The draw was right in front of me in move no 39. I saw it, I knew it, but I didnt believe in it. Thats why I lost it. The game was amazing, although I have to say that the grand master gave me 2 extra rounds to think. In the end not many people were left playing and he was returning much quicker to my board. The truth though is that I have much more to learn in chess. By no means would a draw mean that I have the level of the grand master. So maybe I shouldnt even think about it and return to the "earth". Its just frustrating because I saw it but I didnt play the correct move.
Here is the game:
Grand Master - Viruswitch
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nf3 Bb4
4. Bd2 B:d2
5. Q:d2 o-o
6. Nc3 Re8
7. e3 b6
8. Be2 Bb7
9. o-o Ne4
10. N:e4 B:e4
11. Ne1 c5
12. f3 Bf5
13. e4 Bg6
14. d5 e5
15. Nc2 d6
16. Ne3 Nd7
17. Bd1 Nb9
18. Ba4 Rf8
19. a3 a5
20. Bb5 Ra7
21. b4 Na6
22. B:a6 R:a6
23. b:c5 b:c5
24. Rb1 a4
25. Rb7 f5
26. e:f5 B:f5
27. N:f5 R:f5
28. Rb1 Ra8
29. Qb2 Rf8
30. Re1 Qh4
31. Re4 Qh6
32. h3 Rf4
33. R:f4 Q:f4
34. Rb8+ R:b8
35. Q:b8+ Qf8
36. Q:f8 K:f8
37. Kf2 g5
38. Ke3 Kg7
39. Ke4 h5 ???
40. Kf5 black resigns
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Chess at the Speed of Light
Today was one those rare days that will remain unforgetable to me. It was the first time I saw a grand master of chess (national and european champion, 3rd medal worldwide) in action. Needless to say that I was taken aback with surprize, shock and admiration. I have never seen anything similar in my entire life! The chessmaster was very friendly and funny, doing jokes all the time while playing against us in a speed, comparable almost to that of light.
The clock was set at 5 minutes for the opponent and ONLY 35 seconds for the chessmaster! 35 seconds are normally not even enough to perform all the game-moves of the pieces along the board. But his fingers were moving so fast, still much slower than his mind, which foresaw the next moves and made combinations that beat all of his opponents within seconds. At the end of the evening, he analysed some games and taught us several things.
I am very happy that I had the honour of getting a great interview from him. The interview will be published in one of my sites and and in the local newspaper. Tomorrow is the official simultane game and even though I know I will loose, I am looking forward to it because I remember his words:
"What matters is the knowledge one gains out of a game and not victory or loss. That is why one should not get dissapointed but keep on playing and learning from ones experiences."
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Corfu in Snow
Its hard to believe that this is Corfu. It is a rare phenomenon that it snows on our island, here is a scenery I saw for the first time in my life. These are pics of the village Lafki, where my father grew up.
The vineyard in snow!
The vineyard in snow!
The Blog is in Middle Path Status
Thanks to the new natural keybord, the drastic reduce of chatting and ...the splint :)) I can write again.
Its the chatting that is mostly tiring for the hands. Another thing I learned considering posture on the pc is that the table has to be on a low level. Its best not to get to the point considering all these details though. As the ancient greeks used to say "Παν μέτρον άριστον" which means fair and wise is that which can be measured (moderate). The middle path as buddha put it. So my blog is going to be on a middle path modus/status from today :)).
Its the chatting that is mostly tiring for the hands. Another thing I learned considering posture on the pc is that the table has to be on a low level. Its best not to get to the point considering all these details though. As the ancient greeks used to say "Παν μέτρον άριστον" which means fair and wise is that which can be measured (moderate). The middle path as buddha put it. So my blog is going to be on a middle path modus/status from today :)).
8MM
8MM is a film that cannot be considered a masterpiece of its kind. Its an ugly film of a medium quality, dealing with an ugly reality. There are three things about it though, on which I could dwell.
Firstly, the director has a way of presenting a world that might be real. Its a subject normal people dont discuss about and has to do with the "flexibility of the human mind". By that I mean the perversion that it can hide. How much can the human mind bend and get distorted? The mere thought that there is even a slight possibility that what the director presents can be true is shocking. Sadly, one just needs to listen to the news and realize that such things happen. Its just that the news reporters make their statements in a cold and formal way, while a film director is trying to enhance the influence of incidents through psychological means. Reality remains the same, whether you feel it or not. Am I living in a dream-world?
Secondly, Nicolas Cage, once more makes an ugly film worth-seeing, due to his astonishing acting.
