Nature, volcanoes, bears and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Sergei Yuryevich Shipov, September 21, 2016
I returned yesterday from Kamchatka. It was a most scenic and interesting trip!
Highlights: nature, volcanoes, bears and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).
Kamchatka is basically an island, with no roads to the mainland. It is necessary to fly by plane or sail to Vladik, and already there ...
Hence, life in Kamchatka is special and particular. But our people live there... as well as our bears. Harsh and sincere. Both of them live off fish. And only a little bit — on the shoulders of the tourists.
Most of the land is wild and virgin. Therein lies its beauty and danger. The energy of dozens of active volcanoes, of the ocean, of geysers, of rivers and of many thousands of bears gets automatically transferred to every visitor. This is not calm, opulent Switzerland. There is no comfort in Kamchatka, but a struggle for survival in a symbiosis with nature.
The match between 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Inarkiev ended in a draw, but luck favoured the Women’s Champion. I’ve already written about it, so won’t repeat myself here.
I held a lecture (chess as usual, with an emphasis on educational moments), played a blitz tournament with local players (I passed the exam) and gave a simultaneous exhbition to the best youth of Kamchatka. The last test proved to be the most difficult. I was especially pleased with a girl (I do not know her name, alas!), who roasted me with Black in the Hedgehog in the style of the young Shipov. She knew very well what she had to do! The contemporary Shipov, with White, barely jumped off it in time... Oh, what a luck.
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) gave a distinct and very vivid impression. I knew her as an outstanding player, and now I was knowing her more closely from a human perspective. I already had a long experience of dealing with lots of champions. But I have never met a champion as polite, humble, patient and friendly as she is.
Fanechka took with philosophy all minor adversities and annoyancess (which, alas! occurred). She was kind and open-minded with everyone. Along the way, she had the opportunity to relax and skip some of the scheduled commitments, but she never took advantage of it. The Women’s Champion reminded me of that invisible character in Filatov’s play poem The Tale of Fedot the Strelets, who said: “I’m all for it for I expect / It’s a bright and useful prospect, / I can make myself at home / Even in a wild bee swarm! If you want me to, I can”.
She also took with her half a suitcase full of gifts — which truly surprised me. Usually, the true champs — i.e., the ordinary champions — come to the strangers, in unknown lands, and just limit themselves to making their hosts happy with their divine presence, accepting all gifts — and leaving back home with a sense of accomplishment. Instead, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) would repay any kindness with kindness, and even more than that. Indeed I didn’t give her anything, but she did — yes!
On the whole, I was subdued by her — she fascinated me. I will be rooting for her now.
And of course, in the future I will most certainly find reasons to return to Kamchatka again. Whoever has once been here will always wish to return...
Sergei Yuryevich Shipov, September 21, 2016
I returned yesterday from Kamchatka. It was a most scenic and interesting trip!
Highlights: nature, volcanoes, bears and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).
Kamchatka is basically an island, with no roads to the mainland. It is necessary to fly by plane or sail to Vladik, and already there ...
Hence, life in Kamchatka is special and particular. But our people live there... as well as our bears. Harsh and sincere. Both of them live off fish. And only a little bit — on the shoulders of the tourists.
Most of the land is wild and virgin. Therein lies its beauty and danger. The energy of dozens of active volcanoes, of the ocean, of geysers, of rivers and of many thousands of bears gets automatically transferred to every visitor. This is not calm, opulent Switzerland. There is no comfort in Kamchatka, but a struggle for survival in a symbiosis with nature.
The match between 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Inarkiev ended in a draw, but luck favoured the Women’s Champion. I’ve already written about it, so won’t repeat myself here.
I held a lecture (chess as usual, with an emphasis on educational moments), played a blitz tournament with local players (I passed the exam) and gave a simultaneous exhbition to the best youth of Kamchatka. The last test proved to be the most difficult. I was especially pleased with a girl (I do not know her name, alas!), who roasted me with Black in the Hedgehog in the style of the young Shipov. She knew very well what she had to do! The contemporary Shipov, with White, barely jumped off it in time... Oh, what a luck.
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) gave a distinct and very vivid impression. I knew her as an outstanding player, and now I was knowing her more closely from a human perspective. I already had a long experience of dealing with lots of champions. But I have never met a champion as polite, humble, patient and friendly as she is.
Fanechka took with philosophy all minor adversities and annoyancess (which, alas! occurred). She was kind and open-minded with everyone. Along the way, she had the opportunity to relax and skip some of the scheduled commitments, but she never took advantage of it. The Women’s Champion reminded me of that invisible character in Filatov’s play poem The Tale of Fedot the Strelets, who said: “I’m all for it for I expect / It’s a bright and useful prospect, / I can make myself at home / Even in a wild bee swarm! If you want me to, I can”.
She also took with her half a suitcase full of gifts — which truly surprised me. Usually, the true champs — i.e., the ordinary champions — come to the strangers, in unknown lands, and just limit themselves to making their hosts happy with their divine presence, accepting all gifts — and leaving back home with a sense of accomplishment. Instead, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) would repay any kindness with kindness, and even more than that. Indeed I didn’t give her anything, but she did — yes!
On the whole, I was subdued by her — she fascinated me. I will be rooting for her now.
And of course, in the future I will most certainly find reasons to return to Kamchatka again. Whoever has once been here will always wish to return...
(English translation by I, Robot)
Masha & the Bear. Photo: Sergei Yuryevich Shipov.
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