Saturday, December 29, 2012

After All Is Said And Done

Moechus erat: poteras tamen hoc tu, Paula, negare.
Ecce vir est: numquid, Paula, negare potes?

He was your lover; yet this, Paula, you once could deny.
Behold, he is your husband; can you deny it now?

Era il tuo drudo, ma allora potevi dir, Paola, che no.
Ecco è il tuo sposo: Paola, dirai ancora che no?

以前他是你的情夫,但是保拉你可以说他不是。
现在他是你的丈夫:你保拉不能说他不是吗?

Martial, Epigrams, Book 1, LXXIV
Chinese translation by 莫东科 (Mò Dōngkē)
English translation by Walter C. A. Ker
Italian translation by Giuseppe Lipparini

Friday, December 28, 2012

ƸӜƷ

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (left). Photo: Woman’s day.

Under the Pink

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nino Khurtsidze
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12; 5th stage; Jermuk, July 21, 2012
Sicilian Defence B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Be2 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. f4 Qc7 9. Kh1 Nc6 10. Be3 0-0 11. Qe1 Bd7 12. Qg3 d5 13. e5 Ne4 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Nxc6. Last famous moves:
1) 15. f5? Nxd4 16. Bh6? (⌓ 16. f6 Bxf6 17. Bxd4) 16. ... g6−+ Shiyanovsky – Kholmov, 30th USSR Chess Championship, Yerevan 1962;
2) 15. c3 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 f5 17. exf6 Bxf6 18. Rad1 Rad8 19. Qe3 Bxd4 20. Rxd4 Bc6 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Bc4 Bd5 23. Bxd5 exd5 24. f5 Qe5 25. g4 d4 26. cxd4 Qxd4 27. Re1 Qxe3 28. Rxe3 Rd2 29. Rxe4 Rxb2 30. a4 h6 31. Re7 Rb4 32. h3 b6 33. Rb7 Rxa4 ½ : ½ Lagno – Javakhishvili, European Women’s Chess Championship, Tbilisi 2011.
15. ... Bxc6 16. f5 Kh8. 16. ... exf5 17. Bh6 g6 18. Rxf5! (18. Bxf8?! Kxf8 is fine for Black) 18. ... Bd5 19. Bxf8 Bxf8 is also perfectly playable. 17. Bg4 exf5 18. Bxf5 Rad8 19. Rae1 Bd5 20. c3 Bxa2 21. Bd4 Be6 22. Bxe4 b5 23. Qe3 Rd7


24. h3. 24. Rf6!? Rfd8 25. Rh6!? g6 is exciting but basically equal; a sample line is: 26. h4 Rxd4! 27. cxd4 Qc4 28. h5 Rxd4 29. hxg6 fxg6 30. Rh2 Kg8 31. Qh6 Rxe4 32. Qxh7+ Kf8 33. Qh6+ with a draw by perpetual check.
24. ... b4 25. Ra1 bxc3 26. bxc3 a5 27. Bb6


27. ... Qxe5? 27. ... Qc4 28. Bxa5 Bc5 was better.
28. Rxa5 Qd6 29. Bd4 f6 30. Rh5 Bg8 31. Bf5 Rc7 32. Qe4 h6 33. Be3 Bf7? The losing move. After the correct 33. ... Rf7 (making room to retreat the Bishop to f8) 34. Bf4 Qa6 35. Rd1 Bf8 (otherwise there follows Bf4xh6) 36. Bxc7 Rxc7 37. Qe8 Qa3 in spite of Black being the Exchange down, it is still a hard fight.


34. Qh4! Bxh5 35. Qxh5 Kg8 36. Bxh6 Rc5 37. Qg6 1 : 0.

A brilliant conclusion to a hard-fought game. Photo: FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12.

Ratu

“My first tournée Indonesia ended successfully. I visited the Adianto (Indonesia’s first Grandmaster) chess school and Universitas Gunadarma in Jakarta. I was able to reach a public of all ages and backgrounds from all over Indonesia through various formats, including simultaneous exhibitions, lectures and Q&As. Although the Indonesian chess movement is not one of the most prominent in Asia, the popularity of the game among the people is however quite wide”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) wrote on the eve of Christmas, summarising his experience in Indonesia. Photos: Peter Long.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Day at School

13th Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) visits the 大新國民小學 (Da-Shin Elementary School) in 南屯區 (Nántún District), 臺中市 (Taichung City), Taiwan on December 27, 2012. Photo: 黃香 (Huáng Xiāng).

Burnt Cream

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12; 2nd stage; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 14, 2011
Catalan Opening E06

