Luba,

 

I regret very much that I could not travel to be a part of this tournament...a tournament that means so much to me . I have a death in the family. I just lost my cousin who is very close to me, 

 

I regret mainly because this event is dedicated to your Father, a man that l love dearly. We had a very nice, close relationship, your father and I. He was direct, frank without any detour.

 

 He was the intellectual  of the game, the theoretician but not only of the game but in real life. He knew he was sick. He  confided to me. He knew that death was lying in wait for him. He

 

 accepted that stoically.. O Luba, I wish I could be there. .Life is so capricious.