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Chess and Art

@Isemmelweis said in #1:

Comments on lichess.org/@/isemmelweis/blog/chess-and-art/M5jTCKqu
A wonderful blog

@Isemmelweis said in #1: > Comments on lichess.org/@/isemmelweis/blog/chess-and-art/M5jTCKqu A wonderful blog

About 20 years ago, I played a Shaytan in a game of chess. He won. Here's how it went down:

I, an introvert's bleeding heart, stumbled my way into a bustling bookstore. I wandered from the rear, where I was perusing eastern spirituality and modern psychology. I simply had to figure out what all the commotion in the front coffee shop of the store belonged to.

As I made my way through the crowd, I approached a table seating two gentlemen. One was gruff, brash, and aggressive in his moves. He barely spoke. The two players smashed that click with utmost passion. It was a mystery to me -- I had only played chess against my own father and knew not of the clock.

One by one, he ousted them - this stranger of a forward frontal death-stare and savage moves.
One by one, their kings fell, and new challengers kept approaching the stranger.

I - in a state of heavenly bliss, witnessing my first ever live chess match - must have stood out too strongly ... for that strange madman had noticed my eager stare and curled his lips in the very first smile observed on his face that evening.

"You are here ... to play?" He extended his hand toward the freshly empty seat. (In my imagination, there was a pool of blood upon this cursed throne... dripping.)

I did what a proud-hearted introvert does best. I accepted this side quest and vowed to do my best. I reached out my hand. "Hi! My name is Jaina." He stared at it. (Again, death gaze!) Then he let out a shrill, loud, singular laugh that left no trace of echoes. "Names! What is it with names!?" He impatiently gestured toward the board. It's playtime! (At this moment, I did my best to pretend to crack my knuckles, but it only made them sore.)

The game began. I made my first move,... and he just stared. Stared and stared. Momentarily, I thought, "I must be good at first moves." But the shadowy man chuckled and slammed my ticking clock. It took about 3 moves for me to learn how the clock worked. By this time, there was 3:30 left, and I knew that was much less than 5.

After I learned how to master the clock, I turned my mastery onto the game.

~ ~ ~ Boiii ~ ~ ~ did I slay! ..., for maybe like 10 moves. I made sure that my Sweet Queen was released from Her desolate captivity - liberation from a King who only cared about how soon He gets to retreat to His Castle and test the logical validity of Brandy ... Again.

Not only that, I got my Rooks involved, too. I was surprised this strange man didn't recognize the power of these snipers. I got into his back line! I took out one of his own Rooks, and a couple pawns. I had a higher score!? Then ... even something more unexpected happened. He sweat! ... A single tear he bled! The static nerves sizzled around him, and that got the crowd really excited!

"Uh... Kids these days, Right!?"

Dude. I was the freaking Knight in Shiny Armor! Except, ... not. Actually, I was a Queen riding with her Rook groupies.

Anyway. For sake of length, I'll just say it straight out: I Lost. Horribly. In the excitement of my inevitable victory against the reigning stranger champion, I had forgotten that I still had to think about the moves. He recovered and dismembered me piece by piece.

So yea... I lost... Not really a glorious ending. But, hey... to this day, I say that I Lost to the Devil in Chess and Lived to share my Soul's tale.

... and that man? He visits me in my dreams very rarely. He reminds me of the beauty of Courage and the simplicity of Humility. And occasionally he trash talks my distracted games. May that man visit you, so that you may pass this story on in your own words :)