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Be4 11. Qc1 Bb7 12. Qc2. If 12. Be3 then 12. ... Nd5 13. Nc3 Nd7 14. Rd1 Rc8 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 16. Ne1 c6 17. Nd3 Qb6 18. Qc3 b4 19. Qd2 a5 20. Rdc1 ½–½ Kasparov – Karpov, World Chess Championship 1984, Moscow 1984, match game 8.
12. ... Bd6 13. Nc3 Nbd7 14. Rad1. The debate is open about which of the two Rooks should go to d1: 12. Rfd1 c5 13. Bg5 Qb6 14. a4 b4 15. a5 Qc7 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. Na4 Rac8 18. dxc5 Bxc5 19. Qxc5 Qxc5 20. Nxc5 Rxc5 21. Rd4 Rb5 22. Ra4 b3 23. Rdb4 Nd5 24. Rxb5 axb5 25. Ra3 b4 26. Rxb3 f5 27. Ne5 Rc8 28. f4 Rc1+ 29. Kf2 Ra1 30. Bxd5 Bxd5 31. Rxb4 g5 32. Rb8+ Kg7 33. b4 g4 34. Rd8 h5 35. Ke3 h4 36. gxh4 Rh1 37. a6 Rxh2 38. Rxd5 exd5 39. a7 Rh3+ 40. Nf3 1–0 Gupta – Sanikidze, 47th World Junior Chess Championship, Gaziantep 2008.
14. ... c5 15. Bg5 Qb6 16. e4 cxd4 17. Nxd4 h6 18. Be3 Bc5. “It was unclear opening and I’m not sure but maybe my position after 18. ... Bc5 is ok for me with chances to get some slight advantage in the future”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said afterwards.
19. h3 Rfd8


20. Nce2? This is 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s mistake and the cause of all her trouble. She ought to have taken measures for extricating her from her uncomfortable situation with 20. b4! Bxb4 21. Ndxb5 Bc5 22. Na4 Qxb5 23. Nxc5 Nxc5 24. Bxc5 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxc5 27. Rd7 Rac8 28. Rfd1 Qc7! 29. Rxd8+ Rxd8 30. Rxd8+ Qxd8⩱ saving herself in a Queen ending a (meaningless) Pawn down.
20. ... Rac8 21. Qb1 b4 22. Rd2 a5 23. Rfd1 Ne5 24. b3 Rd7 25. Kh1 Ba6 26. Qa1 Rcd8 27. f4. “Of course my move 27. f4 was losing”, said 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), but actually there weren’t any good moves for White; for example: 27. Ng1 Nd3! 28. Rxd3 Bxd3 29. Rxd3 e5 winning material.
27. ... Bxe2 28. fxe5 Bxd1 29. exf6 Bh5 0–1.

This was no easy day for 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí). Photo: Anastasia Valeryevna Karlovich and 贺龙 (Hè Lóng).

我的=^.^= (ASCII + Chinese characters)

我的猫叫Grasso。
我的=^.^=总是(Z.Z)。

© 我没有手机号码,但是我不是一个陌生人!

Recessione

AD REGULUM

Aera domi non sunt, superest hoc, Regule, solum,
        ut tua vendamus munera: numquid emis?


A REGOLO

In casa non c’è un soldo; null’altro mi resta, o Regolo,
        che vendere i tuoi regali. Vuoi comperarli tu?


Marco Valerio Marziale, Epigrammi, Lib. VII, 16

Monday, December 24, 2012

Descended from the Stars


A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

“Hóu Wears Short’s Shorts”

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nigel David Short
Wijk aan Zee, January 14, 2008
Spanish Game C67

Notes by 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), New In Chess 2/2008, pp. 83-85, Ian Rogers, Michael Adams, Goran Urosevic, Malcolm Pein, and Steve Giddins.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): This was my second game against Mr. Short. Our previous game happened in the UK–China match that was staged in Liverpool last year. In that first encounter I luckily escaped with a draw from a bad position. This time I am very grateful for the organizers to offer me the opportunity to meet Mr. Short again.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Be7
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): An unexpected reply, and I had to think of something beyond my preparation.
Ian Rogers: “A surprise”, said 侯 (Hóu). “I had never seen this before”.
“She doesn’t know the old games so much”, said Yú [Shăoténg]. “She’s a 21st century girl”.
6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. c4
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): Here the common move is 9. Nc3, but at that point I couldn’t remember it.
Rogers: Why not 9. Nc3? “I am just playing moves”, said 侯 (Hóu).
9. ... 0-0 10. Nc3 Re8?!
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): A worthwhile try might be 10. ... f6!?, to make room for the Bishops.
11. Rd1 Bf8
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): I believe this move caused some problems for Black. Maybe 11. ... d6!? is much better, e.g. 12. Nd4 Bd7 13. Qf3 (or 13. e6 fxe6 14. Nxe6 Qc8 and Black is fine) 13. ... Qc8 and Black seems OK.
Rogers: “I have no idea what he is doing”, admitted Hóu.
Malcom Pein: I think Nigel was making this up.
12. Bg5! f6 13. Bh4 g5
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): The other line, 13. ... d6 14. Qc2 Bg4 15. exf6 gxf6 16. Re1 will ensure White an edge, as the enemy King has no safe shelter.
Rogers: Hóu made a face when this move was replayed. “She’s saying ‘Is he joking?’”, explained Dutch GM Péng, a former number two woman in the world and an amused spectator to 侯 (Hóu)’s demonstration.
14. Bg3
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): A bit soft-hearted. The tough one is 14. Ne4!? gxh4 15. Nd4 with a powerful attack.
14. ... d6
Goran Urošević: Nigel Short found himself on the wrong side of Berlin variation of Ruy Lopez. Young Chinese star consistently outplayed him to reach the current position. Curious interaction on the d- and e-files as both Queens are pinned by the Rooks. The crucial difference is in the safety of the Kings. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will have the luxury of sacrificing material to open the gates around Kg8. She starts with wonderful:
15. Ne4! Bg4?!
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): This was the fatal mistake. Better is 15. ... fxe5 16. Nfxg5 h6 17. Qh5!? (17. Nf3 Re6!) 17. ... hxg5 18. Nxg5 Qe7 19. Qg6+ Kg7 20. f4 and White has some compensation for the Knight.
Michael Adams: Nigel has been playing with fire during the opening phase of the game and now he gets his fingers burnt. 15. ... fxe5 16. Nfxg5 h6 17. Nf3 doesn’t look very enticing but it was the best available.
Urošević: 15. ... Bf5 16. Nd4! Bxe4 17. Qxe4 fxe5 18. Nxc6 with the clear advantage as Black pieces are awfully placed and light squares are alley for White Queen. 15. ... fxe5 16. Nfxg5! with idea Qe2-h5.
16. exf6 Bh5
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): The threat of f6-f7+ was very unpleasant.
Adams: Perhaps Short intended 16. ... Nc5 but then 17. f7+ is catastrophic.
Urošević: 16. ... d5? 17. f7+! Kxf7 18. Nfxg5+ is crushing.
17. Qe3
Rogers: Until now Hóu had not been prepared to make an assessment of the position but now she declared: “This seems OK for me– – a typical understatement since White is already winning.
Urošević: After this humble move, Black is lost.
17. ... Bh6
Adams: If 17. ... h6 18. Nfxg5 is deadly but now the Knight leaps forward another way.


