Tidbits

    In his autobiography Fyodor Duz-Chotimirsky told of being turned down when he applied to study Astronomy.   He related how Alexander Kuprin, a friend of his, tried to console him saying that chess was a noble game with infinite possibilities.  Duz-Chotimirsky added, sarcastically, that Kuprin had obviously forgotten about his story "Marabou" where he describes chessplayers as a flock of marabou birds.

There was a Canadian periodical called, "Checkmate:A Monthly Chess Chronicle." (Published 1901 - Sept. 1904)

Vol. 2, #6 - March, 1903 had this anecdote under the column "Notes by the Way" :

     It was one of Anderssen's favorite jokes (so his pupil Zukertort related) to express doubts whether the famous Russian chess player Petroff really existed. "Who ever saw him?" the Professor exclaimed. " All his published games are with persons unknown: he was invented by the Russians to give themselves a great master."
     Similarly, one has heard playful doubts about the mysterious prince Dadian of Mingrelia, who publishes brilliancies against otherwise unknown performers at regular intervals. Can there be a syndicate for the production of Mingrelian games? But perhaps he is real: and the courtiers around the Mingrelian throne (-where is Mingrelia?) are compelled to play weak moves until the proper sacrificial opportunity comes to their sovereign. Ave, Caesar, mataturi te salutant.*  A good composer of sui-mates should make his fortune in Mingrelia, and might become a court favorite.

 *  "Ave, Caesar, morituri  te salutant"
    "Hail, Caesar, we who are about to die salute you."
    The supposed traditional salute of glatiators.

I'm the only one how post a note :-)

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