Out of the Storm

Whitley Bay, United Kingdom: A rainbow over St. Mary’s Lighthouse. Storm Gertrude has caused power cuts and travel disruption in parts of Britain. Photo: Owen Humphreys/PA.

Коробушка (Korobeiniki)

Evgeny Yurievich Tomashevsky – Fabiano Caruana
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 31, 2016
Nimzo-Indian Defence E44

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 c5 6. a3 Ba5 7. Rb1 Na6 8. Ng3 Bb7 9. f3 0-0 10. Bd3 d5 11. 0-0 cxd4? Careless. The right way is 11. ... dxc4! 12. Bxc4 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Rc8 14. Qe2 Nb8 15. Bb2 Nd5 16. Rfc1 Qg5 17. f4 Qe7 18. f5 Qg5 19. fxe6 fxe6 20. Rf1 Kh8 21. Rxf8+ Rxf8 22. Rf1 Nd7 23. Rxf8+ Nxf8 24. e4 Nf6 25. Qe1 cxd4 26. cxd4 h5 ½ : ½ Hawkins – M. Adams, 20th Four Nations Chess League, Hinckley 2014. 12. Nb5! Much stronger than 12. exd4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Rc8 14. Qd3 Bxc3 15. bxc3 Nc7 as occurred in the game S. S. Popov – Jeremić, 1st Serbian Team Chess Championship, Zlatibor 2006. 12. ... dxc4 13. Bxc4 Rc8 14. Qe2 Bd5 15. Bxd5 Qxd5

16. e4!? That’s shocking! Of course White still cannot play 16. b4?? (on account of 16. ... d3), but the smooth 16. exd4(!) would have left Black without perspectives. 16. ... Qa2? Caruana plays very nervously. Comparatively better is 16. ... d3! which simplifies the game very much. 17. Bg5 Rc4. A bad-looking move in a very bad position. 18. Rbd1. Tomashevsky is a little excited, because yet he has not won a single game out of the 12 played. All chess engines list on top 13. Bxf6! gxf6 14. Qf2 launching a direct assault. 18. ... d3 19. Qxd3 Rc5 20. Be3. And here 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Nd4 looks much stronger. 20. ... Qxb2 21. Bxc5 Nxc5 22. Qe2. After all, White is up the Exchange, and Tomashevsky laboriously gets ready to convert his advantages into a win. 22. ... Qxe2 23. Nxe2 a6 24. Nd6 b5 25. Nd4 Bb6 26. Kh1 g5 27. Nc6 Kg7 28. g3 h5 29. Rfe1 Na4 30. Rd3 Nc5 31. Rd2 Nb3 32. Rc2 Nc5 33. Kg2 Na4 34. Rd1 g4 35. Rd3 Nc5 36. Rd1 Na4 37. h3 gxf3+ 38. Kxf3 Nh7 39. e5 Bc5 40. Rd3 f6 41. Kg2 Bb6 42. exf6+ Nxf6 43. Nd4 Bxd4 44. Rxd4 Nd5 45. Re4 Rd8 46. Nb7 Rd7 47. Na5 Rd6 48. Rc6 Rxc6 49. Nxc6 Nc5 50. Re5! Nd3 51. Rg5+ Kh6 52. Rg8 Ne3+ 53. Kf3 Nc4 54. Nb4 Nde5+ 55. Ke2 a5 56. Nc2 Nd7 57. Rc8 Kg6 58. Rc7 Nf6 59. Rc6 Kf7. 59. ... a4 60. Rxe6 Kf7 61. Rc6 is equally hopeless. 60. a4! Nd5 61. axb5 Ne5 62. Ra6 Nc3+ 63. Kf1 1 : 0. Bravo!

Evgeny Yurievich Tomashevsky. Photo: Alina l’Ami.

Savage Grace

Anish Giri – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 31, 2016
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 d5 4. e3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bd6. Giri is always worried when he has to play against 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), and on this special occasion he decided to bet on a close game, which looks like a hybrid between the Colle System and the London System. What should you say? A wish must offer a good reason for believing in a miracle. 7. Ne5 Qc7 8. Ndf3 0-0 9. Bd3 b6! (9. ... Ne4 10. Bg3 f5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. Ne5 Nc6 8. c3 Qc7 9. Ndf3 Ne4 10. Bg3 f5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. Ne5 cxd4 14. exd4 c5 15. 0-0 Qb6 16. f3 Nd6 17. dxc5 Qxc5+ 18. Kh1 f4 19. Qa4 Rb8 20. Rab1 Qc7 21. Rfe1 Rb6 22. Re2 Nb7 23. Qc2 g6 24. b4 Nd6 25. a4 Nf5 26. Bxf5 Rxf5 27. Rbe1 Bd7 28. Ng4 Kg7 29. Qd2 Qc4 30. Re4 dxe4 31. Qxd7+ Kg8 32. Qe8+ Rf8 33. Nh6+ Kg7 34. Qe7+ Kxh6 35. Qxf8+ Kg5 36. h4+ Kxh4 37. Qh6+ 1 : 0 Helling – Keres, Dresden 1936) 10. Nxc6 Qxc6 11. Ne5 Qc7 12. Qf3? Giri should have resigned himself to 12. 0-0 Nd7 with approximate equality. Now Black seizes the upper hand.