18. Ne5!
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): I couldn’t resist playing this move. It is clear that in this position White can win in many ways, e.g. 18. Nfxg5.
However, the text-move leads to a nice finish.
Urošević: The threat is simple: Ne5xc6 and Nc6-e7+.
18. ... Rxe5 19. Bxe5 Bxd1 20. Rxd1
Adams: Black’s position is a wreck and the game is swiftly concluded.
20. ... Qe8 21. Bc3 Nd8 22. f7+! Qxf7
Ed. Note: 22. ... Kxf7 23. Rxd6! is no better at all.
23. Nf6+ 1 : 0.
Rogers: “On 23. ... Kf8 I was going to play 24. Re1 and I’m winning”, said Hóu.
After the game Short seemed in surprisingly good humour, declaring that there was nothing to do apart from go out that evening and get drunk.
Urošević: On 23. ... Kh8 White has 24. Ne8+ and Qe3-d4.
Pein: After 23. ... Kf8 wins 24. Re1 with Qe3-h3 amongst the threats.
Steve Giddins: After the game, a rueful Short blamed this disaster on inadequate preparation, adding that it was “especially embarrassing to lose to an opponent who is three years younger than my daughter!”. This was one of five (!) decisive results in the group.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Fischerandom

Fischerandom

Isadora Duncan


Anni e anni alla sbarra, ore e ore di sudore, prove e riprove, piedi doloranti, scaldamuscoli e scoramento, pece e tenacia, miti alati e specchi impietosi, confronti persi, umiltà e improbabili cigni bianchi. Ogni giorno un bicchierino di veleno e un anelito di meraviglioso, cibo per la mente, per il corpo dieta ferrea e bulimia latente. La disciplina dell’arte non è per pochi eletti. E poi di nuovo prove e riprove, sbarra, sudore, il prosaico quotidiano votato a quei pochi minuti di meraviglioso in teatro. Diventare non il miglior ballerino del mondo ma il miglior ballerino possibile, per non smettere mai di ballare.
E poi anni di amore, difficile, insaziabile, esigente. No allo stillicidio conformista, no alla complicità in pantofole, no al litigio civile, no al dialogo corretto, no alle maschere, no alla vacanza da cartolina, no all’Itaglia, no alla patria, no all’al di là, no a mi faccio il mio, no al pregiudizio, no al razzismo. Navigare insieme in mare aperto, cibo per la mente, per il corpo no a nutrirsi di creature senzienti non umane.
E dunque anni e anni in bianco e nero, sotto forma di interminabili tornei, torri di libri, riviste, diagrammi, scartafacci, scacchiere tascabili e regolamentari, artistiche e rurali, di plastica, di legno, di vetro, e persino di marzapane, fino alla comprensione, fino al godimento estetico.
Io, così insofferente all’immobilità, seduta per ore su una sedia, fuorigioco in contemplazione di coreografie cruente, drammi, tragedie, operette, poesie, a seconda dei protagonisti, irriducibili nel ritentare una vittoria e deglutire una sconfitta. Flessibili, devoti, curiosi, onnivori monomaniaci dell’astratto.
Come ignorare i nuovi territori che una geniale intuizione ha dischiuso ai vostri viaggi? Come non condurre la vostra Regina in novecentosessanta nuove danze?

A Beautiful Mind


侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
SportAccord World Mind Games
Pechino (12-19 dicembre 2012)
Awarding Ceremony Blindfold
Foto: ifeng.com

Fundraising


Ma... era proprio il caso di farsi riconoscere?

Per gli altri, noi siamo gli altri

Per gli altri, noi siamo gli altri.
Quando gli altri scrivono di noi, noi siamo gli altri.
Quando a scrivere sono persone di altra madrelingua, la nostra è l’altra lingua.
Se noi siamo gli altri, e la nostra è l’altra lingua, è bene averne nozione.
Averne cognizione.
Solo ascoltando gli altri possiamo capire quanto noi siamo gli altri.
Solo leggendo le persone di altra madrelingua che scrivono nella nostra lingua possiamo renderci conto di quanto la nostra lingua sia l’altra.
E se a scrivere sono principalmente ragazzi (altri ragazzi), possiamo finalmente renderci conto di quanto i nostri ragazzi e gli altri ragazzi siano la stessa cosa.
Gli altri sono gli altri.
I figli degli altri sono gli altri.
Noi e i nostri figli siamo gli altri.
Siamo tutti fratelli.

