Saturday, April 30, 2016

The Queen’s Pawn

Meditation Cushions (May 2015) from I Was Never Good at Yoga. Contemporary photographer Polly Penrose’s self portraits — all taken on a 10 second self timer — aren’t premeditated. “Often I’ve never seen the location before, and I never enter a space with an idea of a finished picture”, she says. Photo: Polly Penrose.

The Wax-Crowned Queen

The cover of the April 2016 issue of 50 Moves magazine was a once-in-a-lifetime shot of four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).

Old Days Old Ways

Mariya Muzychuk – Nana Dzagnidze
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 30, 2016
Two Knights Defence C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Re1 d6 7. a4 Be6 8. Na3 Nd7. If 8. ... Qd7 there might follow 9. c3 Kh8 10. b4 Rae8 11. b5 Nd8 12. d4 Bg4 13. Qd3 Ne6 14. Nc2 Nf4 15. Bxf4 exf4 16. Nb4 Qc8 17. a5 c5 18. bxc6 bxc6 19. d5 as occurred into the game Tseshkovsky – Shchekachev, Krasnodar 1996. 9. c3 Kh8 10. b4 Bf6 11. a5 a6 12. h3 b5 13. Ba2 Re8 14. Nc2 Ne7 15. Bxe6 fxe6 16. Ng5 Bxg5 17. Bxg5 Qc8 18. d4 Ng6 19. g3 exd4 20. cxd4 c5 21. h4 cxd4 22. Nxd4 Nge5 23. Rc1 Qb7 24. h5 h6 25. Bh4 Nc4 26. g4 Nde5 27. Rc3 Rac8 28. Qe2 d5. This, too, would seem like another unlucky day for the former Women’s World Chess Champion, but she quite boldly starts playing dynamically, regardless of the material balance. 29. f4!?? So Muzychuk doesn’t even consider any kind of peace compromise by 29. exd5 exd5 30. f4 Qa7! 31. Bf2 Nxg4! 32. Qxg4 Rxe1+ 33. Bxe1 Qxd4+ 34. Bf2! (White cannot allow Black’s Rook to penetrate the e-file by ... Rc8-e8) 34. ... Qxc3 35. Qxc8+ Kh7 36. Qf5+ with a draw by perpetual check. 29. ... Nc6 30. Nxc6 Qxc6 31. e5 d4 32. Rd3 Ne3 33. Rxd4 Nc2 34. Rd6 Qc3 35. Red1 Qxb4? Dzagnidze doesn’t resist the temptation to grab the Queenside White Pawns. 35. ... Qh3! looked very strong. 36. Bg3 Rc3 37. R1d3 Qxa5? Black has finally got her aimed two united passed Pawns, but in the meanwhile White has accumulated enough energy to start an assault on the Kingside. After 37. ... Qc4 38. Qd2 b4 the chances are roughly balanced. 38. f5! Qa1+ 39. Kh2 Rxd3 40. Qxd3 Qa2 41. Qd2 b4. Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly calls it “Une faute terrible!”, but after 41. ... exf5 42. gxf5 Nb4 43. Qxa2 Nxa2 44. Rg6!! (threatening both f5-f6 and e5-e6) Black is doomed anyway. The variations are very easy: both 44. ... b4 and 44. ... Re7 are met by 45. e6, while if 44. ... Nc1 there might follow 45. f6 gxf6 46. exf6 Nd3 47. Bd6 Re2+ 48. Kg3 Rf2 49. Bb4!! Kh7 50. Rg7+ Kh8 51. Bc3 b4 52. Bd4 Rf4 53. f7 finis.


42. f6! b3 43. f7 Rf8 44. Rd8 Qa3 45. Bh4. 45. Re8 (eventually followed by Qd2-d8) can be regarded as a dual. 45. ... b2 46. Bf6! Threatening Qd2xh6 mate. 46. ... Ne3 47. Qxe3! 1 : 0. For if 47. ... Qxe3 then 48. Rxf8+ Kh7 49. Rh8+! Kxh8 50. f8=Q+ and mate next move.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Nana Dzagnidze
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

The Queen’s Necklace

On the afternoon of Thursday, April 28, 2016 four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was awarded the “May 4th Medal” — the highest honour for students in Peking University, awarded to no more than 10 students every two years — in a solemn ceremony held at Peking University’s 英杰 (Yīngjié) Exchange Centre Sunshine Hall. Photos: 李香花 (Lǐ Xiānghuā)/Peking University.

