/dev/null

$ cat /dev/null > Regulation_Instructors_and_School.txt

優先佇列

Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”

SCUOLA DI DANZA
舞蹈学校
SCACCHI CLASSICI E SCACCHI DI FISCHER
国际象棋和菲舍尔氏象棋

Any appearances to the contrary notwithstanding,
proudly
we don’t belong to any chess organization!

警察学校

粗糙

I don’t keep any close friends. I don’t keep any secrets. I don’t need friends. I just tell everybody everything, that’s all. Ralph Ginzburg, “Portrait of a Genius As a Young Chess Master”, Harper’s, January 1962

Robert James Fischer

慢慢来

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Women's Grand Prix 2009–2011; fourth stage; Jermuk, June 24, 2010
Four Knights Game C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5. The so-called Spanish Four Knights. 4. ... Nd4. The Rubinstein-Marshall Variation. 5. Bc4. The most important book line is 5. Bc5 6. Nxe5 Qe7. 5. ... d6 6. Nxd4 exd4 7. Nd5 Nd7. If 7. ... Ng4 8. d3 c6 9. Nf4 Qh4 10. g3 Qf6 11. f3 Ne5 12. 0-0 (Rublevsky – Bologan, Poikovsky 2008) 12. ... g6 13. Bb3 Bg7 14. c3 Nd7 15. Bd2 with a slight plus for White (Rublevsky’s analysis). 8. 0-0 c6. The alternative is 8. ... g6 9. c3 Bg7 10. cxd4 Bxd4 11. Nc3 0-0 12. Ne2 Qe7 13. Qc2 Bg7 14. d4 Nb6 15. Bb3 Re8 16. Be3 Qxe4 17. Qxc7 Qe7 18. Rfc1 Be6 19. Qxe7 ½ : ½ Radjabov – Aronian, 17th European Team Chess Championship, Novi Sad 2009. 9. Nf4 g6. 9. ... b5 10. Be2 g6 11. c3 Bh6 12. d3 Bg7 see Sutovsky – Bacrot, FIDE World Cup, Khanty Mansyisk 2005. 10. a3 Bg7 11. d3 0-0 12. Bd2 Kh8 13. Ba2 a5 14. Kh1 Nc5 15. f3 Bd7 16. Qe1 a4 17. Qf2 Qb6 18. Bb4 Qc7 19. Ne2 Ne6 20. Bd2. More promising looks 20. f4 c5 21. Bd2 f5 22. exf5 Rxf5 23. Qh4 with prospects for an initiative. 20. ... Qb6 21. Rab1 f5 22. c3 fxe4 23. dxe4 Nc5 24. Qg1. Clearly not 24. cxd4? on account of 24. ... Nxe4. 24. ... Nb3. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was hoping perhaps in 24. ... dxc3 25. Bxc3 Rae8? 26. Bxg7 Kxg7 27. Qd4+ Rf6 28. g4! breaking down Black’s defences. 25. Bxb3 Qxb3 26. Nxd4. Possibly simpler looks 26. cxd4 Qd3 27. Qe3 with a small edge for White. 26. ... Qc4 27. Rfd1 Rae8 28. Be3 d5 29. Nc2 Be6 30. Bd4. Sounder looks 30. Bc5 Rg8 31. exd5 Bxd5 32. Rd2 and White consolidates her position. 30. ... dxe4 31. fxe4 Bxd4 32. Nxd4 Bg4 33. Re1 c5 34. Nc2 b6 35. h3 Be2 36. Ne3 Qd3 37. Nd5 Qxe4 38. Rbd1. Not 38. Nxb6 because of 38. ... Qc6 and the Knight is trapped. A little better looks 38. c4, although after 38. ... Qd3 Black preserves an easier play; for example: 39. Nxb6? Re3! with a vehement attack. 38. ... Qc2 39. Rb1 Qb3 40. Nc7 Re7 41. Qh2 Qf7 42. Qd6 Re3. The threat is ... Re3xh3+. 43. Kh2. Not a panacea, but also after 43. Qh2 Rd8 Black’s position is imposing.

43. ... g5! 44. Rg1 Qf2. Threatening 45. ... Rxh3+ 46. Kxh3 Qh4#. 45. Qh6 g4. A “dual” is 45. ... Rff3! with the deadly threat of 46. ... Rxh3+ 47. Qxh3 Rxh3+ 48. Kxh3 Qh4#. Also the text move, however, is threatening ... Re3xh3+. 46. hxg4 Rf6 47. Qg5. No better is 47. Qh5 Bxg4! and wins. 47. ... Re5. Another way is 47. ... Rg6 48. Qd8+ Rg8 rigor mortis. 48. Rgf1. Else 48. Qxe5 Qh4#. 48. ... Bxf1 0 : 1. A most exciting King Hunt by 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng).