Sandro Veronesi
Autori Vari, “Seconda Generazione”, Prato, Provincia di Prato, 2012, p. 9

北京首都国际机场 (Běijīng Capital International Airport)

北京首都国际机场 (Běijīng Capital International Airport) in 1959. Photo from the book “10th Anniversary Photo Collection of the People’s Republic of China 1949–1959” published by 10th Anniversary Photo Collection of the People’s Republic of China Editorial Committee. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Il bacio della donna ragno

Pechino (12-19 dicembre 2012)

scacchi alla cieca

Hóu Yìfán – Dronavalli Harika
Pechino, 19 dicembre 2012
Spagnola C63

1. e4 e5 2. Cf3 Cc6 3. Ab5 f5. La Variante Jänisch. 4. d3 fxe4 5. dxe4 Cf6 6. Dd3 Ac5 7. 0-0. “Yìf Yìf” non copia “Fab Fab”! Cioè: 7. Cc3 d6 8. Ag5 0-0 9. 0-0-0 Ae6 10. Ac4 De8 11. Axf6 Cb4 12. De2 Txf6 13. a3 Cc6 14. Axe6+ Dxe6 15. Cd5 Tf7 16. Dc4 Dh6+ 17. Rb1 Cd8 18. Cxc7 Tc8 19. Cd5 Cc6 20. b4 b5 21. Dxb5 Axf2 22. Thf1 Ab6 23. Dc4 1 : 0 Caruana – Bravo, 40ª Olimpiade, Istanbul 2012. 7. ... Cd4 8. Cxd4 Axd4 9. Cd2 a6 10. Aa4. L’alternativa è 10. Ac4 De7 11. Cf3 Aa7 (Svidler – Radjabov, Baku 2008) dopodiché 12. Ag5 d6 13. Ch4 con prospettive d’iniziativa (Svidler). 10... b5?! Peter Svidler preferisce 10. ... 0-0 11. Cf3 Aa7 12. Cxe5 De7 (12. ... De8 13. Af4) 13. Ab3+ (13. Af4 d6) 13. ... Rh8 14. Cf3 [14. Dg3 De8! (14. ... Cxe4?? 15. Cg6+! e matto in due) 15. Cf7+! (dopo 15. Cf3 Cxe4 16. Dh4 d6 il Bianco è in imbarazzo) 15. ... Txf7 16. Axf7 Dxf7 17. Dxc7 De8 18. Ae3 Ab8 19. Db6 d5∞] 14. ... Cxe4 (oppure 14. ... Dxe4 15. Te1 Dxd3 15. cxd3 con preferenza per il Bianco) 15. Ae3 Cc5 16. Axc5 Dxc5 17. Tae1 d6 18. Dd2 Af5 19. Cg5 h6 20. Ce6 Axe6 21. Txe6 Df5 22. De2 con un “più” per il Bianco. 11. Ab3 Ab7 Se 11. ... c5 allora 12. c3 c4 13. Cxc4 bxc4 14. Dxc4 d5 15. exd5 Ab6 16.d6± (Svidler). 12. a4 c5 Oppure 12. ... Ac6 13. axb5 axb5 14. Txa8 Txa8 15. Dg3± (Svidler) 13. axb5 axb5 14. Txa8 Dxa8 15. Dxb5 Cxe4 16. Cxe4 Axe4


17. c3 Axg2 18. cxd4 Axf1? Un pernicioso automatismo. Avremmo preferito l’intermedia 18. ... Ah3!, benché dopo 19. f3! Axf1 20. Dxc5! Ad3 21. Dxe5+ Rd8 22. Rg2! il Bianco serbi un vantaggio solare. 19. Dxf1 cxd4? È se non altro meno compiacente 19. ... De4! 20. dxc5! (20. Db5 De1+ 21. Rg2 Dxc1 22. Db8+ Re7 23. Dxe5+ Rd8 24. Dxb8+ Re7 25. Dxh8 Dg5+ è controversa) 20. ... Tf8 21. Dd1! Tf6 22. Ad5 Tg6+ 23. Rf1+-. 20. Db5+- (Δ Ac1-g5) 20. ... Da1 21. Dxe5+ Rd8 22. Dg5+ Rc8 23. Dc5+ Rd8 24. Rg2 h6 25. Af4 Da8+ 26. Ad5 Da6 27. Dc7+. Un altro modus mattandi è 27. Ad6!+- (Δ Dc5-c7+). 27. ... Re7 28. De5+ Rd8 29. Db8+ Dc8 30. Ac7+ Re7 31. Db4+ 1-0. Giacché se 31. ... Rf6 allora 32. Dd6+ e matto in quattro.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Una foto, una storia

