Daily Rome Shot 716: Glorious

Quite the evening.

In chessy news, Netflix is offering a game/trainer based on the massive-hit 7-part series The Queen’s Gambit, a book by Walter Tevis. That series was one of the elements that fueled the chess tsunami that is still rolling. So it seems that you, too, will be able to be coached up by Mr Shaibel.

From the end of July and into August, the FIDE World Cup will be held in Azerbaijan with a combined prize pool of $2.5 million. Magnus and Nepo will be there along with Fabi, Anish, Wesley (yay!), MVL, Gukesh, Nodirbek, Pragg and locals Radjabov and Marmedyarov. On the women’s side Hump Koneru, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Ju Wenjun, etc.

FIDE and Mahindra – a huge tech thing in India where chess is exploding along with the population – are joining forces to create The Global Chess League which begins on 21 June with its first season, ten round-robins among 6 teams of 6 players. The male, female, and under 21 mixed Teams: Ganges Grandmasters, Triveni Continental Kings, SG Alpine Warriors, Chingari Culf Titans, Balan Alaskan Knights, upGrad Mumba Masters.

They are expecting some 600 MILLION viewers in 160 countries. The franchise owners will held – I think that’s right – a players draft to fill out their teams. The first season is from 21 June – 2 July in Dubai. This is OTB, folks, not eSport like the Pro Chess League wherein teams such as the Norway Gnomes battled the Spain Maniac Shrimps. I’ve gotta say that the Global Chess League should work on their team names and logos. Yawn.  I note that the only puzzling, unengaging team and logo in the PCL is also Indian, that TeamMDG1.  What is that?  A little whimsy is needed.  Am I wrong?

In any event, this should be interesting.  All the great players will be involved.

Back to The Queen’s Gambit for a moment.   The music composed for the series was terrific, but the closing credits with the – I don’t know how to describe it – animation? – were spectacular.

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in 2.

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

Today in 1231 the Portuguese-born friar Anthony died in Padua.   He was canonized by Gregory IX in 1232.  FAST!    This is an amazing saint.

Speaking of St. Anthony, his favorite hymn was O gloriosa Domina, which his mother would sing to him.

Another version. This is sung by the wonder BEER BREWING MONKS of Norcia!

Another version.