Scott Rose
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rprose.bsky.social
Scott Rose
@rprose.bsky.social
3.2K followers 760 following 1.5K posts
News product at Bloomberg. Before that, was in Moscow for 15 years with @bloomberg.com & @themoscowtimes.com. Still one eye on Russia. Chess fan. Views are mine
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rprose.bsky.social
Is it me, or does Magnus Carlsen keep popping up at exhibition matches during major classical chess events?

Off to Wijk, both of you!
screen grab of a Twitch stream from TakeTakeTakeApp where Carlsen and Nakamura are sitting with Levi Rozman for a blindfold exhibition match
January 20, 2026 at 11:59 AM
rprose.bsky.social
congratulations to @chessable.com and @polborta.bsky.social for demolishing my first resolution of the new year [finish the courses I already bought]
Screen grab of new course on Chessable: The Complete Manual of Positional Chess – Volume 1 Strategy/Tactics course by GM K. Sakaev, GM K. Landa & presented by GM Peter Svidler So you’re closing in on 2000, but can’t seem to push past it? Try this. From the Russian Chess School 2.0: The Positional Manual That Pushes You To 2200 And Beyond Raising your rating this high proves you have the drive. Now this manual gives that drive a target. It’s a proven training program for reaching 2200 — used at national-level sports schools, then made compact and drillable by 3 super-GMs from the peak human era of chess. https://www.chessable.com/the-complete-manual-of-positional-chess-volume-1/course/365713/
January 19, 2026 at 2:08 PM
rprose.bsky.social
classic onion headline: Zombie Nutritionist Recommends All-Brain Diet a green-faced zombie with gray hair stands at a podium https://theonion.com/zombie-nutritionist-recommends-all-brain-diet-1819566596/
January 8, 2026 at 4:27 AM
rprose.bsky.social
2026 is his year
Fabiano Caruana in 2012
December 30, 2025 at 6:05 PM
rprose.bsky.social
missed this yesterday. top tier commentary duo on levitov chess

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF3A...
screen grab from the Levitov Chess stream of third day of the World Rapid Championship. Peter Svidler is broadcasting and giving a treat to his dog Joyce
December 29, 2025 at 7:57 AM
rprose.bsky.social
man praying on TV, really hard. closed captioning reads: "Jesus, I see what you've done for other people, and I want that for me."
December 23, 2025 at 2:54 PM
rprose.bsky.social
I like that the single, unambiguous villain of this episode chose to retweet it
post from twitter where Silvio Danailov, manager of Veselin Topalov, is retweeting a podcast episode (link in the bluesky post above mine) where his role in multiple cheating scandals is highlighted
December 21, 2025 at 10:34 AM
rprose.bsky.social
Photo from the Yerofeyev museum in an apartment where he lived in Kolomna. It shows a black and white photo of the author, Venedikt Yerofeyev, a few modern copies of his most famous book, Moskva-Petushki, and the March 1989 issue of "Sobriety and Culture" magazine where the final installment was published The February 1989 issue of Trezvost i Kultury (Sobriety and Culture) magazine, which contained an excerpt from Yerofeyev's Moskva-Petushki. The story was more relevant to the latter part of the magazine's title than to the former
December 15, 2025 at 9:29 AM
rprose.bsky.social
Not a huge surprise from FIDE. They aren't even trying to enforce the fake pretense of "neutrality" Russian chess has been abusing for the past few years. Here's IM Polina Shuvalova celebrating the "team Russia (Fide)" win in Linares last month.
screen grab from Instagram where Russian chess player Polina Shuvalova is celebrating a tournament win for an all-Russian women's team playing under the FIDE (ostensibly "neutral") flag at the World Women's Team Championship. she writes: "Spend an incredible week in chess-old-traditioned Linares city🔥 With the team Russia (Fide) we won gold of #womensworldchesschampionship2025 grabbing victory in all matches! Happy with my personal result as well, to start with 9/9 and finish at 9,5/10 feels just fantastic! Thanks to our team: girls, coaches and crew for classy play and atmosphere on the tournament. And always nice to be in the place,where chess history was made, getting a pic with legend 😌 Video made by Nina Bodenchuk🔥" https://www.instagram.com/poli.chess/p/DReo5DojLgg/
December 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM
rprose.bsky.social
chatgpt has reached the "u up?" phase of explosive user growth
Email from OpenAI reminding a one-time occasional user of ChatGPT that they're still there, several weeks after the release of Gemini 3 it reads: "You don’t need a plan or the perfect question to use ChatGPT. Just start typing whatever’s on your mind — a half-baked idea, a random question, a weird "what if." ChatGPT is built for all of it. No pressure. No perfect prompts. Explore ideas, create images, write stories, and summarize files in just a simple conversation. Best, The ChatGPT Team"
December 14, 2025 at 3:14 PM
rprose.bsky.social
Curious that her eyes are closed in both images (original twitter post). I just gave it a prompt for something similar, and it also had the woman looking down until I specified otherwise.