A. M. Giustolisi – O. Torrens
Madrid, 1951
Olandese A91

1. d4 f5 2. g3 Cf6 3. Ag2 e6 4. c4 Ae7 5. Cc3 0-0 6. Ch3. Una variante anti-Stonewall; il concetto informatore è l’occupazione del centro con i Pedoni: f2-f3 e poi e2-e4. 6. ... d6. Il nonsense strategico 6... d5? esaudirebbe ogni più inconfesso desiderio del Bianco: 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Cf4± Golombek – Rossolimo, Venezia 1950. 7. 0-0. Né 7. Cf4 De8= né 7. e4 Cxe4 8. Cxe4 fxe4 9. Axe4 Cd7 10. Cf4 Cf6= procurano al Bianco alcun significativo vantaggio. 7. ... c6. Non 7. ... e5? per via di 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Dxd8 Axd8 (9. ... Txd8 10. Cd5) 10. b3 c6 11. Aa3±. L’alternativa è semmai 7. ... De8 8. e4 fxe4 9. Cf4 c6 10. Cxe4 Cxe4 11. Axe4 e5 12. Cg2 Cd7 13. Ce3 exd4! 14. Dxd4 Ce5 15. f4 Cg4 16. Cxg4 Axg4= Reshevsky – Botvinnik, L’Aja 1948. 8. e4. Irresoluta è 8. Dd3 e5= König – Rossolimo, Hastings 1949-’50. I teorici propugnano tuttavia 8. b3 a5 9. e4 fxe4 10. Cxe4 a4 11. Ab2 e5 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Chg5 Dxd1 14. Tfxd1 Af5 15. Axe5± Uhlmann – Johansson, Halle 1963. 8. ... fxe4 9. Cxe4 Cxe4? Cortocircuito! Era di prammatica 9. ... e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Chg5 Ca6 12. Cxf6+ gxf6 13. Ce4 Dxd1 14. Txd1 Ag4 15. f3 Af5= F. Olafsson – Ivkov, Birmingham 1951. 10. Axe4 e5? Vieppiù compromettente, ma anche dopo 10. ... De8 11. Dc2! il Bianco detta legge; per esempio: 11. ... g6 12. Ah6 Tf6 (12. ... Tf7? 13. Axg6! hxg6 14. Dxg6+ Rh8 15. Ag7+!) 13. Cf4 Ca6? 14. Cd3 Ad7 15. Ag2 Cc7 16. f4 Td8 17. Tfe1 Ac8 18. Tad1 Tf5 19. Af3 Af8 20. Ag5 Ae7 21. h4! Tf7 22. Cf2 Axg5? 23. hxg5 Df8 24. Cg4 Rh8 25. Rg2 Te7 26. Th1 e5 27. Cf6! Af5 28. Ae4 Axe4+ 29. Dxe4 Tg7 30. Dxg6 De7 31. Txh7+! Txh7 32. Th1! 1 : 0 Koch – Jezek, per corrispondenza 1956-1959. 11. dxe5! Axh3. Se 11. ... dxe5 allora 12. Dh5 g6 13. Axg6 hxg6 14. Dxg6+ Rh8 15. Cg5 Af5 16. Cf7+ Txf7 17. Dxf7 Df8 18. Dh5+ Rg8 19. Ag5 con manifesto vantaggio per il Bianco. 12. Dh5 Af5. Oppure 12. ... g6 13. Dxh3+-. 13. Axf5 g6 14. Ae6+ Rh8 15. De2 dxe5 16. Ah6! Tf6. Eterna gratitudine al Maestro filippino per non essersi congedato con la prosaica cessione della Qualità (16. ... Te8 17. Af7+-). 17. Dxe5 Dd6


18. Dc3!! Il miracolo del sacrificio! 18. ... Dxe6 19. Tae1! 1 : 0. Elegantissimo epilogo: 19. ... Df7 20. Txe7! Dxe7 21. Te1 Df7 22. Dxf6+! Dxf6 23. Te8+ Df8 24. Txf8 matto.

Alberto Giustolisi
Foto: Archivio Joaquim Travesset i Barba

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Blind date

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Dronavalli Harika
2nd SportAccord World Mind Games; Women’s Blindfold Tournament; 北京 (Běijīng), December 19, 2012
Spanish Game C63

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. d3 fxe4 5. dxe4 Nf6 6. Qd3 Bc5 7. 0-0 Nd4 8. Nxd4 Bxd4 9. Nd2 a6 10. Ba4 b5. More convincing is 10. ... Qe7 11. Nf3 Ba7 12. Nh4 g6 13. Bg5 b5 14. Bb3 Bb7 15. Rae1 Rf8 16. Kh1 0-0-0 17. a4 Qb4 18. Bd2 Qd4 19. Qxd4 Bxd4 20. c3 Bc5 21. f3 d5 22. exd5 Bxd5 23. Bxd5 Rxd5 24. Bh6 Rf7 25. axb5 axb5 26. g3 Nd7 ½ : ½ T. A. Kosinsteva – Harika, 3rd Women’s World Team Chess Championship, Mardin 2011. 11. Bb3 Bb7 12. a4


