Wartime streak, Day 8: Win (1542-1566)

This chess journey that started three weeks ago after the war with Iran broke out has also been a journey of AI image generation. My first experiments generating AI images involved Google Bard, the predecessor of Gemini, and were clumsy attempts to design postage stamps. Fast-forward two years and when Google released Nano Banana 2 in late February, the timing couldn't have been better. I have been able not only to capture the highs and lows of my chess journey but also to contextualize them within the war's daily impact. Until today, that is, when Gemini indicated that its safety guidelines prohibit it from depicting "missiles and drones or scenes related to the war."

For today's game Chess.com paired me with one kiran547, rated 1544 out of India. There had only been one air raid siren in the morning, and for once I wasn't shivering cold when I sat at the computer in the teachers room for the game. Against my Queen's Gambit, opponent played the Marshall Defense -- which Chess.com's Game Review labels book because it has a name and a historical tradition but virtually everyone considers dubious. Already on move eleven I was on track to win a piece, and after a minute's thought the reality sunk in and opponent resigned. It was a meaningless game in the context of my chess improvement goals, but a win is a win and it brings my wartime record to 4-1-3.