Finally, the last thought that this film provokes is, what is that that makes the mind of a criminal? How can such a behaviour be analysed and researched? What are the reasons? What is hidden in the unfathomable depths of the human soul and mind?
Firstly, the director has a way of presenting a world that might be real. Its a subject normal people dont discuss about and has to do with the "flexibility of the human mind". By that I mean the perversion that it can hide. How much can the human mind bend and get distorted? The mere thought that there is even a slight possibility that what the director presents can be true is shocking. Sadly, one just needs to listen to the news and realize that such things happen. Its just that the news reporters make their statements in a cold and formal way, while a film director is trying to enhance the influence of incidents through psychological means. Reality remains the same, whether you feel it or not. Am I living in a dream-world?
Secondly, Nicolas Cage, once more makes an ugly film worth-seeing, due to his astonishing acting.
Finally, the last thought that this film provokes is, what is that that makes the mind of a criminal? How can such a behaviour be analysed and researched? What are the reasons? What is hidden in the unfathomable depths of the human soul and mind?
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Seeking the Secrets of Great Writing
Dear Indie,
How come the ones who didnt guess it get a diploma as well? :))
Thanks for revealing us this secret. I have often wondered what is better to do: write what comes to ones mind or plan every detail of the plot etc
In compositions at school I used to plan what each paragraph would be about. My teacher told me she could see that. She shared with me that she wrote instantly, which often made her wander away from the subject a bit. But her writing was more lively and mine was dry. She was an amazing and gifted person.
Unfortunately at school we didnt write any stories. But I got to write them during english class! Finally a place where fun and homework met. Most of the stories "wrote themself". But there was a trick. We were given 2 restrictions:
1. The composition had to be about 350 words and
2. "write a composition that ends with the words (...)".
And that was magic.
I suppose kids can write like that. We adults have to try to get in touch with our subconsciousness. Testing 1.. testing 2.. testing 3 and maybe catch a channel! :))
Another secret you revealed to us is that reading great stories teaches us unconsciously to write greately through the instict. Especially if one is trying to write in a foreign language, reading is the most important thing. I am guilty I know, I read "only" indeterminacy!
Trying to write something good has been bothering me the past year more than ever. I am seeking for a great plot since a year and I have not grasped the perfect idea. Is that too much to ask? :)) Lately I have started to watch films that resemble the style I want to write and analyze their structure and plot. The number of characters, their relations, how the are entangled in the story, the number of deaths, the happy moments, the sad moments, the drama. Thats a lot of work.. and I see no other way to go about it. The details of the plot have to be complicated and the way the heroes interfere with each other has to be planned extremely carefully. Of course films and books are very different in various ways. How can you describe in words the way an actor or the imagined hero raises his hand and waves it in front of his face in a certain way, in a certain time and space? How can you describe that the director has thrown light on half the face of the actor and plays an intimidating music to illustrate mystery and fear? Decent writing just have to be a matter of technique I believe. Great writing, on the other hand, must be a combination of technique and the touch of a god or a muse.
PS: Blog is still in away status but I had to write that!
How come the ones who didnt guess it get a diploma as well? :))
Thanks for revealing us this secret. I have often wondered what is better to do: write what comes to ones mind or plan every detail of the plot etc
In compositions at school I used to plan what each paragraph would be about. My teacher told me she could see that. She shared with me that she wrote instantly, which often made her wander away from the subject a bit. But her writing was more lively and mine was dry. She was an amazing and gifted person.
Unfortunately at school we didnt write any stories. But I got to write them during english class! Finally a place where fun and homework met. Most of the stories "wrote themself". But there was a trick. We were given 2 restrictions:
1. The composition had to be about 350 words and
2. "write a composition that ends with the words (...)".
And that was magic.
I suppose kids can write like that. We adults have to try to get in touch with our subconsciousness. Testing 1.. testing 2.. testing 3 and maybe catch a channel! :))
Another secret you revealed to us is that reading great stories teaches us unconsciously to write greately through the instict. Especially if one is trying to write in a foreign language, reading is the most important thing. I am guilty I know, I read "only" indeterminacy!
Trying to write something good has been bothering me the past year more than ever. I am seeking for a great plot since a year and I have not grasped the perfect idea. Is that too much to ask? :)) Lately I have started to watch films that resemble the style I want to write and analyze their structure and plot. The number of characters, their relations, how the are entangled in the story, the number of deaths, the happy moments, the sad moments, the drama. Thats a lot of work.. and I see no other way to go about it. The details of the plot have to be complicated and the way the heroes interfere with each other has to be planned extremely carefully. Of course films and books are very different in various ways. How can you describe in words the way an actor or the imagined hero raises his hand and waves it in front of his face in a certain way, in a certain time and space? How can you describe that the director has thrown light on half the face of the actor and plays an intimidating music to illustrate mystery and fear? Decent writing just have to be a matter of technique I believe. Great writing, on the other hand, must be a combination of technique and the touch of a god or a muse.