About 20 years ago, I played a Shaytan in a game of chess. He won. Here's how it went down: I, an introvert's bleeding heart, stumbled my way into a bustling bookstore. I wandered from the rear, where I was perusing eastern spirituality and modern psychology. I simply *had to* figure out what all the commotion in the front coffee shop of the store belonged to. As I made my way through the crowd, I approached a table seating two gentlemen. One was gruff, brash, and aggressive in his moves. He barely spoke. The two players smashed that click with utmost passion. It was a mystery to me -- I had only played chess against my own father and knew not of the clock. One by one, he ousted them - this stranger of a forward frontal death-stare and savage moves. One by one, their kings fell, and new challengers kept approaching the stranger. I - in a state of heavenly bliss, witnessing my first ever live chess match - must have stood out too strongly ... for that strange madman had noticed my eager stare and curled his lips in the very first smile observed on his face that evening. "You are here ... to play?" He extended his hand toward the freshly empty seat. (In my imagination, there was a pool of blood upon this cursed throne... dripping.) I did what a proud-hearted introvert does best. I accepted this side quest and vowed to do my best. I reached out my hand. "Hi! My name is Jaina." He stared at it. (Again, death gaze!) Then he let out a shrill, loud, singular laugh that left no trace of echoes. "Names! What is it with names!?" He impatiently gestured toward the board. It's playtime! (At this moment, I did my best to pretend to crack my knuckles, but it only made them sore.) The game began. I made my first move,... and he just stared. Stared and stared. Momentarily, I thought, "I must be good at first moves." But the shadowy man chuckled and slammed my ticking clock. It took about 3 moves for me to learn how the clock worked. By this time, there was 3:30 left, and I knew that was much less than 5. After I learned how to master the clock, I turned my mastery onto the game. ~ ~ ~ Boiii ~ ~ ~ did I slay! ..., for maybe like 10 moves. I made sure that my Sweet Queen was released from Her desolate captivity - liberation from a King who only cared about how soon He gets to retreat to His Castle and test the logical validity of Brandy ... Again. Not only that, I got my Rooks involved, too. I was surprised this strange man didn't recognize the power of these snipers. I got into his back line! I took out one of his own Rooks, and a couple pawns. I had a higher score!? Then ... even something more unexpected happened. He sweat! ... A single tear he bled! The static nerves sizzled around him, and that got the crowd really excited! "Uh... Kids these days, Right!?" Dude. I was the freaking Knight in Shiny Armor! Except, ... not. Actually, I was a Queen riding with her Rook groupies. Anyway. For sake of length, I'll just say it straight out: I Lost. Horribly. In the excitement of my inevitable victory against the reigning stranger champion, I had forgotten that I still had to think about the moves. He recovered and dismembered me piece by piece. So yea... I lost... Not really a glorious ending. But, hey... to this day, I say that I Lost to the Devil in Chess and Lived to share my Soul's tale. ... and that man? He visits me in my dreams very rarely. He reminds me of the beauty of Courage and the simplicity of Humility. And occasionally he trash talks my distracted games. May that man visit you, so that you may pass this story on in your own words :)
<Comment deleted by user>

and Morphy says he can win it with white ?
bullshit !
(but nice blogpost btw)

and Morphy says he can win it with white ? bullshit ! (but nice blogpost btw)

Very nice blog.

I wanted to see the actual position from the painting, and after looking at a couple of videos, I found it in this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZdw_3nM0pE

Next step was to set it up and see what Stockfish had to say:
https://lichess.org/analysis/4k3/2b2n2/2p1p2p/pb5r/1p1pq3/1n2P3/3PQ2B/R3K2R_w_KQ_-_0_1?color=white#0

Unfortunately, Black wins. It really is checkmate. The young man cannot be saved, not even by Morphy.

So the story about Morphy must be untrue.

I think, instead of hope, the painting points to wisdom: you've already lost if you think you can meet the Devil head-on.

Very nice blog. I wanted to see the actual position from the painting, and after looking at a couple of videos, I found it in this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZdw_3nM0pE Next step was to set it up and see what Stockfish had to say: https://lichess.org/analysis/4k3/2b2n2/2p1p2p/pb5r/1p1pq3/1n2P3/3PQ2B/R3K2R_w_KQ_-_0_1?color=white#0 Unfortunately, Black wins. It really is checkmate. The young man cannot be saved, not even by Morphy. So the story about Morphy must be untrue. I think, instead of hope, the painting points to wisdom: you've already lost if you think you can meet the Devil head-on.