A Classical Guide to the French Defence
This DVD gives you the key to start out with the French Defence. GM Yannick Pelletier is a specialist of this opening, and believes that the most efficient way to understand its ideas, plans, and typical structures is to study classical lines.
Master Class Vol.8: Magnus Carlsen
Scarcely any world champion has managed to captivate chess lovers to the extent Carlsen has. The enormously talented Norwegian hasn't been systematically trained within the structures of a major chess-playing nation such as Russia, the Ukraine or China.
"Yunomi" is a new magazine for "home, art, design and "lifestyle" that is "centered around acclaimed artists and creatives from a vast variety of fields, who share their working process and expertise."
Editor-in-Chief Marie Boyard is a photographer, but also a chess player with a peak rating over 2000. She played various open tournaments until 2013 and participated at the 2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul for the team of Luxembourg.
The name, "yunomi", refers to a traditional Japanese teacup and the bi-annual publication is inspired by Japanese minimalism. There is a double entendre in English — "you know me" — which I was surprised to learn was a happy coincidence. GM Yannick Pelletier, the Project Coordinator, says that only after coming up with the name, did the pair notice the very fitting symbolism for the magazine's brand.
'Magazine' is not really the right word to describe the tome — nearly 200 hefty pages showcasing film (not digital) photography along with light text presented by various authors — which is more like a journal or coffee table book.
Given the chess background of its creators, it is anything but a coincidence that Magnus Carlsen is the target of Boyard's camera in a short profile titled "Learning Creative and Critical Thinking".
Magnus Carlsen in July, 2018 | Photo: Marie Boyard
The profile provides a nice introduction to the World Champion for a general audience, but there will not be any surprises for a chess enthusiast who has followed his career. Carlsen tells how and when he learned chess and found himself reaching for the heights of the sport. Of some interest is how he struggles to articulate his creative process:
"As long as it somehow works, I'm even hesitant to elaborate on it partly to avoid jinxing myself. I'm usually occupied with chess all the time. Having focused so much on chess for 20 years, positions, questions and ideas just pop up even when I do other things and during sleep."
Honouring the creative process is a theme of Yunomi, along with celebrating timeless photography. "For us, art is a significant segment of our daily routines and surely is best when shared", writes Boyard in the magazine's preface.
More excerpts of the Carlsen profile may be found at yunomimag.com.
The inaugural issue is available in select shows and exhibitions in Paris, London, Berlin, Luxembourg and Switzerland, and also in the Yunomi Shop for EUR €25 with free worldwide shipping. The 2019 issues are planned for May and November.
