Thursday, April 30, 2015

Italy Pavilion

Artwork: adnrey

中国国家馆 (China Pavilion)

玛丽亚·穆兹丘克 (Mariya Muzychuk)
Photo: huaxi.media.baidu.com
玛丽亚·穆兹丘克 (Mariya Muzychuk)
Photo: huaxi.media.baidu.com

Ukraine Pavilion

USA Pavilion

魔毯

Super 8

Fuoco Fatuo

Handmade by Mado Flynn

审讯室 (Interrogation Room)

刘松 (Liú Sōng), Accused, 2015. Photo © 刘松 (Liú Sōng).

Worldwide Governance Indicators

Istanbul Protest
Spot News, first prize singles
Photo: Bulent Kilic
World Press Photo
2015 Photo Contest

Noah’s Ark

Rescue Operation
General News, second prize singles
Photo: Massimo Sestini
World Press Photo
2015 Photo Contest

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Second Skin

长征

http://sports.cnhubei.com/2015/0429/222770.shtml

任務中失蹤

http://sports.sina.com.cn/go/2015-04-28/16107590601.shtml

The Man Who Can’t Be Moved


Lady of the Island

Artwork: ashtonish

Ninfea Luminosa

Handmade by Mado Flynn

Открытое письмо (Open letter)

Dear Mariya Olehivna,

I sincerely congratulate you with your sporting achievement of winning the title of the World Champion!
Recalling my own experience, I have to tell that my most unhappy years of life were those I was the World Champion. I felt burden of responsibility and lacked the necessary support.
I would like to wish you to find an equilibrium and live freely and happily!
Enjoy playing chess!

P.S. Do not forget to look into Capablanca’s letter to his young son José Raúl from time to time.

Boris Vasilievich Spassky, the 10th World Chess Champion
Mark Evgenievich Taimanov (left) vs. Boris Vasilievich Spassky (right) in 1954. Photo: e3e5.com.

拜金女孩 (Material Girl)

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina
5th Women’s World Chess Team Championship; 成都市 (Chéngdū), April 26, 2015
Catalan Opening E06

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. Qc2 c5 7. 0-0 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qb6 9. Rd1 Nc6 10. Nxc6 Qxc6 11. a4. For 11. Na3 Bxa3 12. bxa3 Qxc4 13. Qxc4 dxc4 14. a4 Nd5 see Ivanchuk – Lysyj, Latvian Railway Open, Riga 2014. 11. ... Bd7 12. b3 Qc8 13. Ba3 Bxa3 14. Nxa3 Bc6 15. Rac1 a6 16. cxd5 exd5 17. Qd3 Qd8 18. Nc2 Qa5 19. Ne3 Rad8 20. Qd4 Rfe8 21. Bf3 Ne4? This is a grave tactical slip. Black ought to play 21. ... Rd7 22. Nf5 Qd8, although after 23. Qh4! White keeps an edge.


22. b4! Gaining material by force. 22. ... Qxa4. Obviously, 22. ... Qc7 is met by 23. b5. 23. Bxe4. There may have been a much simpler win by 23. Ra1 Qb3 (idem to say 23. ... Qb5 24. Ra5) 24. Rd3 winning the trapped Queen. 23. ... dxe4 24. Qxd8 Rxd8 25. Rxd8+ Be8 26. Rcc8 h5. On 26. ... Kf8 27. Nd5 wins. 27. Rxe8+. Two Rooks and Knight win with ease against a Queen. 27. ... Kh7 28. Rxe4 a5 29. Kg2 Qd7 30. Rc5 a4 31. Rxh5+ Kg6 32. Rd5 Qc7 33. Rc5 Qd7 34. b5 a3 35. Ra4 Qd2 36. Rxa3 Qxe2 37. Ra4 f6 38. Rg4+ Kh7 39. Rc7 Qxb5 40. Rgxg7+ Kh8 41. Rgd7 1 : 0.

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié). Photo: sports.sina.com.cn.

