Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Stelian Lamba (3.ix.1936-13.vi.2018)

It is very sad that I learnt today about the death of several great composers. Stelian Lamba was publisher of the Romanian magazine Euxinus Pontus for which I was working as editor for endgame studies for several years until I felt I was unable to do the work in a satisfying fashion and asked for stepping down, which he had granted.

Now I didn't know Mr. Lamba in person, but I think that the great enthusiast George Teodoru, who recently turned 86 and who had back in the days organized our first contact, would have a lot to tell if he would write an obituary. If we happen to see one online, we will link it here later.

SOTM update (and a small rant)

I talked to my contact at ChessBase about the implications of the new EU copyright directive, should it be also upheld in the Spring 2019 election. Even if the directive - which I oppose, as it is a horrible blow for the rights of the free press and would essentially enforce for example Google to not link to any news websites anymore on its search engine and Google News (why should they pay money for it if they can just unlink media that try to blackmail them?) - is passed, the future of SOTM is safe.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

United Airlines Flight 93 Memorial Service with President Trump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLIBvZYJp0g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQBMaWAxxUE

On one Tuesday in September, 17 years ago, 40 heroes sacrificed their lives to save the lives of many others.

Christian Adams
Lorraine G. Bay
Todd M. Beamer
Alan Anthony Beaven
Mark Bingham
Deora Frances Bodley
Sandy Waugh Bradshaw
Marion R. Britton
Thomas E. Burnett, Jr.
William Joseph Cashman
Georgine Rose Corrigan
Patricia Cushing
Captain Jason M. Dahl
Joseph DeLuca
Patrick Joseph Driscoll
Edward Porter Felt
Jane C. Folger
Colleen L. Fraser
Andrew (Sonny) Garcia
Jeremy Logan Glick
Kristin Osterholm White Gould
Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas
Donald Freeman Greene
Wanda Anita Green
Linda Gronlund
Richard J. Guadagno
LeRoy Homer
Toshiya Kuge
CeeCee Ross Lyles
Hilda Marcin
Waleska Martinez
Nicole Carol Miller
Louis J. Nacke II
Donald Arthur Peterson
Jean Hoadley Peterson
Mark David Rothenberg
Christine Ann Snyder
John Talignani
Honor Elizabeth Wainio
Deborah Jacobs Welsh

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Saturday, September 1, 2018

The undying Nissl/Davidson hoax

I have received a mail by a chess friend alleging once more that the famous Nissl rundlauf was anticipated by Davidson. As Michael McDowell with confirmation of Alain Godbout has reported many years ago, the position (solution see link) is a Nissl original, not anticipated by Davidson in 1899.

Dear Caissa, let's lay this rumor to rest finally!


Theodor Nissl
Akademische Monatshefte für Schach 1910
White to move and mate in 6 moves