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)

Back to school

“Back to school”: Neil Diamond rocks Brooklyn school with pop-up concert
The famed singer announced a surprise concert at Erasmus Hall High School on Twitter to promote his latest album “Melody Road”. Fans lined up Monday along Flatbush Ave. to hear Diamond serenade them with “Sweet Caroline”.
By Chelsia Rose Marcius, Jason Molinet / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS / Monday, September 29, 2014

Neil Diamond was back at the Brooklyn high school he called a life-changing experience on Monday night, creating a log jam along Flatbush Ave. as fans lined up to see him perform in a surprise concert at Erasmus Hall High School.
The 73-year-old Diamond announced the free concert on Twitter just hours earlier, the first time he’s played Erasmus Hall since attending school there from 1954-56. “Back to Brooklyn, back to school”, Diamond tweeted.
Erasmus, a Brooklyn institution, also produced Al Davis, Bobby Fischer and Barbra Streisand. [Read more].

KEN GOLDFIELD/(KEN GOLDFIELD FOR NY DAILY NEWS) Neil Diamond surprised fans with a free performance at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn on Monday.

“At Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, [Robert James Fischer] excelled in Spanish, math and the sciences but considered his teachers ‘all mental cases’”, recalls Joe Holley, The Washington Post, January 19, 2008.

Exception that proves the rule

Artwork: Signalure

不管再多人做，错的就是错的，不管再少人做，对的还是对的。 Bùguǎn zài duō rén zuò, cuò de jiùshì cuò de, bùguǎn zài shǎo rén zuò, duì de háishì duì de. Wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it. Right is right, even if no one is doing it.

The Blind Mirror

Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

5th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 2; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Tromsø, August 13, 2013

Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

Notes in quotation marks by Grandmaster Ian Rogers, The Byron Shire Echo, Volume 28 #11, August 20, 2013, p. 32.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qa4+ Nc6 6. e3 0-0 7. Qc2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 e5 9. dxe5. If 9. Nxe5 then 9. ... Nxe5 10. dxe5 Ng4 11. Qb3 Bxc3+ 12. Qxc3 Qh4 13. g3 Qh3 14. Bf1 Qh5 15. Be2 Qh3 16. Bf1 Qh5 17. Be2 Qh3 ½ : ½ Chiburdanidze – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2009–11, 5th stage, Ulaanbaatar 2010. If, instad, 9. a3 then 9. ... Bd6 10. d5 Ne7 11. 0-0 a6 12. b4 Bd7 13. Bb2 Ng6 14. Ng5 Qe7 15. Nge4 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Bf5 17. Bd3 Bxe4 18. Bxe4 Qg5 19. Bxg6 hxg6 20. e4 Rac8 21. Qc3 Qh4 22. f4 f6 23. Qg3 Qxg3 24. hxg3 Rfe8 25. fxe5 Bxe5 26. Bxe5 Rxe5 27. Rfe1 Kf7 28. Rac1 Ke7 29. Rc4 ½ : ½ Koneru – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Tirana 2011, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 8.
9. ... Ng4 10. 0-0 Ngxe5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Be2 Bg4?! “Now Black gets pushed around badly. 12. ... c6 was safer”.
(12. ... c6 13. Rd1 Qe7 14. b3 Bg4 15. Bb2 Rfe8 16. h3 Bxe2 17. Nxe2 Ba3 18. Bc3 Rad8 19. Ng3 Bb4 20. Bb2 Qe6 21. Qe4 Ba5 22. Rxd8 Bxd8 23. Rd1 Bc7 24. Nf5 g6 25. Nh6+ Kg7 26. Qf4 f6 27. Ng4 Re7 28. Qh6+ Kg8 29. Bxe5 Bxe5 30. Nxe5 Qxe5 31. Rd8+ Re8 32. Rd7 Re7 33. Rd8+ ½ : ½ Halkias – Fressinet, 8th Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2010)
13. f3 Bd7 14. a3 Bd6 15. f4! Nc6 (15. ... Ng6 16. e4)
16. b4 a6. “If Black allows b4-b5 then e3-e4-e5 will follow”.
17. Bb2 Re8

18. Rf3! “Crude but effective”.
18. ... Re6 19. Bd3 Rh6 20. Rg3 Bf8 21. Nd5 Qh4 22. Qc3 Qxh2+?! “22. ... Bg4! keeps the game alive, e.g. 23. Bf5?! (23. Be2! is stronger) 23. ... Qxh2+ 24. Kf2 Qxg3+! 25. Kxg3 Bxf5 and Black has plenty for the Queen”.
23. Kf2 f6

“Here Shirov spent more than half his remaining time, convinced that there must be a winning combination available. Eventually he found it...”
24. Nxf6+! Rxf6

25. Rh1! (25. Qxf6?? Qxg3+!−+)
25. ... Qxg3+. “25. ... Qxh1 26. Qxf6 leaves Black helpless”.
26. Kxg3 h6 27. Qc4+ Be6 28. Qc2 1 : 0. “After this defeat 侯 (Hóu) lost the last two playoff games”.

