Here is an oddity in the world of chess – a game played by
Fidel Castro in 1966. It soon becomes obvious that Castro isn’t much of a chess player
and his opponent seems poised to beat him fairly easily.
Then from a winning position, Castro’s
opponent makes a ghastly and inexplicable beginner’s blunder allowing Castro to checkmate him in one move. Hmm...
Not entirely inexplicable is it?
Not entirely inexplicable is it?
As an aside - what does Jeremy Corbyn think of Castro?
“Fidel Castro’s death marks the passing of a huge figure of modern
history, national independence and 20th-century socialism,” said the Labour leader,
Jeremy Corbyn, who claimed that “for all his flaws” Castro would be remembered as
an “internationalist and a champion of social justice”
It’s a pity Jeremy was never in the same position as Castro’s chess opponent. It may have given him a deeper perspective on the man’s “flaws”.
It’s a pity Jeremy was never in the same position as Castro’s chess opponent. It may have given him a deeper perspective on the man’s “flaws”.
4 comments:
Only ever played one game and won it. Recall he was apoplectic. Had not a clue why.
Well actually, had not a clue.
Do you remember Ronald Reagan arm-wrestling Dan Lurie, a top body-builder and strongman, in the Oval Office in 1984? Reagan was 73, yet beat the 61 year old professional.
Later, Lurie admitted that he had allowed Reagan to win (surprise!!). That sounds more like blokeish gallantry, to me. I doubt if it was in Castro's case, though.
The "Dear Leader" was pretty good at sport, I doubt anyone doubted his golfing prowess....
According to his biography, he first picked up a golf club in 1994, at North Korea's only golf course, and shot a 38-under par round that included no fewer than 11 holes in one. Satisfied with his performance, he immediately declared his retirement from the sport.
James - a 100% record, very few can claim that. In fact you may be unique.
Sam - I don't think Castro's win was blokeish gallantry either. Maybe Castro's opponent needed to change his trousers.
Wiggia - I remember reading about the Dear Leader's golfing prowess. I wonder of North Korean's actually believe that kind of thing.
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