Free Time

The Statue of Love in Batumi, Georgia
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

A rainy day is a good day for photography
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

The heartbreaking true story of a day off
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Friday, April 29, 2016

Garry’s Mod

Fabiano Caruana – Garry Kimovich Kasparov
Ultimate Blitz Challenge; match game 6; Saint Louis, April 29, 2016
English Opening A15

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. 0-0 0-0 5. c4 d6 6. b3 e5 7. Bb2 c5 8. e3 Nc6 9. Nc3 Bf5 10. d4 e4! Déjà vu! 11. Ne1. After 11. Ng5 Re8 12. dxc5 dxc5 13. Nb5 Re7! Black’s position is promising, Webb – Kasparov, 7th European Team Chess Championship, Skara 1980. 11. ... Re8 12. Nc2 h5 13. Qd2 h4. Garry Kimovich decidedly took the initiative! 14. Ba3 b6 15. Rfd1 Bg4 16. Rdc1. White’s last moves – aiming for perspectives on the Queenside – appear quite inadequate as Black’s attack on the Kingside is too fast. So, we don’t indulge in computer analysis: as they say, blitz it’s just reflex chess! 16. ... Qd7 17. b4 Qf5 18. Bb2 Rad8 19. Nb5 Bf3 20. d5 Ne5 21. Bxe5 Rxe5 22. Ne1 hxg3 23. fxg3. Not 23. hxg3 Ng4! with overwhelming attack. 23. ... Bh6 24. Rab1 Kg7 25. Rb3 Qh5 26. h3 Nh7! 27. g4


27. ... Bxg4! Kasparov’s mythical instinct did not betray him! 28. hxg4 Qxg4 29. Qd1 Qg3! Up as a bad surprise to Fabi: Black’s attack is irresistible. 30. Qe2 Ng5 31. Kh1 Rh8 32. Nxd6 Kg8 33. bxc5 Bf8+. It is not the fastest way to mate, but who does it care about, other than pedantic woodpushers? 34. Kg1 Nh3+ 35. Kf1 Bxd6 36. cxd6 Rf5+ 37. Nf3 Rxf3+ 0 : 1. Fantastic!

Fabiano Caruana vs. Garry Kimovich Kasparov
Photo: ChessKazakh (‏@ChessKazakh)

A Sleeping Giant

李超 (Lǐ Chāo) – Anish Giri
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 29, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D84

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 0-0 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Bxc7 Na6 9. Bxa6 Qxg2 10. Qf3 Qxf3 11. Nxf3 bxa6 12. Rc1 f6 13. Rg1 Rf7 14. b3. The alternative is 14. Ke2, e.g. 14. ... Bd7 15. Nd2 e5 16. d5 Bb5+ 17. Kf3 f5 18. b3 e4+ 19. Kg2 Bb2 20. Rc2 Bd3 21. Rc6 Bb5 22. Rc2 Bd3 23. Rc6 ½ : ½ Radjabov – Ivanchuk, 23rd SuperGrandMasters Chess Tournament, Morelia/Linares 2006. 14. ... Bb7 15. Ke2 Bf8 16. Ba5 e6 17. Nd2 Re8 18. h4 e5 19. h5 exd4 20. hxg6 hxg6 21. Rxg6+ Kh7 22. Rg3 Bh6 23. Nc4 Re6 24. Rd1 dxe3 25. Rd6 Re4 26. fxe3 Rh4 27. Rd8 Bf8 28. Nd2 Bc6 29. Kd3 Rh5 30. Bc3 Be7 31. Rc8 Bb5+ 32. Kc2 Bf8 33. a4 Bd7 34. Rd8 Bf5+ 35. Kb2 Rh2 36. Rf3 Be7 37. Rd4 Bg6 38. Rdf4 Bc5 39. b4 Rb7 40. Ka3 Be7 41. Nb3. 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) does his best to give Giri some vague chances, but, indeed, not enough for risking to lose. 41. ... Rc7 42. Bxf6 Rcc2 43. Rh4+ Rxh4 44. Bxh4 Bxh4 45. Rh3 Bf7 46. Rxh4+ Kg7 47. Rh1 Rc3 48. Rb1 Rxe3 49. a5 Bc4


