Musings on chess, and lesser things
Well, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary, I eventually made it to the famed Machu Pichu. I even managed to get there before the tourist hordes in time for the dawn. I have to say, of all the things I’ve seen on my travels, I’ve experienced none more beautiful than watching the sun rise …
It´s 6.15am, freezing cold, I´ve been awake (though violently sick) for the last 45 minutes, and our taxi arrives in 15 minutes to take us to the airport and consequently Cusco. But perhaps not Machu Picchu after all. I´ve been up all night frantically trying to find a way to visit the historic site, now …
A relatively short post today, and you may not hear from me for another week. Tomorrow I’m off to Cusco and the famous ancient wonder Machu Picchu with Jessie, one of the other volunteers. Jessie, the youngest in the house at twenty, is an up-front Floridian girl who shares my traits of blatant honestly and occasionally …
Several of you have asked me whether it’s full on volunteering all day, every day while I’m here. The answer is no; we teach five days a week during the day, but outings are relatively common. When I arrived, some of the more veteran volunteers told me that Huaycan can prove a little suffocating after …
LLI’s program consists of teaching the children of Huaycan in various ’zones’, sort of mini-suburbs. Some of these zones are really very poor, consisting of basic tin and brick shacks high up in the dusty hills along dirt paths that are inaccessible to most transportation. The volunteers teach basic English, French, math, sport, art, dance …
A brief interlude from my Peruvian reports. Many of you complain that my blog does not have enough chess in it (an equal number regularly complains that it contains too much chess). Rather than pander to your wishes, I’ll react as any good politician should: deflect, deflect, deflect. Four young Aussie guys, Andrew Brown, Moulthun Ly, …
After a surprisingly successful chess-tourism jaunt to Africa, it seems like I’ve arrived on another planet. Joining the volunteer organisation Light and Leadership Initiative on the outskirts of Lima is really a far cry from the Commonwealth chess championships at a resort named the “Emperor’s Palace”. Peru is a reasonably developed country by South American …
Thus ends another Commonwealth Chess Championships, and my sojourn into Africa. It’s been nothing like I expected, which for a seasoned chess tourist is quite unusual. It’s been crazier, more dangerous and far more dramatic than I could have possibly predicted. But, in fact, it’s been incredible. Tomorrow morning I fly off to Peru, but …
A lightning quick update before I head off for the tournament after-party. A big congratulations to Gawain Jones, the 2011 Commonwealth Chess Champion! Gawain won the title from Nigel Short on tie-break, due to, bizarrely, me beating one of Nigel’s previous opponents in the last round.
In an even crueller and more unfair twist of fate, I finished in third. Justice did not prevail, not only because my opponent, Watu Kobese, was beating me severely, but also because I played some of the worst chess of my life and I was worse in all eleven of my games. Well, I guess there’s no accounting for luck in these big opens…
More to follow.
Plans have gone awry. Chaos ensued. Unfortunately, my tournament has taken a turn for the worse. Several, in fact. I’ve now dropped points against Nick van der Nat and Daniel Jere, two of Africa’s most talented chess gems. I’m not in anything resembling form, but they both played brilliantly, and deserve to be where they …