Mate in two

Have a look at the board below:



This is a beautiful Chess problem. White has to move and checkmate Black king in 2 moves.

Let us analyze the problem now. What do you see on the board?

You see the Black king almost smothered. He has only one legal move, which is to capture the white rook in d5. Lets think about it's consequences later. Let's continue with analysis of the position.

Besides the king, Black has 4 pieces: 2 pawns and 2 rooks. The pawns are blocked. The rooks can move. In fact, the rooks are attacking white's pieces.

What about white?

White has an overwhelming superiority over Black. If this were a real game, only an enthusiastic newbie will continue playing as Black. Black's fate is sealed unless white is brain-dead in the next minute or two.

But thats not our problem. Our problem is to checkmate Black in 2 moves.

Lets try the most obvious-looking possibilities first. Lets capture the Black rook sitting in d7 with rook in f7. Will this achieve our purpose? No. The remaining Black rook could capture the knight. And, forget about checkmate in next move.

You can try various moves, till you get fed up or accidentally arrive at the correct move.

Try moving the Bishop, pinning the rook. Or a check with Knight at g5. Move the Queen, or the King, even. Try the pawn push, making it a queen , or any piece you like. The more you try, the more you appreciate the depth of the problem.

Now, those who have seen or solved problems like these know that first move is never an obvious move. It is never a Check or a capture. It is silent, with minimum of ripples and yet, when unveiled, it is a certain death sentence for the opponent.


The answer is Nc6!

Now, if Black replies R(f)xf7, Re5 mate.
If Black plays R(d)xf7, Re6 mate.
If R(f)xd5, Rf6 mate.
If R(d)xd5, Re7 mate.
If Kxd5, Qa2 mate.
If Kxf7, pawn at g8 becomes queen and mate!

Hmmm... really good!

The above problem was coined by Comins Mansfield, one of the best chess problem composers of all time.

Did I solve it? Heck no. Wasted 15 minutes and 50 grams of keratin -hairs and nails put together. And when finally I couldnt hold it any longer, like everyone else, peeped at the answer and wondered how I could have missed it.

"Awakenings" and a freaky coincidence

On a weekday last week, I borrowed some movies from the local library. Usually, I go by imdb ratings. The norm is, unless it is in the top 250 (all time), or rated above 8, I assign a low priority on watching it. It is most likely that I finish it in two sessions if it is a weekday. If it is crap, I never go past the first 15 minutes.

The chances of you picking up a gem outside of those 250 is rare.

Among the ones I picked up, I chose "Awakenings" - a Robyn Williams and De Niro starrer. Even though I had planned to watch it over two sessions, myself and my wife sat through the whole movie, spellbound. It was the story of a doctor (Robyn Williams) trying to help patients who are paralyzed and unresponsive due to a disease called Encephalitis. He finds out that a drug used for treatment of Parkinson's disease can bring these patients back to normal life. De Niro is a patient on whom the first trials are made. He awakens, 30 years after going into a coma as a 10 year old boy. Convinced that he got his life back, he falls in love with a girl whom he meets at the hospital. To his (and the Doctor's) horror, he finds out that the drug loses its effect over a period of time. When it dawns on him that he will have to go back to his old paralytic existence, he has to say the final goodbye to her. This scene is one of the most emotional scenes I have seen in a long, long time. I would say, this is De Niro's best performance ever.

You just cant go to bed and start snoring away after watching a movie like this. Therefore I decided to play online chess even though it was late into night. I logged in for a quick match. I found that the playing room was almost full, with 80 people online. I hooked up with a player, exchanged pleasantries and started the game. From his first name, I was sure he was either from India or Indonesia. Slowly, I began to realize that he is a very good player and was not a brush-off as I initially thought. By middle game, I started to admire his strength and was getting curious about him. I began to check his game statistics (ratings, etc) and found that this person is connected to this gaming room from one of the social networking sites in which I am active. For the sake of privacy, people usually change their names when they play online games. But I had a hunch that this person may not have done so. Therefore I checked his profile online.

I was stunned!

Now tell me this.

What are the odds that I was playing with a person who was the victim of the same disease that I saw in a movie minutes earlier?

J M Coetzee: Disgrace

I began reading this book taken in by persuasive and passionate comments from a friend. Now I am grateful to him - even though I would rate the experience as highly disturbing.

Those who have not read the book, please beware that there are spoilers ahead.


The story is set in post-apartheid South Africa. David Lurie is white, fading and aging professor - twice divorced and drying up fast emotionally. He , in an act of "Disgrace", becomes sexually involved (there is only one-sided involvement - his) with a black student. As a consequence, he is expelled from the university. He decides to leave Cape Town and sets off to rural East Cape to his only daughter (still single) who leads a quiet country life. Even though he finds country life not particularly attractive, slowly he gets adapted to it. But he quickly finds that the country landscape is also changing - fast. The balance of power has shifted to the blacks and he finds he has no hope left and the story ends at that point.

