About the Curmudgeon
By day, I run hangingpieces.com. I’m the patient coach. I’m the guy who tells your kids to develop their pieces, control the center, and play "safe" chess. I’m a professional, and I’m good at it.
By night, I’m here.
Semislav.com is where I go to stop being "responsible." It’s where I admit that the London System is a crime against humanity and that the evaluation bar is a digital lie told by machines that don't know what it feels like to have a racing pulse.
I’ve spent my life in the trenches of the Semi-Slav—the Meran, the Botvinnik, the Moscow. These aren't just openings; they are declarations of war. If you’re looking for a "system" that lets you play on autopilot while you check your emails, you’re in the wrong place.
I’m here for the players who still believe that chess is an art form, a struggle, and a beautiful, chaotic mess.
If the engine says I'm losing, but I'm having a good time? I'm winning.