iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I haven't posted any games for a bit, so here's an old off-hand game i came across yesterday. The final combination idea is well known, but with a bit of Vidmar - Euwe thrown in!

030

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

O.K. Cat burglar defence system designed and constructed. If she gets through this, via the 1 1/2 mm I had to leave so it will actually work, I will resign gracefully, teach her the basics of the Catalan System, and she is playing Magnus on Saturday - fueled with free cat soup!!😹

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

O.K. So I have played chess for England, and now I am into having a battle of wits with a 'cat burglar' who has worked out how to bypass an electronic chip reader cat door to steal our adopted stray's food. Clever girl!!

130

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

O.K. So I have played chess for England, and now I am in a battle of wits with a 'cat burglar'. She has worked out how to get round a micro-chip cat door and steal our adopted stray's food. Clever girl!!

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

I have always said that if you only have time to study one pre-war player, study Alekhine. His games are so consistently full of content. A meaningless game, but one full of delightful ideas.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Blog in progress. Kashdan had an incredible record in the Olympiads - this was his only loss in one of them.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Blog posted. www.chess.com/blog/simagin...

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

GOTD. A bit of chess madness - I hate to think what the engines would make of it - whilst I am looking at Spielmann. 1912 was Rubinstein's great year - Spielmann held him to 2-2 - Black winning every game!

120

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

GOTD. Let's get back to doing this stuff. A blog in progress on Spielmann. This has been my favourite game of his for about 45 years!! A little chess joy.

011

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Part 3 of the blog series underway - will be posted in a couple of weeks. One of Steinitz's last great games.

030

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Blog in progress, after a delay for real life. A game which changed chess thinking forever. Steinitz was rather special.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Happy gravy day George mate! Chicken in the crispy skit round and round thing, while I work out my new clicky cat door. The humans I own out it in to keep out the bad cats! Have a good one. Norm the Garden Guard Cat.

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

Apologies for my absence - I hope you have been keeping up with my blogs. A beautiful game from the young Tigran Petrosian which will feature in my next blog. Enjoy the game.

040

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

GOTD. Doing some work for a blog. This is a quite extraordinary save!

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

GOTD. The wonderful Zagorovsky was not only a c.c. legend - he was a fine player over the board as well. A forgotten gem.

041

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Indoor guard post today George mate!. Stay inside and stay dry. Cheers from Norm.

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

Happy Gravy day George mate! Carrots in my gravy today😹. Do I look like a rabbit?😹🐯

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

GOTD. One from my chess youth! A rare example of the theme 'self fork'.

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

GOTD. The wonderful Michael Basman - what a player he was, and quite a character. A double exchange sacrifice against a rising start of world chess at the time. I hope you spot the lovely little point if the second exchange is taken.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

GOTD. 'Just a draw', but what a game!

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Left over chicken skin day here George mate!. Dreamies for pub if I behave - as if I wouldn't😹. Cheers from Norm the Garden Guard Cat.

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

GOTD. This Gipslis game came to mind just this week, when I watched a top level game 'live' with the Hungarian Defence. As I commented on a game 2 decades ago - 'yesterday's load of old rubbish is today's deep subtlety! Go figure. And some nice Queen 'creeping moves'.

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

GOTD. Working on another pupil of Koblencs - Gipslis. This is a masterpiece! What a beautiful game.

041

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Happy fish day George mate!. Cod today - no bones😹. Working for it guard duty while they fix the perimeter fence after the windy stuff.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Bath time her George mate!. Got to look my best. Have a good one!

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

GOTD. Still going over Koblencs games - this one is a beauty!

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

GOTD. Still working on the Koblencs material. I like to include a 'fun game' in such blogs - this one fits the bill. Absolutely mad game!

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

GOTD. A bit more Koblencs - the blog is work in progress. When I post it I will point out some of the tactics here.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Happy fish day George mate! Kippers for me. Yummy, but mind the bones😹🐟. Having to work for it though. Redditch does Poets Day Friday, but I put in a full shift. Norm the Garden Guard Cat.

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

GOTD. Back doing some chess. Looking at Alexandr Koblencs - most famous as Tal's trainer. A neat game.

111

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

Afternoon George mate! It's the day after gravy day, so back to work for this orange hi-vis worker. Serious concentration needed Time we taught the humans we own that black is not a good colour for guard posts. Cheers!. Norm the Garden Guard Cat.

060

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

Happy gravy day George mate! Working out how to put chicken gravy round a yellow rodent.😺. Speak soon!. Norm the garden guard cat.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Happy fish and chips day George mate! Having mine without the chips, peas, batter etc, but might hustle some of the chicken😹🐅. Norm the garden guard cat - except when it's raining.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

GOTD. Looking at some Lajos Portisch. This one is rather nice!

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Afternoon George mate! I am promoted to supervisor as well.😹👍. Making sure my garden territory redesign is up to spec. Catch you for fish tomorrow!. George the garden guard cat.

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

GOTD. The late Leonid Stein - taken from the chess world far too soon. I will let you work out what happens if White takes the Knight on h2 with his King - it is rather beautiful.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Yo George mate. Happy tuna day!. I am redundant today - the human I own has gardeners in messing with my territory🙀. So inside chilling! Have a good one. Norm the garden guard cat

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

GOTD. One of the deepest miniatures ever played.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

GOTD. Working on a quick blog. I am Simaginfan - his games are an endless treasure trove. Enjoy the game.

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Happy gravy day George mate!! Beef today, so no crispy chicken skin - sad cat face - but crispy beef dripping Yorkies!!

Battle scarred Ginger stray cat waiting for fc to feed him something

030

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

And about time too! Crispy chicken skin and gravy is the meaning of life - on a Sunday. 😹🐅

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Happy gravy day George mate. Yep, chicken not even gone in the oven yet. (No sad cat face emoji for some reason) but I can see it ready for the crispy skin going around thing.😹. We just have to wait. Norm the garden guard cat.

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Fish and chips tonight George mate! I am waiting patiently.😹. Today's question - why don't the people I own do tuna and chips?. Norm the garden guard cat

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Rescues are the best! Great thing to do. Have a great day from Norm the garden guard cat - adopted stray.

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Hey George mate!. Great idea - us gingers should be appreciated more! My adopted suckers have put a new soft bed on my indoor garden guard post. They appreciate the joy us gingers bring to their lives. Have a good one mate. Norm the garden guard cat.🐅

000

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

Happy chicken and gravy day mate!. Chicken in the oven here. It's the waiting that gets to you. Patience is a virtue they say, so we have to be patient I suppose. Cheers mate - Norm the garden guard cat.

030

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

GOTD. Just revisiting the extraordinary William Norwood Potter - blog to follow at some point. 6 years ago I posted this game as 'The Miracle Save'. it's wonderful.

010

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

My Online Mate. Us workers are not appreciated. Spending my break guarding our wild cousin. Cheers from Norm the garden guard cat.

020

Simaginfan @simaginfan.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

GOTD. Still working on the blog - should be finished tomorrow. The amateur takes down another great.

010