CHESSFLASH WORLD NEWS/Dec 6, 2013


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Image credit: Babak Fakhamzadeh

IMMORTAL FREEDOM FIGHTER NELSON MANDELA (CHESS PLAYER!!) DIES AT 95 IN SOUTH AFRICA

The man who played chess ruthlessly and often with great ponderous reflection of every move at South Africa’s Robben Prison in 1964 … and for 27 subsequent torturous years of political prison life … has died … Mr. Nelson Mandela, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, an awesome fighter for freedom, world statesmanship and above all forgiveness in South Africa statesmanship … knew how to play chess at, by all fellow prisoner accounts, an above average level. Although at this moment it does seem trite to even try to find words to describe Mr. Mandela in any mode … Chesslab readers may find interesting a searing memory … sitting in a tiny hotel room in Port Arthur, Texas … with the radio on at night half a century ago … the BBC WORLD RADIO SERVICE knew that Mandela was permitted a radio in his cell … they opened up with every proud English audio gun WORLDWIDE … full power mega-plus-Beatles-mode worldwide and made certain Mr.Mandela could get clear reception in his prison cell on his birthday … and then for hours ruthlessly sent South Africa the real-deal-folks message in real up close and personal BBC terms … turned the BBC phone lines over to an amazing all-over-the-globe call-in show: “Hello Mr. Mandela … I am calling to wish you a happy birthday. My name is Teresa…” “Hello Mr. Mandela … I am standing by the sea … I wish you could be here. Happy Birthday…” You heard all of this while going over chess grandmaster Matanovic’s unbelievable latest Chess Informator edition, also from far away Belgrade … Whew! … Believe me …Buddy Holly and ZZ Top weren’t the only thing a-rockin’ in Texas that night. I poured the coffee and just listened in pure unadulterated absolute awe all night long.

Jude Acers

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