Fr. Z's Blog

My first post on 8 December 2005.  Happier days.

HERE

Many ups and downs.  Many blessings.

You, dear readers, are blessings.

Thank you.

Non mihi, Domine.

Just for nice.  Thank you, Queen of Priests.  Help all priests, especially those of us who are cancelled, alone, in need, ill, or close to death.

Photo by The Great Roman™

Thanks to donor PG … I have no way to write a thank you note to you. No email address.

Welcome new registrant:

BrianB-CLE

Meanwhile,… white to move and mate in 3.

1. Qe7+ Nd7 2. Qxd7+ Kxd7 3. R1e7#
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Crazy.  A month ago Hikaru set a new record (breaking his own record after 3 years) on Chess.com for blitz (3 minutes).  Yesterday, Magnus went on a tear (10.5/11) and hit 3340, a new record.

There’s a photo of him achieving this … FROM HIS PHONE … with a dog.   He beat the best blitz players in the world, from a phone, with a dog.

I feel so inadequate.  And not because I don’t have a dog.  I don’t want to have a dog.  I would like to play chess better than I do.   I’m terrible at blitz.  He makes it look so easy.

Photo by The Great Roman™

Welcome registrant:

Biketripper

Meanwhile – and happy St. Nicholas day – this was from yesterday.

This explains quite a bit, as do the real Grimm’s tales.

Careful out there tonight for it’s #Krampusnacht! Popular in German-speaking Alpine folklore, the figure of #Krampus is a devil-like horned creature who punishes badly-behaved children the night before St Nicholas’ Day. More Krampus cards here: https://t.co/aOoGjLz0iF pic.twitter.com/IxgbKfwjd5

— The Public Domain Review (@PublicDomainRev) December 5, 2023

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in 4.  Good luck.

1. Qc3+ Bxc3 2. Rd6+ Qxd6 Ng4+ Ke6 4. f5#
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Speaking of moving, do you need to, want to move?

Have you been following Eccles’ Advent calendar on X/Twitter?

In chessy news, Michael Adams is the sole leader in London and four are tied for second, including Gukesh and the rather unlikeable Niemann. FIDE issued a “clarification” about what tournaments count for circuit points and a lot of players are seriously irritated at the lack of transparency. FIDE imposed that x number of tournaments had to be in different countries after the phenom of Ding Liren playing about a million games in a month all in China to be able to qualify by rating in the Candidates in Madrid that led to his beating Nepo for the ultimate egg roll. Former champ Garry Kasparov has a new Kasparov Chess Foundation Academy. And why not? He has some strong players… I hope they are good teachers… working with him on courses at three levels.

Yesterday, with black I had a long OTB conflict with The Club’s Leader™. He threw his own line of the Queen’s Gambit (Declined) at me again, which involves an irritating, but ultimately ill-advised, pawn rush on the queen’s side which I have analyzed and learned to punish. But, he’s a crafty one, yes, crafty he is. I got into some trouble and went down a piece when his tragic queen became involved on my side of the board. However, I spotted my chance and, realizing that Her Tragicness didn’t have a lot of squares, I plotted my revenge. I trapped that nasty piece and then, realizing that I could take one of his minor pieces without unspringing the trap, I gained back my material and delivered the queenly coup de grace on the next move. In the end game, in the two rook and opposite bishop endgame, I just outplayed him. Forcing our rooks off the board after he allowed his bishop to be pinned to his doomed monarch. Addio, Eccellenza!  He had a passer on the a file, but I still had my bishop. There was no way he could promote. With my kingside four on three and a more active king, plus the piece, he resigned on move 38. Here’s a shot of where I prevailed. Black to move.

I figured that if instead of taking he went 2. Rc2 Ra3 3. h4 Kd6 he still is toast.

”Chess helps you to concentrate, improve your logic. It teaches you to play by the rules and take responsibility for your actions, how to solve problems in an uncertain environment.”