I guess the other possible tell is that they've got this bartender working overtime
Nano Banana Pro image. the prompt: "Please create an image of a young woman at a table in a bar with a cocktail. there's a bartender working behind a bar in the background. European type interior" 2nd try after the previous prompt, saying the woman should be looking at the camera
November 27, 2025 at 8:48 AM
rprose.bsky.social
OK, and just for the benefit of the doubt, I asked Gemini if it was sure this was a realistic chess position. It is, and in the funniest, gas-lit way:
Screen grab of Gemini where I ask whether it's sure: prompt: "Please help me analyze that image. Someone told me there are things about it that make it unlikely to be a real chess position. What are the main incongruities?" answer: "Based on a careful analysis of the board state in the image, the person who told you this is unlikely to be a real chess position is mistaken. In fact, this is an incredibly accurate and standard representation of a specific chess opening. There are no significant incongruities on the board. Here is a breakdown of why this position is realistic, along with some features that someone unfamiliar with this specific opening might mistakenly think are "wrong." The Verdict: It is a Real Position" answer continued: "The Verdict: It is a Real Position The position on the board is a textbook example of the French Defense, Advance Variation. The defining characteristics of this opening are present and correct on the board: White's Pawn Chain: White has pawns on d4 and e5. Black's Pawn Chain: Black has pawns on d5 and e6, locking the center. Black's Counter-attack: Black has pushed the pawn to c5 to challenge White's center. The piece placement is also entirely standard for the first 8-10 moves of this game: White has developed their knights to f3 and c3, and a bishop to d2. Black has developed a knight to f6 and a bishop to e7. Why someone might think it's fake (The "False Incongruities") If someone is only familiar with open, tactical games (like 1. e4 e5), this position might look strange to them for a few reasons, none of which make it fake. 1. Both Kings are still in the center. In many chess games, players castle their kings very early for safety. In this position, both the White King (on e1) and Black King (on e8) are still on their starting squares. Why it's normal here: In the French Defense, the center of the board is "locked" by interlocking pawn chains. Because the center is closed, it is harder for enemy pieces to attack the king quickly. Therefore, players often delay castling in this opening to focus on developing other pieces first." answer conclusion: "2. Black's "Bad Bishop" and undeveloped Knight. Black's bishop on c8 and knight on b8 have not moved. Why it's normal here: The bishop on c8 is famous in the French Defense for being blocked in by its own pawn on e6. It is notoriously difficult to develop, and it is very common for it to stay on c8 for a long time. The knight on b8 is also waiting for the right moment to move, often to d7 or c6 depending on pawn trades. 3. The "Passive" Look. Compared to a wide-open tactical game, many pieces are still on the back rank. Why it's normal here: This is a strategic, maneuvering game. The tension is in the pawn structure in the center. The pieces are mostly placed to support those pawns right now. A Detail That Adds Realism If you look closely at the wooden table, on the far left and far right edges of the frame, you can see an extra Queen of each color standing on the table surface. This is not an error. High-quality chess sets (like the beautiful Staunton set depicted) often come with extra Queens. These are used if a player manages to get a pawn to the other side of the board and "promotes" it to a Queen while their original Queen is still on the board. The presence of these extra promotion pieces actually adds to the realism of the scene." the sources button at the bottom shows they used the House of Staunton, Chessable and Wikipedia