12. ... c5? This natural move is wrong — leading to a nearly forced loss. 12. ... Rf8 13. h3!? Qe7 was worth considering. 13. axb5 axb5 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15. Qxb5 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Bxe4 17. c3. That’s all. 17. ... Bxg2 18. cxd4 Bxf1. 18. ... Bh3 19. d5 does not make much difference. 19. Qxf1 cxd4 20. Qb5. Game over. 20. ... Qa1 21. Qxe5+ Kd8 22. Qg5+ Kc8 23. Qc5+ Kd8 24. Kg2 h6 25. Bf4 Qa8+ 26. Bd5 Qa6 27. Qc7+ Ke7 28. Qe5+ Kd8 29. Qb8+ Qc8 30. Bc7+ Ke7 31. Qb4+ 1 : 0. For mate follows in a few moves.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) stands beside a scoreboard following her win in the Women’s Blindfold Tournament of the 2nd SportAccord World Mind Games. Photo: Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Pia Cramling – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
2nd SportAccord World Mind Games; Women’s Blindfold Event; 北京 (Běijīng), December 18, 2012
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 c5 8. Qc2 Qa5 9. Bd3 c4 10. Bf5 0-0 11. 0-0 Re8 12. Nd2 g6 13. Bxd7 Nxd7 14. e4 Bxc3 15. Qxc3 Qxc3 16. bxc3 f6 17. Bf4. Curiously enough, only one day later, elsewhere in Croatia, a game with “eyes wide shut” continued: 17. Bh4 g5 18. Bg3 Nb6 19. f4 g4 20. e5 Na4 21. Rac1 b5 ½ : ½ Šarić – Brkić, 19th Open, Zadar 2012. 17. ... Nb6 18. f3 Bd7 19. Rab1 Bc6 20. Rfe1 Na4 21. Re3 g5 22. Bd6 Re6 23. Bb4 a5 24. Bc5 Rae8 25. Bb6 Ra8 26. g4 Kf7 27. Kf2 Ra6 28. Bc7 b5 29. a3 Ra7 30. Bg3 Rb7 31. exd5 Bxd5 32. Ne4 Kg6 33. h3. 33. h4! was much more to the point. 33. ... Rbe7 34. Rxb5? This leads to troublesome consequences; hence White ought to prefer 34. Bd6. 34. ... Bxe4 35. fxe4 Rxe4 36. Rxe4? Of course, after 36. Rf3 Re2+ 37. Kf1 R7e3 White’s game is anything but easy, but the text will cost even dearer. 36. ... Rxe4 37. Rxa5 Nxc3 38. Kf3 Rxd4 39. Rc5? This loses immediately.


39. ... Rd3+ 40. Kg2 Rxg3+! 41. Kh2 Na4 42. Rxc4 Rxa3 0 : 1.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Golden Girl

Pechino (12-19 dicembre 2012)

Awarding Ceremony Blindfold

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
The Golden Girl

Address Unknown



Oh, help me in my weakness
I heard the drifter say
As they carried him from the courtroom
And were taking him away
My trip hasn’t been a pleasant one
And my time, it isn’t long
And I still do not know
What it was that I’ve done wrong

Bob Dylan, Drifter’s Escape, 1968

捉迷藏 (Hide and Seek)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Humpy Koneru
2nd SportAccord World Mind Games; Women’s Blindfold Tournament; 北京 (Beijīng), December 18, 2012
Vienna Game C26

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bd6 7. Nf3 0-0 8. 0-0 Nc6. Or 8. ... Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 c6 11. d4 Nd7 12. Qd3 f5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Qd4 Qc7 15. Bf4 Nf7 16. Bxd6 Qxd6 17. Rab1 Qxd4 18. cxd4 Nd6 19. c4 Rf7 20. c5 Ne4 21. Rfe1 Nf6 22. Re5 Rd8 23. Rxf5 Rxd4 24. Rf3 Rfd7 25. Rfb3 Rd1+ 26. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 27. Kh2 Rd7 28. g4 g5 29. Kg3 Re7 30. h4 h6 31. hxg5 hxg5 32. f4 gxf4+ 33. Kxf4 Rf7 34. Kg3 Kg7 35. Bf3 Kg6 36. Rb4 Kg5 37. a4 a5 38. Rb3 Re7 39. Rb2 Ne8 40. Rh2 Nf6 41. Rb2 Ne8 42. Rh2 Ng7 43. Rh8 Re8 44. Rh2 Re5 45. Rb2 Kf6 46. Rh2 Re7 47. Rh8 Ne6 48. Ra8 Nd4 49. Kf2 Ke5 50. Kg3 Kf6 51. Kf2 Ke5 52. Kg3 Kf6 ½ : ½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – So, 1st Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chess Tournament, New Delhi 2011. 9. d4 Bg4 10. h3 Bh5 11. g4 Bg6 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bxe5 14. Ba3 Bxc3 15. Rb1 Qxd1 16. Rbxd1 Rfd8 17. Bxb7 Rxd1 18. Rxd1 Rb8 19. Rd7 Be5 20. Bd5 h5 21. Kg2 hxg4 22. hxg4 Rb1 23. Re7 Bf4 24. Kf3 Bh2 25. Bb3 a5 26. Bc5 Rd1 27. Ke2 Rd8 28. a4 Bf4 29. Kf3 Bh2 30. Ke3 Rd1 31. f4 Re1+ 32. Kf3 Rxe7 33. Bxe7 Bg1 34. f5 Bh7 35. Ke4 g6 36. f6 g5+ 37. Kd5 Bg6 38. Bd8 Bh2


39. Kc6? (39. Be7!+− Δ Be7-a3-b2-c3) 39. ... Be4+ 40. Kd7 (40. Kb5 Bf3 41. Kxa5 Bxg4 42. Bd5 Be2 43. c4 c6!=) 40. ... Bf3 41. Bxc7 Bxg4+ 42. Kd8 Bxc7+ 43. Kxc7 Bf3 44. Kd6 Kf8 45. Ke5 Bg4 46. Bc4 Ke8? Both 46. ... Bc8 and 46. ... Bd1 should draw. 47. Bb5+ Kd8 48. Kd6 Bf3 49. c4 g4 50. c5 g3 51. c6 g2 52. c7+ Kc8 53. Bd7+ 1 : 0. Because of 53. ... Kb7 54. c8=Q+ Ka7 (54. ... Kb6 55. Qc7+ Ka6 56. Bb5 mate) 55. Kc7! g1=Q 56. Qb8+ Ka6 57. Bb5 mate.