12. ... Ne4! 13. Nc4? This pseudo-active move only makes matters worse. A much lesser evil was 13. Ng4. 14. ... Bxf4 14. Qxf4 Qxf4 15. exf4 Ba6! 16. Bxe4. If 16. f3 then 16. ... Nxc3 and Black wins a Pawn. 16. ... dxe4 17. Nd2 cxd4 18. Nxe4 f5 19. Ng5 dxc3 20. 0-0-0! White stands badly, and Giri — who is a very strong defender — decides to take extraordinary measures. 20. ... Bc4 21. b3 Bd5 22. Rhe1 Rfe8 23. Re3 Rac8 24. Rdd3 Bxg2 25. Rd7 Red8 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. Nxe6 Rd6 28. Ng5. A silent threat: Re3-e8 mate. 28. ... Bc6 29. Rxc3 h6 30. Nh3. It’s true that 30. Nf3 Bxf3 31. Rxf3 Rd4 leads to a bit uncomfortable endgame for White, but it’s not clear at all that keeping minor pieces on the board will ease the situation. 30. ... Bb5 31. Re3 Bf1 32. Ng1 Rd4. Black’s Rook and Bishop dominate the board. 33. Re1 Bg2! 34. Ne2 Re4 35. Kd2 Bf3. Black is finally cashing in! 36. Ng3 Rxf4 37. Re8+ Kf7 37. Re8+ Kf7 38. Ke3 g5 39. Rh8 Kg7 40. Rc8 Bg4. White must lose at least another Pawn. 41. Rc7+ Kf6 42. h3 Rf3+ 43. Kd4 Bxh3 44. Rc6+ Ke7. I find it difficult to understand, so it must be good. 45. Rxh6 Bg4 46. Rg6 Rxf2 47. Rxg5 Kf7. Not 47. ... Kf6?? 48. Rxg4! winning a piece. 48. b4 Rf3! Very accurately played. 49. Ne2 Rh3 50. Nc3 Rh8 51. Nd5 Re8 52. a3 Re4+ 53. Kd3 Be2+ 54. Kd2 Rd4+. A very responsible decision. Perhaps it was not necessary, but certainly there’s nothing wrong with it. Of course, you’ll read plenty elsewhere about 54. ... Ba6 (and if 55. Nc7 then 55. ... Kf6), but don’t believe it’s “Grandmaster’s analysis” — it’s just the engines’ first line. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s move features the most quintessential hallmarks of being human. 55. Kxe2 Rxd5 56. Rh5 Kg6 57. Rh8 Rd7 57. Rh8 Rd7 58. a4 Kf6 59. a5 Ke5 60. Rc8 bxa5 61. bxa5 Rd5 62. a6. Anish has put up a fierce resistance, and doesn’t seem so easy for Black — at least at first glance — to break up the status quo. 62. ... Ra5 63. Rc6 Kd5 64. Rf6 Ke4 65. Re6+ Kf4 66. Kd3 Ra4 67. Rg6 Kf3 68. Kc3 f4 69. Kb3 Ra1 70. Kb4 Ke3? Black apparently misses the win: 70. ... Ke4! in order to met 71. Kb5 by 71. ... f3 72. Re6+ Kf5 73. Re8 Ra2 winning easily. 71. Kb5. Now it’s a theoretical draw, but still Giri must earn it. 71. ... f3 72. Re6+ Kd4 73. Rf6 Rb1+ 74. Ka4 Rf1 75. Kb3 Ke3 75. Kb3. Just so. 75. ... Ke3 76. Re6+ Kd2 77. Rd6+ Ke3 78. Re6+ Kd4 79. Rf6 Ke4. After 79. ... f2 80. Kb2 she goes to draw anyway. 80. Rf7 Ra1 81. Re7+ Kd4 82. Rf7 Ke3 83. Re7+ Kd2 84. Rd7+ Ke1 85. Re7+ Kf1 86. Rxa7 f2 87. Kc4 Ke2 88. Re7+ Kd2 89. Rf7 f1=Q+ 90. Rxf1 Rxf1 91. Kb5 Kc3 92. a7 Rf8 93. Kc6 Kb4 94. Kb7 Rf7+ 95. Kb6 Rxa7 ½ : ½.

Looking elsewhere. Photo © Orange Pictures.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) speaking with 彭肇勤 (Péng Zhàoqín). Photo: Alina l’Ami.

The Way Up

Juba, South Sudan: Dancers of local band Orupaap perform at the Juba stadium during the closing ceremony of national unity day. The event was organised by the South Sudan ministry of culture, youth and sport and the Japan international cooperation agency to promote peace, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together across boundaries, cultures and religions. Photo: Albert González Farran/AFP/Getty Images.

Thoughts and Clouds

Oranienburg, Germany: A man enters the Sachsenhausen Nazi death camp through the gate with the phrase “Arbeit macht frei” (work sets you free) on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The date marks the liberation of the Auschwitz camp on 27 January 1945. Photo: Markus Schreiber/AP.

