Having been retired for over 3 years, I have really had to find a plan for my non working lifestyle. Everybody thinks retirement is the promised land because they don't have to put up with nasty, backstabbing office politics anymore.
I am ecstatic about being distant from the sometimes ruthless intentions of coworkers I shared cubicle space with, BUT a daily structure is required to preserve one's sanity.
So I read about chess in the loo every morning and wanted to share an interesting tidbit about chess player Alexey Shirov. The source is a periodical named Inside Chess which was published in Seattle in 1995.(The things you find in Garage Sales!!)
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Back to GM Shirov who former world champ Gary Kasparov characterized as a TALENTED AMATEUR. Shirov finished clear second at a tournament in Biel Switzerland. The author of the short piece stated that Alexey had moved to Spain from Latvia because most of the GM chess player's hard earned winnings vanished due to the insolvency of his bank in Latvia!!!! I guess Latvia did not have the USA equivalent of the FDIC.
That just sucks and I feel bad for Shirov even though the disheartening event happened 24 years ago!
The same periodical reported a domestic event that was held in Stillwater, Oklahoma USA directed by Gary Greenlee that was organized by a couple of twin gentlemen who were independently wealthy and great for chess in that region. I played there once and apologize for forgetting these two humorous benefactors of our beloved game.
I believe you are talking about Seirawan and John Donaldson's magazine and the twins are the Berry brothers in Stillwater. One of them passed away, both enormously important to the Royal Game in that area!!
ReplyDeleteCould you believe the callous remark by Ed Frumkin about Danny Kopec dying?? Jude Acers also used his eulogy to go hyper political.....Comon nerds, show some reverence!!