Water on Fire

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov

5th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 1; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Tromsø, August 13, 2013

Sicilian Defence B77

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nge2 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 0-0 8. Bb3 d6 9. f3 Bd7 10. Qd2 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12. a4 bxa4 13. Bxa4 a5 14. 0-0 Qc7. Or similarly 14. ... Rb8 15. Bxd7 Qxd7 16. b3 Qc7 17. Rf2 e6 18. Qd3 d5 19. exd5 Rfd8 20. Qe3 Nxd5 21. Nxd5 Bxd4 22. Qxd4 Rxd5 23. Qe3 Re5 24. Qc1 Rd8 25. g3 Qc3 26. Rb1 h5 27. Qb2 Re1+ 28. Kg2 Qe3 29. Rxe1 Qxe1 30. c4 Rd3 31. c5 Qc3 32. Qb1 Rd5 33. Rc2 Rd2+ 34. Rxd2 Qxd2+ 35. Kh3 Qc3 36. Qg1 Qxf3 37. Qc1 Qc6 38. Qc3 Kh7 39. Qf6 Kg8 40. Qd8+ Kh7 41. Qf6 Qxc5 42. Qxf7+ Kh6 43. Qxe6 Qc3 ½ : ½ Vallejo Pons – Topalov, 25th Ciudad de León Masters, León 2012, match game 1 (time control: 40 minutes plus 25 seconds per move). 15. Rfd1 Rfb8 16. Bxd7 Qxd7 17. b3 Rb4 18. Ne2 Qb7 19. Kh1 Nd7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Nf4 Nf6 22. Nd3 Rb5 23. Ra4 Rc8 24. Rda1 Qc7

25. Ne1. Good positional judgment. 25. Rc4 Qb8 doesn’t worry Black. 25. ... d5. The two united and passed white Pawns on the Queenside will prove to be a strong force. There was not, however, another option, for if 25. ... Ra8 then 26. b4 with similar outcomes. 26. Rxa5 Rxa5 27. Qxa5 dxe4 28. Qxc7 Rxc7 29. Kg1 exf3 30. gxf3 Nd5. Also possible was 30. ... Rc3 31. Kf2 Nd5, trying to lock the enemy Pawns. Now, slowly but surely, with a little help of Shirov, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) brings home the point with adamantine technique. 31. c4

31. ... Nb4? (⌓ 31. ... Nf4 32. Kf2 e5) 32. Kf2 e5 33. Ke3 Kf6 34. Ra4 Rb7 35. Kd2 Kf5 36. Kc3 Nc6 37. b4

37. ... e4 38. fxe4+ Kxe4 39. Nd3 Ke3 40. Ra8 Re7 41. b5 Nd4 42. Nc5 Re5 43. Rc8 Nf5 44. b6 1 : 0.

And God created woman. Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

庇護權

北京时间8月16日，刚刚在第41届奥林匹克团体赛上夺得男团冠军的中国国际象棋男队及获得女团亚军的中国国象女队，于从挪威特罗姆瑟载誉归京。几十家媒体与中国棋院领导在机场迎接。

中国国际象棋协会
Chinese Chess Association

Il perché di tutto sommato

失眠

密码

• Deb Amlen, The Destruction of Gog and Magog, The New York Times, September 24, 2014

美術

七宗罪

Artwork: ser

我们的地球能满足每个人的需求，但满足不了每个人的贪欲。
Wǒmen dì dìqiú néng mǎnzú měi gèrén de xūqiú, dàn mǎnzú bùliǎo měi gèrén de tān yù.
The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.