Strange things happening every day

Viswanathan Anand – Adrien Demuth
14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 30, 2016
Spanish C72

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. 0-0 Bg4 6. h3 h5 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. d3. This is a sound continuation that avoids all the theory, even though if it hardly promises White any significant advantage. 8. ... Bxf3 9. Qxf3. 9. c3 can eventually transpose into 9. ... Qxf3 10. gxf3 Ne7 11. f4 exf4 12. Bxf4 f5 13. Na3 g5 14. Bd2 f4 15. f3 Ng6 16. Kf2 Be7 17. Nc2 Kd7 18. Nd4 Nh4 19. b4 Rhg8 20. Rg1 Bf6 21. Rab1 Rg6 22. Rb3 Rag8 23. h3 h5 24. Ne2 g4 25. fxg4 hxg4 26. Nxf4 Nf3 27. Nxg6 Rxg6 28. Rxg4 Rxg4 29. hxg4 Nxd2 30. Ra3 Nb1 31. Rxa6 Bxc3 32. Ra8 Bxb4 33. a4 Bc5+ 34. Kf3 Nc3 35. Kf4 Ke6 36. a5 Nb5 37. a6 Bd4 38. Re8+ Kf7 39. Rd8 Ke7 40. Rg8 Ke6 41. Rf8 d5 42. g5 Bc5 43. Rf6+ Kd7 44. g6 1 : 0 Ravinsky – Sokolsky, 13th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1944. 10. ... Qf6 10. Qd1 g5 11. Nc3 Ne7 12. g3 Bg7 13. Kh2 Qg6 14. f4!? “If you are not willing to assume risks, go deal with another business”. Sorry, I can’t remember the title of the movie, but surely it was a scary American movie. 14. ... exf4 15. gxf4 g4 16. f5 Be5+ 17. Bf4 Qf6 18. Qd2 Rb8 19. Rab1 Rg8 20. Bxe5 Qxe5+ 21. Qf4 Qc5 22. Rg1 Kd7 23. h4 g3+!? Monsieur Demuth does not hesitate to sacrifice a Pawn in order to upset his opponent’s balance. 24. Rxg3 Rxg3 25. Kxg3 Rg8+ 26. Kh3 Rg4 27. Qf3 Qd4 28. Rf1 Nd5 29. Ne2 Qf6 30. Qf2 Ne3 31. Rg1 Nxc2 32. Nf4 Rxg1 33. Qxg1 Qxb2 34. Qg8 Qxa2 35. Nxh5. Anand is a Pawn down, but his strong passed h-Pawn evidently compensates. 35. ... Ne3 36. Nf6+ Ke7 37. Nh7 Kd7 38. h5 Qe2

39. Kh4?? Vishy’s grave miscalculation, incredibly enough, is not due to time shortage. The right way – and it was indeed quite easy to see! – was 39. Qxf7+ Kc8 40. Qg8+ Kb7 41. Nf6 with feeble chances of winning. 39. ... Qh2+ 40. Kg5 Qg3+ 41. Kh6 Qxg8 42. Nf6+ Ke7! This is the move apparently overlooked by Vishy. 43. Nxg8+ Kf8. Anand has regained his Queen but not his kingdom. The Black a-Pawn is inexorably unstoppable. 44. Nf6 a5 45. Kh7 a4 0 : 1. If there was a way to lose, Anand undoubtedly found it – and a very artistic one.

Viswanathan Anand vs. Adrien Demuth
Photo: John Saunders

Crabwalk

Silvia Bertini
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”

在自己的问题里，没有人看得清楚答案。
Zài zìjǐ de wèntí lǐ, méiyǒu rén kàn dé qīngchǔ dá’àn.
No one is wise in his own affairs.

There seems something very wrong about it

Hikaru Nakamura – Mariya Muzychuk
14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 30, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D45

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. g4 h6 8. Rg1 e5 9. Bd2. Here Nakamura played a sideline, if not, indeed, a novelty. For 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Nb5 Bb8 11. g5 hxg5 12. Nxg5 e4 13. Bd2 Nb6 14. Rc1 Bd7 15. Nc7+ Bxc7 16. Qxc7 Qxc7 17. Rxc7 Rc8 see Khismatullin – Jakovenko, 67th Russian Chess Championship, Kazan 2014. 9. ... e4 10. Nh4 g6. Mariya wisely refuses the h2-Pawn since White, after moving his Rook, would be ready to castle long and then eventually storm the (castled) Black’s King. 11. h3 a6. “Posición cómoda para negras”, Venezuelan International Master José Sequera Paolini tweeted. 12. 0-0-0 b5 13. c5 Bh2. “Qué opinan de 14. Rh1 Bc7 15. f3 Nh7 16. Be1?”, wonders Paolini. 14. Rh1 Bc7 15. f3. Well, Nakamura contented him. Now Mariya thought for a long time. 15. ... a5?? Very bad judgment. Paolini suggests 15. ... b4 against which White could play either 16. Nxe4 or 16. Ne2 a5 17. Bg2 – according to him, both are interesting.

16. fxe4! White prepares a powerful positional Knight sacrifice which will give him an overwhelming central Pawn roller and deadly threats against the Black King. 16. ... b4 17. Nxd5! cxd5. Not 18. ... Nxd5 18. exd5 Qxh4 19. d6 threatening both d6xc7 and Qc2-e4+. 18. exd5 Bg3? You probably think it’s strange for her to invite the Knight sacrifice on g6, and you’re right. It’s very strange! 19. Nf3. Nakamura doesn’t even need it. 19. ... 0-0 20. Rg1 Qc7 21. Bc4 Ba6? Just to avoid any doubt about the result. 22. d6. She evidently overlooked White’s next move. 22. ... Bxd6 23. Qxg6+ Kh8 24. Qxh6+ Nh7. Or 24. ... Kg8 25. g5 followed by g5-g6. 25. Ng5 Nf6 26. Rdf1 1 : 0.

