提拉米蘇 (Tiramisu)

美國風情畫 (American Graffiti)

From Russia with Love

Silvia Bertini
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”

Alejandro

Chessdom (@chessdom)

Walking on Sunshine

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Dronavalli Harika

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; blitz game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, March 31, 2015

1r6/7R/1Pnpk3/P1p2p1p/2P1PP1P/2K1B3/8/8 w - - 0 45

Muzychuk must now be very careful only to avoid a stalemate! 45. Rh6+ Ke7 46. e5! Nxa5 47. exd6+ Kd7 48. Bxc5 Nb7 49. Bb4 Re8 50. c5 Nd8 51. Rh7+ Kc6 52. Rc7+ Kb5 53. b7 Nc6 54. Rc8 Re3+ 55. Kd2 Rh3 56. Rxc6! 1 : 0. “After winning Bronze medal in World Championship still it is very depressing, this is what sport is...”, Harika finally tweeted.

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk congratulates her younger sister. Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich.

Dramatis personæ

Dronavalli Harika – Mariya Muzychuk
Women’s World Chess Championship; blitz game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, March 31, 2015
8/5k2/7P/5pQ1/8/5qP1/5P1K/8 w - - 5 83

“In this position, Harika played the worst possible move not to win the game [...]”, Grandmaster Zsuzsa Polgár tweeted. 83. Qe3?? After 83. Qg7+ Ke6 84. h7 Qxf2+ 85. Kh3 White has an easy win. 84. ... Qxe3 84. fxe3 Kg6 85. Kg2. Also 85. g4 fxg4 86. Kg3 Kxh6 87. Kg4 Kg6 draws. 85. ... Kxh6 86. Kf2 Kh5 87. Kf3 Kg5 88. Kf2 Kh5 89. Kg2 Kg4 90. Kf2 Kh5 91. Kg1 Kg5 92. Kh2 Kh5 93. Kh3 Kg5 94. Kg2 Kg4 95. Kf2 Kh5 96. Kf3 Kg5 ½ : ½. “I cannot believe what just happened in Harika’s game! Unbelievable! This shows nothing is over until someone resigns”, Polgár said.

Dronavalli Harika vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Hangin’ Up My Heart

Anna Muzychuk, Mariya’s sister
Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

Dronavalli’s grandmother
Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

The Royal Andhra Pradesh Tiger

Mariya Muzychuk – Dronavalli Harika

Women’s World Chess Championship; playoff game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, March 31, 2015

Modern Defence B06

“In game two Harika had to play risky chess, so it wasn't surprising that she was in trouble, even lost, early in the middlegame. Muzychuk got a little sloppy with 23. Qd6 followed by 24. Bf4, most likely missing 24. ... Qe8(!). From there on Harika played very well, outplayed her opponent and came away with a well-deserved win. On to the ten-minute games!”, Dennis Monokroussos writes.

1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 a6 5. a4 b6 6. Qd2 Bb7 7. Bd3 Nd7 8. f4. For 8. Nf3 e6 9. 0-0 h6 10. h3 see Moroz – Najer, Pardubice 2005. 8. ... e6 9. Nf3 Ne7 10. 0-0 c5 11. dxc5 Nxc5 12. b4 Nxd3 13. cxd3 0-0 14. Bd4 e5 15. Be3 Rc8 16. Rac1 exf4 17. Bxf4 d5 18. e5 Qd7 19. Qf2 Qf5 20. Bg5 Rc7 21. Qxb6 Rfc8 22. Ne2 Qd7 23. Qd6 Nc6 24. Bf4 Qe8 25. b5 axb5 26. axb5 Bf8 27. Qxd5 Nb4 28. Qb3 Bd5 29. Qd1 Rxc1 30. Nxc1 Qxb5 31. d4 Rc4 32. Ne2 Rc2 33. Bd2 Qc4 34. Bxb4 Bxb4 35. Nf4 Be4 36. Ng5 Rd2 37. Qa1 Bc3 38. Qc1

38. ... Rc2 39. Qd1 Rd2 40. Qc1 Bxd4+ 41. Kh1 Rc2 42. Qd1 Bf5 43. e6 fxe6 44. Ngxe6 Rd2 45. Qc1 Qxc1 46. Rxc1 Be3 47. Re1 h6 48. h3 Bf2 49. Re2 Rd1+ 50. Kh2 Bg1+ 51. Kg3 g5! 52. Re5 gxf4+ 53. Nxf4 Bh7 54. Re7 Bc5 55. Rb7 Bd6 56. Kg4 Rd4 57. g3 Bg6 58. Rd7 Be8 59. Ra7 Bb5 60. Kf5 Bxf4 61. gxf4 Bd3+ 62. Kg4 Rd5 63. Rc7 Be2+ 64. Kg3 Bb5 65. Ra7 Bd7 66. Ra6 Kg7 67. h4 Rd3+ 68. Kf2 Bf5 69. Ra5 Bg4 70. Ra7+ Kg6 71. Ra6+ Kh5 72. Rf6 Rf3+ 73. Kg2 Re3 74. Kf2 Re6 75. Rf8 Kxh4 76. f5 Re2+ 77. Kf1 Kg3 78. f6 Rd2 79. Re8 Rf2+ 80. Kg1 Rxf6 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Dronavalli Harika
Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