Mlle 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) joue sans voir l’échiquier. Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Make a Difference

天才少女侯逸凡:中国崛起不能仅仅靠一个人

王湘君 (Wáng Xiāngjūn), 北京青年报 (Běijīng Youth Daily), December 18, 2012


女子“国象”世界排名第二的选手,北京大学国际关系学院新生———

  假如有一张面孔可以代表中国崛起,那么这个人既不是某一位政治人物,亦非互联网大亨,而是一名文静温和、名叫侯逸凡的十六岁姑娘。——《纽约时报》专栏作家纪思道

  侯逸凡推门而进时给了我个小小的惊艳, 网络照片上那个短发女孩子不见了,取而代之的是蓄起半长发、戴着眼镜的文静少女。侯逸凡很苗条,在采访中有些拘束,当被问到让她纠结的问题时,她会仰起下巴偏着头思考,笔者不由得想,是否在世界级的国际象棋(简称“国象”)大赛中,她也是用这样的姿态走出了霸气的步子?在她身上,世界棋后和北大女孩这两种截然不同的气质是怎样结合到一起的呢?

  “身边的牛人真是太多了”

  侯逸凡,女子“国象”世界排名第二的选手,两次获得世锦赛冠军,北京大学国际关系学院新生,从小被称为“天才少女”,哪怕努力想用一种平凡的方式来形容她,她也注定是不平凡的。当笔者以一名同龄人的身份和她近距离接触,却能深深地感受到这个女孩的成功中种种与天才无关的东西。
  北大九月一日开学,侯逸凡由于在国外比赛,十一号才来报到,这时候,“第零周”已经结束。这一周是为了让新生们熟悉学校而设置的,师兄师姐们会带大家选课、去图书馆、听新生讲座,错过了这一周,给侯逸凡的大学生活带来了不小的麻烦。当被问及是否去图书馆借过书时,喜欢读书的侯逸凡笑着说:“去过,但是我还没研究会该怎么借”。

  同样错过的还有新传、生科、国关等六院的联谊舞会,她惋惜地说,在圣诞之前还有五六个比赛。从国庆节到现在,侯逸凡只回学校呆了短短几周。没想到侯逸凡的工作这么忙,问她落下的课怎么办,她很无奈地回答:“补呗。”

  因为难以保证课时,本可以选25学分的侯逸凡只选了15学分,还包括一门一学分的“国象”课,她笑着说选“国象”是用来顶学分的,“时间实在不够用”。(按照规定,北大本科生每学年最多选修25学分)在她在校的时候,侯逸凡会认真地上每一门专业课,她的舍友这样描述她:“很认真,很严谨,对事物求知欲也很强。”

  其实在这样的情境里,侯逸凡真的不会让人感觉到她是拥有棋后光环的“天才少女”,她和众多北大12级同学一样,都是憧憬着大学生活同时也为此纠结的新生,甚至她需要更多的调整和适应。对于侯逸凡来说,这或许是比下棋更能挑战自己的一种经历。

  侯逸凡说自己之前来过北大两次,但都是来参加一些活动而不是以学生的身份来的。现在真正有了融入其中的感觉,成为当中的一分子,虽然只生活了半个月,但是对北大有了比较深入的感受。侯逸凡没有具体地解释是哪些方面让她感受良深,她只是用同学说的话来回答我:“身边的牛人真是太多了,就算你以前觉得自己还算比较厉害,还算那么回事,但到这里之后就会发现还有很多需要学习的地方。”

  结束这个话题的时候,笔者委婉地抛出了一个比较尖锐的问题。由于侯逸凡是保送到北大读书的,网络上就出现了很多质疑的声音,有人在说,凭什么体育好就能进北大,运动员的文化课基础行吗?能跟得上北大的课程吗?侯逸凡很坦率地承认自己文化课的不足,说:“我们这么多年打比赛所经历的一些社会历练要多一些,视野也会相对的开阔,肯定有我们占优势的地方,或许可以形成一个互补,因为大学不只是一个学习的地方,它可能更多的是一个让你去接触社会、增长社会阅历的地方”。尽管外表看起来和普通大学生没什么不同,但是经历过更多成败荣辱的侯逸凡比同龄人拥有更为成熟强大的内心,这是她的小气场,也是她能得到棋后桂冠的重要因素。

  “我的目标就是比以往的自己好”

  在“国象”领域,小波尔加是女神一样的存在。她是唯一一个等级分进入世界前100名的女棋手,目前世界排名第八,是公认的女子“国象”无冕之王。说起她时,侯逸凡有些兴奋,接过我的话介绍说:“小波尔加三姐妹都很厉害,这是波尔加家族的一个传统,小时候父母就教她们下棋,一天可能有超过十个小时用在下棋上,这绝对是我达不到的。而且她的开局、中局、残局都经过很系统的训练,这对于一个专业棋手来说是很重要的,我现在这方面确实还需要加强。”
  我问她:“这次赢了她,是不是很兴奋?”

