ROME SHOT 914

Please remember me when  shopping online. US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

Photo from The World’s Best Sacristan™.

Sant’Antonio Abatte.  Decoration around the side chapel of my beloved adoptive Roman parish where St. Giovanni Battista de Rossi’s altar is and tomb was before his body was translated to a new church built in his honor.

Here’s a shot of the chapel, on the Feast of St. Giovanni, in action.  The decorations on wall are cut off on the left.

News about Christmas cards – now trailing off – and how to send. HERE

Meanwhile, in chessy news, The “Wimbeldon of Chess” is going on, Tata Steel in Wijk aan Zee.  Young Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (Prag – 18 yrs – 2748.3) defeated world champ Ding Liren (2776.4) and, by doing so, surpassed former long-time world champ Viswanathan Anand (Vishy – 2748.0) as India’s top ranked. Anish Giri (2759.6), far more likeable than “the Boy” (2765.4* – boooo!), is now in sole 1st with a victory over Gukesh Dommaraju (2721.3).

Ceterum censeo puerum Firouzja esse delendum.

In my own process of destruction and revival and destruction, yesterday in OTB I won all my games but the last, a protracted battle of 39 moves over about 45 minutes.   I had handily beaten one opponent, who usually plays better and then had a long fight with The Oldest Member™ (one of the strongest) and then moved on to The President™.  We had a little miniature as an amuse bouche: he threw the Fried Liver at me and I threw it right back.

My 5. … Nd5 was a mistake that he could have exploited with 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ to blast my structure to bits. 5. … Na5 to attack the bishop on c4 was better. His 6. Qf3 wasn’t best. Instead, he should have taken Nxf7. His 7. Qxd5 was suboptimal. He should have taken with Bxd5. As it went, I could play 7. … Be3. 10. Qe4+ he threw in the Liver.

Meanwhile, something far more challenging.

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

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

I’ve had notes asking about what I have been cooking.  Not a lot.  I did get a little ambitious the other day and made gyoza, fried dumplings (pork, garlic, ginger, green onion.  The pork was ground, but it needed to be ground more finely.  Lesson learned.

Black vinegar, ginger, hot chili oil.

PS: There are only 8 monthly donors today, making it one of the leanest days of the month.  Paypal works and Zelle works better.  Wise is great for international transfers.