Daniele Fabbri:"Before they begin their great match
game, Luzhin greets Turati with the good-humored cry of "Avanti" (meaning "Come
on"). Filippo Turati
(1857-1932) was among the founding fathers of Italian
Socialist Party. The Party's newspaper was called "Avanti!" (Forward!") A
Nabokovian inside joke?"
Jansy Mello: What an
interesting association related to Turati and the Socialist Party's newspaper.
The words of incitement, in the first time that little Luzhin played chess
with his father, were certainly a quote and they pointed to Pushkin
and to defeat.
'Who taught you?' asked his father without lifting his
head. 'I learned it at school,' replied Luzhin. 'Some of the boys could play.'
'Oh! Fine,' said his father, and added (quoting Pushkin's doomed duelist):
'Let's start, if you are
willing.'