PS: Blog is still in away status but I had to write that!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Blog is in away status
I will have to reduce my blogging and online activities dramatically, the tendons in my hands are on strike and refuse to type anything more. No blogging, no chatting, no crazy forum writing and googling, no wikipedia?... not sure I can handle the last one :P.
I will use this time to prepare myself for the simultane-chess game with the greek grand master and champion that will visit our club in two weeks. I dont expect to win but that should be a distraction enough!
See you in a couple of weeks!
BLOG CLOSED- TEMPORARILY
I will use this time to prepare myself for the simultane-chess game with the greek grand master and champion that will visit our club in two weeks. I dont expect to win but that should be a distraction enough!
See you in a couple of weeks!
BLOG CLOSED- TEMPORARILY
Stories
Have you ever had that feeling? That you really love something you wrote and you want to read it again and again? I want to show you the story I wrote for Indies blog here
http://indeterminacy.blogspot.com/2006/01/all-of-sudden-it-became-light.html
Especially last weekend, each and every single story contributed by the readers was amazing. Lets see what happens this time.
http://indeterminacy.blogspot.com/2006/01/all-of-sudden-it-became-light.html
Especially last weekend, each and every single story contributed by the readers was amazing. Lets see what happens this time.
My Wikipedia Userpage
I have become quite obsessed with the wikipedia so its only right that I link to it from my blog as well :D. So far I ve written a tiny article with pictures on Acharavi and have posed some questions in few discussions pages. I dont feel like going ahead and editing other articles yet. The funniest thing about the userpages are the userboxes... what fun!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Viruswitch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Viruswitch
Friday, January 13, 2006
Matrix - The Story
All I was waiting is to witness the end, so I can finally make up my mind whether the contradictions I felt were true or not. But the ending made it even more difficult to detect the philosophy hidden behind this film.
Spoiler Warning: Parts of Story and Ending will be revealed
The gist of the story is about the war between the machines and humans. Machines represent the bad and humans the good. In a computerized world, the power of the machines grew that much that took over the civilization of humans. Humans in their effort to resist managed to bomb the sky and hide the sun. They thought the machines would not be able to survive without an energy source as abandant as the sun. But they were wrong, because the machines used human lives as great sources of energy. Something like the Borg of Star Trek. In order to manipulate humans, the machines built a program that simulated the past destroyed world and plugged humans into this simulation. None suspected that this is only a simulation, that they were living in a dream, in an illusion, in a computer program. In the real world, only the dark city of Zion survived and kept giving birth to few people in the last place of freedom deep in the core of the earth. Zion resisted and kept fighting. Zion had a team of hackers that could hack into the simulation of the matrix and project themselves in it. This way they could contact others through the hacker underground culture and spread their message. The ones, who were ready, were unplugged from the matrix, however all were looking for the ONE who would, according to the Oracle, liberate them from all evil, the machines and the matrix. The dangerous enemy is personified in the Agents, programs that can manifest wherever they want in the matrix through any human that is plugged in. This program was called Smith, the Smith being the counterpart, opposite and negative of Neo, the young brilliant hacker that is believed to be the ONE.
Neo give hope to Zion, everyone believes he is the one that will liberate them and set them free from the illusions of the matrix, the power of the machines and will rescue the last human city from the ultimate attack of the Machines.
Neo becomes a super-hero achieving things none before him had. In the night of the attack, he sets out only with his girlfriend and great hacker Trinity to enter the center of the machine-city, a place none has reached before. Its considered suicide and impossible to do this. While Zion is loosing all chance for survival he manages to enter the city and face the machines though a deal he makes. If he beats Smith, the program that has gained greater power than any other and threatens to destroy everything, the machines will stop attacking Zion.
Neo fights Smith, ultimately Smith beats him but both are killed because they are counterparts that balance each other and cannot exist one without the other. Zion celebrates watching the machines disappear. It all indicates a happy end. A deceptive happy end though...