His escape (he is in self-denial mode about "escape" ) to the country justifies the phrase "Out of frying pan, into fire". He gets to have a preview of what lies ahead in his life for him to live through. He says to himself this is "no country for old men" and he has really solid reasons for that.

It is almost like he spells a cast of ill-fortune for his daughter Lucy who was in her elements when he first meets her at the farm. She gets raped by 3 black thieves (Two men and a boy) afterwards. He is attacked, gets locked up, soaked in Methanol and set to fire. Helpless, he is at wrath with himself. The thieves flee with their loot and his car. To make matters worse for him, his daughter doesn't want to complain to the police - about the rape. They file a complaint for theft, though.

His daughter's life is changed - inside out. Now, he is the one who maintains the farm - with the help of Petrus - Lucy's black neighbor.

Petrus is introduced to the story before the rape - Lucy mentions him as her "assistant". Petrus is a married man, middle aged and is a scheming man who would like to buy out Lucy's farm. He is no "assistant" by any standards. In fact, David thinks (rightly too) Petrus has arranged the rape. Petrus is mysteriously absent when the rape takes place.

David describes (to himself) the rape as"anthropological"!

Later, he finds the boy who raped Lucy in a party arranged by Petrus. Even though Lucy tries to stop him, he makes a scene and storms out of the party. To make matters worse, he finds that the boy is staying with Petrus now. Lucy is being outplayed by Petrus in every way. Lucy is willing to pay any price - she is even willing to be labelled as Petrus's concubine - she just wants to hold on to her land.

The story ends at a point where Lucy is pregnant (from the rape) and decides to keep the baby. In this twilight of his life, David has nothing to look forward to. Only Despair.

We, as readers will not be able to fully comprehend the motives/emotional drivers of two characters - one is Lucy and the other is Melanie - the black student with whom David is involved sexually. The reason is very simple. The story is told through the eyes of David - and he is unable to understand them too. This is where Coetzee is perfect in his narration technique.

This book got the booker prize in 1999 and was later made into a movie.

Thanks, my friend - for recommending this book.

Q&A: a.k.a Slumdog Millionaire

There were two choices before me: Either I could watch it in the cinemas or read the book. I chose the second one because of two things. One, it would give me the private freedom to make as many movies as I want, and Two, usually books are better. I feel like I have lost this time - even before seeing the movie - not because the book is a disappointment, but because this is one of those books which really is a movie masquerading as a novel. This is really a movie script minus all the technicals. If Danny Boyle had not picked it up, surely someone in Bollywood would have. The only little surprise the author or the publisher might have had was that it was someone from hollywood.


I had no qualms about the genre of the book when I bought it. Less expectations gives you lesser disappointments. I am angry only when I am sold a second rate stuff marketed as first rate. "White tiger" was such an experience, this was not. I knew that I was reading a masala - and I knew that this wasnt a Da Vinci Code either. So I am alright.

What is my final word? Yes. This is time pass. But see the movie first. Why? Beacuse I am sure you will get the same experience for a fraction of the effort.

Why we carry you.

You are the only prominent personality in town. You can walk into any store, buy as much as you want and issue your personal cheque. They will accept it with a smile. In fact, they are grateful to have your cheques.

There's a catch. Because of your reckless shopping, your bank balance is running very low. Almost zero.

But you are completely at ease because you know that those cheques will never be cashed – instead, those cheques will be preserved. Idiots!

Shopkeepers and traders are also relaxed because they think you are the richest person in town and your cheques are safer than the national currency.

Imagine that this goes on for a while. For years. Meanwhile you are growing, very fast.  With your consumption, the traders are also growing. Every person, shop and even bank is counting their worth in your cheques. No one has thought (dared) about  cashing the cheque. Well, till now.

A reckless trader in town hates you. He announces that he will not accept your cheques anymore. He needs the actual currency. Worse still, he requests some other traders to do the same. They are on the verge of announcing it. 

What would you do?

Your whole existence is at stake. You would do whatever you can to preserve your prominence and the luxury that it brings. You do not want to lose all this just because of one trader.

You and your think-tank plant a few skeletons in his cupboard and opens it in public. You publicise this in your own newspaper, your own TV Channel and you have taken everyone (almost!) to confidence. Now it is accepted that he is an evil man and he should be destroyed. All the other big traders announce support for you and sends you their hit men.

And why do you think everyone supported you? Are they idiots?

Of course not. They did it for it their existence. Why?

You have grown too big and you are their biggest customer. Without you, they have to shut down their shops, factories and banks. They face disaster.

These guys are neck deep in your scam. Almost half of their assets are measured in your cheques. They know that your cheques are worthless but as long as they keep their mouths shut, things will go on as usual.

Now you know the real meaning of "having them by the balls".