50. b5. The right way. It should be noted that, even in the worst case, Black is left with the wrong Bishop for the a-Pawn. 50. ... axb5 51. a6 Kf6 52. Kb4 Bd3 53. Rc1 Re4+ 54. Kc3 Be2 55. Kb2 Rb4 56. Rc6+ Ke5 57. Kc3 Rh4 58. Rc7 b4+ 59. Kb2 Bxa6 60. Na5 Kd5 61. Rxa7 Bb5 62. Rg7 Ba4 63. Rg2 Rh3 64. Rg5+ Ke6 65. Rg6+ Kf5 66. Rb6 Rh2+ 67. Ka1 Rh4 68. Nc6 b3 69. Na5 Rh1+ 70. Kb2 Rh2+ 71. Kb1 Rh1+ 72. Kb2 Rh2+ 73. Kb1 Ke5 ½ : ½.

Empire State Building Cometh

Magnus Carlsen – Pavel Eljanov
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 29, 2016
Dutch Defence A90

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 0-0 7. 0-0 c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. a4 a5 10. Rc1 Ne4. Eljanov decides to transpose his anti-Catalan into a Stonewall Dutch – very questionable opening strategy against a superb positional player such as Carlsen. For 10. ... h6 11. Be1 b6 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. Nc3 Bb7 14. Nb5 Rc8 see Sandipan – G. Meier, ZMDI Open, Dresden 2012. 11. Be1 f5 12. Nbd2 Bd6 13. e3 Ra7 14. Qd1 b6 15. cxd5 cxd5 16. Nb1! “Magnus says game plan was to get into mutually unknown territory and just (out)play”, Grandmaster Jonathan David Tisdall said. 16. ... Ba6 17. Na3 Qa8. Very involute, very compressed. It will be easy for Magnus making his dream come true. 18. Nb5 Bxb5 19. axb5. Eljanov has got rid of his “bad” Bishop, but at the cost of leaving SuperMagnus the Bishop pair and a much freer game. 19. ... Rc8 20. Bf1! Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Rc7 22. Rxc7 Bxc7 23. Qa4! Qb8 24. b4 axb4 25. Bxb4 h6 26. Qc2! Bd6 27. Qc6? The paralyzing irruption, but too hasty. First he should have played 27. Bxd6. 27. ... Ndf6? Eljanov crashes off. Even worse was 27. ... Qc7? 28. Nd2! winning on the spot. However, Black could defend by 27. ... Qa7! 28. Bd3 (both 28. Bxd6? Qa2! and 28. Qc8+ Nf8 29. Bxd6 Qa2! would lead only to a draw) 28. ... Bxb4 29. Qxe6+ Kh8 30. Qxd5 Qa3 31. Bxe4 fxe4 32. Qxe4 when White has three Pawns for the Bishop, but no win in sight. 28. Bxd6 Qxd6. After 28. ... Nxd6 29. Ne5 White stands much better anyway.


29. Qc8+ Kh7 30. Ne5. That’s (almost) all. 30. ... Qe7 31. Qc6 Ng4 32. Nxg4 fxg4 33. Bd3! g6 34. Bxe4 dxe4 35. Qxb6 1 : 0. “I’m incredibly delighted to be able to win here”, then Magnus said.

Magnus finally propheta in patria!
Photo © Jose Huwaidi 2016

Posing for Self-Portrait

Blue Yoga Mats (May 2015) from I Was Never Good at Yoga
Photographer Polly Penrose capturing herself “making sculptural forms out of the interaction between the objects and my body”. Photo: Polly Penrose.

