一生有你

水木年华 (Shuǐ Mù Nián Huá) · 一生有你

一生有你 因为梦见你离开 我从哭泣中醒来 看夜风吹过窗台 你能否感受我的爱 等到老去那一天 你是否还在我身边 看那些誓言谎言 随往事慢慢飘散 多少人曾爱慕你年轻时的容颜 可知谁能承受岁月无情的变迁 多少人曾在你生命中来了又还 可知一生有你我都陪在你身边 当所有一切都已看平淡 是否有一种坚持还留在心间 多少人曾爱慕你年轻时的容颜 可知谁能承受岁月无情的变迁 多少人曾在你生命中来了又还 可知一生有你我都陪在你身边 可知一生有你我都陪在你身边 Per sempre con te Ho sognato che mi dicevi addio E mi sono svegliato in lacrime Il vento della notte soffia alla finestra Spero ti porti il mio amore Quando avremo i capelli bianchi Sarai ancora con me? Un pensiero a passioni e illusioni Che con il tempo si dissolveranno Molti amano la giovinezza del tuo volto Ma chi può accettare impassibile l’incedere del tempo? Molti verranno, molti andranno, Ma io sarò con te per tutta la vita. Quando a tutto ci saremo abituati Ci sarà sempre una chiave nel cuore Molti amano la giovinezza del tuo volto Ma chi può accettare impassibile l’incedere del tempo? Molti verranno, molti andranno, Ma io sarò con te per tutta la vita.

Traduzione di 洛伦佐

李爾王的心血结晶
(Da un’idea di Re Lear)

罗马国王

Italian Grandmaster Daniele Vocaturo speaks about the 52nd SchaakFestival of Groningen.

Tell No One

Love is imagining, always; It invents the year, the day, The hour, the song of the hour; It invents the lover and even Invents the beloved. Nothing is proved Against love for the beloved’s Never having existed. Antonio Machado

Photo: Alin Petrus

Turning Red

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) photographed by 任航 (Rèn Háng), 2014.

What I did not tell you

Aleksandr Andreevich Rakhamanov – Daniele Vocaturo
52nd SchaakFestival; Groningen, December 30, 2014
English Opening A10

1. c4 g6 2. h4!? Fischerandom, anyone? 2. ... Nf6 3. b3 Bg7 4. Bb2 0-0 5. e3 d5 6. Nh3 Bg4 7. Be2 Bxe2 8. Qxe2 Nc6 9. d4 e5! 10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. Bxc3 dxc4 13. f4 cxb3 14. Ng5 Qd5! A powerful diversion. 15. Rd1 Qc5 16. Ne4 Qa3 17. axb3 Qxb3. Black’s extra Pawn and his clear-cut majority of Pawns on the Queenside ensures for him a pleasant if not decisive ending, but “Before the endgame”, Siegbert Tarrasch wrote, “the gods have placed the middle game”. 18. h5! Sounding the initiative, in the hope of a quick attack to compensate for the Pawn sacrificed. 18. ... Rfd8 19. h6 Rxd1+ 20. Qxd1 Qc4 21. Qf3!? Also 21. Qb1 is answered by 21. ... Bf8, but the text is more consistent. 21. ... Bf8 22. Kf2 Be7

23. f5! White fights consistently for the attack. 23. ... Qb5 24. Qf4 Nb4? Here 24. ... a5 25. Rd1 Rf8! looks like a better defence. 25. Bxb4 Qxb4 26. Rd1 Kh8? It is hard to explain such a “losing move”. Black, nolens volens, ought to have played 26. ... Qb5, after which both 27. fxg6 and 27. f6 Bf8 28. e6 would have secured White a definite advantage. 27. f6 Bf8 28. Rd7 Qb3. On 28. ... Kg8 29. e6! wins outright, e.g. 29. ... fxe6?? 30. f7+ Kh8 31. Qe5+ and mate next move. 29. Ng5 Bxh6 30. Nxf7+. Embarass de richesses! The “dual” recommended by all engines was 30. Qd4 (30. ... Rf8 31. Rd8). 30. ... Qxf7 31. Rxf7 Bxf4 32. exf4 a5 33. e6 1 : 0.

