Headphones on, strategy off! - Circa 1990

Music has always been my escape, my way of unwinding from the intensity of the chessboard. During my travels in Europe, I often carried my Walkman, to listen to tunes from The Cranberries or the Pet Shop Boys. Maurice, my dear friend in Collado Mediano, was often baffled by my choice of music, a stark contrast to his love for Beethoven and Brahms. He’d often shake his head in mock dismay and exclaim, ‘Caramba que ese so! What is this noise?’