The Game of Life

http://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2016/apr/29/playgrounds-elderly-seniors-in-pictures
London, United Kingdom: A man works out in London’s first purpose-built “senior playground”, opened in 2010 in Hyde Park. Photo: Oli Scarff/Getty Images.

北京 (Běijīng), China: Elderly residents engage in early morning exercises in 北京 (Běijīng)’s 地坛 (Dìtán park) in the 东城区 (Dōngchéng District). Photo: Dan Chung for The Guardian.

Quieta non movere et mota quietare

http://kirsan.today/mnenie/item/682-glava-fide-dejstvuyushchaya-sistema-provedeniya-chempionata-mira-optimalna.html

On April 26, 2016, FIDE President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov also posted on his web site – thus confirming it – the link to the original article by TASS, dated March 29, 2016, about which we already talked earlier on.
“At the FIDE Presidential Board we discussed the system of the World Chess Championship”, FIDE President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov told TASS. “Magnus Carlsen would like to go back to the old knockout system, but the Board has decided that the actual system is the non plus ultra. Furthermore, we’re also thinking to equate men’s and women’s World Chess Championship systems”. [Read more].

Shark tooth


13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov is back to make the show one of the shinest hits in chess history! Photo: Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Worth the Kiss

Hillary Clinton

B&B

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/28/tony-blair-chinese-leaders-saudi-princes-oil-firm-middle-east-envoy
Tony Blair obtained a “blessing” from Chinese leaders for a company owned by a Saudi prince to do business in China as part of an arrangement that paid the former UK prime minister’s firm £41,000 a month and a 2% commission on any multimillion-pound contracts he helped to secure. [Read more].
Tony Blair at the Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh in 2011. Photo: Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images.

An American Love Story



We learn from our beloved friend, Silvia Bertini, that her Prince Passerby suddenly went on holiday to New York accompanied by his mother. At least this is the official version. Please accept it as true :).

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Garry Live Show

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Wesley So
Ultimate Blitz Challenge; match game 1; Saint Louis, April 28, 2016
Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Ba6 9. b3 g6 10. Ba3 c5 11. g3. That’s an improvement on 11. Bb2 Bg7 12. Nd2 Nb4 13. Ne4 d5?? (a hallucination; here simply 13. ... 0-0 is good) 14. exd6 1 : 0 M. O. Muzychuk – Ortega Ruiz, 10th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2012. 11. ... Bg7 12. f4 Nb4 13. Bg2 Rd8 14. Nc3 0-0 15. Bb2 d5 16. a3 d4 17. axb4 dxc3 18. Bxc3 cxb4 19. Bb2. The winter’s biting wind. 19. ... Bc8 20. 0-0


20. ... f6? A bad slip in a not easy situation. 20. ... Bf5 was called for. 21. Bd5+ Rxd5. So gives up the Exchange, for after 21. ... Kh8 22. exf6! Her Majesty is taboo: 22. ... Qxe2?? 23. fxg7 mate. 22. cxd5 Qc5+ 23. Rf2 fxe5. If 23. ... Qxd5 then 24. exf6 Bxf6 25. Bxf6 Rxf6 26. Rxa7 and White must win. 24. Bxe5 Bxe5 25. Qxe5 Rd8 26. Rd1 Bg4 27. Qd4! Qa5 28. Rdd2! Re8 29. Kg2 Qb5 30. h3 Bf5 31. g4 Be4+ 32. Kh2 c5 33. Qf6 c4 34. d6 Bc6 35. f5! Kasparov didn’t lose his powerful magnetism! 35. ... Rf8 36. Qe6+ Kg7 37. d7 Qc5 38. Qd6 1 : 0. “Even now that he’s retired for such a long time he’s still got that monstrosity in him!”, Wesley So said.