隨選列印

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Brief notes by 一个手机号码

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Fabiano Caruana – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
4th NH “Experience versus Rising Stars”; Amsterdam, August 14, 2010
Grünfeld Defence D86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 0-0 10. 0-0 Qc7 11. Rc1 Rd8 12. Bf4 Be5. For the more stereotyped see 12. ... e5 13. Bg5 Rd6 see Caruana – Svidler, 17th European Team Championship, Novi Sad 2009. 13. Bxe5 Nxe5 14. Bb3 Ng4 15. Ng3 Qf4 16. Qe1! An inspired novelty, found two months earlier by Caruana and his coach Boris Avrukh – the threat is h2-h3. For 16. Qf3 Qxf3 17. gxf3 Nf6 see Cheparinov – Ivanchuk, Cap d’Agde 2008. 16. ... Nf6. 16. ... cxd4 17. cxd4 Rxd4 18. h3 Nf6 19. Ne2 is obviously bad, while 16. ... b6 17. h3 Nf6 18. e5 transposes to the game with the interpolation of the moves h2-h3 and ... b7-b6. 17. e5 Nd5 18. Bxd5! Rxd5 19. c4 Rd8. If 19. ... Rxd4? then 20. Ne2 Qxe5 21. Nxd4 Qxd4 22. Qxe7 with huge advantage for White. 20. d5. White’s Pawns centre is imposing. 20. ... b5!? 21. Qa5 Bd7 22. Rfe1! Be8. The counter 22. ... Qd4 23. e6! fxe6 fails to the zwischenzug 24. Rcd1! Qf6 25. dxe6 (Caruana’s analysis). 23. cxb5. After the impulsive 23. Qc7 Rac8! 24. Qxe7 Rd7! 25. Qf6 Qxf6 26. exf6 bxc4 Black is certainly not worse. 23. ... Rxd5 24. b6 Rd2? Caruana expected 24. ... Rxe5 with double-edged consequences; for example: 25. b7 Rb8 26. Qxa7 Rxe1+ 27. Rxe1 Bc6 28. Qxc5 Bxb7 29. Qxe7 with a small plus (Monokroussos). 25. Ne4! Rb2. On 25. ... Re2 26. b7! (not 26. Rxe2? on account of 26. ... Qxc1+ 27. Re1 axb6!) 26. ... Rb8 27. Qc7 and White wins. 26. Qxc5 Rxb6. 26. ... axb6 is refuted by 27. Qd4! threatening both Qd4xb2 and Ne4-f6+. 27. Qxe7 Bc6 28. Nf6+ Kg7 29. Rf1!! A “silent” prophylaxis before the final assault. 29. ... h6. In order to play ... Qf4-g5, as 29. ... Qg5?? at once would be refuted by 30. Ne8+. 30. Rc3 Rab8 31. Qc5. After 31. Rg3 Qf5! any White’s advantage vanishes. 31. ... Ra6. Intending ... Rb8-b5. If 31. ... Rb1 White has to settle for 32. Rcc1 with a Pawn more, as 32. Qxc6 Rxf1+ 33. Rxf1 Rb1+ 34. Ke2 Rb2+ 35. Rc2 Qc1! clears any advantage. 32. Qd6! Rbb6. Also after 32. ... Rc8 33. a3 Qg5 (or 33. ... Bb7? 34. Rxc8! Rxd6? 35. Rg8++) 34. Rg3 White wins. 33. Re3? A delay. The immediate 33. Nh5+! gxh5 34. Rg3+ Kh7 35. Qf8 would have won right away. 33. ... Rxa2? More stubborn is 33. ... Qb4, although after 34. Nh5+! Kh7 (if 34. ... gxh5? then 35. Qf6+ Kg8 36. Rg3+ Kf8 37. e6! finis) 35. Qf6 Qf8 36. e6! Ba4 (or 36. ... Bb5 37. Rfe1) 37. Nf4 White holds a powerful attack.

34. Nh5+! Never too late! A tragic qui pro quo was instead 34. Qd8?? Qxf2+! 35. Rxf2 Rb1+ 36. Rf1 Rxg2+ and mate next move. 34. ... gxh5 35. Rg3+ Qxg3 (35. ... Kh7 36. Qf8) 36. Qf6+ Kg8 37. hxg3 Be4. 37. ... Bxg2 38. Qd8+ is useless. 38. Qd8+ Kh7 39. Rc1 Bf5 40. Rc7 Be6 41. Rxa7 Rxa7. Or 41. ... Rb1+ 42. Kh2 Rxa7 43. Qd3+ and wins. 42. Qxb6 Ra4 43. Qb1+ Kg7 44. f4. Intending f4-f5-f6. 44. ... Ra5 45. Qd1! The last finesse, as after 45. f5? Rxe5! Black would still have hoped to build a fortress. 1 : 0.

混乱

Artwork: Pika-la-Cynique

凡事总有出路。
Fánshì zǒng yǒu chūlù.
There’s always a way.

傻瓜大闹香蕉城 (Bananas)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament FIDE announced in a press release of September 24, 2014 that the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, originally scheduled for this October, will be postponed for a few months. Exact dates will be announced as soon as FIDE finalises all organising details with potential sponsors interested to hold this event.

納西瑟斯 (Narcissus)

The innocent eye sees nothing. Ernst Hans Josef Gombrich

林志鹏 (Lín Zhìpéng), Ballet Girls, 2013. Photo courtesy of Migrant Bird Space.