  “其实没什么。那只是一盘棋,不能代表太多的问题,不能说明你比她强,更不能说明她的时代已经过去了。因为一盘棋它包含了太多客观因素。当然,我不否认,赢了她肯定对我是一种鼓励,但事实上,我跟她的实力还有一段明显的差距,我需要向她学习的地方还有很多。”
  当提及她的教练叶江川所说的她的两个目标——拿到世界冠军和超越小波尔加时,侯逸凡认真地告诉笔者:“拿到世界冠军肯定是每个专业棋手都希望的,但是超越小波并不算是我的目标,我的目标就是比以往的自己好,并不是一定要跟某一个人比,超越自我就好,否则如果有一天真的超越了她,我的目标还能是什么?”

  “中国崛起不能仅仅靠一个人”

  整场采访的最后一个问题提起了文章开头的那句话,那是纪思道在“把男子汉的自尊先放在一边”同侯逸凡下了一盘棋之后做出的评论。对此,侯逸凡如是说:“每个人有每个人的想法,他身为一个大报的记者尤其是一个外国人,能对我和‘国象’这么重视,我非常感激,我也希望通过他的描述能让更多的人去了解并加入我们这项运动,因为在中国‘国象’还不是十分普及;同时这也会成为‘国象’运动员们前进的动力。”
  我问侯逸凡,在她心中什么才能代表中国真正的崛起,侯逸凡认真地思考了一会儿说:“一个国家的崛起绝对不能仅仅靠一个人,因为一个国家是一个整体。或许很多专业领域都可能被称为崛起的一方面,比如说经济,比如说体育,但是我觉得最重要的还是社会的道德文明,只有公民的素质提高了,中国才算真的崛起。”

  能得到侯逸凡这样的回答算是出乎我的意料,她像所有北大学子一样有着强烈的社会责任感,也保持着一份读书人特有的理性。她的回答也从另一个侧面证明了,侯逸凡真的具备了到北大读书的实力。她不喜欢“天才少女”这个称呼,所以在采访中笔者特意避开了这一点。事实上,侯逸凡也的确不是天才,她也会为绩点担心,也会希望加入学生社团,也会渴望一个安静的学习空间,她和所有的为梦想奋斗的燕园学子一样,在燕园里有她的苦乐悲欢;只不过,她比大多数人更努力,更严谨,也牺牲了更多多彩的空间,所以成就了今天的“棋后”。

Qualcuno volò sul nido del cuculo

重庆 (Chóngqìng), agosto 2012
Foto: Isadora Duncan


迷宫和掩体

国际象棋和菲舍尔氏象棋

我是笨鸟先飞……

Yes No Maybe So

成都 (Chéngdū), China. August 2012. Photo: Mado Flynn.

Scripsi, rescripsit nil Naevia, non dabit ergo.
Sed puto quod scripsi legerat: ergo dabit.

I wrote, she wrote not back; so won’t fulfil.
Yet, what I wrote, she read; and therefore will.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 2, IX
English translation by James Elphinston

Blind Woman’s Buff

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) playing Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih in the Women’s Blindfold Tournament at the 2nd SportAccord World Mind Games in 北京 (Běijīng), China on December 18, 2012. Photos: 周游 (Zhōu Yóu).

Monday, December 17, 2012

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The Testament of Vincenzo Nestler

e specialmente per i giovani, che nel nobile gioco degli scacchi possono trovare non solo un diletto della mente e un affinamento del pensiero, ma anche e soprattutto un costume morale e civile, nell’amore del vero e nel culto del bello.

Vincenzo Nestler, Campione Italiano di scacchi 1943 e 1954
Enzo Giudici, Vincenzo Nestler, “Remo Calapso”, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Edizioni SCACCO!, 1976, p. 78.

Keep Cool

Pensieri e parole sulla pagina weibo di 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

@精彩语录 : 你觉得孤独就对了,那是让你认识自己的机会。你觉得不被理解就对了,那是让你认清朋友的机会。你觉得黑暗就对了,那是你发现光芒的机会。你觉得无助就对了,那样你才能知道谁是你的贵人。你觉得迷茫就对了。谁的青春不迷茫... —— 《谁的青春不迷茫》

Ti senti solo, va bene; è l’occasione di incontrare te stesso. Ti senti incompreso, va bene; è l’occasione per riconoscere gli amici. Sei nell’oscurità, va bene; troverai la luce. Ti senti inerme, va bene; potrai sapere chi ti salverà. Ti senti smarrito, va bene. Quale giovinezza non si sente smarrita...

(Traduzione: Isadora Duncan)

Hóu Yìfán
Foto: Anastasiya Karlovich

Friday, December 14, 2012

Pensieri e Parole

Riflessioni e citazioni dalla pagina weibo di 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

@精彩语录 : 你觉得孤独就对了,那是让你认识自己的机会。你觉得不被理解就对了,那是让你认清朋友的机会。你觉得黑暗就对了,那是你发现光芒的机会。你觉得无助就对了,那样你才能知道谁是你的贵人。你觉得迷茫就对了。谁的青春不迷茫... —— 《谁的青春不迷茫》