Kasparov still knows how to play chess very well. Photo: chess24.com (@chess24.com)

Run to Earth

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 28, 2016
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 Bb6 6. a4 d6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 a6 9. Nbd2 Be6 10. b4 Ne7!? Another try is 10. ... 0-0 11. 0-0 Qe7 12. Re1 Ba7 13. a5 Nb8 14. d4 Nbd7 15. h3 c6 16. Qb3 Rfe8 17. Rad1 g5 18. dxe5 Nxe5 19. Nxe5 dxe5 20. Bg3 Rad8 21. Bxe6 Qxe6 22. Qxe6 Rxe6 23. Nc4 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Nxe4 25. Rd8+ Kh7 26. Rd7 Nxg3 27. Rxf7+ Kg6 28. Rxb7 Bxf2+ 29. Kxf2 Ne4+ 30. Ke1 Nxc3 31. Rb6 Nd5 32. Rxa6 Kf5 33. Ra8 Nxb4 34. a6 Re7 35. a7 Ke6 36. Na5 c5 37. Nb7 Nc6 38. Nxc5+ Kd5 39. Rd8+ Nxd8 40. a8=Q+ Nc6 41. Nb7 e4 42. Qa6 1 : 0 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – 周唯奇 (Zhōu Wéiqí), Chinese Team Chess Championship (Division A), 江门 (Jiāngmén) 2014. 11. Qb3 Qd7 12. d4 exd4 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Nxd4 Bxd4 15. cxd4 d5 16. exd5 Bxd5 17. 0-0 Rg8 18. g3 0-0-0. 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) aims for a sharp game with opposite castling. 19. b5 a5


20. Rac1. The choice between this and the most direct 20. b6! was not easy. 20. ... b6 21. Rfe1 Qh3 22. Bxd5 Nxd5 23. Nc4 Qg4 24. Qc2 Qd7 25. Ne3 Rge8 26. Qc6 Qxc6 27. Rxc6. Europe Échecs’ editor-in-chief Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly writes: “The game is equal and would have remained thus if 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) had played 27. ... Nxe3 28. Rxe3 Re6!. Instead, due to serious Zeitnot, she blundered with:” 27. ... Nb4? Kouatly: “which eventually costed her a Pawn after:” 28. Rxf6 Rxd4 29. Rxf7 Nd3 30. Rd1! Kouatly: “Anna Muzychuk then transposed into an absolutely won Knight ending with an extra Pawn, ending up with two connected passed Pawns on the Kingside”. 30. ... Ne5 31. Rxd4 Nxf7 32. g4 Re6 33. Nf5 c5 34. bxc6 Ne5 35. Kg2 Nxc6 36. Rd6 Rxd6 37. Nxd6+ Kc7 38. Nb5+ Kd7 39. f4 Ke6 40. Kf3 Nb4 41. h4 Nd3 42. Nc7+ Kd6 43. g5 hxg5 44. hxg5 Nb4 45. Nb5+ Kd5 46. Kg4 1 : 0.

From left: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich, Anna Olehivna Muzychuk, and 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) sharing their impressions after the game. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/dec/10/ai-weiwei-interview-in-human-history-theres-never-been-a-moment-like-this#img-2
Ask the artist and dissident what he has in common with Andy Warhol and he says he “loved his time”. Ahead of his Melbourne show he talks about China, America, Lego and the wonders of the internet in conversation with Monica Tan

From Earth to Sky

Pavel Eljanov – 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 28, 2016
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

And, finally, our hero 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) has the honour to be challenged to duel by Pavel Eljanov. 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 Bf5 4. e3 e6 5. Bd3 Ne4 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. Bxe4 dxe4 8. Ne5 f6 9. g4 fxe5 10. dxe5 Be7 11. gxf5 exf5 12. Rg1 g6 13. Qe2 Qd5 14. 0-0-0 Nc6 15. Nb3 Qe6 16. Qb5 0-0 17. Kb1 a5 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. exd4 c6 20. Qb6 Rfd8 21. a4 Rd7 22. d5 Rxd5 23. Rxd5 Qxd5 24. Qxb7 Re8 25. b3 Ba3 26. h4 Qd4 27. Bc1 Bxc1 28. Rxc1 f4 29. h5 g5 30. h6 Qxe5 31. Rd1 Re7 32. Qxc6