November 24, 2025 at 5:32 AM
rprose.bsky.social
Saw some fairly realistic AI images of people from the new Gemini model (Nano Banana Pro), so decided to give it a chess prompt. Sorry. Somewhat better than what I've seen to date, but still failing miserably
AI generated image showing a chess board from the perspective of the White player. a handful of moves have bene played in the opening. There are many incongruities including too many pieces and an impossible position on the board. Prompt: "Create a detailed image of beautiful wood chess set in the classic Staunton style. the board should depict a game with a realistic middlegame position from the French Defense. Set it in a old looking library with lots of real chess books around"
November 24, 2025 at 5:23 AM
rprose.bsky.social
the old twitter fail whale; an image of a whale, apparently in some state of bliss, suspended in a web carried by little birds
November 18, 2025 at 2:16 PM
rprose.bsky.social
Still from Arrested Development where Tobias is trying to generate some buzz around the water cooler. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOg6p1k8ziM
November 18, 2025 at 1:49 PM
rprose.bsky.social
chessbase 26 unboxing: intensive expectations management from the new desktop icon
side by side image of the desktop icons for ChessBase 18 chess database software management program and the update released today. the first image for the previous version is a reasonably handsome picture of a wooden knight on a vaguely wooden-toned background. the new version is a giant read icon in a white frame that says '26 in white lettering
November 10, 2025 at 3:00 PM
rprose.bsky.social
I'm sorry I'm still thinking about it
the offending post, complete with alt text, which was presumably the prompt to create this 6x7 abomination Classic @OkButStill post from twitter crumbster: Hi, hawaiian bread forum newb but i've enjoyed it for years. Got a loaf of Lewis (budget fav) today. It seems not as sweet lately? anyone else notice this? Tj Lee (Mod): Well, I'd link you to the rules, but you must have read them and decided to break every single one 11:19 AM • Mar 2, 2022 • Twitter Web App
November 10, 2025 at 12:21 PM
rprose.bsky.social
I dunno, gang. Might not be pre-ordering for the 20% discount this time
Screen grab of Chessbase email with new features for version to be released in a few days NEW IN CHESSBASE '26: Opening report - Club players need statistics different from top players. Prepare for your level, not for GMs. - Top players instantly see the latest fashion and the statistics for various move orders. - Understand the typical variations with their strategic themes and frequent plans. - Train by looking at selected instructive games. - Solve the typical tactical motives - this is revolutionary for opening training and great fun. More power with remote engine now with 4 CPUs – free with a ChessBase Premium Account – and much more.   New Reference filters - Instant preparation: Just type the name. - Filter out Blitz and rapid with one click New detection of duplicate games. Ten times faster and much more precise. Database maintenance has never been easier   Monte Carlo Analysis An engine evaluation is a single number. Monte Carlo provides additional insights into a position. Practical chances, drawing width, typical manoeuvres.   AI description of plans Explains a position to you like a good personal trainer would do it. (Valuable insights, but beware of hallucinations which are still possible).   Real time ray tracing The ray tracing 3D boards have become ultra fast and reach high resolution within seconds.
November 8, 2025 at 6:00 AM
rprose.bsky.social
The new Chessbase is jumping from version 18 to version '26. Release notes are like, new, opening report, you can prepare for your opponents, and something something club players too