Remuneratio

Today, deputies of the Lviv Regional Council decided to give Mariya Muzychuk a cheque of 200,000 Hryvnia (a little less than 9,000 U.S. dollars) to award her for winning the Women’s World Chess Championship, vgolos.com.ua reports. [Read more]

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Liu Yupeng

საქართველო (Georgia)

Georgia wins gold medals in Women’s World Chess Team Championship

Georgia über alles
Photo: Liu Yupeng

Georgia brilliantly concluded the event by defeating the host country and three-times World Champions China. Georgia took the gold medal with 17 match points, conceding only one tie to Russia.
Still holding a hope for the gold medal in case of Georgia’s failure in the final round, Russia put up a powerful performance against USA, convincingly winning the match 3½ – ½ and the silver medal as well.
China is third with 11 match points, winning the bronze.

Giving flowers
Photo: Liu Yupeng

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Lose to Win

Atwork: navidoutlaw

拥有是失去的开始。
Yǒngyǒu shì shīqù de kāishǐ.
Owning is the beginning of losing.

Cataratta

Artwork: adnrey

神奇小子

Deep Sengupta – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
10th World Team Chess Championship; Tsaghkadzor, April 28, 2015
Spanish Game C83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Nbd2 Nc5 11. Bc2 d4 12. Nb3. For 12. Ne4 dxc3 13. Nxc5 Bxc5 14. Bxe4 Qd7 15. bxc3 see Capablanca – Chaies, New York 1915. 12. ... d3. 12. ... dxc3 13. Nxc5 transposes to the above mentioned game. 13. Bb1 Nxb3 14. axb3 Bf5 15. Bf4. The known track was 15. Re1 0-0 16. b4 Qd7 17. h3 Bg6 18. Bg5 Bxg5 19. Nxg5 a5 20. e6 fxe6 21. Nxe6 Rfe8 22. Nc5 Qd6 23. Bxd3 Rxe1+ 24. Qxe1 Re8 25. Qd1 axb4 26. cxb4 Bxd3 27. Qxd3 Qxd3 28. Nxd3 Rd8 29. Ra3 Rd4 30. Rb3 Ne7 31. Nc5 c6 32. Re3 Nd5 33. Re6 Nxb4 34. Re7 Rd6 35. Ne6 Nd5 36. Rxg7+ Kh8 37. Nc7 Rd8 38. Rf7 Kg8 39. Rg7+ Kh8 40. Rf7 Kg8 41. Rg7+ Kh8 ½ : ½ Caruana – Nakamura, 1st Vugar Gashimov Memorial, Shamkir 2014. 15. ... 0-0 16. Ne1 Qd5 17. Bxd3 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 Qxb3 19. Qf3 Qe6 20. Nd3 Rfd8 21. Rad1 Rd7 22. Rde1!? A paradoxical decision! White resigns himself to defend a slightly inferior position. 22. ... Rad8 23. Nc1 Na5 24. Ne2 Nb3 25. Qg3 c5 26. Kh1 Nd2 27. Bxd2 Rxd2 28. Nf4 Qf5 29. b3 c4 30. bxc4 bxc4 31. h4? The start of quite a wrong plan. If 31. Qf3 then 31. ... g5 32. Nd5 Qxf3 33. Nxe7+ Kf8 34. gxf3 Kxe7 and Black swaps off into a slightly favourable ending. 31. ... a5 32. h5? After 32. Ra1 h6! 33. Rxa5 Rd1 34. Ra1 (bad is 34. Rxd1? Rxd1+ 35. Kh2 Qb1 and White is in big trouble) 34. ... Rxf1+ 35. Rxf1 Bc5 Black wins back his Pawn and comes out with a powerful initiative, but White can still struggle. 32. ... a4. It’s all over now. 33. h6 Bg5 34. Nh3 R2d3 35. f3 Bxh6 36. Qh4 Bd2 37. Re2 Bxc3 38. e6 fxe6 39. Qxc4 a3 40. Nf2 Rd2 41. Rfe1 Rxe2 42. Rxe2 Be5 43. Qb3 Rb8 0 : 1.

韦奕 (Wéi Yì). Photo: sports.sina.com.cn.