Forget about computers as now 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)’s technique in the conduct of the ending is worth a study composer! 32. ... e3!! 33. fxe3 fxe3 34. Rd5. It is very natural, from a human point of view. After a whole night’s struggling and deep computer questioning, “they” say 34. Qc4+ would have won for White... Their main analysis runs: 34. Qc4+ Re6 35. Rd5 Qf6 36. Qc7 Re7 37. Qc8+ Kf7 38. Rf5 e2 39. Rxf6+ Kxf6 40. Qc3+ Kf5 (on 40. ... Kf7 41. Qe1 wins) 41. Qxa5+ Kf4 42. Qe1 g4± “is an engine-proposal to improve White’s play in the game”, writes André Schulz, but 41. ... Re5! (instead than 41. ... Kf4) 42. Qe1 g4 is an improvement that suggests itself, after which Black certainly cannot lose. Maybe he could not win, since unlike the actual game there is no Black Pawn at a5, but surely he won’t lose. It is quite evident, however paradoxical it may appear, that only Black can win this game – from a human point of view, of course. 34. ... e2!! The pointe. 35. Rxe5 Rxe5 36. Qa8+ Kf7 37. Qa7+ Re7 38. Qf2+ Ke8 39. Qe1 g4 40. Kc1 g3 41. Kd2 g2 42. c3 Re6!! Fantastic! A waiting move, and the only move which wins. 43. b4 Kd7 44. b5 Rd6+ 45. Kc2 Rg6 46. Qd2+ Kc8 47. Qxe2 g1=Q 48. Qe8+ Kb7 49. Qe7+ Kb6 50. Qd8+ Kc5 51. Qf8+ Kd5 52. Qf5+ Kd6 53. Qf4+ Ke7 54. Qe4+ Re6 55. Qxh7+ Ke8 56. Qh8+ Kd7 57. Qh7+ Kc8 0 : 1. 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) painted his own masterpiece, the same day when Garry Kimovich Kasparov came back to chessboard!


Pavel Eljanov vs. 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
Photo: Fiona Steil-Antoni

Act of Contrition

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/apr/28/lego-sell-bricks-chinese-artist-ai-weiwei-mistake
Toy company chiefs say order was blocked by employee who misinterpreted rule on political neutrality, but deny they were influenced by China concerns

Lego’s vice-chairman has called his company’s refusal to sell its bricks to Chinese artist and activist 艾未未 (Ài Wèiwèi) an “internal mistake”. [Read more].
艾未未 (Ài Wèiwèi) at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia: “I have to make people understand we are not different, we are all created equal”. Photo: Tracey Nearmy/AAP.

Waiting on the Sidelines

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – Anna Muzychuk
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 27, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D70

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 Nc6 4. d5 Ne5 5. e4 d6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. f4 Ned7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. Bd3 c6 10. 0-0 cxd5 11. cxd5 b5!? Interesting novelty. Most probably Anna shared her sister’s “opening laboratory” when they were preparing for the Women’s World Chess Championship match. 12. h3. Of course, neither 12. Nxb5? Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Nxe4! nor 12. Bxb5? Nxe4! would be appealing at all. 12. ... Nc5 13. a3 a5 14. Be3 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 Bd7 16. e5. Gunina played very energetically, and rhythmically gained space in the centre. 16. ... Ne8 17. Nxb5 Bxb5 18. Qxb5 dxe5 19. Nxe5 Nc7 20. Qc5 Nxd5!?? Aiming for another Game of the Century Black sacrifices her Queen for Bishop, Knight and half-Rook-to-be, but she appears to greatly overestimate Black’s attacking chances. Or perhaps she grossly overestimated White’s attacking possibilities after 20. ... Bxe5 21. fxe5 Nxd5 22. Bh6 Re8 23. e6! fxe6 24. Rae1 – when both 24. ... Ra6 and 24. ... Qb6 would appear to keep the most impending dangers under control. 21. Nc6 Nxe3 22. Nxd8 Rfxd8 23. Qxe7 Bxb2 24. f5! A very powerful blow, which makes clear who has the upper hand. 24. ... Re8 25. Qc7 Rac8 26. Qxa5. A right investment decision. In fact, the passed a-Pawn will turn out to be a decisive atout. 26. ... Bd4. Also 26. ... Bxa1 27. Rxa1 Rc2 28. Kh1 Nxf5 29. Re1 doesn’t seem to offer any hope of anything at all. 27. Kh1 Nxf5 28. Rxf5 Bxa1 29. Rf1 Bc3 30. Qd5 Rc7 31. a4 Kg7 32. a5. Maybe a bit too hasty. 32. Rc1 looks much stronger. 32. ... Re5. It seemingly seems that 32. ... Re6 (intending ... Re6-a6) would have offered much greater resistance. 33. Qd6 Rce7 34. a6 Re1 35. Kg1 R7e6 36. Qd3 R1e3 37. Qc4 Re7 38. Rf3 Rxf3 39. gxf3 Bf6 40. Qa4 Re1+ 41. Kf2 Ra1. “Position after Black’s 41st move (41. ... Ra1). Of course, White has a clear advantage but Black is angling for a theoretical ending of Rook plus 3 Pawns vs. Queen and 2 Pawns should she get the chance to sacrifice her Bishop for the a-Pawn...”, Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett said.