Hikaru Nakamura vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: 14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival (@GibraltarChess)

Another Brick in the Wall

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Michael Adams
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 30, 2016
Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. The Butterfly challenges the Spider’s web. 3. ... Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Ke8 10. Nc3 h5 11. Rd1 Be7 12. Ne2 Nh4 13. Nxh4 Bxh4 14. Bf4. If 14. f3 then 14. ... Bf5 15. Nd4 Bg6 16. Bf4 Be7 17. g4 (17. e6 Bd6!) 17. ... Rd8 18. Kg2 hxg4 19. hxg4 Bc5= Anand – Carlsen, 3rd Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2015. 14. ... Be7 15. a4. The alternative is 15. Nd4 g5 (Mihail Marin suggests 15. ... a6 16. e6 Bd6! 17. exf7+ Kxf7) 16. Bh2 Rh6 17. e6 Bxe6 18. Bxc7 Rc8 19. Nxe6 Rxe6 20. Ba5 Bf6 21. Rab1 b6 22. Be1 Rd8 23. Rxd8+ Kxd8 24. Kf1 Rd6 25. Ke2 Re6+ 26. Kf1 Rd6 27. b3 Ke7 28. Ke2 Re6+ 29. Kf1 Rd6 30. Ke2 Re6+ 31. Kf1 ½ : ½ Harikrishna – So, 76th Tata Steel Masters Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2014. 15. ... g5!? 16. Be3 a5 (16. ... Nf5!?) 17. f3 g4∞ 18. Kh2 Bd7 19. Rd2 Rd8 20. Rad1 gxf3 21. gxf3 h4 22. Rg1 c5 23. Nc3 Bc6 24. Rxd8+ Kxd8 25. f4 Kd7 26. Rg7 Ke6 27. Nb5 Bxb5 28. axb5 c4 29. Kg2 a4 30. Bd4 Rd8 31. Bc3 Bc5

32. f5+ Kxf5 33. Rxf7+ Ke4 34. Rg7 Rf8 35. Rxc7 Rf2+ 36. Kh1 Rf1+ 37. Kg2 Rf2+ 38. Kh1 Be3 39. e6 Rf1+ 40. Kg2 Rf2+ 41. Kh1 Rf1+ 42. Kg2 Rf2+ ½ : ½. The “Spider” was not permitted to lose, not even against 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Michael Adams. Photo: Tata Steel Chess.

春節 (Chinese Lunar New Year)

北京 (Běijīng), China: A woman pulls her daughter on a trolley before catching a train to head to their home town to celebrate the lunar new year. The Year of the Monkey begins on 8 February. Photo: Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images.

Bed of Roses

Los Angeles, California: A model lies in a bed of flowers in performance artist Millie Brown’s exhibit at the Los Angeles Art Show. Photo: Mike Nelson/EPA.

Little Tyke

Here are Aurora & Matilde, very young dancers of Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, after their dancing was over in the ballet festival “Le ali della danza”, organised by Lions Club Fiesole and staged at the Teatro Aurora in Scandicci, Florence, on Friday evening, January 29, 2016. I would like to thank all the teachers – namely, Alessandra, Chiara & Viola – for their precious work, and remind our readers that the whole event will be broadcasted delayed on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 8 P.M. on digital channel 18.

Corresponding squares

Magnus Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 29, 2016
8/1p1k4/p1p4p/2Pp1p2/P4P2/1PK4P/2P5/8 b - - 0 45

Position after 45. Kb2xc3

Notes by Grandmaster Lubomir Kavalek, The Huffington Post, February 9, 2016.

This was a critical position and the game continued: 45. ... h5? 侯 (Hóu) played this blunder rather quickly, allowing the White King to sneak to the square b6. 46. Kb4 Kc8 47. Ka5 Kc7 48. h4 Kb8 49. Kb6 Kc8 50. b4 Kb8 51. b5 cxb5 52. axb5 axb5 53. Kxb5 Kc7 54. c3 and 侯 (Hóu) resigned. She is in zugzwang and has to surrender the square b6. White wins the Pawn d5 after 54. ... Kd7 55. Kb6 Kc8 56. c6.
Instead of the faulty 45. ... h5, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) could have blocked the entrance to the square b6 with 45. ... a5! 46. b4. The only way to open the Queenside. 46. h4 h5 47. b4 just transposes.

