Luciano Petino

One square of paper for 64 game squares, Luciano Petino's Origami Chess.
Some time ago I started looking for the various origami interpretations that several authors had made of the game of chess, I myself had tried my hand at it in my creative beginnings and I remember the gratification of working on a project that included many stylistically coordinated models.
A few months after my research, Luciano asks me to write the presentation for his QQM Scacco Matto.
Therefore, feeling prepared to face pedestrians and company, I begin to read the introductory text first on the PC and then on paper. I find some wonderful spelling gems like "Folding the paper" and I understand that the work of the origamist is very painful, I call Luciano and we have a laugh, then I dedicate myself to the actual folding of the models and start having fun. I make some marks where I think a fold or an arrow can be better placed (every serious proofreader must find some flaw otherwise his work would be meaningless) and I admire the professionalism of the author for the creativity of the models and the clarity of the diagrams .
For many years Luciano's models have been offered to us in CDO publications ranging in various subjects and complexities, those who have folded with him have experienced his skill and patience in explaining even the most difficult passages (ah Luciano's rose, how beautiful is?) and was moved when reading his poems.
In this monograph Luciano has not limited himself to creating a series of chessmen and chessboard but has proposed two, in different styles, one quicker to create and one that starts from a grid of 8 x 8 squares for each piece, as if the chessboard itself, by folding, could transform into a rook, bishop, knight... The diagrams are very clear, sometimes they have too many references and even the beginner will find everything they need to build their own game set. The captions are in Italian and English and make everything more international.
A precious cultural kit completes the collection, at the beginning a history of chess and at the end a beautiful bibliography of books that deal with the topic as well as the names of chess champions in the world.
Icing on the cake or rather on the chessboard a poem at the beginning and one at the end.
A QQM to read, to fold and to play!
Luisa Canovi
N.d.A. Only after Luisa kindly wrote the Presentation did I add a new chess set, made from an A5 sheet. I hope this can be a nice surprise for you too.
Luciano Petino
CHECK MATE
I made my move
On the board
The army behind me
Tremble
I split the board in half
I held it up to a mirror
I have the enemy in front of me
The same color as me
There will be no winner
Nothing is impossible,
Everything is real
Nothing is possible,
If everything is unreal.