42. Qxa1! 1 : 0. For after 42. ... Bxa1 43. Ke3 the a-Pawn is unstoppable.

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich

Unwillingly Yours

11th World Chess Champion Robert James Fischer meets the press at an exhibition game in Los Angeles, United States, on December 5, 1972. Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

长城 (The Great Wall)

Nils Axel Grandelius – 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 27, 2016
Caro-Kann B16

Nobody ever says a word about how 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) used to spend his free days in Stavanger. Did you notice that? 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ gxf6!? The Bronstein-Larsen Variation. My friend Doriano Tocchioni should be very happy that his ancient sword is not yet hung on the wall. 6. c3 Bf5 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. g3 Qc7 9. Bg2 e6 10. Nh4 Bg6 11. Bf4. An anthologic miniature is 11. 0-0 0-0-0 12. Qe2 Bd6 13. Be3 f5 14. Bg5 Rde8 15. c4 c5 16. b4 cxd4 17. c5 Bf8 18. Rac1 Nb8 19. b5 Bg7 20. b6 1 : 0 Chiburdanidze – Borner, 24th Masters Tournament Open, Biel/Bienne 1991. 11. ... Bd6 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. 0-0 f5 14. b4 Nf6 15. a4 a6 16. Re1 0-0 17. a5 Rad8 18. Qc1. Black has no counterplay worth the opening variation, while White has got a very comfortable position, with much more space. That doesn’t mean, however, that the game is already won as Black’s position is fundamentally sound. 18. ... Kg7 19. Nf3 Nd7 20. Nd2 Qc7 21. Nc4 Rfe8 24. Re3 Nf6 25. Ne5 Ng4 26. Nxg4 Bxg4 27. Re5 Bh5 28. Bf1 Rd5 29. R5e3. Faithful to the rule to avoid exchanges with a space advantage. 29. ... Qe7 30. Bc4 Rdd8 31. Re5 Qg5 32. R1e3 Bg6 33. Bb3 Rd6 34. h4 Qf6 35. Re1 Red8 36. Qf4 Bh5 37. Kh2 Bg6 38. R1e3 h5 39. Re1 Bh7 40. Kg2 Qh6 41. Qg5+ Bg6 42. R5e3 R8d7 43. Kf1 Rd8 44. Ke2 R6d7 45. Kd2 Rd6 46. Kc1 R6d7 47. Kb2 Rd6. Black cannot but wait his opponent’s breakthrough; on the other hand, White must find a way to break in. 48. Bc4 Re8 49. Kb3 Rd7 50. Bf1 Qxg5 51. hxg5 Rh8 52. Bg2 Rdd8 53. Rh1 f6 54. gxf6+ Kxf6 55. Kc4 Ke7 56. Kc5 Bf7 57. Rh4 Kd7 58. Kb6 Kc8 59. Bf3 Kb8 60. Re1 Rh6 61. Re5 Rd6 62. Kc5 Kc7 63. Re1 Rd8 64. c4 Rh7 65. Reh1 Rdh8 66. Rb1 Be8 67. Re1 Bd7 68. Re5 Rh6


