Two Queens in One Realm

Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, CEO of WR Group and deus ex machina of the homonymous elite chess circuit, announces:

“We are happy to introduce the beginning of a new chapter for women in chess — the WR Women’s Chess Tour!”

With the patronage and involvement of two queens, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, it is aimed at bringing together the best of women’s chess and will be contested across four continents: Asia (June 5–8, 2026), Americas (June 30–July 3, 2026), Africa (August 20–23, 2026), and Europe (August 24–27, 2026) for a total prize fund of $200,000.
Further details will follow when they are available. For more information, click here.

From left: Kosteniuk, Rosenstein, and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Lennart Ootes via WR Chess.

The River Dragon

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Grandmaster 叶江川 (Yè Jiāngchuān) enjoy a night’s philosophical talk on a boat along the 黄河 (Yellow River) in 兰州 (Lánzhōu), 甘肃省 (Gānsù province), China, Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

By and By

Footage of the promotional tour by four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and her long-time mentor, Grandmaster 叶江川 (Yè Jiāngchuān), at schools and centres in 兰州 (Lánzhōu), 甘肃省 (Gānsù province), China, on October 21–22, 2025.

India and China

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 15, 2026
r7/5pbk/2q3p1/3Rp3/4Q1P1/1P6/rBP4P/1K1R4 w - - 5 36

Position after 35. ... Ra6-a2

The position in the diagram is the outcome of a Dragon gone quite wrong for Black. No attack ever came to compensate for her early Pawn sacrifice, and now it is White who launches the assault.
36. g5! Qb6 37. Qh4+ Kg8 38. Qe4 R8a4!?? White has a Pawn ahead and a dominating position — enough of a nightmare to make Black go for broke with a last desperate effort of attack. If, instead, 38. ... Kh7 then White would have to find 39. Rd7 Qa5 40. Kc1!! neutralising all threats (or else, alternatively, 40. c4!?, which seems much more within the reach of a human mind).
39. Rd8+ Kh7 40. c4! The only move, but also a winning one!
40. ... Rxc4. Black could well resign here.
41. Qxc4 Rxb2+ 42. Kxb2 e4+ 43. Kb1 Qf2 44. R8d2 Qf5 45. Qd5 Qf3 46. Rc2 Qf4 47. Re1 e3 48. Qg2! 1–0.

“Taking up yoga and meditation and seeking help from a sports psychologist is what Grandmaster R. B. Ramesh believes has helped Vaishali Rameshbabu to turn the tables at the Candidates and thus earn the right to challenge for the World Championship”, says The Indian Express of April 16. Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

Thinky Thoughts

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 14, 2026
5rk1/2p3p1/2Nqb1Pp/1P2R3/2PP4/p4P2/Q4K2/8 b - - 7 51

Position after 51. Re4-e5

With her last move, 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr), who wanted to win at all costs, went seriously overboard, and Goryachkina didn’t let the opportunity slip away.
51. ... Kh8! A brilliant example of attacking prophylaxis, in the best style of Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov. Now Black actually threatens ... Be6-g4, with no longer fear of a check after c4-c5.
52. Ke3. Suddenly the White King finds itself in a sea of trouble. Needless to say, the text is not a good one, but 52. Kg2 Rf6! is not cheerful either.
52. ... Bd7! 53. Re4 Bxc6 54. bxc6 Qg3 55. Qf2 Qxg6 56. d5 Qf6 57. Qe2

57. ... a2! 0–1. For if 58. Qxa2 then 58. ... Qc3+! 59. Ke2 Qxf3+ winning the Rook.

It is always too late — when one understands that half a point is better than none. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Paradise Lost

Adam’s childhood

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, April 13, 2026

One cannot comprehend our culture’s conception of the human being without remembering that at its foundation is a man without childhood: Adam. According to the Genesis narrative, the man that the Lord creates and puts in the Garden of Eden is an adult, to whom He speaks and gives commands, and for whom He creates a companion so that he will not be alone. And an adult only, certainly not an infante, could give a name to all animals in the garden.
It is not surprising that a being without childhood cannot remain innocent and is fatally doomed to guilt and sin. Perhaps the pessimism that condemns the Christian West to always postpone happiness and fulfillment to the future stems from this singular deficiency, which makes Adam a being constitutively devoid of childhood. And it is perhaps because of this lack, more original of any sin, that, on the one hand, childhood is for each of us the place of nostalgia for impossible happiness and, on the other, a defective condition in social organisation, which must be disciplined and educated at all costs. And if psychoanalysis sees the child as the hidden subject of every neurosis, this is perhaps just because the Adamic paradigm of a man without childhood acts somewhere within us.
This means that the recovery from the West’s disease — that is, an adult culture that, by repressing childhood, ends up condemning itself to puerility — shall be possible only if we will able to give Adam back his childhood.

(English translation by I, Robot)

萧云从 (Xiāo Yúncóng), 女娲 (Nǚwā) repairing the pillar of heaven, 1645. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Another Spring

Spent Sunday at the Spring Festival flower market in Calenzano, Metropolitan City of Florence, in tow of my friend Mado Flynn, and even this year I took the chance to meet and play chess with Giacomo in memory of happy times spent at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

Good afternoon, sunshine

朱锦尔来了！

Rameshbabu Vaishali – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 12, 2026
4kn1Q/1q2bp2/p3p1r1/3nP3/P2B3p/1p3N2/5PP1/1RN4K b - - 1 36

Position after 36. Ne2-c1

White’ last move was a bad mistake, as it allows her opponent to unleash a killer attack:
36. ... h3! 37. Nxb3 (37. Qxh3 Nf4−+)
37. ... hxg2+ 38. Kh2 (38. Kg1 Nf4−+)
38. ... g1=Q+! 39. Nxg1 Nc3! 0–1.

朱锦尔来了！ Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

A Void

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Rameshbabu Vaishali
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 11, 2026
Queen’s Pawn Opening D02

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c3 e6 4. Bf4 c5 5. e3 Qb6 6. Qb3 Bd7 7. Nbd2 Be7 8. Be2 0-0 9. 0-0 Rc8 10. Ne5 Be8 11. Bg5 Nc6 12. f4 Na5 13. Qxb6 axb6 14. f5 h6 15. Bh4 exf5 16. Rxf5 Nc6 17. a3 Bd8 18. Raf1 Nxe5 19. Rxe5 Bc6 20. Ref5 Rc7 21. h3 Rd7 22. Bg3 Bc7 23. Bxc7 Rxc7 24. Re5 Re8

25. Rff5?! A bit too artificial. White could simply exchange Rooks on e8.
25. ... Rxe5 26. Rxe5 g6! Suddenly Black threatens ... Kg8-f8 followed by ... Nf6-d7 trapping the Rook in the middle of the board.
27. dxc5 bxc5 28. c4 Kf8 29. cxd5 Bxd5 30. Bc4?? Oblivious to the net closing around her, Goryachkina falls straight into Vaishali’s trap. 30. Bf3? Be6! also gives White a hard time, but 30. a4! Be6 31. Bc4 Nd7 32. Re4 Bf5 33. Rf4 Ne5 should still be tenable.
30. ... Bc6!

The Rook is in the sac.
31. Rxc5 b6 32. Rxc6 (32. Re5 Nd7−+)
32. ... Rxc6 33. Bb5 Rc2 34. Nc4 Nd5 35. b3 Rc3 36. Ba4 Nxe3 37. Nxb6 Rc2 38. Bb5 Rxg2+ 39. Kh1 Rb2 40. Nd7+ Ke7 41. Nc5 Kd6 42. Nb7+ Kd5 43. b4 Ke4 44. Nc5+ Kf3 45. Bd3 f5 0–1.

As they say, “Never look back. It distracts from the now!”. Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

Sneakers and Tiaras

Late But Not Last

Divya Deshmukh – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 9, 2026
8/8/1Pk4p/6p1/p1N2p2/P6P/2b2KP1/8 w - - 0 56

Position after 55. ... f5-f4

From an absolute point of view, in the situation of the diagram, the Bishop is stronger than the Knight, but material is too reduced to allow Black any hope of a win.
56. g3? A first faux pas. Right was 56. h4!, in order to liquidate Black’s Kingside Pawns and then eventually sacrifice the Knight at a4.
56. ... fxg3+ 57. Kxg3 Bb3? Goryachkina too hesitates. She ought to have played 57. ... h5! at once, winning as in the game.
58. Nb2? Deshmukh misses her chance of salvation. 58. Ne5+! Kxb6 59. h4! would have ensured a draw.
58. ... h5! White is not given a second chance.
59. Kf3 (59. h4 g4−+)
59. ... Kxb6 60. Ke4 Bc2+ 61. Kd4 Kc7 62. Kd5 g4! 0–1. For after 63. hxg4 h4−+ the Pawn queens.
0–1.

Finally, Goryachkina also tasted the thrill of victory. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

At Sea

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 8, 2026
English Opening A13

1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. b3 c5 4. Bb2 e6 5. Be2 Nc6 6. 0-0 Bd6 7. d4 b6 8. c4 Bb7 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Nc3 0-0 11. Rc1 Re8 12. exd4 12. Nb5 Bf8 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Bd3 Ne5 16. Re1 Qd7 17. Nc3 Qg4 18. Nxe5 Qxd1 19. Rexd1 fxe5 20. e4 dxe4 21. Bxe4 Bxe4 22. Nxe4 Red8 23. Kf1

23. ... Rxd1+? The decisive mistake, which loses a Pawn and the game. After 23. ... Rd4! 24. Re1 Rc8 Black appears to hold her own in the endgame.
24. Rxd1 a5 25. Rd5 a4 26. Rxe5 axb3 27. axb3 Rb8 28. Rg5+ Kh8 29. Rg3 h6 30. Ke2 Rb4 31. Nd2 Bd6 32. Rd3 Be5 33. Nc4 Bg7 34. Nd6 Kg8 35. Rg3 Kh7 36. Nxf7 Rb6 37. f4 Re6+ 38. Re3 Rf6 39. Nd8 Rxf4 40. Re7 Rb4 41. Ne6 Kg6. Desperation, but 41. ... Rg4 42. Rxg7+! Rxg7 43. Nxg7 Kxg7 44. Kd3 is an elementary win for White.
42. Nxg7 Rxb3 43. Ne8 c4 44. Rg7+ Kf5 45. Nd6+ Kf6 46. Rc7 1–0.

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) took advantage with an irreproachable technique of the only major mistake Lagno made in the endgame. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

One By Two

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Divya Deshmukh
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 8, 2026
Catalan Opening E01

1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 e6 4. c4 Bd6 5. g3 0-0 6. Bg2 c6 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. d4 a5 9. Nc3 Ne4 10. Nxe4. A tough nut. 10. a4 f5 11. e3 b6 12. cxd5 Nxc3 13. Bxc3 cxd5 is comfortably equal for Black, Daneshvar – Bjerre, 4th FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, Samarkand 2025
10. ... dxe4 11. Ne5 f5 12. f4!? (12. f3)
12. ... Nf6 (12. ... exf3 13. Nxf3 Nf6)
13. e3 Qe8. Deserving consideration was 13. ... Bd7 intending ... Bd7-e8-h5.
14. h3 b5 15. Rf2 Ba6 16. Rc1 bxc4 17. bxc4

17. ... Nd7? Admittedly a miscalculation. 17. ... c5 18. Bf1 gives White a pleasant game, but nothing transcendental.
18. Nxc6! Rc8. Black intended 18. ... Nb6 19. d5 Nxc4, but at the last moment noticed that White could play 20. Rxc4! Bxc4 21. Qd4 threatening both mate and the Bishop.
19. d5 Nc5 20. Qd4 Rf6?! Better was 20. ... Rf7 21. Rd2 exd5 22. cxd5 Nd3 23. Bf1⩲ with White’s advantage still within reasonable proportions.
21. Rd2 Rg6? Once again, 21. ... exd5 22. cxd5 Nd3 23. Bf1 was Black’s last chance to hang on to her seat.
22. Kh2 Nd3

23. Rxd3! exd3 24. c5 Rxc6. If the Bishop retreats to either b8 or f8, then 25. d6 is deadly.
25. dxc6 Bc7 26. Qd7 Qb8

27. Be5! Bxe5 28. Rb1! The pointe. The Rook is taboo because of mate on e8.
28. ... Qf8 29. fxe5 h5 30. Qd6 Qf7 31. Rb7! 1–0.

“Vaishali’s victory over compatriot Divya Deshmukh means that she remains in joint lead of the tournament — sharing the top spot with China’s 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) on 5½ points — with just five rounds left in Cyprus”, Amit Kamath wrote in The Indian Express of April 9. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Picnic on the Moon

You know, Edna, it couldn’t have ended any other way. He took advice from Weinstein and found himself checkmated by a woman

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

Resilience and Vulnerability

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Divya Deshmukh
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 7, 2026
Sicilian Defence B36

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. Be2 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. Be3 0-0 10. Qd3 Ng4 11. Bxg4 Bxg4 12. 0-0 Be6 13. Bd4 Bxd4 14. Qxd4 Qc7 15. b3 Qc5 16. Qd3 Rfc8 (16. ... a6 17. a4 a5 18. Kh1 f6 19. Rae1 Bd7 20. Re3 Bc6 21. Qd2 Rf7 22. Rfe1 Rd8 23. Rd3 Rdf8 24. Nd5 Ra8 25. f4 Bxd5 26. exd5 b6 27. Rde3 Ra7 28. f5 g5 29. Qe2 Qd4 30. Rd1 Qc5 31. Re4 Qc8 32. Rf1 Rg7 33. h4 gxh4 34. Rxh4 Rb7 35. Rff4 Kh8 36. Qh5 Qg8 37. Rfg4 Qf7 38. Qh6 Rxg4 39. Rxg4 Rb8 40. Rh4 Rg8 41. Qe3 Qg7 42. Qh3 Qf7 43. Qe3 Qg7 44. g4 Qg5 45. Qxg5 Rxg5 46. Kg2 Rg8 47. Kf3 Kg7 ½–½ Ivkov – Janošević, International Tournament, Smederevska Palanka 1971)
17. Rfe1 a6 18. a4 Rc7 19. Re3 Rac8 20. Rae1 Qe5 21. h3 b6 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. exd5 Qf6 24. Rf3 Qg7 25. h4 f6 26. Qd4 Rb8 27. Rfe3 Rbb7 28. Re6 Qh6 29. g3 Qf8 30. h5 g5 31. Kg2 Qa8 32. Ra1 Qc8 33. Rae1 Qa8 34. f4 gxf4 35. Qxf4 b5 36. h6 Qf8 37. cxb5 axb5 38. a5 Rc5 39. Qg4+ Kh8 40. b4 Rc4

White’s Maróczy Bind against Black’s Accelerated Dragon couldn’t have gone any better for Muzychuk, or much worse for Deshmukh. Strangely enough, however, the drama did not unfold directly and predictably at the fateful 40th move, but rather, more enigmatically, on move 41...
41. R6e4? Much stronger was 41. Qe2! Qxh6 42. a6! Rbc7 43. Rxe7 Rxe7 42. Qxe7 Qd2+ 45. Re2 Qxd5+ 46. Kh2 Qh5+ 47. Kg1 Rc1+ 48. Re1 Rxe1+ 49. Qxe1 Qg4 50. Qe3 with an apparently winning endgame.
41. ... Rxe4 42. Rxe4 Rc7 43. Qe2? Now White lost her way let her advantage slip away. 43. Qh5 Qg8 44. Kh3 Qc8+ 45. Re6 still maintained a strong grip on the position.
43. ... Qxh6 44. Qxb5. 44. Rxe7 Rxe7 45. Qxe7 Qd2+ is also a likely draw.
44. ... Rc2+ 45. Re2 Qg6 46. Rxc2 Qxc2+ 47. Kf3 Qd1+ 48. Kf2 Qd2+ 49. Kf3 Qd1+ 50. Kf2 Qd2+ 51. Qe2 Qxb4 52. a6 Qb6+ 53. Kg2 Qa7 54. Qb5 Kg7 55. Qa4. If 55. Qb7 then 55. ... Qe3! 56. a7 Qe2+ with perpetual check.
55. ... h5 56. Qa2 Kf7 57. Qe2 Kf8 58. Kh3 Qg1

59. a7? White could secure the draw with 59. Qxh5 Qf1+ 60. Kh2 Qxa6 61. Qh8+ Kf7 62. Qh7+ Ke8 63. Qg8+ Kd7 64. Qe6+ and perpetual check.
59. ... Qxa7 60. Qxh5 Qe3 61. Qh8+ Kf7 62. Qh5+? Here 62. Qh7+ Ke8 63. Qh8+ Kd7 64. Qa8 still gave some chances of a draw.
62. ... Kg7 63. Qe8 Qe4 64. Kh2 Qe2+ 65. Kg1 Qe1+ 66. Kg2 Qd2+ 67. Kh3 Qe2 68. g4 Qf3+ 69. Kh2 Qe4 70. Kg3 Qe5+ 71. Kh3 f5 72. gxf5 Qxf5+ 73. Kg3 Qg5+ 74. Kf2 Kf6 75. Qh8+ Kf5 76. Qc8+ Kf6 77. Qh8+ Kg6 78. Qg8+ Kh6 79. Qh8+ Kg6 80. Qg8+ Kh5 81. Qf7+ Kh4 82. Qh7+ Kg4 83. Kf1 Qf5+ 0–1.

“Divya’s turnaround was a miracle for the youngster from Nagpur considering she had been under pressure from the start of the game with Muzychuk coming up with some excellent opening prep.”, Amit Kamath wrote in The Indian Express of April 8. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Forma mentis

“The one disadvantage of the catenaccio is that with its ultradefensive mentality, the game can degenerate into an incredibly boring game, particularly if both teams employ the same system”. Jaime Orejan, Football/Soccer. History and Tactics, McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, North Carolina, United States, 2011, p. 106.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 5, 2026
Spanish Game C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 Be7 7. Re1 b5 8. Rxe4 d5 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. Rxe5 bxa4 11. b3 0-0 12. Ba3 Bxa3 13. Nxa3 Re8 14. Rxe8+ Qxe8 15. Nb1 Qc6 16. Qd2 axb3 17. cxb3 Bd7 18. Nc3 Re8 19. h3 h6 20. Re1 Rxe1+ 21. Qxe1 Qd6 22. Qe3 (22. Qd2 a5 23. Ne2 Qa3 24. Nf4 c6 25. Nd3 Bf5 26. Ne5 c5 27. dxc5 Qxc5 28. Nf3 Be4 29. Nd4 Bb1 30. Qb2 Qb4 31. Nf3 Be4 32. a3 Qe7 33. Nd4 Qg5 34. f3 Qe3+ 35. Kh2 Bg6 36. b4 Qe5+ 37. g3 axb4 38. axb4 Bd3 39. Qf2 Qe8 40. Qd2 Bc4 41. Kg2 h5 42. h4 Qb8 43. Kf2 Qb6 44. Kg2 Qb8 45. Kf2 Qb6 46. Kg2 ½–½ McShane – L. Costa, 51st Schachbundesliga, Deizisau 2025)
22. ... a5 23. h4 Kh8 24. Ne2 Qa3 25. Qd2 c5 26. dxc5 Qxc5 27. Nd4 Kg8 28. Kh2 Qd6+ 29. g3 Qc5 30. Kg2 Kh8 31. f3 Kg8 32. g4 Qc7 33. Qe3 Qd6 34. g5 hxg5 35. hxg5 g6 36. Ne2 Bb5 37. Nc3 Bc6 38. Qb6 Qd7 39. Ne2 Qe7 40. Kf2 Be8

41. Qe3 Kf8 42. Nf4 Bc6 43. Nd3 d4 44. Qf4 Bb5 45. Ne5 Kg8 46. Qf6 Qc7 47. Ng4 d3 48. Qd4 Kf8 49. a4 Bd7 50. Qh8+ Ke7 51. Qf6+ Kf8 52. Qh8+ Ke7 53. Qe5+ Kd8 54. Qxc7+ Kxc7 55. Ne5 Be6 56. Nc4 Kc6 57. Nxa5+ Kc5 58. Nc4 Kb4 59. Nd2 Bxb3 60. a5 Bd5 61. a6 Kc3 62. Ke3 Ba8 63. a7 Kc2 64. Ne4 Bc6 65. f4 Ba8 66. Nd2 Bc6 67. Nc4 Ba8 68. Nd2 Bc6 69. Nf1 Ba8 70. Nd2 ½–½.

So far, Goryachkina drew seven games out of seven — something for her (and her mentors) to think about. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenbaum)/FIDE.

Raw Data

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 4, 2026
Giuoco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Be3 Bxe3 6. fxe3 d6 7. Qd2 a6 8. Bb3 Be6 9. Nc3 Bxb3 10. axb3 d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. 0-0 0-0 13. Ne4 Qe7 14. Ng3 g6!? Finally, she turns the page and starts a new story. Vintage theory said 14. ... f5 15. e4 fxe4 16. Nxe4 Nd4 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. Qg5 Qxg5 19. Rxf8+ Rxf8 20. Nxg5 Ne3 21. Rc1 Rf6 22. Nf3 c5 23. c3 Rg6 24. g3 Rf6 25. Nd2 dxc3 26. Ne4 Rf5 27. bxc3 Rd5 28. c4 Re5 29. Ra1 Nc2 30. Ra5 Nb4 31. Rxc5 Nxd3 32. Rxe5 Nxe5 33. Nc5 b5 34. Nxa6 bxc4 ½–½ Lipiniks – Maderna, 25th Argentine Chess Championship, Buenos Aires 1946.
15. e4 Nf6 16. Kh1 Nd7 17. Ne2 Rad8 18. Rf2 Nc5 19. Nc3 Nb4 20. Raf1 f6 21. h4?! (21. Qh6 Ne6)
21. ... Ne6 22. Nh2?! (22. h5 f5)

22. ... Nd4! 23. Qd1 f5 24. g3. If 24. h5 then 24. ... f4! 25. Nb1 Ne6 26. Qg4 g5 with better prospects for Black.
24. ... f4 25. gxf4 Rxf4 26. h5 Ndxc2! 27. Rxc2 Rxf1+ 28. Nxf1 Nxc2 29. Qxc2 Qh4+ 30. Nh2 Rf8 31. Nd1 Qxh5

We have a most unbalanced situation, with two Knights against Rook and two Pawns, but, alas for White, her hippogriffs are too uncoordinated to be of great help for the defence from her opponent’s heavy battery.
32. Ne3 c6? A hesitation, which could cost her dearly. 32. ... Qh3! at once would preserve Black’s initiative similarly to the game.
33. Qc4+ Kg7 34. Ng4? White first ought to play 34. Qc5!, preventing Black’s next move, and only then Ne3-g4.
34. ... Qh3! Threatening ... Rf8-f1#.
35. Qc1 Qxd3 36. Qe1 Rf4 37. Nf2 Qg3 0–1.

Muzychuk proved to be better prepared for the Giuoco Piano than her opponent. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenbaum)/FIDE.

Into the Wild

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Rameshbabu Vaishali
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 3, 2026
Two Knights Defence C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 h6 5. 0-0 d6 6. a4 g6 7. a5 Bg7 8. a6 b6 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. c4 0-0 11. Nc3 Nd4. The alternative 11. ... Nb4 12. Bxd7 Nxd7 13. Ra4 c5 14. Nb5 Nf6 seems to be perfectly reasonable and sound, 孟奕涵 (Mèng Yìhán) – 戴常人 (Dài Chángrén), 56th Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2025.
12. Nxd4 exd4 13. Bxd7 Nxd7

14. Ne2 (14. Nb5⩲)
14. ... c6 15. f4 f5 16. Ng3 Nc5 17. b4 Ne6 18. Bd2 Qd7 19. h4 d5? In the post-game press conference, Vaishali seriously questioned the soundness of this advance, which ultimately will cost her the d-Pawn.
20. cxd5 cxd5 21. e5 h5 22. Ne2 Qb5

Black felt alright here, but...
23. Ra3! Rfc8 24. Qa1! “But I completely missed Ra1-a3 and Qd1-a1”, Vaishali said.
24. ... Rc2 25. Rd1 Kf7 26. Nxd4 Nxd4 27. Qxd4 Ke6 28. Rc3 Rc8 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Qe3! White has an extra Pawn, but in order to make it count for much, she must breakthrough her opponent’s pseudo-blockade. As first thing, she concentrates her attentions on the g6-Pawn.
30. ... Bf8 (30. ... Qxa6? 31. Qg3 Kf7 32. e6+!+−)
31. Qg3 Qe8 32. b5 Be7 33. Rb1 Rc2 34. Be3 Rc3 35. Bd4 Rc2 36. Kh2 Bd8 37. Ra1 Qf7 38. Be3 Qe8 39. Kh3 Qf7

40. Bc1! The winning idea. After the exchange of Bishops, White obtains an overwhelming preponderance on the black-coloured squares.
40. ... Be7 41. Ba3! Bxa3. This was the last thing she wanted to do, but 41. ... Bf8 42. Bd6 was equally unbearable.
42. Rxa3 Rc8 43. Qg5 Kd7 44. d4 Rg8 45. Rc3 Re8 46. Kh2 Re6 47. Qg3! From East to West. Black has too many weaknesses to hold everything.
47. ... Kd8 48. Qe1 Qe7 49. Kh3 Qe8 50. Qc1 Qd7 51. Qc2 Re7 52. Qb3 Re6 53. Qb4 Ke8 54. Rc2 Qd8 55. Qc3 Kd7 56. Rc1 Qb8 57. Qb3 Qa8 58. Kg3 Ke8 59. Rc7 Re7 60. Rc6 Rd7 61. Qc2 Rd8 62. Rxg6 1–0.

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) broke forth with the force of a volcano. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenabum)/FIDE.

You know better than anyone, Edna. It’s all about mood and inpiration and tempo

Artwork © Powernaut

UTC+08:00

Divya Deshmukh – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 1, 2026
English Opening A21

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 a5 4. Nf3 d6 5. a3 Bc5 6. e3 Nf6 7. d4 Nxd5 8. cxd5 exd4 9. exd4 Bb6 10. Bg5 f6 11. Be3 0-0 12. h4? It doesn’t seem like a good idea, or at least makes little sense given White’s policy of Kingside development. The usual 12. Bd3 f5 13. Qc2 was the proper continuation.
12. ... f5 13. g3 Qe8 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. 0-0 h6 16. Ne1 Nf6 17. Ng2 Nxd5 18. Bc4 Be6 19. Re1 Qf7 20. Bd2 c6 21. Qb3 Kh7

22. a4? White is down material without any appreciable return for it. Alas for her! she cannot play 22. Bxd5? Bxd5 23. Qxb6?? because of 21. ... Ra6 trapping the Queen. White’s best was probably 22. Rxe6, although after 22. ... a4! (not 22. ... Qxe6? on account of 23. Qxb6 Nxb6 24. Bxe6 d5 25. h5 with a strong bind) 23. Rxh6+ gxh6 24. Qd3 Rae8 she has little or nothing — or anyway not enough — for the Exchange.
22. ... Bxd4 23. Re2 Be5 24. Rae1

24. ... Nf4! 25. gxf4 Bxc4 26. Qg3 Bf6 27. Re3 d5 28. Qh3 d4 29. Rg3 Qh5 30. b4 axb4 31. Bxb4 Rfe8 32. Rc1 Bd5 33. Ne1 Rxa4 34. Bd6 Kh8 35. Be5 Bxe5 36. fxe5 d3 0–1. For after 37. Nxd3 Rxh4 it’s all over.

Today 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) gave a telling demonstration of her strong potentialities. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenabum)/FIDE.

The Lightness of Being

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 1, 2026
Spanish Game C85

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qd6 8. a4 Be6 9. Na3 h6 10. Nd2 0-0-0 11. Ndc4 Bxc4 12. Nxc4 Qe6 13. Qe2 Nd7 14. Bd2 b6 15. b4 Kb7 16. Rfb1 Ra8 17. Qe1 h5 18. b5 cxb5 19. axb5 a5

20. Bxa5!? A very bold sacrifice, if more suggestive than fully decisive.
20. ... bxa5 21. Nxa5+ Kc8!? 21. ... Rxa5! 22. Qxa5 Rb8! is a convincing alternative for a successful defence, but not so easy to do it.
22. Nc6 Rxa1 23. Rxa1 Nb6 24. Qe3! Bd6 25. c4 Qh6! 26. Qh3+ Qe6 27. Qe3 Qh6 28. d4

28. ... exd4?? A crucial mistake which allows White to deliver a mating attack. Black ought to exchange Queens: 28. ... Qxe3 29. fxe3 exd4 30. exd4 Re8 31. c5 Rxe4 32. cxd6 cxd6 33. Ra7 Nd7 with a roughly level ending.
29. Qxd4 Kb7 30. c5 Ra8 31. cxd6 Qxd6 32. Rxa8 1–0. For if 32. ... Kxa8 then 33. Qa1+ Kb7 34. Qa6#.

She’s doing pretty good for someone who shouldn’t have been there. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenabum).

A Gift from the East

Fabiano Caruana – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, March 31, 2026
English Opening A34

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. g3 g6 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Nc6 8. Ng5!? In his time, International Master Stefano Tatai attached a “?!” to the move in the text, as “White goes hunting for the Pawn, but Black gets more than enough compensation for it”, and suggested 8. 0-0 0-0 9. a3 instead.
8. ... Nb6! A well-cooked novelty: Black sacrifices two Pawns to speed development. The whole idea is reminiscent of 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov: 8. ... e6 9. Nge4 Nb6! 10. Qb5 c4 11. Na4!? 0-0! 12. Nxb6 axb6 13. Qxc4 e5! 14.Qc2 Nd4 15. Qb1 f5 16. Nc3 e4 17. d3 b5 18. Be3 b4 19. Nd1 Re8 20. dxe4 fxe4 21. Bxd4 Qxd4 22. a3 Bg4! 23. Qc2 Qd3!! 24. exd3 exd3+ 25. Kd2 Re2+! 26. Kxd3 Rd8+ 27. Kc4 Rxc2+ 28. Kxb4 Rcd2 29. f3 Bf8+ 30. Ka5 Bd7! 0–1 Tatai – Karpov, 6th Gran Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez “Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria”, Las Palmas 1977.
9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 11. Qxc5 h6 12. Nf3 Rc8 13. Qa5 Bh3 14. Qb5+ Nd7 15. Rg1

15. ... 0-0!? In hindsight, 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) should have perhaps contented himself with 15. ... Be6! 16. Kf1 Bh3+ 17. Ke1 Be6 drawing by repetition.
16. g4! Rc5? The Rook is badly placed here. 16. ... Nf6! seems to be perfectly sound.
17. Qb3 Ne5?? A gross oversight, which loses a piece and the game. 17. ... Nf6 was still called for.

Of course Caruana seizes the day:
18. Nxe5 Rxe5 19. Nd1! 1–0.

Despite being surprised in the opening, Caruana eventually got on the lucky side of the fence. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

The Cuckoo’s Nest

Quem Deus vult perdere dementat

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, March 30, 2026

It is well to reflect on a fact so much incredible that one attempts to repress it at all costs: that the state that claims to be the most powerful in the world was ruled for years by men who are technically mentally deranged. It is not about giving an extreme form to a political judgment: that Trump — certainly like Biden before him — must be considered deranged in the pathological sense of the term is evidence now shared by many psychiatrists, and anyone who observes his way to express himself cannot help but agree. It goes without saying that what interests us here is not the clinical case of individuals named Trump and Biden; rather, the question we cannot help but ask is: what is the historical significance of the fact that a country like the United States — which in some ways leads the entire West — is ruled by an insane madman? What radical spiritual and moral decline, even before a political one, can have led to such an extreme consequence? That the fate of the West was sealed by nihilism was something Nietzsche had already diagnosed over a century ago, along with the death of God; but that nihilism had to take the form of dementia was not a given. It is perhaps in some way out of compassion and pity that the God who wants to lose the West, leads it to its end not through awareness and responsability, but through unconsciousness and madness.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Vasan Sitthiket, Misled – Crazy, 2002. Courtesy of WikiArt.