Photo from The World’s Best Sacristan™
In chessy news, in the Paris Spped Chess Championship semifinals , the match we’ve been waiting for. Not Hikaru v. Puer (Puer won). But Magnus Carlsen v. Hans Niemann. HERE Apart from the bad blood, tension and Niemann’s bluster and trash talk, Magnus cleaned the floor with him. And it probably would have been even worse if Magnus hadn’t lost some interest in pounding Niemann into the floor. Niemann several times made extended whiny technical protests which dragged the match waaaaaay longer than it should have been… in front of a live audience too, thus annoying their entire world. That’s what Hans is champ of: being annoying. There is an extended interview of Hans Niemann by Levy Rozmen (aka Gotham Chess – super popular chess content creator on YouTube – 5.35 MILLION subscribers!) Here’s the link to the interview – HERE. It is not dull. It gives a real insight into Niemann. Next, Niemann v. Hikaru for 3rd. HERE There’s even worse rapport between them. Hans has really attacked Hikaru. Hikaru slaughtered Hans. Sunday is Puer (aka Alireza) v. Magnus for the enchilada.
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White to move. Find the zwischenzug (intermezzo):
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.
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Ah, took me a couple minutes.
1. Qf3
threatens the rook on a8, whose only safe square is b8. Moving there would allow the knight to fork the rook, queen, and bishop by moving to c6.
The inscription on the building draws one’s interest. The wonders of the web revealed that it’s at 19-23 Via Monte della Farina. In full it reads:
“HEIC UBI IGNOBILES NUPER TABERNAE RUDERA PREMEBANT PORTICUS CN POMPEII CUI CONTINENS ERAT CURIA C IUL CAESARIS NECE INSIGNIS SODALITAS TEUTONUM DE ANIMA NOBILIORES HAS AEDES EXSTRUENDAS CURAVIT ANNO AB URBE CONDITA MMDCXLVI ANNO DOMINI MDCCCXCIII”.
So, built in 1893 to replace the “ignobiles tabernae” on the remains of the portico of Pompey. Interesting that it also gives 1893 as 2646 A.U.C. i.e. 753 + 1893
jaykay: Good eye!
Regarding the very place where Julius Caesar was killed we have to move over from the V. della Farina (where my seminary way, btw) to the edge of the archeological dig in the Largo Argentina. This is where scholars have more accurately placed where Caesar was murdered.