The Alapin Sicilian: Opera or Chess?

Paul Morphy, an American went to the Paris opera in 1858 and entertained two French nobles, producing his most famous game. An opera is often an international event. The author of the opera, the performers, the language the opera was written in, the language the opera was performed in, the site, and the audience are likely to be of diverse nationalities. The following game has an English player and a Croatian player. It was played in France. The opening is a Sicilian Defense developed by a Jew, Semyon Alapin (1856-1923). Alapin was born in Vilnius, Lithuania which was part of the Russian Empire. It was later independent, Soviet ruled, German occupied, Soviet ruled, and independent again. Alapin was responsible for numerous opening developments. The game here is an example of the Alapin Variation of the Sicilian Defense. The English player is John Emms. He was born March 14, 1967 and became a grandmaster in 1995. In 1997, he tied for first in the British Championship. Mladen Palac was born February 18, 1971. He became a grandmaster in 1993 and won the Croatian Championship in 2001 and 2004.