It seems that Black now has two ways to make a draw but only one solves it with precise play.
A. 46. ... axb4+?! This comes deceptively close to a draw, but White can continue playing. 47. Kxb4 Kd8! Black’s defense is based on a stalemate and zugzwang. Here again 47. ... h5? loses to 48. Ka5 Kc7 49. h4 Kc8 50. Kb6 Kb8 51. a5 Ka8 52. a6 Kb8 53. axb7 wins. 48. Ka5 (48. Kc3 Ke7 49. a5 Kd7=) 48. ... Kc7 49. h4 h5 50. c3. Unfortunately, White has to move his c-Pawn to make progress. White wins with the Pawn on c2. 50. ... Kc8! One square makes a difference: 50. ... Kb8? 51. Kb6 Kc8 52. a5 Kb8 53. a6 bxa6 54. Kxa6 and White wins the c6 Pawn. 51. Kb6 Kb8 52. a5 Ka8! After 52. ... Kc8? 53. Ka7 Kc7 54. a6 wins. 53. Kc7. After 53. a6 Kb8! 54. axb7 d4 55. cxd4 stalemates, but not 55. Kxc6? dxc3 56. Kb6 c2 57. c6 c1Q Black wins. Even after some magic, Black is not out of the woods: 53. ... Ka7 54. Kd6 Ka6 55. Ke5 Kb5! 56. Kxf5 Kc4! 57. Kg6 Kxc3 58. f5 d4 59. f6 d3 60. f7 d2 61. f8=Q d1=Q 62. Qh8+ Kc4 63. Qxh5 and I am sure Magnus would still try to win it from here.
B. 46. ... Ke7! Hoping that the White Pawns can block the Queenside entrance for the White King. It is amazing to see the Black pieces placed on the right squares — a strange coincidence. 47. bxa5. A critical position. The defense is based on the resistance equilibrium: Black has only one move to hold a draw. 47. ... Kd7! A position with a mutual zugzwang. White to move: draw; Black to move: White wins. After 47. ... Kd8? 48. Kd4 Ke7 49. Ke5 White wins. 48. Kb4. Two other examples show how Black has to find the only one correct square for her King: 1a. 48. Kd3 Ke7!= (48. ... Ke6? 49. Kd4 Kf6 50. Kc3 Ke6 51. Kb4 Kd7 52. a6 bxa6 53. Ka5+−); 1b. 48.Kd4 Ke6!=. 48. ... Kc7 49. Kb3 Kc8 (or 49. ... Kd8) 50. Kc3 Kd7! Draw.

Magnus Carlsen vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Fiona Steil-Antoni.

Pink Granite

Magnus Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 29, 2016
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5! It was probably a surprise to Magnus. 2. Nf3 Nf6. The good news is that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) doesn’t want to lose. It’s a good start! 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 Be6 9. 0-0-0 Qd7 10. b3 Bf6 11. h3 0-0-0. For 11. ... h5 12. Bg5 Qe7 13. Bb5 0-0-0 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Rhe1 h4 16. Re4 Rh5 take a look at Lékó – 李超 (Lǐ Chāo), Szeged 2015, match game 4. 12. g4 h6 13. Bg2 Kb8 14. Rhe1. Shall we too add another to those melancholy case histories entitled: The Wrong Rook? Maybe no, because Carlsen’s likely novelty does not appear to imply any substantial differences with respect to 14. Rde1 a6 15. Re2 d5 16. Nd4 Nxd4 17. Bxd4 Bxd4 18. Qxd4 g6 19. Rhe1 h5 20. f3 Qd6 21. Re5 hxg4 22. fxg4 c6 with a holdable game, Domínguez Pérez – Vázquez Igarza, 59th Spanish Team Chess Championship (División de Honor), Linares 2015. 14. ... Rhe8 15. Kb2 a6 16. Re2 Qe7 17. Rde1. “Not much is happening, but Magnus definitely has some pressure. Not a pleasant position for Black to play”, Grandmaster Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler said. Indeed, Black’s position looks rock solid. 17. ... Qf8 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Bd7 22. f4 Rxe2 22. Rxe2 Re8 23. Rxe8+ Bxe8. Now, Magnus, what can you do? Looking for water in the desert won’t be easy. 24. Qb4 c6 25. Bf1 Kc8 26. g5 Qe7 27. gxh6 gxh6 28. Qd4 f6 29. Qa7 Bd7 30. a4 Qd8 31. Qg1 Qe7 32. Qg6!? Ambitiously, angrily, bravely, and even disagreeably played. A silent draw offer with 32. Qa7 Qd8 was objectively justified. 32. ... Qe1! 33. Bd3 Qh4 34. Bf5 Bxf5 35. Qxf5+ Kb8 36. c4 Kc7. Indeed, the Queen ending is roughly equal. 37. Qa5+ Kc8 38. Qd2 Kd7 39. c5 d5 40. Qe3 Qh5. The time control reached. Quo vadis, Magnus? 41. Qg3 Qf7 42. Qg4+ f5 43. Qg3 Qf6+ 44. Qc3 Qxc3+? It’s not a mistake at all, but a necessary preparation for it. 45. Kxc3

45. ... h5?? Thus 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) decides to lose, and nobody never will know the reason why. Of course, after 45. ... a5 46. Kd4 (or 46. b4 h5!) 46. ... Ke6 it’s a dead draw. 46. Kb4 Kc8 47. Ka5 Kc7 48. h4 Kb8 49. Kb6 Kc8 50. b4 Kb8 51. b5 cxb5 52. axb5 axb5 53. Kxb5 Kc7 54. c3 1 : 0. I’m sure Magnus is not so happy.

Magnus Carlsen vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Alina l’Ami.

Cime tempestose

“Cime tempestose” ™ © Mado Flynn

No Sugar

Artwork © justeline

不加糖，因为我已经够甜了。
Bù jiātáng, yīnwèi wǒ yǐjīng gòu tiánle.
No sugar. I’m sweet enough.