Spoiler Warning: Parts of Story and Ending will be revealed
The gist of the story is about the war between the machines and humans. Machines represent the bad and humans the good. In a computerized world, the power of the machines grew that much that took over the civilization of humans. Humans in their effort to resist managed to bomb the sky and hide the sun. They thought the machines would not be able to survive without an energy source as abandant as the sun. But they were wrong, because the machines used human lives as great sources of energy. Something like the Borg of Star Trek. In order to manipulate humans, the machines built a program that simulated the past destroyed world and plugged humans into this simulation. None suspected that this is only a simulation, that they were living in a dream, in an illusion, in a computer program. In the real world, only the dark city of Zion survived and kept giving birth to few people in the last place of freedom deep in the core of the earth. Zion resisted and kept fighting. Zion had a team of hackers that could hack into the simulation of the matrix and project themselves in it. This way they could contact others through the hacker underground culture and spread their message. The ones, who were ready, were unplugged from the matrix, however all were looking for the ONE who would, according to the Oracle, liberate them from all evil, the machines and the matrix. The dangerous enemy is personified in the Agents, programs that can manifest wherever they want in the matrix through any human that is plugged in. This program was called Smith, the Smith being the counterpart, opposite and negative of Neo, the young brilliant hacker that is believed to be the ONE.
Neo give hope to Zion, everyone believes he is the one that will liberate them and set them free from the illusions of the matrix, the power of the machines and will rescue the last human city from the ultimate attack of the Machines.
Neo becomes a super-hero achieving things none before him had. In the night of the attack, he sets out only with his girlfriend and great hacker Trinity to enter the center of the machine-city, a place none has reached before. Its considered suicide and impossible to do this. While Zion is loosing all chance for survival he manages to enter the city and face the machines though a deal he makes. If he beats Smith, the program that has gained greater power than any other and threatens to destroy everything, the machines will stop attacking Zion.
Neo fights Smith, ultimately Smith beats him but both are killed because they are counterparts that balance each other and cannot exist one without the other. Zion celebrates watching the machines disappear. It all indicates a happy end. A deceptive happy end though...
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Thoughts on Matrix
Great Masterpieces and epic works that inspire the human soul usually include a moral based on universal truths and principles. Such great stories, books and films often have an obvious message to trasmit; the good and the bad exist, exactly as the eternal battle between them. The concept of "good" is always illustrated as the seemingly weakest, whereas the" bad" one is the most superior and powerful. The hero makes the impossible possible by beating its enemy. As a result, the feelings of strength and optimism are amplified in the reader or viewer. The ancient greeks believed this is the mission of drama, to liberate people psychologically this way. Entertainment in greek is "Ψυχαγωγία" meaning guiding the soul upwards.
That is why I am used to seeking a moral in works that inspire me and liberate my mind. Matrix the film, achieves a great influence on the viewer and magnifies several kinds of emotions through the known psychological tricks that directors use. The story itself contains also many inspirational messages. But it also makes one ponder deeply on great questions we can derive from it. Ultimately, after seeing the Trilogy Matrix (Matrix, Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions) I am filled with numerous questions and philosophical problems. In fact I could feel a great contradiction present throughout the films.
That is why I am used to seeking a moral in works that inspire me and liberate my mind. Matrix the film, achieves a great influence on the viewer and magnifies several kinds of emotions through the known psychological tricks that directors use. The story itself contains also many inspirational messages. But it also makes one ponder deeply on great questions we can derive from it. Ultimately, after seeing the Trilogy Matrix (Matrix, Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions) I am filled with numerous questions and philosophical problems. In fact I could feel a great contradiction present throughout the films.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Uncyclopedia!
Uncyclopedia is a very funny site which is a parody of the known free encyclopedia, Wikipedia. I discovered it a few minutes ago and I have tears from laughing.
Check the computer article out...
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Computer
and
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Internet
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Zork
Check the computer article out...
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Computer
and
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Internet
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Zork
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Celle
Celle is a German city in Lower Saxony that consists of buildings that date back to the 12th century. The funniest thing I saw were fast-food restaurants, absolute symbols of our modern society, housed in such old buildings.
Celle owns a castle-palace, which has been a place many aristocrats, even monarchs of various countries originated.
Celle owns a castle-palace, which has been a place many aristocrats, even monarchs of various countries originated.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Which language am I?
My native language (and the one I speak best) is Greek but I dont like reading and writing in Greek. Instead, I keep reading and writing all over the internet in English. On the other hand, I am obliged to read, write and speak in Greek in certain circumstances.
This buffles me and makes me wonder. Sometimes the languages I speak get mixed inside my brain and fight over my mind-domination. Every day the battle wins a different language but in the end... which one will win this peculiar war?
This buffles me and makes me wonder. Sometimes the languages I speak get mixed inside my brain and fight over my mind-domination. Every day the battle wins a different language but in the end... which one will win this peculiar war?
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