9/25/2018 – From musician and chess fan Juga, comes a ballad inspired by, and about, chess. "Oh Capablanca" has been making the rounds on social media in recent weeks to high acclaim. Today she has released a new acoustic version in a video recorded at the Marshall Chess Club in New York. Juga appears playing chess with a member of the Marshall and the video includes shots of historic photographs from the club of Capablanca, Marshall, and more. | Photos: Jugamusica.com
new: ChessBase 16 - Mega package Edition 2021
Your key to fresh ideas, precise analyses and targeted training!
Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.
Your key to fresh ideas, precise analyses and targeted training! Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.
Enjoy the best moments of recent top tournaments (World Cup, Isle of Man Open) with analysis of top players. In addition you'll get lots of training material. For example 10 new suggestions for your opening repertoire.
€19.95
"My rook was a knife"
Chess has inspired music and other arts for centuries, but there are relatively few examples of pop music with a significant chess focus. Singer/songwriter Juga di Prima (or just Juga for short) is out to change that, promising a series of chess-themed songs, starting with her first ballad "Oh Capablanca". The original version has racked up nearly 35,000 views in its first three weeks on YouTube. She's been invited to perform the song at Judit Polgar's Global Chess Festival next month, and before that at the Closing Ceremony of the Chess Olympiad in Batumi on October 5th.
The song, inspired by a painful loss in the Exchange Variation of the Caro-Kann, tells the story of the game and also helped the artist cope and get over a feeling that she didn't understand chess at all. We've all been there.
The Exchange Variation (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3) is a simple and easy to learn answer to the Caro-Kann. By clarifying the central tension White gives himself a clear plan of attack using the half open e-file and the e5 square. This is far from easy for Black to meet as Bobby Fischer, Jan Timman, Walter Browne and other leading Grandmasters have demonstrated in their games. Black too has his resources but he needs to know what he's doing.
Incidentally, if you want to learn and practice the Exchange Caro-Kann, we've just published a "30-minute-training" for you.
Now, Juga is out with a brand new acoustic version of the song, and ChessBase got a sneak peak:
He was a child prodigy and he is surrounded by legends. In his best times he was considered to be unbeatable and by many he was reckoned to be the greatest chess talent of all time: Jose Raul Capablanca, born 1888 in Havana.
"He played Caro-Kann His rating was higher But from move 17 the kingside was mine Took my chances fast My rook was a knife and my almighty queen, a beast on h6 My bishop was gold, his bishop was small With no time pressure, I'd crush him once and for all
I gave up my good knight, but that don't mean a thing He has more experience but I won't lose again Oh, my dear Capablanca wishful eyes deceive me Over-optimistic Got nowhere to go, got nowhere to go
Shook his hand, signed the scores, politely as I could I can't analyse, can't lookin his eyes A lonely hotel room I cried my despair Did I allow any counterplay? His pieces were dead
I gave up my good knight, but thatdon't mean a thing. He has more experience, but I won't lose again Oh, my dear Capablanca Where did my attack go? I was clearly winning 2 minutes ago, 2 minutes ago, 2 minutes ago
Now according to stockfish, I got it all wrong After slightly advantage, I had nothing But my dear Capablanca, you tell me we learn more from our defeats Who needs victories, right?"
The game was played in the B Open of the 2nd International Chess Festival Rome City, 2017, but Juga would prefer that listeners use their imagination than play through the moves in full, telling ChessBase, "the song is a fantasy about it and I believe that the actual game is far less interesting than what people can imagine listening to the song".
Juga appeared prominently in a chess-context at this year's Altibox Norway Chess tournament, in one of the best photos of 2018:
(L to R) Juga (singer, songwriter); Anemone (chief arbiter); Benedicte (main organiser); Maria (photographer); Anna (commentator); Anastasia (press officer) | Photo: Lennart Ootes
The song has been widely praised by chess pros and fans alike:
This wonder woman, @JugadiPrima, just released a song (THE song) every chess fan must listen to. It's Epic. Moving. Authentic. I've been on the secret clan,her closest friends, to witness the process of creation -- and I couldn't be more proud of her!❤️https://t.co/cN3nW2Un7dpic.twitter.com/jK1DyGAK7R
Macauley PetersonMacauley served as the Editor in Chief of ChessBase News from July 2017 to March 2020. He is the producer of The Full English Breakfast chess podcast, and was an Associate Producer of the 2016 feature documentary, Magnus.
Anniversary issue with several extras! "My favourite young Carlsen game": 22 authors annotate. Pearls from Wijk: Jorden van Foreest and Anish Giri comment on their best games. Plus 11 opening articles, 3 opening videos, "Carlen's strategy" and much more!
Fat Fritz 2.0 is the successor to the revolutionary Fat Fritz, which was based on the famous AlphaZero algorithms. This new version takes chess analysis to the next level and is a must for players of all skill levels.
Videos by Jan Werle ("Latest trends in King's Indian Saemisch Variation") and Mihail Marin ("Ruy Lopez with 6.d3"). "Lucky bag" with analyses by Adhiban, Ganguly, Mikhalchishin, Bartel et al. Over 44,000 new games for your database.
In this video series Pert gives a strong and practical Black repertoire against the Anti-Sicilians such as the Bb5 Sicilian, the Grand Prix Attack, the Alapin and many more, from my years of experience playing the Sicilian.
Special: AVRO 1938. “All in One”: Anish Giri and Igor Stohl dissect two topical opening lines. Analyses from Norway Chess 2020 by Duda, Firouzja et al. Videos by Erwin l’Ami, Daniel King and Mihail Marin. 11 opening articles and much more!
€19.95
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.