Shot Me Down

Mariya Muzychuk – Shahenda Wafa
5th Women’s World Chess Team Championship; 成都市 (Chéngdū), April 28, 2015
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Nf3 g6 5. Nxd4 cxd4 6. Ne2 Bg7 7. c3 a6. For 7. ... dxc3 8. bxc3 Nf6 see Vallejo Pons – Grischuk, FIDE World Blitz Championship, Khanty-Mansiysk 2013. 8. Ba4 b5 9. Bb3 Bb7 10. d3 dxc3 11. Nxc3 d6 12. a4 b4 13. Nd5 a5 14. Be3 Bxd5 15. Bxd5


15. ... Rc8. On 15. ... Bxb2 16. Bxf7+! is in White’s favour. 16. Qd2 Nf6 17. Bb7 Rb8 18. Bc6+ Nd7 19. 0-0 0-0 20. d4 Nb6 21. b3 Rc8 22. Rac1 Qc7? Better, and more consistent, would have been 22. ... d5 23. f3 (if 23. e5 then 23. ... Nc4) 23. ... f5, although after 24. exf5 Nc4 25. Bxd5+ Qxd5 26. bxc4 Rxc4 27. fxg6 hxg6 28. Qd3 White remains a Pawn ahead in a pleasant position. 23. Qd3 Qa7. Prevents Qd3-a6, which would imply the destruction of the Queenside. 24. Rc2 e6 25. Rfc1 d5 26. exd5 exd5 27. Rc5 Rfd8 28. Bg5 Rf8 29. Bb5. White dominates the whole chess-board. 29. ... f6 30. Bf4 Qe7 31. Ba6 Rce8 32. Rxa5 f5 33. Rb5 Bxd4. Spes, ultima dea (34. Qxd4?? Qe1+ and mate next move). 34. a5 Nc8 35. Rxd5 Bc3 36. Rd7 Qe1+ 37. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 38. Qf1 Rxf1+ 39. Kxf1 Re8 40. g3 Ne7 41. Bb7 1 : 0.

Mariya & Anna Muzychuk
Photo: Liu Yupeng

Iron Man


Centoventi uomini di ferro sparsi fra bastioni, terrazze, stanze e scalinate del Forte Belvedere, idealmente affacciati sulla città. È “Human”, personale dell’artista inglese Antony Gormley, fra i nomi più significativi del panorama mondiale dell’arte contemporanea, visitabile a ingresso libero negli spazi esterni ed interni del Forte fino al 27 settembre a ingresso gratuito (martedì-domenica ore 10-20). Fra le opere in mostra, anche l’importante installazione “Critical mass”, definito dall’artista “un anti monumento che evoca tutte le vittime del XX secolo”, ideata originariamente nel 1995 per un vecchio deposito di tram a Vienna e composta da dodici figure installate in senso lineare e progressivo dalla posizione fetale a quella assunta per osservare le stelle. La mostra è curata da Sergio Risaliti e Arabella Natalini, promossa dal Comune di Firenze con il sostegno di Galleria Continua e White Cube e organizzata da Mus.e (Foto di Claudio Giovannini cge). [Read more].

Baku Baku

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Nigel David Short
Battle of the Legends; rapid match game 1; Saint Louis, April 25, 2015
Bogo-Indian E11

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 Bb4+ 4. Nbd2 c5 5. a3 Bxd2+ 6. Qxd2 cxd4 7. Nxd4 0-0 8. e3 d5 9. cxd5 Qxd5 10. Nb5 Qc6. The alternative was 10. ... Nc6 11. Qxd5 exd5 12. f3 Bd7 13. Bd2 a6 14. Nd6 Rab8 15. Rc1 Rfd8 16. b4 b5 17. Nf5 Re8 ½ : ½ I. Sokolov – Timman, London 2008. 12... e5 13. e4 Nbd7. Another way is 13. ... Be6 14. Qf2 Bb3 15. Be2 Qe6 16. 0-0 Nc6 17. Be3 Rfd8 18. Bd1 h6 19. Rc1 Rd3 20. Be2 Rd7 21. Bd1 Rd3 22. Be2 Rd7 23. Bd1 ½ : ½ Gelfand – Andreikin, Moscow 2013. 14. Qf2 Nc5 15. Be3 Nb3 16. Rd1 Be6 17. Be2 Rfd8 18. 0-0 Ne8?! As Kasparov observed after the game, the very impressive Knight on b3 is quite useless. 19. Qg3 f6 20. f4! Grabbing energetically the initiative on the Kingside. 20. ... Nd4 21. Bh5! Bc4