大西洋鯡

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Brief notes by Horace Horsecollar

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李超 (Lǐ Chāo) – Fabiano Caruana
20th Sigeman & Co International Tournament; Malmö, May 14, 2012
Grünfeld D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. Rb1 0-0 9. Be2 Nc6 10. d5 Ne5 11. Nxe5 Bxe5 12. Qd2 e6 13. f4 Bc7 14. 0-0 exd5 15. exd5 Ba5 16. d6 Rb8 17. Rb5. If 17. g4 then 17. ... Bd7 18. f5 gxf5! 19. Bd3 Kh8∞ (Finkel’s analysis). And for 17. Ba3 Bf5 18. Rbd1 Rc8 see HIARCS – Junior, World Computer Chess Championship, Tilburg 2011. Bd7. The alternative is 17. ... b6 18. Ba3 Ba6 19. f5 Bxb5 20. Bxb5 Qf6 21. fxg6 Bxc3 22. gxh7+ Kh8 23. Rxf6 Bxd2 24. Bb2 Be3+ 25. Kf1 Kxh7 26. d7 Rbd8 27. Rf5 Bd4 28. Bxd4 cxd4 29. Re5 Kg7 30. Ke2 f5 31. Re8 d3+ 32. Kd2 a6 33. Bc6 b5 34. h4 Kf6 35. a3 Rh8 36. h5 Kg5 37. Re6 Rh7 38. Rd6 Rxh5 39. Kxd3 Rh4 40. Re6 Rh7 41. Rd6 Rh4 42. Re6 Rh7 43. Rd6 ½ : ½ Aronian – Vachier-Lagrave, Bilbao 2013. 18. f5! 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) goes in for sharp play. White will have fine attacking chances on the Kingside for the sacrificed Exchange. 18. ... Bxb5 19. Bxb5 Qh4 20. Rf4 Qg5 21. Qe1 Qd8. The zwischenzug 21. ... a6 was probably more to the point. 22. Qe5! Re8 23. Qd5. White could also regain the Exchange with 23. Bxe8 Qxe8 24. Qd5 preserving a small plus, but 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) likes to attack! 23. ... Re1+ 24. Kf2 g5. Forced. On 24. ... Rxc1 25. fxg6 is ruinous. 25. f6! h6. Clearly not 25. ... gxf4?? on account of 26. Qg5+ and mate next move. 26. Qf5! Qxd6. The silly 26. ... Rxc1?? 27. Bd3 loses outright. And also after 26. ... Rd1 27. Rg4! Kh8 28. Bxg5 Bxc3 29. Bxh6 Qxf6 30. Bg7+ White must win. 27. Kxe1 Rd8. 27. ... Bxc3+ 28. Ke2 is no better.

28. Kf2. “If the Chinese player have played 28. Be2!, the rating favourite probably wouldn’t come off clear”, rightly wrote the guys of Chess-News.ru. Indeed, after 28. Be2! Bxc3+ (28. ... gxf4?? 29. Qg4+ Kf8 30. Qg7+ Ke8 31. Bb5+ is suicidal) 29. Kf1 Qd5 30. Rf3 Black is getting a hard day’s night. 28. ... Qd1! The saving clause! 29. Bc4 Kh8. The Rook is still taboo: 29. ... gxf4?? 30. Qg6+ and mate next move. 30. Rf3 Qxc1 31. Bd3 Qd2+ 32. Kf1 Qd1+ 33. Kf2 Qd2+ 34. Kf1 Qd1+ ½ : ½.

高等教育

Silvia Bertini
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Photo: Stefano Marmino

SCUOLA DI DANZA
舞蹈学校
SCACCHI CLASSICI E SCACCHI DI FISCHER
国际象棋和菲舍尔氏象棋

Any appearances to the contrary notwithstanding,
proudly
we don’t belong to any chess organization!

擦鞋工 (Shoeshiner)

Maybe he won’t go down in history for his irreproachable life, but certainly he has already earned a place in the Guinness World Records. Data about the thief’s identity have not yet been revealed (except for name and age: Park, 59), but his booty is on display on the compound of a police station in Seoul: about 1,200 pairs of shoes stolen especially from funeral homes — a huge “outlet” of high brand labels to be resold at half the price. Photos: YONHAP/AFP/Getty Images.

自拍 (Selfie)

后 (Queen) 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo courtesy of 一览天下之美 (The Beauty Underneath).

Let’s not talk of them, but look and move on

Val più un fatto che cento parole. One fact is worth more than one hundred words. Italian proverb

Photo elaboration by Propaganda-Panda.

Comeback

Artwork: jelefi

Ogni male ha il suo colpo di ritorno. Alda Merini

Sine ira et studio

Péter Lékó – Fabiano Caruana
41st Sparkassen Chess Meeting; Dortmund, July 16, 2012
French Defence C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 cxd4 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 Qc7 10. Ne2 Nbc6 11. f4 dxc3 12. Qd3 d4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 Bd7 15. Rg1 Nf5 16. Qf2 Qc6 17. Bd3 Qd5 18. Rb1 Bc6 19. Rb3 0-0-0 20. Rxc3 Kb8. An unbalanced situation: White is two Pawns up, but Black has plenty of compensation. 21. g4. The alternative is 21. Rc5 Qa2 22. Rxc6 bxc6 23. Qc5 Rxd3 24. cxd3 Rxg2 25. Rxg2 Qxg2 26. Be3 Nxe3 27. Qxe3 Qh1+ 28. Ke2 Qxh2+ 29. Qf2 Qh1 30. Qd4 Qg2+ 31. Ke1 Kb7 32. a4 a5 33. Kd1 Qf1+ 34. Kd2 Qg2+ 35. Kc3 Qf1 36. Qd7+ Kb6 37. Qd8+ Kb7 38. Qd7+ Kb6 39. Qd8+ Kb7 40. Qd7+ ½ : ½ Ganguly – Shulman, World Chess Team Championship, 宁波市 (Níngbō) 2011. Shall we play Fischerandom chess? 21. ... Nd4 22. Rg3 Qh1+ 23. Bf1 b6. International Master John Watson writes: “After 23 moves, several of which Lékó says he needed to find over-the-board, White played the innovation”: 24. Bb2! “This led to a brutal slugfest, with White defending successfully in several improbable lines. The correct result seems to be a draw, but Caruana played a dreadful move and should have lost. In the end, Lékó himself missed an easy consolidation and it’s unclear whether he had any good further chances to win. I’ve inserted an interesting game Shyam – Papasimakopoulos [World Junior Championship, Athens 2012] in the notes”. (Watson). 24. ... Be4 25. a4 Rd5 26. Ba3 Rc8 27. Bd6+ Kb7 28. Rxc8

28. ... Nf3+? Caruana is playing with fire! The proper move was 28. ... Kxc8; for example: 29. c4 Nc2+ 30. Ke2 Rd4 31. a5 Kd7 32. f5 Bxf5 33. Qg2 Qxg2+ 34. Bxg2 Bxg4+ 35. Bf3 Bf5 36. axb6 axb6 with roughly equal chances. 29. Ke2! Rd2+ 30. Ke3 Kxc8. A rude awakening, since Her Majesty is taboo: 30. ... Rxf2 31. Rb8+ Kc6 32. Bb5+ Kd5 33. c4 mate. 31. Rg1? White should have played 31. Ba6+! Kd8 32. Qf1, as after the forced exchange of Queens 32. ... Qxf1 33. Bxf1 Rxh2 34. Rxf3 Bxf3 35. Kxf3 the endgame looks hopeless for Black. 31. ... Nxg1 32. Kxd2 Nf3+ 33. Kc3 Nxh2 34. Be2 Qa1+ 35. Kd2 Qh1 36. Qg3? Lifeless. The sharp 36. a5! was more promising; for example: 36. ... Kb7 37. f5 exf5 38. a6+ Kc8 39. e6 Nf3+ 40. Bxf3 Bxf3 41. exf7 Qh6+ 42. Kc3 Qf6+ 43. Be5! Qxe5+ 44. Qd4 Qa5+ 45. Kb2 Qb5+ 46. Kc1 Qf1+ 47. Kd2 Qd1+ 48. Ke3 Qg1+ 49. Kxf3 Qxd4 50. f8=Q+ Kc7 51. Qe7+ Kc6 52. Qe6+ Kc7 53. gxf5+- – obviously anything but a forced variation! 36. ... Nf1+ 37. Bxf1 Qxf1 38. Qe3 Qg2+ 39. Qe2 Qxe2+ 40. Kxe2 Bxc2 41. a5 bxa5 42. Kd2 Bg6 ½ : ½.

Sine die

大同 (Dàtóng), August 2013. From the left: 小琳 (Xiǎolín), Xiǎolín’s cousin and Wényáng’s boyfriend (sorry I can’t remember his name!), Alessandra and 文扬 (Wényáng). Photo: 阿甘正传.

Grand Jeté

Sofia Nutini
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”

SCUOLA DI DANZA
舞蹈学校
SCACCHI CLASSICI E SCACCHI DI FISCHER
国际象棋和菲舍尔氏象棋

Any appearances to the contrary notwithstanding,
proudly
we don’t belong to any chess organization!

Habemus Taeniam

Artwork: StitchPunk-17

她对他说：
“你是我的绦虫”。

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring

Artwork: 劉勃麟 (Liú Bólín)

戀搞好朋友

有些人只是装作想要尽力帮助你的样子。
Yǒuxiē rén zhǐshì zhuāng zuò xiǎng yào jìnlì bāngzhù nǐ de yàngzi.
Some people just act like they are trying to help you.

