Chess

So pray tell, what does a web site which regards mostly the world of photography have anything to do with the wonderful world of chess? Probably not much if it weren't for the fact that I'm a GREAT aficionado of, for me at least, THE most wonderful game in the world: with my fellow companion Daniela, aka Dani, we're now up to, as of March 21st, 2025, 912 chess matches!

I actually began playing as a kid when my dad taught me how to play. I got involved in more "active" sports, such as soccer, tennis and martial arts (yes, I grew up with Bruce Lee's amazing movies!) and had for several years ignored chess, until one sad day we got hit with the Covid-19 pandemic. So being cooped up at home for days upon days and after having played endless games of cards, Monopoly, backgammon, etc., I looked at Dani and asked her, "Do you know how to play chess"? No was her answer, so with a LOT of patience, I began to teach her. That went hand-in-hand with her sister who told us that we had to ABSOLUTELY get on Netflix as there was this magnificent series on the world of chess called "The Queen's Gambit".

Loving it sooooo much I've only seen it now 10 times and I've so far taught about 5-6 girls/women how to play the game.

These are the books I currently have on the world of chess, about 40 of them (more or less)!

The great Garry Kasparov, the 13th world chess champion (and for 15 years too). He's considered by many as THE greatest in the history of the game. I photographed him in Rome (and the fellow presenting him knew absolutely NOTHING about the marvellous world of chess!).

And talking about old and great chess players, quite THE honour when in Udine (it's located 130 km north of Venice) I got to photograph and also talk to the late great Boris Spassky, yes, he who had lost his world title to perhaps THE greatest of them all, Bobby Fischer, in 1972 in Reykjavik, Iceland!

https://whynotcome2udine.blogspot.com/2010/09/boris-spassky-in-udine.html