22. fxe5! A very deep Exchange sacrifice, reminiscent of Garry Kimovich in his prime! 22. ... Bxf1 23. Rxf1 Kh8 24. Nd5? The most consistent continuation was 24. Qh4! (with the threat of Bh5-g6) since now 24. ... Kg8 is effectively met by 25. Nd5! Rxd5 26. exd5 Qxd5 27. Bxd4 and White wins. 24... Rxd5 25. exd5 Qxd5 26. Qf2? “[I] Was still winning after ’human’ 26. Kh1 though”, then Kasparov said. 26. ... fxe5 27. Qf8+ Qg8 28. Qe7 Nf6 29. Rxf6! Two Exchanges sacrifices in the same game! 29. ... gxf6 30. Bh6 Nf5 31. Qxf6+ Ng7 32. Qxe5 Rc8 33. Bf3 Qf7 34. h3 b5 35. Be4?! After the game Kasparov suggested 35. Bd2! Re8 36. Qd4 followed by Bd2-c3 retaining some pressure. 35. ... Re8 36. Qd4. On 36. Bxg7+ Kg8 37. Bd5 Rxe5 38. Bxf7+ Kxg7 wins. 36. ... Qe7 37. b4 Qe5. Black ruled out all danger and can even think about the initiative for the first time. 38. Qd7 Qa1+. As then Grandmaster Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Alvarez demonstrated, after 38. ... Re7! 39. Qc8+ Ne8 suddenly is Black who has the upper hand, and White who has to fight for a draw! 39. Kh2. Now Black forces the draw: 39. ... Rxe4 40. Bxg7+ Qxg7 41. Qd8+ Qg8 42. Qf6+ Qg7 43. Qd8+ Qg8 ½ : ½. A very passionate game!

Garry Kimovich Kasparov vs. Nigel David Short
Photo: Austin Fuller

Monday, April 27, 2015

士婚礼 (Wedding Guests)

Tuscany countryside, April 23, 2015. No matter whether it’s a birthday party or a bridal shower, the most important thing is to enjoy life! Photos courtesy of 林丽丽 (Lín Lìlì).

The Servant

Artwork: adnrey

Untitled

任航 (Rèn Háng), Untitled, 2014. Photo © 任航 (Rèn Háng).

Backdoor

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Mariya Muzychuk
5th Women’s World Chess Team Championship; 成都市 (Chéngdū), April 27, 2015
Spanish C81

