CHESS,CHess,chess...

   I have just read an interview of Garry Kasparov,where he said that it's possible to be a very good chess player only when chess=life. Hanging out during tournaments,having all kind of worries-it's not proffessional. I think he's completely right,if to analyse my best and my worst results so far, I had my best results when being totally focused on chess,not thinking about exams,men or anything else. It's really difficult to be like this when you have so many temptations. I mean that it's almost impossible to say "no" to a friend whom you haven't seen for months when he asks you to hang out. Maybe the solution is to have more "not chess players friends",so not to have with whom to hang out during tournaments,but come on, how's that possible? There must be some balance I guess,not no get too distracted and in the same time not to go all mad about chess ;) I want to be still sane in 20 years :P

Is this love?

   I am wondering if there really exist people incapable of love. It's just that sometimes you can't do anything all the day long because you love,or viceversa, you feel really inspired to do great things when you're in love. I see people who seem not to care about anything every day and that makes me think that love is just a fantasy,a halucination,a disease that can be treated.
   I always thought that my only love is chess and I would never betray it, but sometimes,it simply doesn't seem right not to let anyone too close,even with the risk of regreting it.

Crosswords

   I don't feel anything anymore... You know,it's the feeling one gets after winning or losing something important.
   It's been a very tough day today.I was very determined to win and I've done everything for it- got a stable advantage from the opening with white,found the best plan to win and when I got the winning position,something weird happened. My mind started to make bad connections... The advantage slipped away and it was a perpetual on the board,but being a team championship,I had to risk,so the team could win... Unfortunately, it didn't go well and I started to lose control and I missed the draw in a rook ending. I understand that in an individual competition it wouldn't have happened,I would have simply gone for the perpetual... It's a bit frustrating,but what to do. The circumstances favored my opponent.
   I will return to Iasi tomorrow and then I'll play the Bundesliga (next week-end). My next tournament will be Cap d'Agde,from 27th of October to 4th of November. I will work on chess until then and I hope to have a good tournament there.
   I will miss Mamaia, I've had some really nice time here (if not to include the chess part,of which I'm dissapointed-mainly because today's game).
   Life is very interesting- you have to give something in order to get some other thing. You think you lose a thing, but you gain something else... Life can't be all bad or just wonderful. Life's a crossword that we all want to solve,but it never really matters if we succeed, the process of trying again and again,this is what really matters!

Lady in black

   We won 3-0 today! It always feels good to win,even if against not so strong opponents :)
   It was a very interesting day yesterday. I won my game easily because of my opponent's blundering a piece in the opening. But the interesting part is not about that-we went to play bowling in the evening with a lot of friends,the reason- bitrthday of Vlad Jianu- a strong GM and a very nice guy,to whom I wish lots of happiness and success! We had a lot of fun (esspecially when it was my turn to strike but instead, I was doing short castle after short castle-seems like I know the chess principles :))))) though everything goes with a price- I must have mixed a bit too much alcohol and my stomach wasn't happy at all about that :))) I had also to wear huuuge black sunglasses this morning ( I mean at lunch :)))) I was thinking that maybe it's not that good for my "good girl" reputation,but when to have fun if not at 18, right? So,I'm really happy that I won today,cause I was very worried that chess doesn't go along with hangovers... Of course I had to hide it under tones of make-up and to seem as serious about chess as I could-so I've also put a classic dress with high-heels.

 I was thinking that it's really important for a girl to look nice during a chess game,because it makes us much more confident and we play better. I was talking about it with a friend and he was telling me that men also play much better when they get lots of attention from women.

   So,the conclusion is to look as nice as possible at the chess board,to have tones of admirers and to kill the opponents!

Karma

   Once more I got convinced that people have no principles. It is so dissapointing to see someone whom you admire acting as you'd never expect. Actually,everyone can be an ass, playing good chess, being a strong player only gives one additional excuses-"it's just relaxing","just trying to forget about my chess game"... I am afraid that I'm also getting too close to this vicious circle. I guess I should hang out more with my real, good friends...

   I wonder if this kind of people get the "bad karma" thing,because it seems that one is a jerk but he plays chess really well anyways. It's interesting what explanation can it be- "Karma doesn't exist?". If so, does it mean that none of the good things I do matter and being a bitch is the best option? I don't want to believe this. I prefer to suffer because people dissapoint me than not to care at all.

Bitter simphony

   We got crashed yesterday... We kind of lost the chances for the gold medal and it was mostly my fault,as I  lost to a player with almost 200 Elo points less than me.It always leaves a bitter taste-lossing without getting to play. I think I underestimated my opponent-I had much more time and a playable position and I simply blundered an exchange. Well,it wasn't an obvious trick,but anyways,if I would have thought more before making the "18...Qe7??" move I think I would have seen it. I was trying to find a good part in what happened yesterday,but I couldn't, the only conlcusion to be made is the so well known: "Never underestimate your opponent".
   Tomorrow is a free day and I will try to play normally today,I think the rule that one should check if he doesn't lose anything in 2 moves before making a move will be my strategy today...

Romanian Superleague

   Here we are,at the Romanian Superleague...
   The weather was pretty awful the first 2 days-it was veeery cold and storming,but it's much better now :)
   Our team has already played with 2 strong teams and we won one and the other one we made a draw.There are only 8 teams playing,so we have 7 rounds and 2 free days.The first one will be after the 4th round and the other one will be after the 7th round.
   Mamaia is a nice ressort,though everything is closed in this time of the year.
   The atmosphere is nice. I was so happy to see Smaranda! We haven't seen each other for the whole summer!
   The tournaments in Romania are pretty fun,everyone knows each other,and there are a lot of friends...
   I will get back to my coffee now and I will prepare a bit afterwards...

   More photos will follow after the free day ;)