Fr. Z's Blog

In chess news… it seems there is to be a merger of chess.com and Magnus Carlsen’s group of companies (e.g., Chessable, Chess24, New in Chess).

Chess.com has, already, some 90 million members who play some 10 million games a day.

On 24 August 1972 in Reykjavík, Iceland, Game 18 ended in a three-fold repetition. However, the Icelandic Chess Federation put police guards on a 24 hour watch around the playing site and roped off the area. The Science Institute of Iceland was brought in to examine everything, lighting, the chairs, etc. There had been an accusation that the Americans were using some sort of technology to undermine Spassky’s ability to play. The entire lighting canopy was dismantled, reveals the amazing discovery of two dead flies. The electromagnetic field around the playing area was measured. The chairs were X-rayed for devices. It was found that Fischer’s chair was set higher, because Fischer was four inches taller than Spassky. However, the X-ray of Spassky’s chair found a strange metal object inside. Carpenters and investigators were summoned. Witnesses were gathered. The chair was dismantled. They discovered a hole in a part of the wooden interior. The company that made the chair said that sometimes they patched the plywood interior with a wood filler that had some metal. Was it radioactive? Was it toxic? But the patch was … gone! A search was undertaken to find the wood filler patch. No joy. The match proceeded without certainty as to the location of the missing wood filler patch.

As it turns out, one of the policemen had found and pocketed the patch. He wrote an article about it with a photo some twenty years later.

Behold the patch.

White to move and win.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Guess what he just saw!

And please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE

By 23 August 1972, the controversy about the American use of technology against the Spassky is still simmering.  BUT… there will be steps taken.  Stay tuned.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Black to move and win.

… it would be run by Jesuits… and couple of babylonian Franciscans… and a couple of cardinals.

Never mind that the characters look like women in this video.  That’s just a trick of your un-woked habits.  This is actually what Jesuits and those others are like on the inside, which is trying to come out.

Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE

On 22 August 1972, in the “Match of the Century” World Champ Boris Spassky sat down with the white pieces across from Bobby Fischer, who proceeded to play the Pirc Defense for the first time in his career. Game 17 resulted in a draw by repetition at move 45. However, on the morning of the 17th Game, the Soviet teams Efrem Geller issued a public statement saying that the Americans were using some sort of technology to put Spassky off of his game. Geller asserted that it was all part of a plot: the complaints about the venue, noise, cameras, rows, boards, etc. Game 17 fueled the fire. Fischer claimed the draw by repetition of position. However, Spassky could be argued to have had a material advantage, being up two rooks against Fischer’s rook and knight. Something was bound to happen, one supposes. Fischer had pretty much been a jerk since before the match started. Spassky, on the other hand, had been calm and a real gentleman. Victor Korchnoi quipped in regard to Spassky, that being a gentleman might win the ladies, but it doesn’t win chess games. The technology attack claim by the Soviets would escalate and soon become the focus of the world.

White to move.

Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff.

Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Mass of obligation for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost (21th Ordinary in the Novus)?

Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass.  I hear that it is growing.  Of COURSE.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?

A few thoughts of my own, HERE.

This Sunday’s Gospel Has a Word that “Sums up the Whole Message and the Whole Work of Christ.”

In medias res…

[…]

Then Jesus looked up to Heaven and “sighed” and said “Ephphatha.” He didn’t talk to the Father or pray with words. He “sighed a deep sigh,” stenazo, “to groan,” which suggests the deep compassion with which the Eternal Word held the man who, all his life, had been cut off without words from his fellow men. That Christ was especially moved by this man’s plight is suggested in their going apart and the speechless sigh, which “said it all” a quiet uttering of the ruach, the Spirit.

I mentioned Greek, but we are perhaps distracted by that flashy “Ephphatha.” In Greek, Mark uses the verb dianoigo, “be opened,” dianoíxtheti in the aorist passive imperative form… 2nd person singular: “let you be opened.” Jesus didn’t command the ears and mouth to be opened, He commanded the man to be opened. As a result, “his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly” (v. 35).

[…]

Fifty years ago today, in Reykjavík, Game 16 took place between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky. Fischer brought the Ruy Lopez to the board. They played to a draw by move 34. However, Spassky prolonged the game to move 60 as psychological torture. It ended in the inevitable draw.  Fischer is winning in the match, of course.

Did you know that the common opening called the Ruy Lopez, aka The Spanish Game, is named after a priest? Ruy López de Segura (+1580 at only 50 years old). In Rome, for dealings with Pius IV (Medici), he learned to play chess. “When in Rome…”. He apparently read Damiano da Odemira’s book about chess and, being unimpressed, penned his own. Later, my favorite chess guys, the Modenese Masters, including Fr. Ponziani, thought rather little of his writings. However, in his time, López beat everyone alive. You can see some of his games HERE.

In any event, you might say a “Hail, Mary” for the repose of the soul of Fr. Ruy López de Segura.  Priests need prayers, living and dead. I hope you will pray for me, living and dead.

Click!
There’s a back story, too.

Back story HERE. It’s about you.

Here’s a painting by Luigi Mussini of the Spanish Court and Fr. Ruy López de Segura playing chess.

The dogs have been shown the consistory list by their cruel mistress and her conniving maid.

Your use of my Amazon 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

I created a search link at wdtprs dot com slash shop dot htm

Enter anything and search.  You might get a window that “The information you’re about to submit is not secure”. Ignore that and “send anyway”.

Finally, in honor of the long lost Semper Gumby, there’s THIS.

Which leads to this.