They need to preserve you. They have to carry you on their shoulders.You are a national treasure. Whatever you do, they have to follow suit. There is no way out.

Now substitute U.S for yourself. Saddam for the trader. Dollar for your cheques - well, not the dollar - U.S treasury bonds.

How would you like your tiger?

"White Tiger", is supposed to be a rare species. But I cant say the same about the book. Adiga has written this book for a foreign audience who wants to know more about the India buzz. And he hasn't disappointed them. It tells them exactly what they want to hear. They are happy.

The book does a superficial analysis of the life of people in the "Darkness" - namely, of lower caste, working class. Adiga has chosen Balram Halwai, who migrated to the big city from a small village in Northern India in search of a better life. He becomes a driver to Mr Ashok, an upper class confused desi, recently returned from U.S, son of a wealthy and powerful coal miner. The story unfolds in the form of letters written by Balram to the Chinese prime minister who is scheduled to visit India somewhere soon in the story line.

The book is a fast read. It is cleverly written too. It has flashes of brilliance. But when you deal with a subject like this, you expect some depth, some content. You expect a point of view that you did not expect. Clever one-liners or good analogies are not enough. Ultimately, you feel betrayed. Maybe it is the booker label. Well, thats a very personal opinion.

Afterthought:

The name "White Tiger" actually suits the novel. How is it different from a normal tiger? It is the same species, only thing is it doesn't have the pigment. And that is exactly how white and brown skins are different.

Satyameva Jayate

As somebody had rightly put it, Ramalinga Raju had, in one single stroke achieved what LeT (Lashkar-e-Toiba) could not in many years. He has marred the reputation of India’s showcase industry and had shaken foreign investors confidence in India Inc.

 

How could one fool so many people? Satyam’s board had as many independent directors as it could manage – among them India’s former cabinet secretary and a Harward professor. Satyam also had the best (?) auditors money could buy. It had won awards for corporate governance. Its internal audit team was hailed as one of the best in the world (by Institute of Internal Auditors, USA).

 

I simply cant believe this.

 

I would not be surprised if, prior to letting the cat out, Raju (etc) had shorted Satyam shares or ADR and made a tidy amount of money. I would not be surprised if ICAI slaps its maximum fine (Rs 5 Lakh!?) and let PWC walk. The hands that should go up in a voting process could be tied up in partnership deeds involving PWC or its affiliates.

 

What tests my logic is how on earth an audit firm miss Rs 5000 Crore Cash/Bank balance? Did Satyam forge the bank statements? Even though they forged it and produced it for audit, what happens to 3^rd party confirmation letters sent by auditors to banks? The banks are supposed to send the confirmations directly to the auditors.

 

How can you not verify an asset which makes up 80% of the balance sheet?

 

 

Every deed should have a justification or rationalisation. In order to understand it better, let’s put ourselves in Raju’s shoes.

 

One strong motive would be to avoid Satyam being a takeover target. Satyam’s reported OPM (OPM is one of the key yardsticks with which analysts rank similar companies. Higher OPM within the same industry is always the first thing that analysts look for. It indicates that the company can command premium pricing for its services.) was 24% while in reality it was 3% - as per Raju’s letter to the board. With a less than industry average OPM, institutional investors (makes up 88% of the total share holding) could dump the shares which would resulted in an increase in the float as well as a decrease in price. Perfect for a predator. Raju might lose his job. He could have been mortified by that thought initially. To protect that, he might have fudged the books, and as he himself has put it, “it was like riding a tiger”. Not an enviable position, of course.

 

Another motive is the greed for cash (which he denies in his letter). Maybe Satyam had 24% OPM and  Raju had siphoned the money off and thought that by acquiring Maytas he could plug the hole at least for some more years. In that case, the letter to the board could be a red herring.

 

Another scenario could be this – Due to the real estate slump, Maytas was struggling and he had to do something which could save both. With that land bank on the assets side of the balance sheet and by revaluing it, he could plug the hole. He would, of course, not pay Maytas anything in cash because he had none.

Whatever the case maybe, the fact remains that the balance sheet has a big hole. Did the low margins cause the hole or was it plain robbery? By acquiring Maytas, who was he trying to save - himself or Satyam or Maytas?

 

“Creative accounting” is nothing new. Companies do it all the time. Take Jet Airways for example, in a lean quarter, it had switched its depreciation policy to come up with $180 Million extra profit. Similarly HCL tech recognised $80 Million revenue when rupee appreciated against the dollar but ignored the losses when the reverse happened. This was due to its large hedging positions. Ranbaxy refused to provide for $180 million losses on derivative contracts. Reliance communications did not recognise $80 Million loss on future FCCB conversions.

 

These practices are called “Creative accounting”. These companies are walking on a very thin line between the best practices and allowed practices.

 

But Satyam was not being creative. This is creation itself and Raju is the creator.

 

What a paradox! I mean name of the company.