SICILIAN c3 IS DANGEROUS FOR BLACK

The Alapin variation, 2 c3, in the Sicilian Defence, is pretty dangerous for Black if one does not know precisely what one is doing in the opening.

The rapid game Mikormeister - Bahamapapa was short:

Here is my analysis of the game:

HOW TO RECONNECT?

I have lost a few games on the CHESSCom because of "disconnection." 

It has nothing to do with my computer or my internet connection. I even had no other browsers opened.

Such things have happened on other chess platforms, too.

Almost always, such incidents have happened when I had a winning position.

I have abandoned some chess platforms on which such incidents seem regular.

The weird thing is that sometimes, the chess platforms demand that the player should "reconnect". Unfortunately:

No information about how to "reconnect" has ever been given.

The same is true about CHESSCom. In the HELP files, no information is given about how to "reconnect". 

Note that if my internet connection is OK, it does not make sense to switch it off and then on again. The problem is only with the chess platform.

Perhaps I should switch the connection to the chess platform off and then on again? However, the following problems will immediately arise:

1. If I turn the chess platform on again, where will I find my ongoing rapid game, and how long will it take to find it?
2. If I turn the chess platform off and then on again, it is me who disconnected and then reconnected it. Can I prove that the notification of disconnection appeared earlier or appeared at all?

The information given by chess platforms, including CHESSCom, concerning disconnection issues is not clear and transparent.

I have no reason to trust such incidents, just as I have no reason to trust the digital electronic electoral systems or be sure there was no electoral fraud.

ALEKHINE AND HIS CATS

World chess champion Alexander Alekhine with his cat

Once, during a chess tournament in Salzburg, Paul Keres accidentally discovered why Alexander Alekhine always had a cat with him when he competed.

Young chess genius Paul Keres

Keres had just come out of the toilets and walked down the corridor towards the tournament hall. A portrait of Hitler was on the wall, and Keres paused for a moment to look at it.

Portrait of Adolf Hitler

Suddenly, Alekhine, a cat under his arm, rushed out of the hall. He opened the front door, put the cat down and hit it with his foot.

Keres looked at Alekhine, startled.

"I lost that game," said Alekhine, smiling shyly.

"Flying low. I think it's going to be rainy," he added.

 

ALEHHIN JA TEMA KASSID

Male maailmameister Aleksandr Alehhin oma kassiga

Ükskord Salzburgis maleturniiri ajal sai Paul Keres juhuslikult teada, miks Aleksandr Alehhinil võistlustel alati kass kaasas on.

Noor malegeenius Paul Keres

Keres tuli just WC-st ja kõndis mööda koridori turniirisaali poole. Seinal oli Hitleri portree ja Keres seisatus hetkeks, et seda silmitseda.

Adolf Hitleri portree

Äkki sööstis saalist välja Alehhin, kass kaenla all. Ta avas välisukse, pani kassi maha ja äigas sellele jalaga.

Keres vaatas Alehhinile jahmunult otsa.

"Ma kaotasin selle partii," ütles Alehhin häbelikult naeratades.

"Madalalt lendab. Tuleb vist vihmane ilm," lisas ta.