a bit tricky with the lanquage ;) E.g. the Sioux or the Lakota-tribe as they prefer to be called have both a male and a female lakota-lanquage ! In "Dances with Wolves", Kevin Kostner makes the mistake of talking female-lakota. And they dont like to be called Siuox, which comes from french and can be translated into : Coward.