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. Rd1 0-0 11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Bc5 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. Qxe3 Qb8 15. Bb3 Qb6 16. Qxb6 cxb6 17. Na3 Nc5. This looks to be a theoretical novelty by Mariya Muzychuk. If 17. ... Rfd8 might follow 18. Nc2 Na5 19. Ncd4 (if, instead, 19. Nb4 then 19. ... Nc4 20. Bxc4 dxc4 21. Nxa6 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 h6 23. Nb4 Ra4 24. a3 c3 25. bxc3 Rxa3 26. h3 Rxc3 27. Rd8+ Kh7 28. Rb8 Bxh3 29. Rxb6 Be6 30. Nd4 Rc1+ 31. Kh2 Nxf2 32. Nxe6 fxe6 33. Rxe6 h5 34. g3 Rb1 35. Nd5 Rb2 36. Rb6 Re2 37. Nf4 Ng4+ 38. Kg1 Rxe5 39. Kg2 Nf6 0 : 1 Tukmakov – Kortschnoi, 41st USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1973) 19. ... Nc4 20. Rab1 Rac8 21. h3 h6 22. Re1 Nc5 23. Bc2 Bd7 24. Re2 Re8 25. b3 Na3 26. Rd1 Bb5 27. Re3 Nxc2 28. Nxc2 Nxb3 29. Na3 Rc1 30. Rde1 Rxe1+ 31. Rxe1 Nc5 32. Nxb5 axb5 33. Rb1 Ra8 34. Rxb5 Rxa2 35. Rxb6 Ra1+ ½ : ½ B. Ivanović – Timman, Belgrade 1987. Also playable is furthermore 17. ... Nb4 18. Nc2 Nxc2 19. Bxc2 Rac8 20. Nd4 a5 21. a3 Rc4 22. f3 Nc5 23. Rd2 g6 24. Kf2 Rc8 25. Ke3 Nd7 26. f4 Nb8 27. Rad1 h5 28. h3 Nc6 29. Bb3 Nxd4 30. Rxd4 Rxd4 31. Kxd4 a4 32. Ba2 Rc2 33. Bxd5 Bxd5 34. Kxd5 Rxb2 35. g4 hxg4 36. hxg4 b5 37. f5 gxf5 38. gxf5 b4 ½ : ½ L. Schmid – Pachman, Pula 1988. 18. Bxd5 Bxd5 19. Rxd5 Rfd8 20. Rad1 Rxd5 21. Rxd5 Nb4 22. Rd4 Nxa2 23. Nc4 b5 24. Nd6. Even 24. Nb6 Re8 25. Nd7 Nxd7 26. Rxd7 Nb4 wouldn’t lead to anything special for White. 24. ... Nc1 25. Kf1 Ne6 26. Rd1 Nb3 27. Nd2 Nbc5 28. N2e4 Nxe4 29. Nxe4 Rc8 30. g3 h6 31. Rd2 Rc4. Also worth considering is 31. ... Ng5 32. Nxg5 hxg5 33. Ke2 Rc4 with equality. 32. Nd6 Rc1+ 33. Ke2 g5 34. Ne4 Kg7 35. Kf3 Re1 36. g4 h5 37. h3 h4 38. Rd6 a5 39. Rd5 b4 40. Nd6 a4 41. Nf5+ Kg6 42. Ra5 Ra1


43. Ke4. After 43. Rb5 Black might offer a temporary Pawn sacrifice by 44. ... a3! 44. Rxb4 a2 45. Ra4 Nc5 46. Ra3 Nd7!, in order to gain a dynamic advantage. 43. ... b3 44. Ne7+? White’s King ought to move towards the Queenside to put a stop to the enemy Pawns: 44. Kd3! and if 44. ... a3 then 45. Rxa3 Rxa3 46. bxa3 Nf4+ 47. Kc3 Nxh3 48. f3 Ng1 49. Kxb3 Nxf3 when the chances of a draw would be extremely high. 44. ... Kh7 45. Nd5 Kg7 46. Nc3 Ra2. Probably best is 46. ... a3! as after 47. Rxa3 (47. bxa3 Rh1 is equally hopeless) 47. ... Rxa3 48. bxa3 Nf4 Black would have secured excellent winning chances. 47. Ke3 Rxb2 48. Rxa4 Rc2. Black misses her last chance: 48. ... Nf4! and if 49. Ra7 (49. Rb4 Nxh3 doesn’t look any better) then 49. ... Rc2 50. Ne4 Re2+ 51. Kf3 Re1! 52. Nxg5 Nd3! and Black must win. 49. Ne4 Rc1 50. Rb4 Re1+ 51. Kd2 Rb1 52. Nd6 Nc5 53. Nf5+ Kh7 54. Rb5 Ne4+ 55. Ke3 b2 56. Kxe4 Re1+ 57. Ne3 b1=Q+ 58. Rxb1 Rxb1 59. Kf5 Rh1 60. Kxg5 Rxh3 61. Nf5 Rh2 62. Nxh4 Rxf2 63. Nf5 Kg8 64. Kf6 Rg2 65. e6 fxe6 66. Kxe6 Kh7 67. Kf6 Rxg4 68. Ne3 Rg6+ 69. Kf5 Kg7 70. Nd5 Ra6 71. Ke5 Kf7 72. Nf4 ½ : ½.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Liu Yupeng

Sunday, April 26, 2015

The prodigious Judit

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02nzhd6

Judit Polgár – Chess Prodigy

In 1991, the Hungarian chess prodigy, Judit Polgár, became the youngest Grandmaster ever at the age of 15. She speaks to Robert Nicholson about her unconventional childhood and how her extraordinary career defied expectations for female players.