Wonder Woman

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – Pia Cramling

Women’s World Chess Championship; playoff game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, March 31, 2015

Sicilian Defence B49

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Be3 a6 8. 0-0 Bb4 9. Na4 0-0 10. c4 Be7. For 10. ... Bd6 11. g3 Nxe4 see Swiercz – Volodin, 49th World Junior Chess Championship, Chotowa 2010. 11. Nc3 d6 12. Rc1 Nxd4 13. Qxd4 Nd7. For 13. ... Bd7 14. Rfd1 Rac8 15. b4 Qb8 16. a4 see Grischuk – J. Polgár, FIDE Grand Prix, Moscow 2002. 14. Rfd1 b6 15. b4 Rd8 16. Na4 Rb8 17. a3 Qc6 18. Nc3 Bb7 19. f3 Ba8 20. Kh1 Nf6 21. Bf1 h6 22. Qd2 Nd7 23. Qf2 Rdc8 24. Qg3. Now, and for the next three moves, White misses the straightforward 24. b5! axb5 25. Nxb5 Rd8 26. Qg3 threatening both Nb5xd6 and Be3xh6. 24. ... Kf8 25. Bd4 g6 26. Be3 Kg7 27. Qh3 h5 28. Qg3 h4 29. Qf2 Ne5 30. h3 Qe8 31. Nb1 Rc6 32. Bd4 Kg8 33. f4 Nd7 34. Nd2 e5 35. Be3 exf4 36. Bxf4 Ne5 37. Nf3 Nxf3 38. Qxf3 Rbc8 39. Qd3 Bf8 40. Re1 b5. “At one point I played 40. ... b5, but I don’t think I should play that. She went 40. Re1. This position was playable for me. But I played 40. ... b5... The problem was the time. It was difficult position plus I had much less time” then Pia Cramling said. 41. cxb5 Rxc1 42. Bxc1 axb5 43. Bb2 Kh7

44. e5!?? Objectively, it would have been much stronger 44. Qd4! Bh6 45. Qf6, dominating the long diagonal. 44. ... d5? Not a good move. After 44. ... Bg7! 45. Qxd6 Rc2 Black has some positional compensation for her Pawn. 45. e6! fxe6 46. Qd4 Bh6 47. Qxh4 Qf7. If, instead, 47. ... Bc6 then 48. Bd3 Bd7 49. Qf6 and Black is helpless against the Rook maneuver Re1-e3-g3 (Rublevsky’s analysis). Now, one would expect White to play 48. Bd3, then Re1-f1 with an overwhelming attack. Instead... 48. Bxb5 Rc2 49. Bd4 e5 50. Rxe5. 50. Bd3 would have won on the spot, as 50. ... Rd2 is met by 51. Rxe5. 50. ... Rc1+ 51. Bg1 Qf8?? 51. ... Qf4 was the only way to struggle on. 52. Re8?? 52. Re7+ Kg8 53. Re8 was an elementary win for White. 52. ... Qf4 53. Qxf4 Bxf4 54. g3 Be3 55. Rxa8 Rxg1+ 56. Kh2 d4 57. Rd8 Rb1 58. Kg2 Rb3 59. Be2 Rxa3 60. b5 Rb3 61. Rd6 Rb2 62. Kf3 Rb3 63. Ke4 Bf2 64. Bd3 Bxg3 65. Rxd4 Be1 66. Rd6 Bg3 67. Rc6 Kg7? Thus Black gives up her last Pawn. 67. ... Bf2 was called for. 68. Kd4 g5 69. Rg6+ Kf8 70. Rxg5. After all, the game might be still a draw. 70. ... Bh2 71. h4 Rb4+ 72. Bc4 Rb1 73. h5 Rg1 74. Rf5+ Kg7 75. Kc5 Rc1 76. Rd5 Kh6 77. Kb4 Rb1+ 78. Kc3 Rc1+ 79. Kb3 Bf4 80. Rf5 Be3 81. Be2 Re1 82. Bf3 Bg5 83. Kc4 Re6 84. Rd5 Rf6 85. Rd3 Bh4 86. Kd5 Bg3 87. Rb3 Bf2 88. Ke5 Rb6 89. Bc6 Rb8 90. Rf3 Bc5 91. Kd5 Bg1 92. Rf5 Rd8+? Correct was 92. ... Rg8! followed by ... Rg8-g5. 93. Ke6. Even though this position may be theoretically tenable, now Black is being inexorably squeezed out of the game. 93. ... Rd2 94. Bf3 Bd4 95. Rd5 Be3 96. Re5 Bd4 97. Rf5 Rf2 98. Kd5 Rd2 99. Ke4 Bc3 100. b6 Rd4+ 101. Ke3 Rb4 102. b7 Kg7 103. Kd3 Be1 104. Bc6 Kh6 105. Bb5 Bg3 106. Kc3 Rh4 107. Be2 Rh1 108. Rf6+ Kh7 109. Rf7+ Kg8 110. Rd7 Rb1 111. Bc4+ Kh8 112. h6 Be5+ 113. Kc2 Rb4 114. Bd3 Kg8 115. h7+ Kf8 116. h8=Q+ 1 : 0. For after 116. ... Bxh8 117. Rd8+ Ke7 118. Rxh8 Rxb7 119. Rh7+ White wins. “Es triste tener que salir del mundial de esta forma pero tanto Anna como yo estamos muy orgullosos del comportamiento de Pia”, Pia’s husband, Grandmaster Juan Manuel Bellón López tweeted.

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Pia Cramling
Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich

Kneeling on the Throne

Dronavalli Harika – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; tie-break game 1 (25+10); Krasnaya Polyana, March 31, 2015

Dutch Defence A04

1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. b3 g6 4. Bb2 Bg7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 d6 7. d4 c6 8. c4 Na6 9. Nbd2 Rb8 10. Qc2 b5 11. a3 Bd7 12. e3 Nc7 13. b4 e6 14. Rac1 Qe7 15. cxb5 Rxb5 16. Nb3 Ncd5 17. Nfd2 Rc8 18. Nc4 g5 19. Rfe1 Be8 20. f3 g4 21. fxg4 Nxg4 22. e4 Bh6 23. exf5 Nde3 24. Nxe3 Bxe3+ 25. Rxe3 Nxe3 26. Qe2 Nxg2

27. d5 Rxd5 28. Qg4+ Kf8 29. Nd4 Bf7 30. Nxc6 Rxc6 31. Rxc6 e5? Correct was 31. ... Qb7 32. Qg7+ Ke8 33. fxe6 Rd1+ 34. Kf2 Rd2+ with a draw by perpetual check. 32. Rc8+ Be8 33. Qf3? Here’s where Harika starts to go astray. Against 33. Bc1! (Δ Bc1-h6+) Black has probably nothing better than 33. ... Nf4 and after 34. gxf4 exf4 35. Bxf4 Qe1+ 36. Kg2 Qe4+ 37. Kh3 Qxf5 38. Bxd6+! Kf7 39. Rc7+ Ke6 40. Bc5 White stands better, but he has no forced win. 33. ... Qb7 34. Rc2?? Dronavalli blunders a Rook! After 34. f6 Qxc8 35. Qxd5 Qc6 36. Qxg2 Qxg2+ 37. Kxg2 Kf7 White can rely upon the drawing powers of opposite-colour Bishops. 34. ... Ne1 35. Qg4 Nxc2 36. Bc1 Bf7 37. f6 Qb6+ 38. Kh1 Ne3 0 : 1.

Harika vs. Muzychuk. Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

Consiglio Direttivo

马多·弗林的主意
(Da un’idea di Mado Flynn)

瑞士卷 (Swiss roll)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Maurice Ashley posing in the backstage of the charity banquet held on March 19, 2015 in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States in support of the 22nd Hawaii International Chess Festival “Grandmaster Challenge”. Photo: Victoria Jung-Doknjas/Hawaii Chess Federation.

Müller’s Method

燃燒鬥魂

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Sébastien Mazé (@mazetovic)

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (@Vachier_Lagrave)

Ave Mariya!

Dronavalli Harika – Mariya Muzychuk
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 30, 2015
Dutch Defence A81

“It’s harder to say who has the psychological upper hand in the other match, if anyone. Harika was the one pressing and could enjoy an extra Pawn in a Rook and four vs. Rook and three ending, but Muzychuk was never in trouble. The game was a long one, but not an especially difficult one for the defender”, Dennis Monokroussos writes.

1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. d4 Bg7 5. b3 c5 6. e3 Ne4 7. 0-0 0-0. For 7. ... Nc6 8. Bb2 Qa5 9. a3 d6 10. Qc1 e5 see Cvitan – Nikac, 10th European Individual Championship, Budva 2009. 8. Bb2 Nc6 9. c4 e6 10. Qe2 b6 11. Rd1 Bb7 12. Nc3 Nxc3. Departing from 12. ... cxd4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. exd4 Qf6 15. Nxe4 fxe4 16. Rf1 Qf5 17. a4 d5 18. f3 Qh5 19. g4 Qg5 20. fxe4 dxe4 21. Bc3 Bh6 22. Kh1 Rxf1+ 23. Rxf1 Rf8 24. Rxf8+ Bxf8 25. Bxe4 Qc1+ 26. Kg2 Bxe4+ 27. Qxe4 Qxc3 28. Qxe6+ Kg7 29. Qe5+ Kf7 30. Qd5+ Ke7 31. Qe4+ Kf7 32. Qd5+ Kg7 33. Qe5+ Kf7 ½ : ½ 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì) – 刘庆南 (Liú Qìngnán), 43rd Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2012. 13. Bxc3 d6 14. Rd3 Qe7 15. Rad1 Nb4 16. R3d2 a5 17. a3 Nc6 18. Bb2 Rad8 19. h4 Rd7 20. Rd3 h6 21. Ne1 Bf6

22. d5!? Harika strives for the initiative. 22. ... exd5 23. Bxd5+ Kg7 24. Bxf6+ Rxf6 25. R3d2 Ne5 26. Bxb7 Rxb7 27. Nd3 Nxd3 28. Qxd3 Rd7 29. Qd5. Now the game assumes a drawish character, thanks to White’s poor decision to allow a Queen trade. Better was 29. Qc3 Kh7 30. Rd5 (Rublevsky’s analysis). 29. ... Qe4! 30. b4 Qxd5 31. Rxd5 cxb4 32. axb4 Rc7 33. bxa5 bxa5 34. Rxa5 Rxc4 35. Ra7+ Rf7 36. Ra6 Rd7 37. Rdxd6 Rxd6 38. Rxd6 h5 39. Kg2 Ra4 40. Kf3 Kf7 41. Rd2 Kf6 42. Rc2 Kf7 43. Ke2 Kf6 44. Kd3 Ra3+ 45. Kd4 Ra4+ 46. Kd5 Ra5+ 47. Kc4 Ra4+ 48. Kb3 Ra1 49. Kc3 Ra3+ 50. Kd2 Ra4 51. Rc6+ Kf7 52. Ke2 Ra2+ 53. Kf3 Ra4 54. Rc7+ Kf6 55. Rd7 Ra2 56. Rd6+ Kf7 57. Rd4 Kf6 58. Rf4 Kg7 59. Kg2 Ra1 60. Rd4 Ra2 61. Kf3 Kf6 62. Rd6+ Kf7 63. Kg2 Kg7 64. Kf1 Kf7 65. Ke1 Ra1+ 66. Ke2 Ra2+ 67. Rd2 Ra4 68. f3 Ra3 69. Kf2 Ra4 70. Re2 Kf6 71. Rc2 Kf7 72. Ke2 Ra3 73. Kf2 Ra4 74. Kg2 Kf6 75. Rf2 Ra3 76. Re2 Ra4 77. Kh3 Kf7 78. Rd2 Ra3 ½ : ½.

Dronavalli Harika vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

伤不起 王麟 (Wáng Lín) 你的四周美女有那么多 但是好像只偏偏看中了我 恩爱过后 就不来找我 总说你很忙 没空来陪我 你的微博里面辣妹很多 原来我也只是其中一个 万分难过 问你为什么 难道痴情的我不够惹火 伤不起 真的伤不起 我想你想你想你想到昏天黑地 电话打给你 美女又在你怀里 我恨你恨你恨你恨到心如血滴 伤不起 真的 伤不起 我算来算去算来算去算到放弃 良心有木有 你的良心狗叼走 我恨你恨你恨你恨到彻底忘记 RAP： 漂亮的美眉你 是否寂寞 我为你RAP这首歌 我的被窝里 没有辐射 碘盐也不用吃很多 不必再考虑 不必犹豫 我要送你一辆跑车 夜晚你和我咬耳朵 不要怀疑我的爱很多 你对我说 伤不起 害怕我把你抛弃 别再考虑 别再犹豫 我只想和你在一起 叫我声 亲爱的 其他什么都别说 然后我们吃着火锅一起唱首歌 I just can’t stand it 王麟 (Wáng Lín) You’re surrounded by beautiful girls And yet it looked like you had eyes only for me After making love, you no longer want me You always say you’re too busy for me A long queue of sexy girls on your social sites Apparently I’m just one among them So very sad, I ask you, why? What blind love, I’m not sexy enough for you? I just can’t stand it, I will not stand it I miss you I miss you, I miss you so much I call you, but you’re holding a girl in your arms I hate you, I hate you, I’ll hate you till it eats my heart out I just can’t stand it, I will not stand it I think, I think and I think, waiting for the strength to give up Don’t you have a conscience anymore? I hate you, I hate you, I’ll hate you till I forget you Rap: Beautiful miss, are you alone? I’m rapping for you My bed is not radioactive, you must not to eat salt Stop thinking, don’t hesitate, come up to my sports car I’ll nibble on your ear all night, don’t doubt my love You tell me you cannot stand it, you are afraid I will get rid of you Stop thinking, don’t hesitate, I just wanna be with you Just give me a whistle, honey, no words needed to be spoken We’ll eat hot pot and sing together a song

(Free translation by Nobody’s Perfect)

Battle of Castle Black

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – Pia Cramling
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 30, 2015
Sicilian Defence B41

“Pogonina was in a must-win situation against Pia Cramling, and surprisingly Cramling helped her by playing a very sharp and provocative line of the Sicilian. Black's position was already difficult, but Cramling's 20th and 21st moves were practically suicidal. 20...Rc8 created tactical problems involving a possible Nd6, while 21...Qd8 guaranteed a swap of the dark-squared bishops. This exchange was massively in White's favor, and the rest of the game was just a demolition job. Pogonina's last move, 38.Nd7+, was a nice finishing touch, and now she has the psychological momentum going into the rapid tiebreaks”, Dennis Monokroussos writes.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. Be2 e6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. e5 Nd5 8. 0-0 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Be7. For 9. ... Bxc3 10. Ba3 Qa5 11. Bd6 see Giri – Vitiugov, Reggio Emilia 2012. 10. Bf4 0-0 11. Qd3 b6 12. Bf3 Ra7 13. Be4 g6 14. Rfd1 Bb7 15. Bxb7 Rxb7. “Aun a costa de quedar un poco peor la primera parte del plan se ha conseguido. Sacar a la rusa de la preparacion. Ahora toca llegar a un final”, Pia’s husband, Grandmaster Juan Manuel Bellón López tweeted. 16. Rab1. “En esta posicion solo me preocupa que Blancas consigan llevar la Toor a h3 y presione en esa columna. Peligroso”, Bellón López said. 16. ... Qc8 17. a4 Qc5. “My opponent went into a variation that is considered dangerous for Black – a strange choice in a situation when you need a draw to advance. We arrived at a complicated position with good attacking chances for White. My maneuvering was probably not ideal, but her 17. ... Qc5 gave me a tempo for 18. Nb3 and 19. Nd2, after which White should have a very comfortable edge”,, then Natalia Andreevna Pogonina said. 18. Nb3 Qc7 19. Nd2 Nc6 20. Qg3 Rc8 21. Ne4 Qd8 22. Bg5 Bxg5 23. Nxg5 Na5 24. Ne4 Nc4 25. Rd4 Kg7 26. Re1 h6 27. h4 Qc7 28. f4. “What about 28. Rxc4?”, Anastasia Karlovich asked after the game. “I looked into it, but not very deeply. Now I see that I don’t have to regain an Exchange after 28. ... Qxc4 29. Nd6, but can simply continue the attack. Looks good for White, too”, Pogonina answered. 28. ... b5 29. h5 Qd8 30. axb5 axb5 31. Qg4 Qe7 32. Rd3 Rg8 33. Nf6 Rh8 34. Rg3 d5 35. hxg6 fxg6 36. Qxg6+ Kf8 37. Ra1 Ra7. Also after 37. ... Nb6 38. Ne8! White wins.

38. Nd7+! 1 : 0. “No hay mas que felicitar a Pogonina por su victoria y esperar que haya suerte en los desempates mañana. Tiene merito la rusa remontando”, Bellón López said. Such a gentleman!

Natalia Andreevna looking for inspiration
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina vs. Pia Cramling
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

红颜知己不红颜知己？

Колдуны (Kalduny)

Ані Лорак (Ani Lorak) – “Обними меня” (Hold Me)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2015
Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi, Russia), 16 March – 7 April 2015

Fountain of Youth

Pia Cramling – Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 29, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D56

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 0-0 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. Be2. For 11. a3 Nxc3 12. Qxc3 dxc4 13. Bxc4 b6 14. 0-0 Bb7 15. Rfd1 Rfd8 16. Be2 Rac8 17. b4 c5 18. dxc5 bxc5 19. b5 see Gunina – Pogonina, 64th Russian Women’s Championship Superfinal, Kazan 2014. 11. ... Nxc3 12. Qxc3 dxc4 13. Qxc4 e5 14. 0-0 e4. A questionable novelty. It is wise for Black to strive for equality with 14. ... exd4 15. Nxd4 Nf6 as in the game Carlsen – Aronian, 2nd Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2014. 15. Nd2 Nf6 16. Qc5 Qxc5 17. Rxc5 Be6

18. Ra5! “Pia Cramling I can only compare with Lasker and Kortschnoi, the greatest fighters in chess history”, Israel Gelfer said. 18. ... Rfd8 19. Bc4 Bxc4 20. Nxc4 a6? This move creates a “hole” at b6 with, soon or later, unpleasant consequences. After 20. ... Nd5 there is nothing special for White. 21. Nb6 Rab8 22. Rc1. White has still a possible minority attack on the Queenside and, on the whole, a more comfortable game. 22. ... Kf8 23. b4 Rd6 24. Re5 Re8 25. Rec5 Red8 26. a4 Re6 27. h3 Ke8 28. g4! In Ulf Andersson style! 28. ... Nd5 29. Nxd5 Rxd5 30. Rxd5 cxd5 31. Rc5! “Cramling's game vs. Pogonina is bringing back the pleasant reminescences of Deviatkin – Vaibhav, Mumbai 2012”, Grandmaster Andrey Deviatkin tweeted. 31. ... Rd6 32. a5 Kd7 33. b5! axb5 34. Rxb5 Kc6 35. Rc5+ Kd7 36. Kg2 g5 37. Kg3 Kd8 38. f3 exf3 39. Kxf3 Kd7 40. Kg3 Kd8 41. Kf2 Kd7 42. Ke2 Kd8 43. Kd2 Kd7 44. Kd3 Kd8 45. Ke2 Kd7 46. Kf1 Kd8 47. Kg2 Kd7 48. Kg3 Kd8 49. h4! Kd7. Black’s last chance was 49. ... gxh4+, “but then I could have a possibility to enter with my King to f4. And she would have to play ... f7-f6. But she has a danger to be in Zugzwang. I will go Kf4-f5. So, I think it was nice position for me“, then Pia Cramling pointed out. 50. h5! Kd8 51. Kf3 Kd7 52. Ke2 Kd8 53. Kd3 Kd7 54. Rb5 Kc7 55. e4! dxe4+ 56. Kxe4 Rf6 57. Rf5 Re6+ 58. Kd5 Rd6+ 59. Kc4 f6 60. Rb5 Re6 61. Kd5 Re3 62. Rb6 Rf3 63. Ke6 Rf4 64. d5 Re4+ 65. Kxf6 Rxg4 66. d6+ Kc8 67. Kg6 Rg1 68. Kxh6 g4 69. Kg7 g3 70. h6 Rh1 71. Rb2 Rh4 72. h7 Rg4+ 73. Kf6 Rh4 74. Kg6 Kd7 75. Rxb7+ Kxd6 76. Rb1 Ke5 77. a6 g2 78. Rg1 Rg4+ 79. Kh5 1 : 0. To everyone’s surprise, Pia played another superb game!

Pia Cramling vs. Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

The Wall

Mariya Muzychuk – Dronavalli Harika
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 29, 2015
Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5. c3 Bc5 6. Be3 Bb6 7. Nf5 g6 8. Bxb6 axb6 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. f3 Qe7 11. c4 Qb4+ 12. Qd2 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 d6 14. Nc3 Kd8 15. Ncd5. For 15. Be2 Re8 16. Rac1 Nd4 17. Rhd1 c6 18. Bf1 see 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – Salem, 52nd World Junior Chess Championship, Kocaeli 2013. 15. ... Nxd5 16. cxd5 Ne5 17. Be2 Re8 18. a3 f5 19. exf5 Bxf5 20. Rhe1 h5 21. f4 Ng4 22. Nxf5 gxf5 23. Bb5 Re4 24. Rxe4 fxe4 25. h3 Nf6 26. Ke3 Ke7 27. Rc1 Ra5. “[...] 27. ... Ra5 was not a good move. Better was 27. ... Nxd5+ 28. Kxe4 c6 29. Be2 and here at least I have 29. ... h4”, then Dronavalli Harika said. 28. Be2 Nxd5+ 29. Kxe4. “I liked my position here. But probably 29. ... h4 was better instead of 29. ... c6. And after that ... c7-c6 is possible”, Mariya Muzychuk said. 29. ... c6. “Yes, I saw it as well. But I thought 29. ... h4 30. Kf3 (with next Kf3-g4) 30. ... Ra4 31. Rc4 maybe. I shouldn’t have allowed this 30. g4. I thought she is getting in with the King – Ke4-f3, Kf3-g4. Maybe I was wrong. I should not have played 29. ... c6”, Harika said. 30. g4 hxg4 31. hxg4 b5 32. Bd1 Ra8 33. Bb3 Nf6+ 34. Kf5. Maybe stronger is 34. Kf3 aiming to mobilize the connected Pawns. 34. ... Rf8 35. Re1+ Kd8 36. Re6. If 36. Kg5 there follows 36. ... Nh7+ 37. Kg6 Rxf4 38. Kxh7 Rxg4 and it’s virtually impossible to win. 36. ... Nd5+ 37. Kg5 Nxf4 38. Rxd6+ Ke7 39. Rh6 Nd3 40. Re6+ Kd7 41. Re2 c5. “41. ... c5 is a very strong move. I calculated 42. Be6+ Kd6 43. Bf5 and then 43. ... Ne5 44. Rd2+ Kc6. But probably it’s not winning at all. That’s why I wanted to get a Rook ending”, Muzychuk said.

42. Bc2 Nf4. Clearly not 42. ... Nxb2 on account of 43. Bf5+. 43. Rd2+ Ke6 44. Bf5+ Ke5 45. Rd7 Rg8+ 46. Kh6 b6 47. Rf7 Rd8 48. Bd7 Rh8+ 49. Kg7 Rh2 50. Rf5+ Kd6 51. Bxb5 Ne6+ 52. Kg6 Rxb2 53. a4 Nd4 54. Rf6+ Ke5 55. Rxb6 c4 56. Rb8 c3 57. Rc8 Nxb5 58. axb5 Kd4 59. g5 Rxb5 60. Kf6 ½ : ½.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Dronavalli Harika
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Children of a Lesser God

Chessdom (@chessdom)

妈妈和女儿

Anna Cramling Bellón, 11 year old daughter of Pia Cramling and Juan Manuel Bellón López. Photo & Tweet: Juan Manuel Bellón López (@Jmbellonlopez)

Pia Cramling
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

• Are Walking & Reading the Secrets of Long Successful Chess Career?, Chess-News.ru, March 29, 2015

Cuore e vento

Anna Olegivna Muzychuk
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Women’s World Chess (@worldwomenchess)

Rosa Baltica

Handmade by Mado Flynn

Колбаса (Kielbasa)

Fabrika (Фабрика) – New Year’s Eve 2009

Women’s World Chess Championship 2015
Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi, Russia), 16 March – 7 April 2015

丟面子，留口

Artwork: kravinoff

Loco moco

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

• World Women’s Championship: Last Chinese Beaten by Last Russian, Chess-News.ru, March 28, 2015

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

• Miss Tactics Knocks Out Rating Favorite, Chess-News.ru, March 28, 2015

Second Youth

Anna Olegivna Muzychuk – Pia Cramling

Women’s World Chess Championship; playoff game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, March 28, 2015

Sicilian Defence B46

“In the first game I was very worried. My opponent had better after the opening. She could make strike directly but she played 21. c4, and I made 21. ... Be6 move, probably I should have taken Bf5 and go ... Nf8-e6 directly. I let her get the chance to triple on ‘f’ file. Then afterwards, when I let her take on f7, I think I had a little compensation. I played 28. ... Red8, and push my d-Pawn and I had a good Knight. But of course I was very lucky that I could win. Of course she had a Pawn up. But somehow my King was in a game, and I had more time. The game has changed completely”, then Pia Cramling said. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. 0-0 Nf6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. b3 0-0 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. Rae1 Qc7 13. f4. For 13. e5 Nd7 14. f4 Nc5 15. f5 see Sutovsky – Movsesian, 11th European Individual Championships, Rijeka 2010. 13. ... Rfe8 14. e5 Nd7 15. f5 exf5 16. Bxf5 Bc5+ 17. Kh1 Nf8 18. Na4 Bb4 19. c3 Be7 20. Qg4 Bc8 21. c4 Be6 22. Rf3 Bxf5 23. Qxf5 Bb4 24. Ref1 Ne6 25. cxd5 cxd5 26. Qxf7+ Qxf7 27. Rxf7 Rac8 28. Rd7 Red8 29. Rxd8+ Rxd8 30. Rd1 d4 31. Nb6 Kf7 32. g3 Kg6 33. Kg2 Kf5 34. Kf3 Ng5+ 35. Ke2 Ke4

36. Rd3? Nh3! 37. Rd1 d3+ 38. Kf1 Rf8+ 39. Kg2 Nf2 40. Rf1 d2 41. a3 d1=Q 42. Rxd1 Nxd1 43. axb4 Nxb2 44. e6 Re8 45. Nd7 Nd3 0 : 1. “I was never hoping that I could survive. I was just playing. But then I put up my King. And all of a sudden, she played this 36. Rd3, and I got this 36. ... Nh3. Everything was finished, I think. It was not so easy, but I had more time and she went wrong. Of course this game was very difficult for me”, Cramling said.

Anna Olegivna Muzychuk vs. Pia Cramling
Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

Replay

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – Natalia Andreevna Pogonina

Women’s World Chess Championship; playoff game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, March 28, 2015

Benkö Counter-Gambit A58

“In the first game she once again allowed me to play the Benkö gambit and went for a sideline, which gave me a good game”, then Natalia Andreevna Pogonina said. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. g3 0-0 8. Bg2 d6 9. Nf3 Nxa6 10. 0-0 Qb6 11. Nd2. “If I decided to repeat the Benkö in her shoes, I would play the most principled lines. I guess she thought I used the gambit only as a one-time desperate attempt, and did not even prepare for it for today” Pogonina said. Yesterday 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) preferred 11. Re1. 11. ... Nc7 12. Nc4 Qb4 13. Ne3 Ba6 14. Rb1 Nb5 15. Bd2 Nd4 16. Re1 Rfb8 17. b3 Nd7 18. Qc1 Qb7 19. Nc4 Ne5 20. Nxe5 Bxe5 21. e3 Nb5 22. Nd1 Bg7 23. a4 Nc7 24. Bc3. “Very quickly Pogonina got a nice position, but at one point White could have escaped, by playing 24. b4 instead of 24. Bc3”, Grandmaster Evgeny Miroshnichenko writes. 24. ... Bxc3 25. Nxc3 Bd3 26. Rb2 Qb4 27. Rd1 Ba6 28. Rdd2 Ra7 29. Na2 Qa3 30. Qc2 Rab7 31. Nc1 Qb4 32. Ra2 Qa5 33. Qd1 Rb4 34. h4 h5 35. Kh2 Ne8! Natalia Andreevna repositions the Knight to more effective squares. 36. e4 Nf6 37. f3 c4! Black breaks – ans cracks – White’s Queenside. 38. bxc4 Bxc4 39. Ra1 Rb2 40. Rxb2 Rxb2

41. Qd4? White’s position was bad and perhaps lost in any case, but the text move makes matters much worse. After 41. Nd3 Rd2 42. Qe1 Bxd3 43. Rd1 Rxg2+ 44. Kxg2 Qa6 Black stands better, but the game it’s not over yet. 41. ... Rc2! The end is inevitable. 42. Qe3 Qb4 43. Nd3 Bxd3 44. Qxd3 Rxg2+ 45. Kxg2 Qb2+ 46. Kh3 Qxa1 47. Kg2 Qxa4 48. Qc3 Qa2+ 49. Kh3 Qf2 0 : 1.

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Turning Tables

Humpy Koneru – Mariya Muzychuk

Women’s World Chess Championship; playoff game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, March 28, 2015

Queen’s Gambit Declined D45

“The second game was even harder. I did not expect this opening and had to recall the relevant variations at the board (and, of course, failed to succeed). Soon I lost a Pawn, and my position was very poor. I realized my only chance was to create complications. And I found my chance – when we both had just a minute left on the clocks, Koneru miscalculated and blundered...”, then Mariya Muzychuk said. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Be2 0-0 8. 0-0 e5 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Nb5 Bb8 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Bd2 a6 13. Nbd4 Ne4 14. Rad1 Qd6 15. Qb3 Nc5 16. Qa3 b6 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. f4 Qf6 19. Bb4 Bd6 20. Nb5 Bb7 21. Nxd6 Qxd6 22. Bf3 Rfe8 23. e4 Rac8 24. exd5 a5 25. Be1 Ba6 26. Rf2 Rcd8 27. Rfd2 Qxf4 28. Bg3 Qf6 29. Bc7 Rd7 30. d6 Bb7 31. Bg4 Qg5. “Well, she clearly had a won position with the Pawn on d6. After I played 31. ... Qg5, it was still winning for White with the perfect play, so she probably blundered later”, Mariya said. 32. Bxd7

32. ... Re3!? Koneru was probably expecting 32. ... Nxd7 33. Rf2 with a huge advantage to White. But, instead of such a prosaic answer, Black produces a flashy surprise! 33. b3. In time trouble Humpy does not venture 33. h4! Qe5 (else 33. ... Qh6 34. Bxb6! Rxa3 35. Bxc5 Rg3 36. Bh3 winning) 34. Bh3! Rxa3 35. d7 Qe3+ 36. Kh2 Nxd7 37. Rxd7 h6 38. bxa3 and White wins. 33. ... Rd3! Another surprise! 34. Re1 Here the immediate 34. Qc1 was probably called for. 34. ... Re3 35. Qc1?? A tragic blunder. White should have played 35. Rf1 and if 35. ... Rf3!? might follow 36. Rdf2 Rxf2 37. Rxf2 Bxg2! 38. Bd8! Qxd8 39. Rxg2 with advantage to White. 34. ... Nd3! A deadly blow! 36. Bd8 Rxe1+ 37. Qxe1 Qc5+ 38. Kf1 Nxe1 39. Kxe1 Qc1+ 40. Ke2 Ba6+ 41. Ke3 Qe1+ 42. Kd4 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

着装守则

马多·弗林的主意
(Da un’idea di Mado Flynn)

Сбитень (Sbiten)

Fabrika (Фабрика) – “Зажигают огоньки” (Light come on)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2015
Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi, Russia), 16 March – 7 April 2015

In a Nutshell

人生如一首乐曲，要用乐感，感情和直觉去谱写，不能只按乐律行事。 Rénshēng rúyī shǒu yuèqǔ, yào yòng yuè gǎn, gǎnqíng hé zhíjué qù pǔxiě, bùnéng zhǐ àn yuèlǜ xíngshì. Life is like music. It must be composed by ear, feeling and instinct, not by rule.