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In today's (March 31, 2021) edition of the Globe and Mail, on their editorial page, there is an exceptional cartoon combining COVID-19 and chess!!
The cartoon, in full color, depicts a simultaneous exhibition scenario in progress; this is familiar to all chess players, many of whom have taken part in them. The COVID-19 virus takes the role of demonstrating Master, showing the all-too-common bright red, spikey ball-shaped image, on two feet. It is playing five seated opponents, who are in the picture, at the starting end of a crescent-shaped table, with boards shown of games in progress. From top, it seems these are the leaders of 1) China; 2) USA; 3) Canada; 4) Brazil; 5) European Union. The first two opponents have their chairs turned to the angle, but the last three (Canada, Brazil, EU) have flags on the backs of their chairs.
I had never thought of the COVID situation in quite this way, but the genius of the concept is quite clear, in a macabre but very effective manner. The cartoonist is Gable, their regular. He demonstrates very good chess knowledge, even if one of the five boards (China) incorrectly has a black square in the bottom right corner! Perhaps this is a subtle coded message of some sort!
So, this is an important moment in Canadian chess history, to be sure, albeit in a somewhat unfortunate fashion. I don't ever recall a chess-themed editorial cartoon in any major Canadian newspaper. It should be preserved for posterity by someone like IA David Cohen or Erik Malmsten; both are important Canadian chess historians.
A respectful suggestion to CFC President Vlad Drkulec, if he is reading this: Thank the Globe for this in a concise and respectful manner, by an email submission. I was going to do it myself, but it will have more impact coming from a senior Canadian chess leader.
I tried unsuccessfully to link to this cartoon for this post; perhaps someone with more knowledge can arrange this.
Respectfully submitted,
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston
The cartoon, in full color, depicts a simultaneous exhibition scenario in progress; this is familiar to all chess players, many of whom have taken part in them. The COVID-19 virus takes the role of demonstrating Master, showing the all-too-common bright red, spikey ball-shaped image, on two feet. It is playing five seated opponents, who are in the picture, at the starting end of a crescent-shaped table, with boards shown of games in progress. From top, it seems these are the leaders of 1) China; 2) USA; 3) Canada; 4) Brazil; 5) European Union. The first two opponents have their chairs turned to the angle, but the last three (Canada, Brazil, EU) have flags on the backs of their chairs.
I had never thought of the COVID situation in quite this way, but the genius of the concept is quite clear, in a macabre but very effective manner. The cartoonist is Gable, their regular. He demonstrates very good chess knowledge, even if one of the five boards (China) incorrectly has a black square in the bottom right corner! Perhaps this is a subtle coded message of some sort!
So, this is an important moment in Canadian chess history, to be sure, albeit in a somewhat unfortunate fashion. I don't ever recall a chess-themed editorial cartoon in any major Canadian newspaper. It should be preserved for posterity by someone like IA David Cohen or Erik Malmsten; both are important Canadian chess historians.
A respectful suggestion to CFC President Vlad Drkulec, if he is reading this: Thank the Globe for this in a concise and respectful manner, by an email submission. I was going to do it myself, but it will have more impact coming from a senior Canadian chess leader.
I tried unsuccessfully to link to this cartoon for this post; perhaps someone with more knowledge can arrange this.
Respectfully submitted,
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston
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