Sunday, May 3

XVII Rassegna Internazionale Vetrina Scuole di Danza AICS
DOMENTICA 3 MAGGIO 2015
ORE 15,00 / ORE 20,00
Teatro Verdi
Via Ghibellina, 99 · 50122 Firenze

Thea De Seras

Handmade by Mado Flynn

Formazione Formatori

Artwork: adnrey

A/R Andata + Ritorno

Puliyogare

Viswanathan Anand – Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
2nd Vugar Gashimov Memorial; Shamkir, April 25, 2015
Four Knights C49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. 0-0 0-0 6. d3 d6 7. Ne2. “My second [Grzegorz Gajewski – Ed. Note] showed me this line and I thought why not give it a try? It is nice, quite an unusual system. And just a few days ago, 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) played it in Armenia”, then Vishy said. 7. ... Ne7 8. c3 Ba5 9. Ng3 Ng6 10. d4 Bb6 11. Re1 c6 12. Bd3 Re8 13. h3 h6 14. Be3 Be6 15. Qc2 Qc7 16. a3 a5 17. c4 a4 18. Red1 exd4. Black should have refused to cede ground in the centre. Sounder was 18. ... c5 (Anand). 19. Bxd4 Ne5 20. Be2 Bc5. A little slow. Probably more to the point would have been 20. ... Nfd7 immediately. 21. Rd2 Nfd7 22. Rad1 Red8 23. Nh4! Threatening both f2-f4 and Nh4-f5. 24. ... Bxd4 24. Rxd4 c5. Mamedyarov ventures a Pawn sacrifice to enhance his control over the dark squares. 25. Rxd6! The ordinary 25. R4d2 Nc6 25. Nhf5 (Anand’s analysis) would have retained the upper hand, but the “Tiger of Madras” was attracted by a pretty counter-sacrifice. 25. ... Nc6 26. Nhf5 Nd4 27. Qd2 Ne5


28. Rd5!! A superb Exchange sacrifice, far from obvious. 28. ... Bxd5 29. cxd5 Qb6 30. f4!? “Possible was 30. Nxd4 cxd4 31. Qxd4 Qxd4 32. Rxd4 with a large advantage on the endgame, but Anand banks on the attack”, Grandmaster Andrey Deviatkin said. 30. ... Ng6 31. Bc4 Qa5 32. Qf2 b5! 33. Nxd4 cxd4 34. Ba2!? “Again the most ambitious continuation. The alternative was 34. Bd3, but Anand thought this was too slow”, Deviatkin said. 34. ... b4 35. Nf5 bxa3 36. bxa3 Qc3 37. e5 Rab8 38. Rd2. Suddenly Vishy realized 38. Qxd4?? would have lost to 38. ... Qc2. 38. ... Qxa3? Deviatkin recommends the brilliant 38. ... d3! 39. d6 Rb3! with sufficient counter-play. 39. Nxd4 Qc1+ 40. Kh2 Rbc8? Another false step, but Mamedyarov was in tremendous time trouble. “This kills all chance of counterplay with things like ... Rb8-b2. My reply took me some time, but eventually I realized that after 41. d6 Black can do absolutely nothing – I just play Nd4-f5 and Qf2-d4”, then Anand said. 41. d6 a3 42. Nf5 Rf8 43. d7! 1 : 0.