Blow by Blow

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Brief notes by Gladstone Gander

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Rafael Duailibe Leitão – Fabiano Caruana
39th Chess Olympiad; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 30, 2010
Grünfeld Defence D76

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. e3 0-0 9. 0-0 Re8 10. Re1 a5 11. Qe2 Be6. For the crucial alternative 11. ... e5 see Sargissian – Vachier-Lagrave, Leon 2012. 12. Rd1 Bc4 13. Qc2 Nb4 14. Qb1 e5! The most straightforward rejoinder. 15. a3!? Clearly not 15. dxe5?? on account of 15. ... Qxd1+! 16. Nxd1 Bd3 and as Black recovers immediately the Queen, he remains the Exchange ahead. If, instead, 15. b3 may follow 15. ... exd4 16. Nxd4 Bd3 17. Qb2 Ba6 18. Ne4 Rxe4 19. Bxe4 c5 20. Qa3 cxd4 21. Bb2 Qe7 22. Qxa5 Qxe4 23. Qxb4 Nd5 24. Qa4 b5 25. Rxd4 bxa4 26. Rxe4 Bxb2 0 : 1 Stockmann – Erdogdu, 12th European Individual Championship, Aix-les-Bains 2011. 15. ... exd4! 16. axb4

16. ... dxc3! A brilliant conception. Black gets a satisfying compensation for the Queen. 17. Rxd8 Raxd8. With the deadly threat of ... Rd8-d1+. 18. Qc2? As then suggested by Caruana, the proper play was 18. bxc3 Rd1+ 19. Bf1 Bxf1 20. Qc2 Be2+ 21. Kg2 Bf1+ with a draw by perpetual check. 18. ... axb4 19. Nd2! Blow for blow! Of course, both 19. bxc3? b3! and 19. Nd4? Rxd4! would lose outright. 19. ... cxd2 20. Bxd2 Ra8! Black is aiming to conquer the first rank. 21. Rxa8 Rxa8 22. Bxb7? White has no time for such amusements. Mandatory was 22. h4 Ra1+ 23. Kh2 b3 24. Qe4 Bxb2 25. Qe7 Rd1 with only a slight edge for Black (Arsovic’s analysis). 22. ... Ra1+ 23. Bc1. Reluctantly, but also after 23. Kg2 Bf1+ 24. Kf3 Nc4! Black’s attack is overwhelming, e.g. 25. Bxb4 Ne5+ 26. Kf4 Nd3+ 27. Kf3 Rc1 28. Qa4 Ne5+ 29. Kf4 Rc4+ 30. e4 Nd3+ with an easy win. 23. ... b3 24. Qd1? A final error. However, even after 24. Qd2 Be6 White is doomed. 24. ... Bxb2 0 : 1.

漂泊的荷蘭人 (L’olandese volante)

New In Chess 2014/6
The World’s Premier Chess Magazine

Acta est fabula, plaudite!

From the left: Sofia Nutini, Silvia Bertini, Olga Calamai and Chiara Angelini.
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”

SCUOLA DI DANZA
舞蹈学校
SCACCHI CLASSICI E SCACCHI DI FISCHER
国际象棋和菲舍尔氏象棋

Any appearances to the contrary notwithstanding,
proudly
we don’t belong to any chess organisation!

国际象棋在意大利

All the Way Up

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) at the awarding ceremony of the 19th European Women’s Chess Club Cup in Bilbao, Spain. Photo: 彭肇勤 (Péng Zhàoqín).

摩纳哥王妃 (Grace of Monaco)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) at the first board of the Cercle d’Échecs de Monte-Carlo playing Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina in the 19th European Women’s Chess Club Cup in Bilbao, Spain. Photo courtesy of Sina Sports.

快捷键

Artwork: wiebkefesch

成功没有电梯，只有一步一脚印的楼梯。
Chénggōng méiyǒu diàntī, zhǐyǒu yībù yī jiǎoyìn de lóutī.
There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.

巴甫洛夫制約 (Riflesso pavloviano)

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Brief notes by 一隻巴甫洛夫的狗

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Fabiano Caruana – Nigel David Short
53rd Masters; Reggio Emilia, December 30, 2010
French Defence C09

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 Nc6 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bb5 cxd4 7. 0-0 Bd6 8. Nb3 Nge7 9. Nbxd4 0-0 10. h3 Re8. The vintage alternative is 10. ... Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bf5 12. c3 Be4 13. Ng5 Nf5 14. Qd1 Qf6 15. Re1 Bc5! 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Rxe4 Bxf2+ 18. Kxf2 Qb5+ 19. Be3 Qb5 with equality, Tukmakov – Uhlmann, Hastings 1972-’1973. 11. c3 a6 12. Bd3 Nxd4N (12. ... h6) 13. Nxd4 Nc6 14. Nf3 Bc7 15. Bg5 Qd6 16. Bh4 Qh6 17. Bc2 Be6 18. Bg3 Bxg3 19. fxg3 Rad8 20. Qd3 g6 21. g4 f5 22. Rae1 fxg4 23. hxg4 Bf7 24. g5 Qf8 25. Ba4 Rxe1 26. Rxe1 b5 27. Bb3 Qd6 28. Nd4 Nxd4 29. Qxd4. The position is roughly even, although White could claim a microscopic plus due to the “good” Bishop vs. the “bad” Bishop. But it does not seem enough to hope for a happy ending... 29. ... Qg3!?? A tricky and committal move. 30. Re5. The d5-Pawn is now doomed. 30. ... a5 31. a3 b4 32. axb4 axb4 33. Bxd5 bxc3?? A tragicomic blunder. Correct was 33. ... Bxd5 34. Rxd5 Re8 35. Rd8 Qe1+ 36. Kh2 bxc3 37. bxc3 with a situation quite similar to the game.

34. bxc3? Oops! Fabiano is missing the easy 34. Bxf7+! Kxf7 35. Qc4+ Kf8 36. Qf1+! (maybe the move overlooked by both players!) 36. ... Kg8 37. Re7 Rf8 38. Qc4+ Kh8 39. Qd4+ and White mates in three moves. 34. ... Bxd5 35. Rxd5 Rxd5 36. Qxd5+ Kg7 37. Qd2. In spite of all, the endgame looks like an ordeal for Black. The Pawn supported by Her Majesty advances imperiously. Black can only hope for a “lucky” perpetual check. 37. ... Qc7 38. Qd4+ Kg8 39. c4 Qe7 40. c5 Qxg5 41. Qc4+ Kf8 42. c6 Qd8 43. Qf4+? A delay. The most relentless mode was 43. c7! Qc8 44. Qb4+ Ke8 45. Qd6! and Black is almost in Zugzwang, since 45. ... Qd7 is finely refuted by 46. Qe5+ Kf7 47. Qc3 Qc8 48. Qh3! Qxc7 49. Qxh7+. 43. ... Kg8 44. Kh2 Qd5 45. Qf6 Qh5+ 46. Kg3 Qc5 47. Kg4 Qd5 48. Kh3 Qh5+ 49. Kg3 Qc5 50. Qe6+ Kg7 51. Kf3 Qc3+ 52. Ke4 Qc2+ 53. Kd4 Qxg2 54. c7 Qd2+ 55. Kc5 Qa5+ 56. Kd6 Qa3+ 57. Kd7 Qa4+ 58. Ke7 Qa7 59. Qd7 1-0.

Coming to America

Fabiano Caruana – Michael Roiz
30th European Club Cup; Bilbao, September 17, 2014
Spanish C95

Notes by Grandmaster Ian Rogers, Chess Life Online, September 19, 2014

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Nb8. The Breyer Variation, an old Spassky favourite. The chess world has seen so many Berlin variations (3. ... Nf6) in recent years that the old main line seems like a pleasant novelty. 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. a4 Nb6!? 15. ... c5 is more usual, though Roiz was no doubt expecting the standard reply to 15. ... Nb6, 16. b3. 16. a5!? Ed. Note: For 16. b3 Bg7 17. a5 Nbd7 18. d5 see Motylev – Ivanchuk, Russia vs. Rest of the World, Moscow 2002. 16. ... Nbd7 17. b4 Bg7? A serious mistake according to Caruana; the d6 Pawn needs support. 18. d5! Qb8 19. Bb3! Nf8 20. Ra2 c6. Without this Black will have no plan; with it, he activates White’s pieces. 21. dxc6 Bxc6 22. Rd2 Rd8 23. Rd3! Rd7. The more harmonious 23. ... Ra7 loses to 24. Nxe5!. 24. Ng5! Qc7 25. Be3 h6

26. Nxf7!! The point behind Caruana’s plan. Black will be tied in knots. 26. ... Rxf7 27. Rxd6 Be8 28. Bb6 Qb7. After 28. ... Qxc3 29. Bc5! the Black Queen will be trapped. 29. f4! N6d7 30. f5 Nxb6 31. axb6 Kh7 32. Bd5 Qb8 33. Bxa8 Qxa8 34. Rf1 gxf5 35. Rxf5 Qb8 36. Rxf7 Bxf7 37. Nf5 1 : 0. An early resignation, but White dominates the board.

• Leontxo García, Caruana es el príncipe, El País, September 19, 2014

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

The four best female players (by performance) of the 19th Women’s European Club Cup. From the left we recognise: Marina Evgenievna Guseva, Anastasia Sergeyevna Savina, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo © ChessLive.com.

The first one: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo © ChessLive.com.

If—

If— If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise; If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same: If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools; If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss: If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!” If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much: If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son! Joseph Rudyard Kipling, 1895

来龙去脉 (In & Out)

Artwork: bluberry-mist

我的世界是我的灵感。
Wǒ de shìjiè shì wǒ de línggǎn.
My world is my inspiration.