James Joyce Revisited

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

“His heart danced upon her movements like a cork upon a tide…” Expectations in the online chess world were high today as the 16 year old Iranian prodigy Ali Firouzja faced off against the reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen in round 9 of the Tata Steel chess tournament in Wijk Ann Zee.

But the Iranian teenager seemed distracted with all of the attention and seriously goofed up the opening…soon he not only found himself in a position that theory already considers favourable for Black, but with a tempo less!

gm Carlsen,Magnus

gm Firouzja,A

This line, even with White to play, was abandoned long ago by the White side when even I was still a young man! Either Firouzja was not aware of this or he was careless. A pretty girl’s charms can be intoxicating…

The World Champion, no doubt realizing his good fortune, rose to the occasion as only a World Champion knows how to do and never looked back. The Iranian star did not withstand the pressure and resigned on move 39.