Romance in Durango

There will be new chess gossip at Wijk aan Zee this year as two World Champions, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Magnus Carlsen, strike a pose together. Photo: Evgeny Yakovlevich Gik.

Rush Hour

Anna Muzychuk – Laurent Fressinet
14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 28, 2016
Four Knights Game C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bc5 6. Be3 Bb6 7. Qd2 Ng4 8. Nxc6 dxc6 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Bxb6 axb6. A coreographic Pawn Cube. 11. f3. For 11. h3 Ne5 12. f4 Ng6 13. g3 h5 14. h4 Ke7 see Bagi – Melkumyan, 34th Zalakaros Open 2015, Zalakaros 2015. 11. ... Nf6 12. 0-0-0 Ke7 13. Be2 h5 14. h4 b5 15. a3 Be6 16. f4 g6 17. Rhe1 Ne8 18. Bf3 Bg4 19. Bxg4 hxg4 20. g3 Nd6 21. Rd3 Rhd8 22. Nd1 c5 23. Ne3 c6

24. e5. If 24. Nxg4 there might follow 24. ... c4 25. Rde3 b4 26. Ne5 c3! with obvious compensation. 24. ... Nc4? There’s evidently something wrong with Fressinet’s calculations, and so 24. ... Ne4 was the move which was called for. For instance: 24. ... Ne4 25. Rxd8 Rxd8 26. Nf1 Nf2 27. Nd2 f5! 28. exf6+ Kf8 29. Rf1 Re8! 30. Nf3! Ne4 31. Ne5 Nxg3 32. Re1 Rd8! 33. Nxg4 Nh5 with a tenable position – at least compared to the actual continuation of the game. 25. Rxd8 Rxd8 26. Nxg4 b4 27. a4 b5 28. b3 Na3. If 28. ... Na5 then 29. axb5 cxb5 30. Rd1 and White, a Pawn ahead, should win the ending quite easily. 29. a5! “Meanwhile there’s a bigger sensation – Anna Muzychuk is beating Laurent Fressinet!”, the gurus of chess24.com tweeted. 29. ... c4. “The sister of the Women’s World Chess Champion never gave the French Grandmaster a chance. Another line is 29. ... Ra8, but White wins smoothly all the same: 30. e6 f5 31. Ne5 Kxe6 32. Nxg6+ Kf6 33. Ne5 c4 34. h5”, Woman Grandmaster Zsuzsa Verőci said. 30. Rd1! In spite of her time trouble, Anna plays best rather than better. 30. ... Ra8 31. Nf6 Rxa5 32. Rd7+ Ke6 33. g4 Ra8 34. Rd6+ Ke7 35. Rd7+ Kf8 36. e6! fxe6 37. Nh7+ Kg8 38. Nf6+ Kf8 39. h5! gxh5 40. Nh7+. Anna repeated moves to reach the time control. 40. ... Kg8 41. Nf6+ Kf8 42. g5! 1 : 0. Well done, Miss Muzychuk! Needless to ask, of course, who is Anna and who is Mariya?

Anna Muzychuk vs. Laurent Fressinet
Photo: John Saunders

Last-minute call

The Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” will participate in the ballet festival “Le ali della danza”, which will be staged at the Teatro Aurora, Via San Bartolo in Tuto, 1, 50018 Scandicci, Florence, on Friday, January 29, 2016, starting at 20,45. The event is organised by Lions Club Fiesole under the patronage of the Comune di Scandicci. Sergio Staino will greet and welcome the audience. Proceeds will be donated to support a school of massotherapy for hypo-blind and for removing architectural barriers in the gardens of Fiesole.

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

All the Colours of the Dark

With Flowers From November 30, 2013, I will place a bouquet of fresh flowers in the basket of a bicycle outside No. 258 草场地 (Cǎochǎngdì) studio every morning until I regain the right to travel freely. – 艾未未 (Ài Wèiwèi)

放花 (With Flowers)
Photos: 艾未未 (Ài Wèiwèi)

For more details, see http://www.aiweiwei.com/projects/with-flowers/index.html

Moon

Moon
by 艾未未 (Ài Wèiwèi) & Ólafur Elíasson

Turn nothing into something – make a drawing, make a mark. Connect with others through this space of imagination. Look at other people’s drawings and share them with the world. Be part of the growing community to celebrate how creative expression transcends external borders and internal constraints. We are in this world together. Ideas, wind, and air no one can stop. ENTER

http://www.moonmoonmoonmoon.com/

Under Construction

Lesbos, Greece: Chinese activist and artist 艾未未 (Ài Wèiwèi) assists refugees and migrants after their arrival on a dinghy from the Turkish coast to a beach near the island’s port of Mytilene. Photo: Mstyslav Chernov/AP.

Les Misérables

London, United Kingdom: Workmen cover up a new artwork by Banksy that depicts the girl from Les Misérables in a cloud of teargas. The artwork opposite the French embassy includes a QR code that links to a video of a police raid on the Calais “jungle” camp. Photo: Yui Mok/PA.

Пізанська вежа (Leaning Tower of Pisa)

Mariya Muzychuk – Marco Codenotti
14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 27, 2016
Sicilian Defence B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2. The great idea is 4. ... Nxe4?? 5. Qa4+, but it can work only in undeveloped chess countries. 4. ... Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d5 7. e5 Ne4 8. 0-0 Bg4 9. Be3 e6 10. Ne1 Bxe2 11. Qxe2 h6. Not 11. ... Qb6? on account of 12. f3 Nxd4 13. Qd1 Bc5 14. fxe4 and Black has no compensation at all for his sacrificed Knight (Muzychuk’s analysis). 12. f3. For 12. Nd3 Be7 13. f3 Ng5 14. Nd2 Qb6 15. f4 Ne4 see Fernández Aguado – Morovic Fernández, 10th International Open El Corte Inglés, Las Palmas 1987. 12. ... Ng5 13. Nc3 Be7 14. Qd3. For 14. Nd3 Qd7 15. Rac1 0-0 16. Nf4 Rac8 see Dâmaso – Diogo, 67th Portuguese Chess Championship, Lisbon 2013. 14. ... 0-0 15. f4. Grandmaster Stuart Conquest suggested a possible improvement with 15. a3 and if 15. ... Na5 then more effectively 16. f4. 15. ... Nb4 16. Qb1 Ne4! 17. a3. If 17. Nxe4 dxe4 18. Qxe4 there might follow 18. ... Qd5 and Black’s more dynamic placement seems to compensate for the Pawn. 17. ... Nxc3 18. bxc3 Nc6

19. f5. The aim is to vitalize a rather lifeless game. 19. ... exf5 20. Qxf5 Bg5 21. Nc2 Rc8 22. e6 Rc7 23. Rae1 g6 24. exf7+ Kg7 25. Bxg5 Qxg5. Not 25. ... hxg5? 26. Qh3 Rxf7 27. Ne3! with a powerful attack. 26. Qxg5 hxg5 27. Nb4 Nxb4 28. cxb4 Rcxf7 29. Rxf7+ Rxf7 30. h3 b5 31. Rc1 a6 32. Rc5 Rf5 33. Rc7+ Rf7 34. Rc5. The King and Pawn ending would also lead to a draw. 34. ... Rf5 35. Kh2 Rf2 36. Rc7+ Kf6 37. Rc6+ Kf5 38. Rxa6 Ra2 39. Ra5 g4 40. hxg4+ Ke4 41. Rxb5 Rxa3 42. Rb6 g5 43. Rg6 Kf4 44. Rf6+ Kxg4 45. Rd6 Rb3 46. Rxd5 Rxb4 47. Rd8 Ra4 48. d5 Rd4 49. Kg1 Kg3 50. Kf1 g4 51. d6 Rd5 52. Rd7 Rd4 ½ : ½.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Sophie Tray

14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival (‏@GibraltarChess)

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Moscow, Russia: A Russian Presidential Regiment soldier guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Photo: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images.

The Amazing Spider-Man 3

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Michael Adams
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Utrecht, January 27, 2016
Queen’s Pawn Opening D02

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. Bg3 0-0 8. Bd3 b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. f4 Ne7 11. Qf3. If 11. Qc2 there might follow 11. ... c4 12. Be2 Nf5 13. Bf2 Be7 14. Ng4 Nxg4 15. Bxg4 Nd6 16. f5 exf5 17. Bxf5 Nxf5 18. Qxf5 Qc8 19. Qf3 b5 20. h4 a5 21. h5 h6 22. Bh4 Re8 23. Nf1 Qe6 24. Kf2 Bf8 25. Ng3 b4 26. Nf5 Qe4 27. Raf1 Bc8 28. Ng3 Qxf3+ 29. gxf3 a4 30. Ne2 a3 31. cxb4 Bxb4 32. Nf4 axb2 33. Nxd5 Rxa2 34. Rb1 Ba5 35. Rhg1 Kf8 ½ : ½ Andreikin – Karjakin, 6th Chess World Cup, Baku 2015, tie-break game 2. Karjakin evidently agreed to a draw in a winning position. 11. ... Nf5 12. Bf2 Be7 13. g4 Nd6 14. g5 Nfe4 15. 0-0-0? Very committal. However, after both 15. Qh3 Nf5 (Blatný – Žilka, 22nd Czech Chess Championship, Ostrava 2014) and 15. h4 Nxd2 16. Kxd2 Ne4+ 17. Ke2 Bd6 (Mitkov – Borges Mateos, LV Campeonato Nacional e Internacional Abierto Mexicano de Ajedrez, Toluca 2009) Black stands well. 15. ... c4! 16. Bc2 b5 17. Qh3 b4. Black’s attack just comes natural. 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Be1 Bd5 20. Rg1. No better is 20. cxb4 a5! with an overwhelming attack.

20. ... b3! 21. axb3 cxb3 22. Bb1 f5. Even stronger was 22. ... a5 directly attacking Karjakin’s rock. 23. gxf6. 23. g6 h6 doesn’t change anything. 23. ... Bxf6 24. Rg4 Nf5 25. Kd2 Qa5 26. Ke2 Bxe5 27. dxe5 Rad8 28. Kf2 Qa1 29. Bd2 Bc4 30. Qh5 Qxb2 31. Ke1 Rxd2 0 : 1. What a massacre.

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin vs. Michael Adams
Photo: Tata Steel Chess (Facebook)

Heartbeats

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Pavel Eljanov
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Utrecht, January 27, 2016
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3. Miss 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s opening repertoire doesn’t yet include everlasting classics like the Evans Gambit, but who knows, someday maybe it will all come true. 4. ... Nf6 5. d3 0-0 6. 0-0 d6 7. Nbd2 a6 8. Bb3 Be6 9. Bc2 h6 10. h3 Re8 11. Re1 d5 12. exd5 Bxd5 13. b4 Ba7 14. a4 b5 15. Bb2!? A new try. On the other hand, after 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. dxe4 Bc4 17. Be3 Bxe3 18. Rxe3 Qxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Rad8 the game seems quite even, Nevednichy – Melkumyan, Grand Europe Open, Albena 2013. 15. ... Qb8 16. Nf1 Qb6. Eljanov’s Queen manoeuvre (... Qd8-b8-b6) is as original as well-founded. 17. Ne3 Rad8. The decision to give up the Bishop pair is all but obvious. If 17. ... Be6 then 18. Qe2 with a slight plus. 18. a5 Qb7 19. Nxd5 Nxd5 20. Nh4 Re6!

21. d4. White opens up the game in order to exploit the power of her two Bishops. It looks quite logical. 21. ... Rf6. If 21. ... exd4 there might follow 22. Qd3 Nf6 23. Rxe6 fxe6 24. Bb3 and White exerts some pressure. 22. Qh5? A bit too adventurous. 22. ... Qc8! Not 22. ... exd4? 23. Qxd5! with amazing fireworks. 23. Be4 Nf4! 24. Qf3 Ng6 25. Qg3. Not 25. Nf5 exd4 26. Nxh6+? Kf8 and White gets into much more serious trouble. 25. ... Nxh4 26. Qxh4 exd4 27. Bf3 d3. Both players were in serious time trouble, so let’s forget the perfect schachpartie. 28. Rad1 Qf5 29. c4. Good news: White’s dark-squared Bishop finally enters the game! 29. ... g5 30. Qe4 Bd4 31. Bxd4 Nxd4 32. Rxd3! A timely Exchange sacrifice which should be sufficient to survive. 32. ... Ne2+ 33. Rxe2 Rxd3 34. Qe8+?? Miss 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) commits a very unlucky mistake, with almost no time left on clock. The exchange of Queens followed by c4xb5 would have given her excellent drawing chances (as after 35. ... Rxb5 36. Re8+ Kg7 37. Be2 White regains her material loss). 34. ... Kg7 35. Be4 Rd1+ 36. Kh2 Qf4+ 37. g3 Qd6 38. cxb5 Rd2 39. Bg2 Rxf2 40. Rxf2 Rxf2 41. Qe3 Rf6. Pavel’s first move after the time control and certainly not a bad one. In spite of her heroic efforts to resist, White will soon have to give up the game. 42. bxa6 Qxa6 43. Qc5 Qd6 44. Qc3 Kg8 45. b5 Rf2 46. Qe1 Ra2 47. a6 Qd5 48. Qf1 Qd4 49. Qg1 Qxg1+ 50. Kxg1 Kf8 51. Bd5 Ra3 52. Kf2 Ke7 53. g4 f6 54. Ke2 Kd6 55. Be4 Kc5 56. Bd3 Kd4 57. Bf5 Rxh3 58. Bd7 Ra3 59. Bc6 Kc5 60. Bd7 Kb6 61. Kf2 c5 62. bxc6 Rxa6 63. Kf3 Ra4 64. Ke3 Kc7 65. Kf3 Kd6 66. Ke3 Ra5 67. Ke4 Re5+ 68. Kf3 Re7 0 : 1.. As they say, after all tomorrow is another day, and, who knows, maybe there will be a happy day after tomorrow.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Pavel Eljanov
Photo: Tata Steel Chess (Facebook)

Scellé de garantie

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 27, 2016
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 Bg4 4. 0-0 e6 5. h3 Bh5 6. d4 Nd7 7. c4 Be7 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Nc3 Ngf6 10. Nh4 0-0 11. f4 Ne4 12. Nf5 Nxc3 13. bxc3 f6 14. Qb3 Nb6 15. e4 Re8 16. g4 Bf7 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. e5 Nc4 19. Qc2 fxe5 20. dxe5 Rad8 21. Qf2 c5 22. Re1 Qc7 23. f5! Monsieur Vachier-Lagrave sacrifices a Pawn in order to launch his attack. 23. ... Rxe5 24. Bf4 Rxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Qa5 26. Qg3! (Δ Bf4-c7) 26. ... Qxa2 27. Bg5 Rc8 28. f6 gxf6 29. Bxf6 Qd2 30. g5 Nd6? We feel istinctively that Black’s situation was not yet as bad as it now is, but, if nothing else, the text allows a delightful finish:

31. g6! Bxg6. Or 31. ... hxg6 32. Qh4 and wins. 32. Qe5! Rf8. “32. ... Bf7 33. Re2 Qd1+ 34. Bf1 with a winning attack”, Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett said. 33. Bxd5+ Nf7 34. Bg5! 1 : 0.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs. Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
Photo: 14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival (‏@GibraltarChess)

Солодке життя (La Dolce Vita)

14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival (‏@GibraltarChess)