king with perfect efficiency, each of them playing an essential role in the victory; the pathetic final image of the black king, stranded helplessly so far from home. This is high drama. It is beauty in the sense that theatre is beautiful. But it is also beautiful in the sense that pure mathematics is beautiful, when a profound logic is reduced to a simplicity of breath-taking elegance.
I know now, with a greater experience of life, that I fell in love that evening. I am sure Mr Armitage knew that, but he did not say so. He was wise enough to let me come to terms with it myself. He allowed me to recover my composure, and we played a couple of casual games at 10 seconds a move before I went to prep. I have been moved by great art since, by van Gogh and Mozart, and by the Sonnets when I came to reread them as an adult. I have been moved romantically, as I was for the first time a few years later when I first saw Bridget on our lawn at the manor house, wearing her thin summer dress, barefoot, during an unexpected warm summer downpour, laughing delightedly at the rain, with no thought of seeking shelter. But I have not been moved by anything in my life as I was moved that evening by Lasker v Thomas, London 1912.
I decided that evening that I would devote my life to chess, as far as it was possible. I wrote to Roger about it. He replied.
School
3 rd December 1924
Sir,
I have your letter of the 26 th ult., the receipt of which affords me great satisfaction, but from which I apprehend that you may have become engaged in a most hazardous endeavour. I do not doubt but that your most excellent intellect and disposition equip you abundantly for success in this most gallant of games. Yet, sir, I know of at least one gentleman, possessed of the most admirable qualities of spirit and mind, who in the pursuit of that occupation so neglected his business, his religious duty, his family and his estate that he permitted himself to fall into ruination. This man, sir, might have aspired to the highest offices of the Church or the Law, but he ruined himself to such a degree that he was compelled to seek his fortune in some uncivilised corner of the world. Out of the natural affection I bear you, my dear sir, I implore you to take heed of his example.
I dined pleasantly last evening at the house masterâs residence, where I found Carstairs, Malcolm, and others, together with a divine of the Scottish church, the Rev McHenry of Glasgow, a guest of the house master. Carstairs (to the said divine): âSir, is it not true that there is little merit to be found in the city in which you minister?â The minister would have spoken, but I intervened in his defence. âNay, sir,â I replied to Carstairs, âfor when a man is tired of Glasgow, he is tired of life.â Work presses much upon me, masters clamour for my pages, but I remain otherwise unharmed, and your most humble and devoted servant,
Sam Johnson
Mr Armitage arranged for me to begin to play in tournaments for my age group, though there were only a few available, organised occasionally by the local chess clubs. By now I was making progress on an exponential level, because I had seen into the inner workings of the game and I was approaching an intimate understanding of its governing first principles â a stage which I truly believe eludes the vast majority of players. It is the most creative stage of any pursuit to see and understand its prima materia . It unlocks every door in the mind. Mr Armitage and I progressed into a study of basic endgames. I learned to checkmate the lone king with king and queen, then with king and rook, then with king and two bishops, and finally the fiendishly difficult ending with king, bishop and knight. We went on to basic pawn and rook and pawn endings. I have always believed that an affinity for the endgame, the most pure form of chess, marks out the greatest players. Anyone can learn a repertoire of sound openings, but each endgame
I know now, with a greater experience of life, that I fell in love that evening. I am sure Mr Armitage knew that, but he did not say so. He was wise enough to let me come to terms with it myself. He allowed me to recover my composure, and we played a couple of casual games at 10 seconds a move before I went to prep. I have been moved by great art since, by van Gogh and Mozart, and by the Sonnets when I came to reread them as an adult. I have been moved romantically, as I was for the first time a few years later when I first saw Bridget on our lawn at the manor house, wearing her thin summer dress, barefoot, during an unexpected warm summer downpour, laughing delightedly at the rain, with no thought of seeking shelter. But I have not been moved by anything in my life as I was moved that evening by Lasker v Thomas, London 1912.
I decided that evening that I would devote my life to chess, as far as it was possible. I wrote to Roger about it. He replied.
School
3 rd December 1924
Sir,
I have your letter of the 26 th ult., the receipt of which affords me great satisfaction, but from which I apprehend that you may have become engaged in a most hazardous endeavour. I do not doubt but that your most excellent intellect and disposition equip you abundantly for success in this most gallant of games. Yet, sir, I know of at least one gentleman, possessed of the most admirable qualities of spirit and mind, who in the pursuit of that occupation so neglected his business, his religious duty, his family and his estate that he permitted himself to fall into ruination. This man, sir, might have aspired to the highest offices of the Church or the Law, but he ruined himself to such a degree that he was compelled to seek his fortune in some uncivilised corner of the world. Out of the natural affection I bear you, my dear sir, I implore you to take heed of his example.
I dined pleasantly last evening at the house masterâs residence, where I found Carstairs, Malcolm, and others, together with a divine of the Scottish church, the Rev McHenry of Glasgow, a guest of the house master. Carstairs (to the said divine): âSir, is it not true that there is little merit to be found in the city in which you minister?â The minister would have spoken, but I intervened in his defence. âNay, sir,â I replied to Carstairs, âfor when a man is tired of Glasgow, he is tired of life.â Work presses much upon me, masters clamour for my pages, but I remain otherwise unharmed, and your most humble and devoted servant,
Sam Johnson
Mr Armitage arranged for me to begin to play in tournaments for my age group, though there were only a few available, organised occasionally by the local chess clubs. By now I was making progress on an exponential level, because I had seen into the inner workings of the game and I was approaching an intimate understanding of its governing first principles â a stage which I truly believe eludes the vast majority of players. It is the most creative stage of any pursuit to see and understand its prima materia . It unlocks every door in the mind. Mr Armitage and I progressed into a study of basic endgames. I learned to checkmate the lone king with king and queen, then with king and rook, then with king and two bishops, and finally the fiendishly difficult ending with king, bishop and knight. We went on to basic pawn and rook and pawn endings. I have always believed that an affinity for the endgame, the most pure form of chess, marks out the greatest players. Anyone can learn a repertoire of sound openings, but each endgame
Similar Books
