Daily Rome Shot 1030: Video – Solemn Mass in Rome

Today the World’s Best Sacristan™ sent some video glimpses of the Solemn Mass for the patronal feast of the parish, Sunday of the Most Holy Trinity. I put them together in a brief video.

The resolution isn’t that high.  It was what I was sent.

Welcome new registrant:

LeawoodTLM

In chessy news, a 12 year old Turkish boy has broken the 35 year old record of under 13 with the highest rating, which had been held by Judit Polgar (2555), the best woman player in history. Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (2645) has already earned his grandmaster norms, but titles are only officially approved every few months. These kids are terrifying. Engines have changed everything.

Nice people! Great service!

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.

UPDATE:

I almost forgot!   Here is the targa mondezzaro for 26 May 1717!  This is found in the via di Sant’Eustachio, sort of an open area where there is a wall with two ancient columns visible and some spectacular “ivy” (really Virginia Creeper).  If you are facing the Church of Sant’ Eustachio, you go around the the right side into the street.

SI PROIBISCE ESPRESSAMENTE A TVTTE E
SINGOLE PERSONE DI QVALSIVOGLIA STATO
E CONDITIONE DI FARE IN MONDEZZARO
NELLA PIAZZETTA AVANTI QVESTA PORTICELLA
DI SˆEVSTACHIO SOTTO PENA DI SCVDI
DIECI MONETA ET ALTRE PENE IN CONFORMITÀ
DELL’EDITTO DI MONSIGˆILLˆE RMO PRESIDENTE
DELLE STRADE PVBLICATO IL DI XXVI
MAGGIO MDCCXVII PER GLˆATTI DELLˆ
ORSINI NOTARO DEL TRIBVNALE DELLE STRADE

The granite columns were found in 1934 under the piazza in front of San Luigi dei Francesi (not too far), the French national church with the Saint Matthew paintings by Caravaggio.  They are from the baths built by Nero in 62 AD and restored by Alexander Severus, and are therefore known as the Terme Neroniane Alessandrine, between the piazza in front of the Pantheon stretching to the Corso del Rinascimento along the modern Via di S. Giovanna d’Arco.  The Palazzo Madama or Senate sits pretty much on top.  A couple of other columns were found in 1666 and were inserted into the pronaos of the Pantheon to replace two that were missing.  Also from those baths is the enormous granite basin in the V. degli Staderari, across the way from the famous coffee shop of Sant’Eustachio.  It was found in 1985, weighs 25 tons and is 5.3 meters across.

 

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6 Comments

  1. frdanbecker says:

    Rxe4 (any black move)
    Qd3++

  2. Matthew111 says:

    Wow, this one is not easy. Been staring for a while and don’t see it. Fr. Becker’s doesn’t work because black can block with Be3 or attack the queen with Rh3 (both just buy time but it’s not mate in two). I was thinking white could play d3+ instead if black did either of those but then the c3 Night isn’t protected. Hmmmm.

  3. Matthew111 says:

    Ah, got it after returning.

    1. Qd3+ xd3+
    2. Ne3#

    Also, knight has a k in it, silly me.

  4. Black’s kind doesn’t have any squares. It is cut off from moving to the 5th. b3 and d3 are covered. We have to get a check in. How? 1.d3+ Kxc3 and the K gets some room. 1.Bxe6 Rxe6. Nope. 1. Nd6+ obviously not.

    The solution has to start with some clearance.

    1. Rxe4 (Rxe4 can’t happen because R on e6 is pinned by the knight.)

    If 1. … Rh8 to take out the pinning bishop, then 2. Qd3# because 1. Rxe4 took out the defending pawn.

    If 1. … any black move to block the queen, then 2. Bxe6#
    If 1. … h1= whatever then 2. Qd3.

    Does that make sense?

  5. Matthew111 says:

    Father, doesn’t Be3 block it? Like:

    1. Rxe4 Be3
    Then what? Bxe6+ can be followed by Rxe6 (from the h6 rook) and the Queen can’t make it to d3. I think the second thing I posted is the only way, i.e.:

    1. Qd3+ xd3+
    2. Ne3#

    The d4 pawn is pinned and so is the e6 rook, moving the knight also blocks black’s check. It is a very strange checkmate.

  6. Matthew111:

    1. Rxe4 Be3
    2. Ne3#

    1. Rxe4 Be2
    2. Qd3#

Comments are closed.