In Honor of Testarossa

The first time I played Testarossa12 in the spring of 2016, we played a 21 move Sicilian that ended quietly. My close childhood friend KingFisherBStrong connected me with his dad, who also played chess, after I reunited with the game following a 15 year hiatus. A momentary skirmish in the center was the most exciting part of our initial clash, and we ended up agreeing to a draw (probably too early) once the dust settled. Though we hadn’t spoken for almost decade, it was the beginning of an online chess match that would last for the next four years. 

I didn’t know Testarossa very well having only met him a few times in person when I was in high school while hanging out at KingFisher’s house. How well do any kids know the parents of their friends? He was like most dads I knew in high school: quiet, welcoming, and preferring to give his guests space. 

The draw was the first of 36 3-day correspondence games. Usually we just played moves back and forth on chess.com, but occasionally we sent messages through the chat asking one another how things were going or I would share a story about “putting pressure” on KingFisher during an in-person blitz game while on vacation together. My connection with Testerossa grew through the moves we made every day, one of the few consistent things in a life full of new cities, new jobs, and new relationships. We let the pieces do the talking for us as they posed questions and engaged in interesting conversations while dancing around the digital board. 

In the summer of 2019, we finally played in-person. I went over to his house one afternoon, and we sat across a beautiful wooden board quietly making moves in his kitchen while drinking coffee. I don’t remember the result of those games or the openings but the details aren’t the point. The meeting celebrated a relationship developed online through a shared love of the game. 

During the pandemic, I began to play more live chess online and grew tired of correspondence games that I felt were hard for me to make strong moves through choppy intervals of focus and time. In June of 2020, we completed our last game. I wish I had kept our match going as the quality of moves didn't matter as much as keeping up the connection. 

Last month, Testarossa passed away after a battle with cancer that spanned longer than time that we played one another. He was a beloved husband, father, and member of the Evanston community. My heart goes out to KingFisherBStrong and the rest of his family. To honor Testarossa and celebrate his love for chess, I analyzed one of his best wins against me. 

Side note: It was an exciting experience analyzing a game from a few years ago when I was less skilled. I can see the multitude of ways that I’ve improved my decision making and Testarossa speeding right through me was part of that growth.