counting on you @anishgiri.bsky.social
screen grab from Chessbase website with a testimonial from Anish Giri, who is now building a competing project
November 8, 2025 at 5:57 AM
rprose.bsky.social
A strong stance from @garrykasparov.bsky.social, on Kramnik and his campaign against Naroditsky. "I don’t know how he can appear at any chess tournament now. He’s become untouchable."

Original: www.youtube.com/live/1NVDy-D...

In English, via the great Leonard Barden:
www.ft.com/content/cf99...
Partial screen grab of text from https://www.ft.com/content/cf999aae-e044-4eca-930c-0ee50b3ac98f Garry Kasparov has joined the condemnation of the former world champion Vladimir Kramnik following the death of Daniel Naroditsky. In an interview in Russian, Kasparov, who lost his world crown to Kramnik in London 2000, said: “It’s absolutely clear that the campaign which Kramnik conducted has influenced Danya. Vladimir behaved strangely in this situation and not only in this one, This stain is indelible now. If we meet, I most likely won’t shake his hand. “Over the past few years he’s been almost exclusively occupied with trying to catch someone, to pin someone down. It’s clear that the campaign Kramnik has been running affected Naroditsky, Moreover, Kramnik kept fuelling it. He made a statement that if Fide takes any action, he’ll sue them. I don’t know how he can appear at any chess tournament now. He’s become untouchable.” Asked by his interviewer whether Daniel was unfairly targeted, Kasparov said: “Unfairly? It was absurd. Danya was one of the most transparent players around — he streamed, he explained every move, he played Blitz at 3000-plus for years. To accuse him based on some statistical model which even its creator says is preliminary? That’s not serious chess analysis, that’s character assassination. Kramnik didn’t just question moves, he questioned integrity without evidence. And when Danya responded calmly with data, Kramnik doubled down. That’s not how a world champion behaves. That’s how a bitter man behaves.”
November 3, 2025 at 1:24 PM
rprose.bsky.social
two photos from his wikipedia page. saddest way to go

1) 2003
2) 2019
shnurov performing back when he had something to say shnurov performing when he didn't
November 1, 2025 at 12:40 PM
rprose.bsky.social
I've seen some very old men on tour to pay their relatives' bills, but it's hard to imagine a sadder concert than this fucking guy, whom I last saw on state TV channel kultura, playing his leningrad set for russians in dubai
Screen grab of Instagram ad for Sergey Shnurov at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai in November 2025. Tickets from AED 275 (about $75).
November 1, 2025 at 12:36 PM
rprose.bsky.social
Please forgive the tweets, but GM Nihal Sarin is extremely on the nose about Daniel Naroditsky's passing. I hope more of the chess community will make their feelings known about Vladimir Kramnik so we can protect other players and the game itself
Three tweets from Indian chess grandmaster Nihal Sarin in a thread on Twitter (sorry). Completely heartbroken. Daniel was not just someone I played thousands of games with on @chesscom and @lichess - he was a brilliant mind and a gifted teacher. (1/3) @ChessbaseIndia @FIDE_chess @CLTchesscenter @chesscom_in @chessdom 2) The relentless, baseless accusations and public interrogations he faced in recent months caused him immense pressure and pain. This has to stop. When respected figures spread unfounded allegations without accountability, real lives are destroyed. (2/3) 3) Daniel's smile faded after the attacks began. We all saw it. The chess world has lost one of its brightest lights - someone who made our game accessible to millions. Rest in peace, Danya. You deserved so much better. (3/3)
October 21, 2025 at 10:10 AM
rprose.bsky.social
still from Old Yeller where Travis, tears in his eye, is about to shoot his beloved but now rabid dog
October 20, 2025 at 4:15 AM
rprose.bsky.social
Correction: Kovalenko was actually on Board 4 for Ukraine, although he entered the tournament with the highest rating of the group. Still gotta hand it to him!

s1.chess-results.com/tnr1263013.a...
screen grab from chess-results.com showing the Ukraine (open) team. board 1 Ruslan Ponomariov board 2 Andrei Volokitin board 3 Anton Korobov board 4 Igor Kovalenko board 5 Ihor Samuenkov
October 15, 2025 at 10:35 AM