Garry Kasparov

Speaking of solving problems in an uncertain environment, today is a thin day for monthly donations.   It would be a great day to sign up, via PayPal, or Zelle through your online banking, which doesn’t take fees.  How about it?   Can I get, say, 5 more today?  Depending, that’s like a bag of groceries!

UPDATE:

Even as I wait for a few additional monthly donors, a loud shout of thanks to a “St. Nicholas Day” donor

JTA

Thank you. I have no way to write an email to you.

Meanwhile,… white to move and mate in 2.

Your use of my Amazon affiliate link is a major part of my income. It helps to pay for insurance, groceries, everything. Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Use FATHERZ10 at checkout

In chessy news… meh. Not much. There’s a thing in London at the moment. After two wins Gukesh Dommaraju blundered away a victory and lost to Jules Moussard. Gukesh hopes to reach Candidates via the FIDE circuit route. I heard on a podcast with Fabiano Caruana that tournament is going to happen in India before the end of the year. I’m guessing that it will be organized swiftly so that Indian players have a chance to boost their ratings before the Candidates slots are finalized. That podcast was pretty interesting for other reasons. There was quite a lot of talk about the value of coaching and lessons, for example. Lastly, the Italian Chess Championships are underway. Woohoo!

And this just came in from the people who handle the wine made by the traditional Benedictines of Le Barroux in the ancient vineyards of the Popes…

CLICK AND EXPLORE!

I am sometimes asked about worthy causes for donations.  I respond with my preferences:

• Archdiocese for Military Services (our Catholic chaplains!): HERE
• Our Lady of Hope Clinic (a fantastic Catholic model, such good people): HERE
• Tridentine Mass Society of Madison (I’m still the prez, in exile, doing stuff): HERE

There are a sprinkling of other groups too, to which I give.  Wounded Warriors, etc.  Other than the Archdiocese for Military, I can’t say I have a lot of faith in official structures these days.

I would be irresponsible not to mention myself, but I don’t have a 501(c)(3) – yet.  Gotta get that going.

These days, the best way is through Zelle:  frz AT wdtprs DOT com

I always enjoy your Christmas cards.  The notes and letters which describe the year people have had are interesting and, often, moving.  I read them all.

And drawings by kids are great!  I’ve included one below.

If you would like to send me Advent/Christmas greetings or cards, please send by snail mail (if possible with really cool stamps).

Remember mail?

As I have done in years past, I’ll try to post all the places whence they were mailed from around the world.  Keep in mind that if you don’t include your address, at least your city, I can’t easily do that.

I have a US PO BOX address.

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
733 Struck St.
PO BOX 44603
Madison, WI 53744-4603

That is the P.O. Box of the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison

Someone will regularly check the P.O. box for me and forward everything.  NB: That will add a little time to how long it takes to reach me… but they do reach me.

If you want to send something time sensitive, or perhaps expensive – like keys to a Bugatti – contact me. HERE   We might be able to find you a much faster address!  If you’ve been a regular benefactor and we’ve had contact, you might consider that option.

Please DO NOT send perishable food items. I am sure they would be wonderful but, please, just don’t.

If you put glitter in the card, I’ll recite the Maledictory Psalms against you.

If  I receive something threatening or illegal, I will immediately turn it in to law enforcement.  I’m sorry I have to write that under such a cheery topic, but this is the world we live in, especially in this dreadful craziness going on.

Photo by The Great Roman™

Welcome registrant:

selZ79

Meanwhile, the 13th London Chess Classic is underway from 1-10 December. 10-player single round-robin with a classical time control. Nine super grandmasters.   In other news, the dreaded MITTENS is back.

Meanwhile, white to move and… save his bacon!

Every purchase of Birra Nursia advances the monks’ efforts to restore monastic life in Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Your use of my Amazon affiliate link is a major part of my income. It helps to pay for insurance, groceries, everything. Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE