Choose your opponets wisely!
04 Mar '09 15:24Paolo Boi, the Sicilian, was the strongest chessplayer of 16th century. He was tall and good natured and kind, and he was a very good Christian too; Pope Pius V offered him many privileges should he accepted to become a priest, however the Sicilian declined.
Boi travelled a lot. He won many strong players like Lopez and Theron, and he spent 20 years living like a king at the palaces of the most powerful European kings.
One day, when he was in Venice, he was loosing constantly games from a much weaker player, and he sensed that a supernatural power was blocking his ability to play accurately; before the next game he went to the church, he took the holy communion and a blessed talisman, and he won at every next game his opponent without the slightest difficulty. His opponent told him:
-- "Oh well, your talisman is stronger than mine!"
Unfortunately, whilst Boi was returning back home he was captured by Algerian pirates, but soon he was free again because he earned a fortune for his master by winning big betting chess games.
In 1570 Boi was enjoying a perfect day at a small Calabrian village walking in piece and heading as normally to the church -and in front of the church he saw the most beautiful woman of the world; he saluted her kindly, and soon he discovered that the lady with them tricky puzzling eyes was playing chess too, and she was insisting to face him with the Black! The battle was fierce, but Boi played with perfect accuracy, and when they reached this position he was ready to checkmate the lady in two.
Boi travelled a lot. He won many strong players like Lopez and Theron, and he spent 20 years living like a king at the palaces of the most powerful European kings.
One day, when he was in Venice, he was loosing constantly games from a much weaker player, and he sensed that a supernatural power was blocking his ability to play accurately; before the next game he went to the church, he took the holy communion and a blessed talisman, and he won at every next game his opponent without the slightest difficulty. His opponent told him:
-- "Oh well, your talisman is stronger than mine!"
Unfortunately, whilst Boi was returning back home he was captured by Algerian pirates, but soon he was free again because he earned a fortune for his master by winning big betting chess games.
In 1570 Boi was enjoying a perfect day at a small Calabrian village walking in piece and heading as normally to the church -and in front of the church he saw the most beautiful woman of the world; he saluted her kindly, and soon he discovered that the lady with them tricky puzzling eyes was playing chess too, and she was insisting to face him with the Black! The battle was fierce, but Boi played with perfect accuracy, and when they reached this position he was ready to checkmate the lady in two.
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