Viswanathan Anand vs. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Photo: Shamkir Chess 2015

Do What U Want

Mariya Muzychuk – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
5th Women’s World Chess Team Championship; 成都市 (Chéngdū), April 26, 2015
Pirc Defence B07

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Bg5 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. Bh6 Bxh6 7. Qxh6 Qa5 8. Bd3 Na6 9. Nf3 Nb4 10. 0-0 Qh5 11. Qf4 Nxd3 12. cxd3 Bg4 13. Nd2 0-0 14. Rfe1 Be6 15. h3 Qa5 16. Qh6 Qh5 17. Qe3 Qa5 18. Nc4 Qa6 19. Qh6 Bxc4 20. dxc4 e5 21. dxe5 dxe5 22. Qg5 Nd7 23. Rad1 f6 24. Qh4 Rf7 25. Rd6 Kg7 26. Nd5 Qa5 27. b4 Qd8 28. Ne3 Qe7 29. Red1 Nf8 30. c5 Re8 31. Qg4 h5 32. Qe2 Ne6 33. Qc4 Nd4 34. Nc2 Nb5 35. R6d3 Qe6 36. Qxe6 Rxe6 37. a4 Nc7 38. Rd8 a5 39. bxa5 Na6 40. f3 Nxc5 41. Rc8 Rf8 42. Rc7+ Rf7 43. Rc8 Ree7 44. Rdd8 Kh6 45. h4 Rd7 46. Ne3 Rxd8 47. Rxd8 Nxa4 48. Nc4 Nc5 49. Nd6 Re7 50. g4 hxg4 51. fxg4


51. ... Ne6? The losing move. After 51. ... Nb3 52. Nc4 Kg7 Black’s endgame is tenable. 52. Rh8+ Kg7 53. Re8 Rxe8 54. Nxe8+ Kf8 55. Nd6 Ke7 56. Nxb7 Nc7 57. Nc5 Kd6 58. h5 gxh5 59. gxh5 Ke7 60. a6 Nb5 61. Kg2 Kf7 62. Kg3 Kg7 63. Kg4 Kh6 64. Nb7 f5+ 65. exf5 e4 66. f6 1 : 0.

Марія Музичук (Mariya Muzychuk)
Photo: ZN.UA

The Inner Light

To the Editor of the Era:
Café de la Régence, Paris, October 6, 1858

Sir:
     May I request you to add to the great kindness shown me by your paper since my arrival in Europe, by publishing in your forthcoming number the accompanying copy of a letter to Howard Staunton, Esq. I hall esteem it a favor, as I am most desirous that my true position with reference to that gentleman should at length be put in its proper light before the public.
     I have the honor to remain, sir,
Your very obedient servant
Paul Morphy

Paul Charles Morphy by Granger (1858)

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Till the World Ends

Mariya Muzychuk – Elina Danielian
5th Women’s World Chess Team Championship; 成都市 (Chéngdū), April 25, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 Qc7 12. 0-0-0 Ngf6 13. Ne4 0-0-0 14. g3 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Nf6 16. Qe2 Bd6 17. Kb1 Rhe8 18. c4 c5 19. Rc1!? Mariya manages to find a theoretical novelty in a well-known position. 19. ... e5 20. d5 Qd7 21. Nh4 e4 22. Bc3 Qg4 23. Rhe1 Qxe2 24. Rxe2 Be5


25. g4 Nxg4 26. Rg1 Nf6 27. Rxg7 Bxc3 28. bxc3 Rd7 29. Nf5 Nxh5 30. Rxf7 Rxf7 31. Nd6+ Kd7 32. Nxf7 Nf4 33. Re3 b5! 34. f3 bxc4 35. Rxe4 Nxd5 36. Rxc4 Kc6 37. Kb2 h5 38. Rh4 Re2+ 39. Kb3 Re3 40. Rxh5 Nxc3 41. Kc4 Na4 42. Rh6+ Kc7 43. Kb5 Nc3+ 44. Kxc5 Nxa2 45. Ra6 Nc1 46. Rxa7+ Kb8 47. Rd7 Rxf3 48. Nd6 Ne2 49. Kb6 Rb3+ 50. Nb5 Kc8 51. Rd5 Nc3 52. Rc5+ Kd8 53. Rxc3 Rxc3 54. Nxc3 ½ : ½. Draw by insufficient (mating) material.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Elina Danielian
Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich