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.

The Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable

• Naman Ramachandran, “Taiwan’s 9m88 on Acting, Songwriting and the Space Between: ‘Both Fall Under Performing Arts, but in Many Ways They Feel Almost Contradictory’”, Variety, March 30, 2026

“Movies are about collective creative work”, she explains. “As an actor, we immerse ourselves in a character for a period of time and learn to understand and even love that character, no matter what they do”. Songwriting, she says, demands something almost opposite. “You constantly dig into your own struggles and experiences, asking yourself who you are and what you want to say. Sometimes that process can be very energy-consuming. There are moments when you feel like you’re stepping into an abyss without knowing where it will lead”. The conclusion she draws is striking in its candor: “Even though acting and songwriting both fall under the umbrella of performing arts, in many ways they feel almost contradictory”. [Read more].

9m88 says, in an inspirational kind of way: “Creativity is often an experiment”. Photo: Variety.

Frenemies

Fabiano Caruana tries it again and starts off well. His fellow countryman, Hikaru Nakamura, now more a YouTube celebrity than an ascetic worshipper of Caïssa, can do nothing but give way to his light-square symphony, stubbornly defending every inch of white even in impossible circumstances. But just when it seemed like it was a done deal, Caruana threw it all away, and only the generosity of Nakamura allowed him to have back what he gave up.

Fabiano Caruana – Hikaru Nakamura
Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, March 29, 2026
English Opening A13

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d4 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. 0-0 Bc5 6. e3 Nge7 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. b4 Bxb4 9. exd4 0-0 10. Qb3 Ba5 11. Nc3 Nf5 12. Ba3 Re8 13. d5 Nd4 14. Qa4 b6 15. Rae1 Bd7 16. Qd1 c5 17. Bb2 Rb8 18. a4 a6 19. dxe6 Bxe6 20. Nd5 Qd6 21. Bxd4 cxd4 22. Re4 Bxd5 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Bxd5 Bb4? 24. ... g6! was recommended afterwards by both of them, so as to reply to 25. h4 with 25. ... h5 (Nakamura), whereas the win of a Pawn by 25. Bb7 can be countered by 25. ... d3! (Caruana).

25. h4! a5 26. d3 Qf6 27. Kg2 Qe5 28. Qf3 Qf6 29. Qg4 Bc5 30. h5 h6 31. Rh1 Qg5 32. Qd1 Qe7 33. Bc6 Rc8 34. Re1 Qc7 35. Bd5 Kf8 36. Qg4 Rd8 37. Qe4 Kg8 38. Qf5 Qd7 39. Qf3 Rf8 40. Re5 Bd6 41. Rf5 Qe7 42. Qg4 Be5 43. Rf3 Bf6 44. Rf4 Qd8 45. Be4 Re8 46. Rf5 Qd7 47. Qf4 Bg5 48. Qf3 Qc7

We find here a further confirmation of the assumption that opposite-coloured Bishops in the middle game always favour the attacker.
49. Rxf7! Qxf7 50. Bd5 Re6 51. Qg4 Kf8 52. Bxe6 Qe8 53. Bd7 Qa8+ 54. Kg1 Bf6 55. Qe6 Qd8 56. Bc6 Qe7 57. Qc8+ Qd8 58. Qb7 Be5 59. Bd5 Qc7 60. Qa8+ Ke7 61. Qg8 Kd6 62. Be4 Ke7 63. Bg6 Bf6 64. Qf7+ Kd6 65. Qd5+ Ke7 66. Bf5 Be5 67. f4 Bf6 68. Kg2 Qd6 69. Qb7+ Kf8 70. Kf3 Qe7 71. Qe4 Qxe4+ 72. dxe4 Be7 73. e5 Bb4 74. Bd3 Be1 75. g4 Ke7 76. Ke4 Bg3 77. f5 Kd7 78. Kd5 Bh4

79. f6? A moment of blindness. 79. Kxd4 was apparently the simplest way to win.
79. ... gxf6 80. e6+ Ke7? Returning the courtesy, Nakamura helped Caruana into his own armour. The right way was 80. ... Kc7! 81. Bf5 (neither 81. e7 Kd7 82. e8=Q+ Kxe8 83. Kc6 f5! 84. gxf5 Bd8= nor 81. Kxd4 Kd6= leads nowhere) 81. ... d3!! (this move was probably overlooked by both of them) 82. Bxd3 Kd8 83. Kc6 Bf2 with a dead draw.
81. Kc6 Kxe6 82. Kxb6 Be1 83. c5 1–0.

As Nakamura himself entitled his YouTube commentary, “Wow, whatta game!!”. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Roll Over Beethoven

No one can deny that the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” enjoys the undivided honour of being the chess school par excellence of the most Beautiful Minds in town! First and foremost Leone, a violinist prodigy who — at sixteen years old — has already played as soloist to auditoriums crowded with ecstatic audiences, and then, second but equally important, Niccolò and Riccardo who, on behalf and in representation of the Liceo scientifico statale Antonio Gramsci, will participate in the 30th edition of the Olympiads of Mathematics National Finals, scheduled in Cesenatico, Italy, on May 7–10, 2026.

Around and Around

Nevertheless, Edna, as 老舍 (Lǎo Shě) says, “For myself? I love our country, but who loves me?”

Artwork © BipBeeBoo (@bipbeeboo)

Books She Hasn’t Read Yet

• Express News Service, “Why Aleksandra Goryachkina, who prioritized humanities over Maths, is Russia’s big hope to reclaim world title”, The Indian Express, March 26, 2026

In academics, too, the chess pro known for her Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD) opening with Black, chose unconventionally. She would pass her state final exams prioritizing humanities over mathematics, which was unusual for chess players. [Read more].

Once again, Goryachkina is called to serve the empire. Photo: Chess Federation of Russia.

Above the Fray

• Express News Service, “What is 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the greatest women’s chess player up to? ‘Making tenure as professor tougher than women’s World title!’ she jokes”, The Indian Express, March 26, 2026

Fans remembered her iconic hair clip when she would raze down entire fields to win world titles and when someone asked her where the famous accessory was, 逸凡 (Yìfán) would say, “This is definitely a friend asking this question. It’s probably at home in some boxes. I miss the clips too”. [Read more].

“If we are talking about women’s World championship, then becoming a tenured professor is tougher! But an open world title is much tougher”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) would quip. “By the way I’m still waiting on it”. Photo: Global Chess League.

All the World’s a Board

And so, Edna, to quote Byron’s own words, “There’s not a joy the world can give like that it takes away”

Artwork © AIFanSlaye

No, I’m not Byron

In an exclusive interview to Komsomolskaya Pravda, 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov opened the doors of his penthouse apartment and of his heart, sharing with the interviewers memories and secrets about his life.
The whole interview is permeated by a melancholic nostalgia for the golden times of the Soviet chess school, of which he, alongside with Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, was one of the most prominent ambassadors.
One of Karpov’s deepest regrets is that after the Soviet Union’s dissolution, the new Russian Federation was no longer so involved in funding the national chess machine, with the result that China and India can now claim the primacy of elite chess. “Our school has become practically extinct”, Karpov said. “The State is no longer involved, and if so only nominally”.
As a man from the Urals, he went a long way before getting to the chess throne, and owes much of his successes to his family. An exemplary Soviet family. “Yes, after all, both my father and mother were from working-class families. My father worked as a chief engineer at a major plant in Tula. And my father actually participated in the invention of the BM-21 Grad”, Karpov said. “He is also one of the inventors of antipersonnel ball-bombs. I remember him coming home one day with a grenade in hand. I asked what it was, and he said, ‘It’s a new ball-bomb. It will be used in Vietnam against the Americans’. It’s one of the inventions that inspired the Americans to end the Vietnam war”.
And finally, lastly, but not leastly, the sirens of the West sung to him, too. He was offered to leave the Soviet Union for a foreign land. When and where? “Well, I don’t remember. I remember it was at the 1974 Olympiad in France, when I was preparing for the match against Fischer”. Guess what his answer was. “I don’t even think about it”.

Karpov speaks out on his life and times. Photo: Ivan Igorevich Makeev/Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Legacies

Last But Not Least

“Good blood”, they say, “does not lie”. And indeed in 1911, Clarice Benini’s father participated in the historic National Tournament at Rome (the equivalent of an Italian Championship), in which he finished last with only 1 point out of 16. He won only one game, but it was a flash that illumined an otherwise shadowed biography, both for the name of the opponent and for the beauty of the combination.

Giuseppe Benini – Arturo Reggio
5th Congress USI; Rome, October 1911
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nf3 c5 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Bxd4 Nc6 8. Bb5 Be7 9. Qd2 0-0 10. Ne2 Qc7 11. c3 Ndxe5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. f4 Nc6 14. 0-0 Nxd4 15. cxd4 Qb6 16. Bd3 f5 17. Kh1 Bf6 18. Rf3 Bxd4 19. Bxf5 Qxb2 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. Qd3+ Kg8 22. Rb1 Qxa2 23. Nxd4 Qc4 24. Qe3 Rf6 25. g4 b6 26. g5 Rf7 27. Rc1 Qa4 28. Rh3 e5

A diagram to immortalise the Benini family! An asymmetrical situation, White is two Pawns down but enjoys a powerful attack.
29. g6! Rxf4? To paraphrase in reverse Alekhine — “What joy, to have your thinking and your fantasy carried high up by another person!”. Had Black played 29. ... Rc7!, White should have contented himself with 30. Re1!! (not 30. Rxc7? on account of 30. ... Bxh3 31. Qxh3 Qd1+ 32. Kg2 Qd2+ drawing by perpetual check) 30. ... Bxh3 31. Qxe5! Bg4! (the only move!) 32. Qxc7 Qd7 33. Qe5 retaining the initiative, but, of course, it would have been another story entirely.

In his column for La Lettura, Volume 31, 1931, p. 380, Giuseppe Padulli said, “After confidently playing 29. ... Rf7xf4, with his opponent to move, [Reggio] stood up and, walking around the hall, chatted with the others about his game; indeed, when one asked him if he was satisfied, he replied that everything seemed to be well in order: three Pawns won, and two enemy pieces threatened simultaneously, suggested a quick resolution in his favour. What was his surprise, however, when, returning to the table, he saw his opponent, Benini, play his move of rejoinder and, almost speaking to himself, say under his breath: — Mate in eight moves. So strong was the move Benini had found that it didn’t take Reggio too many minutes to comprehend the ensuing epilogue and resign himself to play forced moves until checkmate”.
30. Rh8+!! Kxh8 31. Rxc8+! Rxc8 32. Qh3+ Kg8 33. Qxc8+ Rf8 34. Qe6+ Kh8 35. Qh3+ Kg8 36. Qh7# 1–0.

A Handful of Flies

The staff and the hand

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, March 16, 2026

“Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that moveth it? As if the rod moved them that lift it up, or as if the staff lifted itself up, and were not wood” (Isaiah, 10:15). The prophet’s words exactly describe what is happening today. Technological devices are the staff that claims to direct and in fact directs him who wields it or, rather, believes he wields it. And artificial intelligence appears at the moment in which man, now incapable of dominating the tools which he himself created, falls prey to what Günther Anders called Promethean shame and, by giving up thinking, submits to the staff that has slipped out from his hand.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov, Right hand, keeping the staff, ca. 1885. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Harmonic Healing