Zlatomir Fung's Bullet Chess Match
Washington Square Park in New York City is infamous for its built-in stone chess tables, where you can find enthusiasts and sharks playing for fun and money. Bulgarian-Chinese cellist Zlatomir Fung likes to play chess there when he can find the time, and he’s been honing his craft — Bullet Chess, to be specific — since he was 11.
While some boys played video games, Zlatomir took to playing online Bullet Chess — a faster version of chess that allows players less than 3 minutes of playing time per game. As you’ll see in the video of Zlatomir and his friend, Oliver, playing at the The Juilliard School Student Center below, things can get a little crazy when pieces get knocked over; playing online keeps it cleaner. When he can, Zlatomir tries to play for at least half-an-hour every day. And when he’s not playing chess or cello? Try the movie theater — he’s a diehard film fan, too.
On March 15, Zlatomir will be performing with the Piatigorsky Festival Orchestra, where he’ll be playing Sallinen’s Nocturnal Dances of Don Juan Quixote.
Festival info here: https://piatigorskyfestival.usc.edu/
March 15: https://calendar.usc.edu/event/picf_20_opening_gala_concert#.XiivCjJKjcs
The PICF is presented by the USC Thornton School of Music and the LA Phil, with support from The Strad and Classical KUSC.