心智图

红宝石

Alexīs Tsipras, leader di SYRIZA (ΣΥΡΙΖΑ)

• Vittorio Da Rold, Grecia, ecco perché il piccolo Tsipras fa tanto paura alla grande Europa (e alle Borse), Il Sole 24 ORE, 10 dicembre 2014

La vendetta veste Prada. Il ritorno del diavolo

Artwork: Lightninglizard

重製 (Remake)

山繆·謝維揚

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Just two lines by King Lear

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Samuel Sevian – Benjamin Finegold
CCSCSL Invitational – GM & IM Norm Event; Saint Louis, November 23, 2014
Sicilian Defence B89

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qe2. The celebrated Velimirović Attack, named after its early proponent, the late Serbian Grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirović. 8. ... a6 9. Bb3 0-0 10. 0-0-0 Qe8 11. Rhg1 Nd7 12. g4 Nc5. Up to this point the players have been following the main “book”. 13. Nf5!? A controversial sacrifice – Velimirović-style – leading to very sharp play. An “old” entry is 13. g5 b5 14. Qh5 with prospects of an initiative, Espig – Beliavsky, Suhumi 1972. 13. ... exf5 14. gxf5 Nxb3+ 15. axb3 f6 16. Nd5 Bd8 17. Rg3! Rf7. The over-eager 17 ... Qxe4?? loses to 18. Rxg7+ Kxg7 19 Bh6+. 18. Qg4. Apparently, after 18. Rdg1 Qxe4 19. Rxg7+ Rxg7 20. Rxg7+ Kxg7 21. Bh6+ Kxh6 22. Qxe4 Bd7 White has no more than a draw. 18. ... g5? Black loses patience and sensibly weakens his castled King’s position. Sounder was 18. ... Kh8 19. Bh6 g6, defending in order to survive. 19. h4 Rg7 20. hxg5 fxg5 21. Rh1. “Stronger was 21. Rdg1!, threatening – inter alia – Be3xg5!”, Leontxo García writes. However, after 21. Rdg1 h5 22. Qd1 g4 23. Bh6 Qxe4! 24. Bxg7 Bg5+ 25. f4 Bxf5 26. fxg5 Kxg7 the position is far from clear. 21. ... Ne5 22. Qe2 Nf7? A very bad move, which means the surrender of the h5-square to the enemy Queen. I’d have preferred 22. ... Qf7, trying to hold the position.

23. Bb6! A move to be noted. The exchange of dark-squared Bishops enhances White’s attack on the Kingside. 23. ... Bd7 24. Bxd8 Qxd8 25. f6 Rg6 26. Qh5 Kf8. Regretfully but inevitably, since 26. ... Rh6? is refuted by 27. Rxg5+!+-. 27. Qxh7 Rxf6. Black, naturally, had no choice, for if 27. ... Rg8 then 28. Ne7 wins. 28. f4! A magnificent coup, breaking down the King’s defences. 28. ... Rc8. If 28. ... g4 then 29. Kb1! Be6 30. Nxf6 Qxf6 31. f5 followed by Rg3xg4 easily winning (Leontxo García’s analysis). 29. Rxg5! Nxg5 30. fxg5 Rf2 31. Qh8+ Kf7 32. Rh7+ Ke6 33. Rh6+ Kf7 34. Qh7+. Missing a quicker win: 34. g6+ Ke6 35. g7+ Kf7 36 g8=Q+ Qxg8 37 Rf6+ and mate in two moves, as originally pointed out by Leonard Barden. 34. ... Kf8 35. Qh8+ Kf7 36. g6+ Ke6 37. g7+ Kf7 38. g8=Q+ 1 : 0. For after 38. ... Qxg8 39. Rf6+ Rxf6 40. Qxf6+ White mates next move.

Samuel Sevian (Maribor, 2012)

Alba Greca

Handmade by Mado Flynn

Pop-up retail

Une pure formalité

Wesley So – Alex Yermolinsky
24th North American Open; Las Vegas, December 28, 2014
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

“MANILA, Philippines – Wesley So waylaid American Grandmaster Alex Yermolinsky in just 21 moves in a Bishop’s variation of a Queen’s Gambit Declined Sunday to seize the solo lead in the 24th North American Chess Open in Las Vegas, Nevada”, Joey Villar writes in his report tp philSTAR.com. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 c5 8. dxc5 bxc5 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Qc2. The alternative was 11. Rc1 Na6 12. Ne2 Qb6 13. Ng3 g6 14. h4 Rfd8 15. h5 Ne4 16. hxg6 hxg6 17. Ne5 Nb4 18. Bb1 Qe6 19. a3 Nc6 20. Nxc6 Bxc6 21. Nxe4 dxe4 ½ : ½ Keres – Simagin, 33rd USSR Chess Championship, Tallin 1965. 11. ... Nbd7 12. Rfd1 Qb6 13. Ne5 Rfd8. Obviously Black could have played better, here or on the previous move. 14. Na4 Qa5 15. Nxd7 Rxd7 16. Bf5 Rdd8

17. b4! The decisive blow, winning the Exchange. 17. ... cxb4 18. Bc7 Qb5 19. Bxd8 Rxd8 20. Qc7 Re8 21. Bd3 1 : 0.

Wesley So

機器戰警 (RoboCop)

• 太原警察野蛮施暴，殴打农民工致死, RedChinaCn.net, December 28, 2014
• 抓住太原警察暴行事件，展开全面的、群众性的反警察暴力斗争..., RedChinaCn.net, December 28, 2014

太原 (Tàiyuán). Police violence...
Photo: RedChinaCn.net

太原 (Tàiyuán). Police violence...
Photo: RedChinaCn.net

Skin and Bones

Quando mi presento nuda è come se fossi morta. If I show up naked, it’s as if I were dead. Alda Merini

Photo: Daria Endresen.

Marathon Man

Eugene Torre – Mikael Agopov
41st Chess Olympiad; Tromsø, August 2, 2014
Larsen’s Opening A01

“After a slow buildup, Torre, on a historic 22nd Olympiad appearance, finally launched a Kingside onslaught that netted a Pawn first then later a Rook for a Bishop before carving his way through Agopov’s weakened Kingside”, Joey Villar writes. 1. b3. The so-called Larsen’s Opening, already mentioned by Lucena (1498). 1. ... e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bd6 5. Na3 a6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nc4 Qe7 8. Ne2 b5 9. Nxd6+ cxd6 10. 0-0. For 10. a4 b4 see Rapport – So, Wijk aan Zee 2014. 10. ... c5. For 10. ... 0-0 11. Qe1 c5 12. f4 Re8 13. Qh4 Nd5 see Fries-Nielsen – Finkel, Panormo 2001. 11. f4 0-0 12. Ng3 Bb7 13. Qe2 Qe6 14. e4 c4 15. d3 Rac8. The wrong Rook!? 15. ... Rfc8 16. Nf5 Rc7 could offer the strongest possible resistance. 16. Nf5 Rfd8 17. Rf3 Nh5 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. Raf1. Consistently following his plan of attack. 19. ... Rd7 20. Rh3 Nf6. On 20. ... Nf4 21. Rxf4! exf4 22. Qg4 wins outright. 21. Rg3 Ne8. If, instead, 21. ... g6 then 22. Nh6+ Kg7 23. Rgf3 and White’s attack continues. 22. Qg4. The final attack plays by itself. 22. ... Rcc7 23. bxc4 Qb6+ 24. Kh1 g6. On 24. ... f6 25. Nh6+ Kg8 26. Bxe5! wins. 25. Bxe5 bxc4 26. Qf4 f6. Desperation, as 26. ... Rc7-moves is refuted by 27. Nh6+ Kf8 28. Qxf7+ and mate next move. 27. Bxc7 Rxc7 28. e5 cxd3 29. cxd3 Rc2

30. Nd6 1 : 0. For if 30. ... Nxd6 then 31. Qxf6 wins. “Eugene is showing vintage form. He is the best performer in the team so far. His win against Agopov was straight out of the 1970s, from the era of Bent Larsen and Bobby Fischer, and his win from the rarely-played Larsen Opening is a happy memory that will last a very long time”, noted former Times Journal sportswriter Eli Tumbaga in his report to Chess Philippines.

Eugene Torre

斯汤顿弃兵 (Staunton Gambit)

From the left: Mona May Karff (Black) vs. Clarice Benini (White)
Moscow, January 6, 1950
Photo © G. Jabłonowski
Kurier Szachowy, N. 12, January 2015, p. 70

[Event "Women’s World Chess Championship"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1950.01.06"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Benini, Clarice"]
[Black "Karff, Mona May"]
[ECO "A82"]
[PlyCount "85"]

1.d4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.f3 exf3 4.Nxf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 d6 6.O-O Bg4 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Be3 Qd7 9.d5 Ne5 10.Bb5 c6 11.Nxe5 dxe5 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Qxd7+ Bxd7 14.Bc4 e6 15.Bg5 Bc5+ 16.Kh1 O-O 17.Rad1 Nd5 18.Ne4 Rxf1+ 19.Bxf1 Bf8 20.c4 Nb6 21.Be2 c5 22.Bf3 Rc8 23.b3 h6 24.Be3 Be7 25.Kg1 Be8 26.Nd6 Bxd6 27.Rxd6 Kf7 28.Bg4 Bd7 29.b4 Rc6 30.Bxe6+ Ke7 31.Rxc6 Bxc6 32.bxc5 Na4 33.Bd5 Kd7 34.a3 Nc3 35.Bg8 Be4 36.c6 Bxc6 37.Bxa7 Nb1 38.Bc5 Nd2 39.Bf8 e4 40.Kf2 Nb1 41.Bb4 Ke8 42.Ke3 g6 43.Bd5 1-0

失宠于上帝的孩子们

Maarten van Haaften – Adriaan van Haaften
52nd SchaakFestival; Groningen, December 23, 2014
Sicilian Defence B30

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. h4!? Nf6. A more radical solution is 4. ... h5 since after 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bg7 the game may transpose into the regular lines of the Dragon Sicilian. 5. e5 Ng4 6. h5 Ngxe5. Probably sounder is 6. ... Bg7 7. Ng5 Ngxe5 with even prospects, Hanley – Shaw, Hastings 2003-2004. 7. Nxe5 Nxe5 8. f4 Nc6 9. hxg6 fxg6 10. Bd3. A critical position, due to White’s obvious threats.

10. ... Rg8. Perhaps it is not so bad as it sounds, for if 10. ... Kf7 then 11. f5! holding a powerful initiative. If, instead, 10. ... Bg7 then 11. Rxh7! maintaining the attack, Pearson – de Villiers, Bruma Lake 1998. An interesting try here would be 10. ... Qc7!? 11. Bxg6+ hxg6 12. Rxh8 Qxf4 and Black has more than enough compensation for the Exchange. 11. Rxh7 e6. We’d have preferred 11. ... d5! as after 12. b3 Qd6 the position is quite even. 12. Qg4 Ne7. No better is 12. ... Qf6 13. Ne4 Qd4 14. c3 Qxd3 15. Nf6+ Kd8 16. Nxg8 with an overwhelming advantage for White. 13. Ne4. Threatening both Ne4-d6 mate and Ne4-f6 mate. 13. ... Nf5 14. Rh8. Also 14. b3 is very strong. 14. ... Nh6. The lesser evil was 14. ... Rxh8 although after 15. Qxg6+ Ke7 16. Qf6+ Ke8 17. Qxh8 Qh4+ 18. Qxh4 Nxh4 19. Kf2 White retains a huge advantage. 15. Nd6+ Bxd6. On 15. ... Ke7 16. Qg5+ wins the Queen. 16. Qxg6+ Ke7. Or 16. ... Nf7 17. Qxg8+ Ke7 18. Qxf7+! winning easily for White. 17. Rh7+ Kf8 18. Qxh6+ 1 : 0.

Stella Stellina

Olga Calamai
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

We proudly don’t belong to any chess organization,
because we only accept good offers!

立体主义

Pablo Picasso, Les Échecs, 1911

共和广场

Piazza della Repubblica, Florence; Friday, December 26
Photo: 洛伦佐

Falò del vecchione

Sogni e curregge rimangono n’i’ lletto. Proverbio fiorentino

凯旋门

Photo: Erik Johansson

Io mangio solo per nutrire il dolore. Alda Merini

寂寞拍賣師

Il 12 gennaio, in occasione della decima edizione di Firenze4Ever, la cantante statunitense Anastacia sarà da LuisaViaRoma (Via Roma, 19/21r · 50123 Firenze) e aprirà l’asta della kermesse che metterà all’incanto le Barbie speciali per beneficienza.

Just another day

Jaap Vogel – Daniele Vocaturo
52nd SchaakFestival; Groningen, December 21, 2014
Catalan Opening E04

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 a5 6. Bg2 dxc4 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Bg5 b5 9. Ne5 Ra6 10. a4 c6. Bad is 10. ... bxa4 11. Nxc4 Nbd7 12. Nc3 c5 13. Nxa4 h6 14. Bd2 Qc7 15. Bf4 Qa7 16. Nd6 Nd5 17. Nb5 Qb7 18. Nc7 Ra7 19. Nxd5 exd5 20. Bd6 Re8 21. dxc5 Nf6 22. Nb6 Bg4 23. Qd4 Bxe2 24. Rfc1 Bb5 25. Be5 Rxe5 26. Qxe5 Bxc5 27. Rxc5 Qxb6 28. Rc8+ Kh7 29. Rb8 Qc6 30. Qf5+ g6 31. Qe5 Bc4 32. b3 Bd3 33. Bxd5 1 : 0 Kramnik – Navara, Čez Chess Trophy Rapid, Prague 2008, match game 1. 11. Nc3. Clearly not 11. Nxc6? on account of 11. ... Rxc6! gaining a decisive advantage. 11. ... h6. If 11. ... Rb6 may follow 12. e4 h6 13. Be3 Nbd7 14. f4 Qc7 15. g4 Nxe5 16. fxe5 Nh7 17. Kh1 Bxc3 18. bxc3 Rb8 19. h4 Qe7 20. g5 g6 21. axb5 cxb5 22. Rxa5 Bb7 23. Qe2 h5 24. Ra7 Ra8 25. Rxa8 Rxa8 26. Qf2 Qd7 27. Rd1 Nf8 28. d5 exd5 29. exd5 Qg4 30. Rd4 Ra1+ 31. Kh2 Qd7 32. e6 fxe6 33. dxe6 1 : 0 Mateuta – Sigalas, 14th International Open, Kavala 2005. 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Ng4 f5. Another try is 13. ... e5 14. e3 Kg7 15. h3 Bxc3 16. bxc3 Qe7 17. Qc2 Bxg4 18. hxg4 Nd7 19. Rfb1 Rb8 20. Rb2 Qe6 21. Be4 Nf8 22. Bf5 Qd6 23. Rd1 Rab6 24. dxe5 Qxe5 25. Rd4 Qc5 26. Qe4 Qa3 27. Rc2 Qxa4 28. Rd6 c5 29. Qe7 Rxd6 30. Qxd6 Re8 31. Qxc5 Re5 32. Qc8 Qa3 33. Kh2 Qc5 34. Qa6 a4 35. Rb2 Qd5 36. e4 Qd3 37. Rxb5 Rxb5 38. Qxb5 Qxc3 39. Qxa4 Qd4 40. Kg2 Qc5 41. Qc2 Qd4 42. Kf3 Ne6 43. Bxe6 fxe6 44. Ke2 c3 45. Qd3 e5 46. Qc2 Kf8 47. f3 Ke7 48. Qa2 Kd7 49. Qd5+ Qxd5 50. exd5 Kd6 51. Kd3 Kxd5 52. Kxc3 e4 53. Kd2 Kd4 54. fxe4 Kxe4 ½ : ½ Buhmann – Bartel, Polanica Zdroj 2007. 14. Ne5 Bxc3 15. bxc3 Kg7 16. Qc1 Qc7 17. Qa3 f6

18. Ng6? A mirage. White ought now to play 18. Nf3 Rb6 19. Rfb1 still hoping for an advantage. 18. ... b4! Sic et simpliciter. 19. cxb4 axb4. And not 19. ... Kxg6?? since 20. b5 would justify White’s bet. 20. Qxb4 c5! Game over. 21. dxc5 Kxg6 22. Qxc4 Bb7 23. Bxb7 Qxb7 24. Rfb1 Qc6 25. Rb5 Nd7 26. Rd1 Rc8 27. Qb4 Ra7 28. Rd6 Qe4 29. Rd4 Qxe2 30. Rb7 Rxb7 31. Qxb7 Rxc5 0 : 1. For if 32. Rxd7 then 32. ... Rc1+ 33. Kg2 Qf1+ 34. Kf3 Rc3+ 35. Kf4 e5 mate.

生理节律

余数

Artwork: Jompie

在你经历很糟的境遇的时候，其实你还有一件事值得庆幸，因为你能够藉此机会，认识周遭人的真实面貌。 Zài nǐ jīnglì hěn zāo de jìngyù de shíhòu, qíshí nǐ hái yǒuyī jiàn shì zhídé qìngxìng, yīnwèi nǐ nénggòu jí cǐ jīhuì, rènshí zhōuzāo rén de zhēnshí miànmào. The best thing about the worst time of your life is that you get to see the true colors of everyone.

浪漫主义

Daniele Vocaturo – Migchiel de Jong
52nd SchaakFestival; Groningen, December 22, 2014
French Defence C18

From the report by Schaakstad Groningen: “The game between GM Daniele Vocaturo [...] and IM de Jong saw a novelty in a French Winawer on the 9th move. Black’s response was not the best, his dark squares became fatally weak. The Queen sacrifice 22. Bxd6 by the Italian student was the epilogue to a nice ending of the game”.

1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qc7 7. Qg4 f5 8. Qg3 Nc6 9. Nf3 cxd4 10. Bb5!? Quite an interesting Pawn sacrifice. The vintage alternative was 10. cxd4 Nge7 11. Bd2 0-0 12. Bd3 Bd7 13. h4 f4?! (better 13. ... Kh8) 14. Bxf4 Nxd4 15. 0-0 Nef5 16. Qg4 Nxf3+ 17. Qxf3 Nxh4 18. Qh5 Nf5 19. g4 g6 20. Qh2 Nd4 21. Kg2 with advantage to White, Minić – Khasin, Belgrade 1968. 10. ... dxc3 11. a4 a6 12. Bxc6+ bxc6 13. Ba3 c5 14. Bxc5 g6 15. Bd4 Qc4 16. Ra3 Bd7 17. Rxc3 Qxa4 18. 0-0 Nh6 19. Qg5 Nf7 20. Qf6 0-0 21. Bc5. Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett writes: “[...] A chaotic position, typical of many Winawer-French games. In general, White plays with his pieces, ignoring his pawn structure (or even sacrificing his Pawns!); Black plays for the better ending (Pawn structure!). With such opposing visions of how to play, it is no wonder that the Winawer-French has given chess literature such memorable games. Here Black must decide what to do about his attack Rook. If 21. ... R(moves) then 22. Nh4!? might follow, with ideas such as Rc3-g3 or even the immediate explosion on g6. Black decided to push back the White Queen with” 21. ... Nd6!?

22. Bxd6! An alegant Queen sacrifice for Rook, Knight and passed Pawn. Both 22. Qe7 and 22. Qg5 are answered by 22. ... Ne4! (Spraggett’s analysis). 22. ... Rxf6 23. exf6 Kf7 24. Be7 Qa5 25. Rc5!? Also 25. Ne5+ Kg8 (25. ... Ke8 26. Bd6!) 26. f7+ Kg7 27. f8=Q+ Rxf8 28. Bxf8+ Kxf8 29. Nxd7+ Ke7 30. Rc5 should win. 25. ... Bb5 26. c4! dxc4 27. Ng5+ Kg8. Equally after 27. ... Ke8 28. Bd6 Black’s King is doomed. 28. Bd6 Qd2!? Spraggett writes: “Black is counting on this move to slow White’s attack down. Attacking both the Bishop and the Knight. It appears that White must play 29. f7+ Kg7 30. Be5+ Kf8 when only 31. Bf4! keeps the pressure. However, White finds much better:” 29. Rc7!! Qxd6. Spraggett writes: “This beautiful shot is immediately decisive! White threatens mate in two moves. Taking the Knight does not stop that, so Black decided to take the Bishop (Note that 29. ... Be8 allows a mating net: 30. Rg7+ and 31. f7! followed by Bd6-e5)”. 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nxh7+ 1 : 0.

Daniele Vocaturo
Photo: Schaakstad Groningen

平安夜

Artwork: AbbyTLaRue

平安夜。
Píng’ān yè.
Silent Night.

老鼠夾

Artwork: Pretty-in-Pixels

如果你目前做不了大事，那就在小事上做得极好。
Rúguǒ nǐ mùqián zuò bùliǎo dàshì, nà jiù zài xiǎoshì shàng zuò dé jí hǎo.
If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.

百萬美元寶貝 (Million Dollar Baby)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Gareev, Shankland to Headline Hawaii Chess International
By Beau Müller
Chess Life Online, December 8, 2014

[Honolulu, Hawaii] Three of the world’s best chess players are headed to the Hawaiian island of Oahu in March to take part in the “Hawaii Grandmaster Challenge” — a four player round robin invitational tournament being put on to help kick start a local scholastic chess academy.
One lucky amateur player will win entry to the tournament and the chance to challenge the three world-class grandmasters via an online crowd funding promotion and contest, further detailed at chessvacation.com Besides competing in the tournament (at a suitable time handicap based on his or her rating), the contest winner will receive a portion of the $10,000 prize fund, a flight to Hawaii, seven nights hotel room and other prizes.
Headlined by Women’s World Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the Grandmaster Challenge will be broadcast online and is expected to generate widespread international interest, especially in China. The other two International Grandmaster participants are Timur Gareev, widely known for his ability to give large simultaneous blindfold displays, and Samuel Shankland, the highest rated player in the world among those born and based in the USA. “Shanky” was in the news earlier this year for his exceptional gold-medal performance at the 2014 Chess Olympiad in Tromsø.
The tournament will be the main and final event at the 2015 Hawaii Chess Festival, taking place from March 14th–22nd and centered at the Hilton Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. Other events during the Festival include the Hawaii State Scholastic Championships, a “Chess Day at Magic Island”, and an International Open tournament open to players of all ages and abilities.
Complete details on the Hawaii Grandmaster Challenge, as well as the fundraising promotion to seed a Hawaii Chess Academy are online at www.ChessVacation.com. More info on the Hawaii Chess Festival is at www.HawaiiChessFestival.com.

The Hawaii Chess Federation is a 501(c)3 and the state affiliate of the United States Chess Federation, the governing body of chess in the United States.

Anthropophobia

Gersz Salwe – Akiba Kiwelowicz Rubinstein
Łódź, March 26, 1903
Giuoco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 d6 5. d3 Nf6 6. 0-0 Bg4 7. Be3 Bb6 8. Kh1!? Perhaps this move is not a bad one, but it looks somewhat pointless. 8. Nd5 is by far the most usual. 8. ... Qd7! More straightforward than 8. ... Ne7 as in the game Schwarz – von Minckwitz, Frankfurt 1878, match game 4. 9. a3!? Nd4! 10. Rb1? Too slow in timing! 10. ... h5! 11. Bxd4 Bxd4 12. Ne2? A very bad move. White ought to have played 12. Nd5. 12. ... Bxf3 13. gxf3 Qh3 14. Nxd4? This is a bad mistake, leading to an immediate catastrophe. But in any case the game was virtually lost, since after 14. Ng1 Qh4 Black’s position is imposing.

14. ... Ng4! 0 : 1.

圣诞快乐

Photo: Isadora Duncan

Trading Places

Silvia Bertini
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Monday, December 22, 2014

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

Fairy hands

Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Monday, December 22, 2014

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

Who We Are

Who’s Who

• Giuseppe Caporale, L’Aquila, blitz contro terrorismo neofascista: 14 arresti in tutta Italia, R.it, December 22, 2014

裝飾藝術

Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Monday, December 22, 2014

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

Le cognate

Aurora & Matilde
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Monday, December 22, 2014

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

Chiara

Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Monday, December 22, 2014

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

等高線

Artwork: CDorius

生命中你会遇见两种人：促进你的人，还有打击你的人。但最终，你两者都会感谢。 Shēngmìng zhòng nǐ huì yùjiàn liǎng zhǒng rén: cùjìn nǐ de rén, hái yǒu dǎjí nǐ de rén. Dàn zuìzhōng, nǐ liǎng zhě dūhuì gǎnxiè. In life you will meet two kinds of people: ones who build you up and ones who tear you down. But in the end, you will thank them both.

欢迎来到意大利！

Claudia (Romania)
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Monday, December 22, 2014

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

La vie en rose

Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Monday, December 22, 2014

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

Le Prénom

Artwork: kinkei

Monday, December 22
20,00
Christmas dinner
在
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”

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

冬至节 (Dōngzhì Festival)

The Dōngzhì Festival or Winter Solstice Festival (Chinese: 冬至; pinyin: Dōngzhì; literally: “the extreme of Winter”) is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the Dongzhi solar term (winter solstice) on or around December 22 (according to East Asia time). In 2014, the festival falls on Monday, December 22. The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in. The philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram fù (復, “Returning”). Traditional activities Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get-togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of tangyuan (湯圓) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. Tangyuan are made of glutinous rice flour and sometimes brightly coloured. Each family member receives at least one large tangyuan in addition to several small ones. The flour balls may be plain or stuffed. They are cooked in a sweet soup or savory broth with both the ball and the soup/broth served in one bowl. It is also often served with a mildly alcoholic unfiltered rice wine containing whole grains of glutinous rice (and often also Sweet Osmanthus flowers), called jiuniang. In northern China, people typically eat dumplings on Dongzhi. It is said to have originated from Zhang Zhongjing in the Han Dynasty. On one cold winter day, he saw the poor suffering from chilblains on their ears. Feeling sympathetic, he ordered his apprentices to make dumplings with lamb and other ingredients, and distribute them among the poor to keep them warm, to keep their ears from getting chilblains. Since the dumplings were shaped like ears, Zhang named the dish “qùhán jiāoěr tāng” (祛寒嬌耳湯) or dumpling soup that expels the cold. From that time on, it has been a tradition to eat dumplings on the day of Dongzhi. Old traditions also require people with the same surname or from the same clan to gather at their ancestral temples to worship on this day. There is always a grand reunion dinner following the sacrificial ceremony. The festive food is also a reminder that celebrators are now a year older and should behave better in the coming year. Even today, many Chinese around the world, especially the elderly, still insist that one is “a year older” right after the Dongzhi celebration instead of waiting for the lunar new year. [Read more]. [From Wikipedia].

Cold Turkey

Non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa

It doesn’t pay to be petty like they are. Robert James Fischer

翻譯研究

马多·弗林的心血结晶
(Da un’idea di Mado Flynn)

仪仗队

很值得

Artwork: Desiree Palmen

失去你，就像天空失去蓝色。
Shīqù nǐ, jiù xiàng tiānkōng shīqù lán sè.
Me without you, is like sky without blue.

逻辑或

Artwork: violins-and-violence

Apuan Musk

Ego sum Ei fu, io sono E sull’ermo colle D’alloro cinto All’ora fatale, prode, m’appresto Il timor mi fa vile Ma più ardito l’agognato plauso E se di lui l’umana gente Ebbe a dir gran lode E sperticato elogio Che dirà di me per cotanto canto? Ei fu ed io sono Ma sol nella morte il volgo il mito incarna Io sarò! Sia pur cocendo ne lo tormento eterno. Isadora Duncan

玫瑰

置信区间

Terraferma

• Matteo Dovellini, Tweet fra paura e ironia: “Ho preso 6 al compito... c’è stato il terremoto”, la Repubblica FIRENZE.it, 19 dicembre 2014