69. d5. Swedish Grandmaster pushes hard to win – maybe a bit impatiently. 69. ... exd5 70. cxd5 cxd5 71. Bxd5 b6+ 72. Kd4 bxa5 73. bxa5 Rb8 74. Bc4 Rb2 75. Rc5+ Kd6 76. Rd5+ Kc7 77. Rf4 Rc6 78. Rc5 Rd2+ 79. Kc3 Rxc5 80. Kxd2 Rxa5 81. Bf7 Kd6 82. Rd4+ Ke7 83. Bxh5 Re5 84. g4 fxg4 85. Bxg4 Bxg4 86. Rxg4 a5 87. Kc3 Rf5 88. Ra4 Rxf2 89. Rxa5 Rf3+ 90. Kb4 Rf4+ 91. Kb5 Rf5+ 92. Ka4 Rxa5+ 93. Kxa5 ½ : ½. A hard-fought draw! Bravo to both the outsiders for their combativity.

Nils Grandelius vs. 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
Photo: 4th Altibox Norway Chess (‏@NorwayChess)

Midnight Escape

Lima, Peru: A former circus lion looks from inside his cage, pending his return to his homeland to live out the rest of his life in a private sanctuary in South Africa. Photo: Martin Mejia/AP.

The Resurgence of the Hypermodern

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – Bela Khotenashvili
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 27, 2016
English Opening A30

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. h4!? Nf6 4. b3 Bg7. For 4. ... d6 5. Bb2 e5 6. e3 Bg4 7. Be2 Bg7 8. d3 Nc6 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. a3 Re8 11. Qc2 Rc8 12. 0-0 Nh5 13. Rfe1 f5 see Bosboom – Iturrizaga Bonelli, 71st Corus Chess Tournament (C-Group), Wijk aan Zee 2009. 5. Bb2 h5. 5. ... d6 6. e3 0-0 7. Be2 Nc6 8. d3 e6 9. Nbd2 b6 10. Qc2 Bb7 transposes into M. I. Ivanov – Ljavdansky, White Nights Open, Saint Petersburg 1998 6. Nc3 d6 7. e3 Nc6 8. Be2 0-0 9. Ng5 a6 10. 0-0 Rb8 11. Rc1 Bf5 12. Ba1 Qa5 13. a4 Nb4 14. d3 Bd7 15. d4 cxd4 16. Qxd4 Bc6 17. Qd2 Qf5?? This is indeed a very bad mistake. Kotenashvili should have contented herself with 17. ... b6 18. e4 reducing her opponent’s edge to acceptable levels. 18. e4 Qd7 19. Nd5! Now Black is doomed to sad failure. 19. ... a5. If 19. ... Bxd5 then 20. cxd5 a5 21. Bd4 with crushing threats. 20. Nxb4 axb4 21. f3 Ne8 22. Bxg7 Nxg7 23. Qxb4. 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) stands a Pawn to the good and has an overwhelming advantage as well. 23. ... f6 24. Nh3 Ne6 25. Qd2 Kg7 26. Qe3 Qc7 27. f4 Qa5


28. c5! Nxc5. Also 28. ... dxc5 is met by 29. f5 Nd4 30. Nf4 and wins. 29. f5 Bxe4 30. Qg3 Bxf5 31. Rxf5 Ne4. Or 31. ... Qd2 32. Nf4 and wins. 32. Qxg6+ Kxg6 33. Rxa5 Nc5 34. Nf4+ Kh6 35. b4 b6 36. Rb5 1 : 0.

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)
Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich

Politics and Policy


Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov: “The U.S. government isn’t interested in finding out the truth, they’re just trying to politicize the situation in FIDE”. For further details, see http://chess-news.ru/node/21366.

Love Yourself

Winter Is Coming

http://www.uschesschamps.com/2016-us-championship-news/ultimate-blitz-challenge-garry-kasparov

13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov is back! On 28th and 29th April he’s gonna take on America’s three superstars Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, and Hikaru Nakamura in the Ultimate Blitz Challenge at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, United States.

Hillary Clinton