Smoking a cigar while reading philosophy. The Cigar is La Aroma Del Cariba Base Line Immensa. The book is Aristotle's Rhetoric.

Have a Cigar: La Aroma Del Caribe Base Line Immensa

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Name: La Aroma Del Caribe Base Line Immensa

Country: Nicaragua

Shape: Parejo

Size: Gordo (5 1/2 inches x 60)

Strength: Medium to Full

La Aroma Del Caribe Base Line Immensa is a Nicaraguan cigar that I enjoy smoking occasionally while reading. My preferred vitola is their Double Toro or Gordo called Immensa. The Rothschild and Robusto sizes are a little too small for a cigar as good and as smooth as this one, especially when I’m planning to spend a couple of hours reading and meditating.

The La Aroma Del Caribe Base Line Immensa is an aromatic cigar. The main aromas it dispenses are dark chocolate, leather, cedar, earth, walnut, and dark roast coffee. In terms of strength, the first half is medium-bodied, and the second half is medium-to-full.

I like to pair this cigar with American coffee, sweet cocktails, and blended Scotch whiskies.

Chess Diary #0002: Becoming Worse at Bullet Chess

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I don’t like the fact that my bullet rating has been dropping. My highest bullet rating was 1713, and that was on February 2, 2020 — more than two years ago. In the last 90 days, the best I got to was 1570. And today, my rating is 1352.

Does that mean I’m a much worse chess player than I was two years ago? I sure hope not. I know much more about chess today than I knew two years ago, but my rating doesn’t reflect that.

What’s happening?

Chess is the only game where the more you play, the worse you become.

One of the main reasons my bullet rating is dropping could be that I haven’t been playing longer time controls. Another reason could be that I haven’t been solving puzzles, practicing endgames, or trying to improve in tactics. A third reason could be that I no longer have an opening repertoire. Whether I have the white pieces or the black pieces, my first move is always played on a whim.

It’s really bothering me that I’m becoming worse at chess, but what can I do?

I need more time.

Smoking an Oliva Serie V Figurado at Beit al Qamar in Chouf, Lebanon.

Have a Cigar: Oliva Serie V Special Figurado

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Name: Oliva Serie V Special Figurado

Country: Nicaragua

Shape: Figurado

Size: (6 inches x 60)

Strength: Medium to Full

Oliva Serie V cigars never fail me.

Though the Double Toro is my go-to vitola, I’m not afraid to try a new vitola occasionally. So, this time, I tried the Special Figurado, which is also 6 inches and has a ring gauge of 60.

The only difference between the Double Toro and the Special Figurado is that the latter has a firmer draw, which means a little less smoke than usual and a little more work. Other than that, the experience I got was very similar to what I’m used to when I’m smoking Oliva Serie V cigars.

Great cigar. Great burn. Great smoke.