Kicked Out

Peers support Labour amendment to Brexit bill to protect European residents in UK after article 50 is triggered. [Read more].

• Anushka Asthana, Heather Stewart and Peter Walker, Theresa May faces likely defeat in Lords over rights of EU citizens, The Guardian, February 28, 2017

The Conservative government is likely to be defeated in the House of Lords over the issue of securing the rights of EU citizens living in the United Kingdom, despite a last minute plea from the home secretary, Amber Rudd. Photo: Andy Rain/EPA.

People Help The People

“Muzychuk played the opening in unusual style and adopted a most solid approach. We weren’t prepared, but somehow she, too – and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) succeeded in taking her opponent by surprise obtaining a slight edge. Then Anna committed a clear error at the 12th move, and her position became passive. Afterwards 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) gradually and slowly increased the pressure until she achieved a clear advantage which she eventually converted into a win”, the head coach of the Chinese women's team Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) told sina.sports.com.cn. On the other hand, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) appeared well aware that... tomorrow is another day. “I think that Anna felt psychological pressure and she did not play at her usual standard. Tomorrow it will be a crucial test. I hope I will be able to withstand it”, she said

余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg)
Photo: sports.sohu.com

The Ukrainian delegation made no comment on today’s result, but Muzychuk immediately received the passionate support of her countrypeople, who, undoubtedly, will give her inspiration and strength.

Mikhail Vladimirovich Golubev (@golubev_mikhail)

“From Odessa, I support Anna Muzichuk in the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament and women’s rights in Iran”, Grandmaster Mikhail Vladimirovich Golubev wrote.

The Red Turtle

Sony World Photography Awards | 10th Anniversary Travel category, open shortlist “Lady in red”, shot with a drone on the eastern part of the Luštica peninsula in Montenegro. Photo: Placido Faranda.

The Queen’s Cake

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Anna Muzychuk

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 28, 2017

Semi-Slav Defence D43

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Qd3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 b5 7. Qd3 a6 8. e4 c5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11. Bd3 Bb7. For 11. ... Nbd7 12. 0-0 Bb7 13. e5 Nd5 14. Ne4 Ke7 15. Bg5+ f6 16. exf6+ gxf6 17. Bh6 Kf7 18. Rae1 Be7 19. Bb1 Rad8 20. Re2 Nf8 21. g3 e5 see Tregubov – Gelfand, 12th Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2005. 12. e5 Ng4? The Knight looks misplaced here. Both 12. ... Nd5 and 12. ... Nfd7 13. Ne4 Be7 were worth considering. 13. Ne4 Bb4+ 14. Ke2 Nd7 15. Bf4. All is perfectly consolidated, so White can enjoy her much more harmonious position. 15. ... Nc5. Both 15. ... f5!? and 15. ... f6!? (Stockfish) might have been a little less committal. 16. Nxc5 Bxc5

17. Rhc1! White’s elegant deployment of the Rook marks a Black’s difficulty on both wings. 17. ... Bb6 18. Ng5! Ke7 19. Ne4 Bxe4 20. Nxe4 Rhc8 21. f3 Nh6 22. g4 Ng8 23. Nd6 Rxc1 24. Rxc1. The threat is Nd6-c8+. 24. ... Kd7. The decision to give up a Pawn for vitalizing her Knight makes sense. 25. Nxf7 Ne7. With the threat of ... Ra8-f8. 26. Be3! White feels confident in relying upon her own technique. 26. ... Bxe3 27. Kxe3 Ng6. 27. ... Nd5+ might have been better, even though after 28. Kd4 Rf8 29. Ng5 Rf4+ 30. Ne4 White’s extra Pawn and her more enterprising pieces make things a bit unpleasant for Black (for instance: 30. ... Rxf3? 31. Nc5+ Ke7 32. Nxe6!). 28. h4? A strange omission on 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s part, even though, from a psychological viewpoint, it turns out to be the decisive blow. White ought to play 28. f4! Nxf4 29. Kxf4 Rf8 30. Rd1+! Ke7 31. Rd6 Rxf7+ 32. Ke3! with a much better ending for her. 28. ... Rf8? In a critical moment, and under time pressure, Muzychuk doesn’t feel like playing 28. ... Nxh4! 29. Rh1 Ng2+ 30. Kf2 Ke7 31. Nd6 Nf4 32. Rxh7 Nd3+ 33. Kg3 Nxe5 which apparently would have made things very unclear. 29. h5! Ne7 30. Ng5 Nd5+ 31. Kf2 h6 32. Ne4 Ra8 33. a3 a5 34. Nc3 Rc8 35. Rd1 Ke7 36. Nxd5+ exd5 37. Rxd5 Rc2+ 38. Ke3 Rxb2 39. Ke4. Now it is a totally won endgame for White, and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) is gonna win it with elegant technique. 39. ... a4 40. f4 Rb1 41. Kf5 Rb3 42. Rc5 Kd7 43. Kg6 b4 44. axb4 Rxb4 45. Kf5 Ke7 46. Rc7+ Kf8 47. Ra7 Kg8 48. g5 hxg5 49. fxg5 Rb6 50. Rxa4 g6+ 51. hxg6 Rb1 52. Ra8+ Kg7 53. Ra7+ Kg8 54. g7 Rf1+. Game over, so it’s time to look for stalemate tricks. 55. Kg6! Ra1! 56. Rf7! 1 : 0. Muzychuk finally resigns, for after 56. ... Ra6+ 57. Rf6 Re6!? 58. Kh6! there is no stalemate. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) gave her a party on her birthday day.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo © David Llada

The Ninth Hour

Shakhriyar Hamid oglu Mamedyarov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
FIDE Grand Prix 2017; 1st stage; Sharjah, February 27, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20

Notes by Grandmaster Alex Vladislavovich Yermolinsky, ChessBase.com, February 28, 2017.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4. 3. ... c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 Bd6 6. e4 Bc7 7. Nf3 d6 8. h3 0-0 9. Bd3 Ba5 The original Snake Benoni.
4. f3. Mamedyarov’s favorite reply to the Nimzo. He took up where Shirov blazed the trail some twenty years ago, and ever since the Azeri star has been the main driving force behind the development of this line.
4. ... c5. Transposing to a Snake Benoni is one of many options available for Black. The advantage is in getting there quicker, but the question still remains how good Black’s position really is. Karpov used to play 4. ... d5, and there’s 4. ... 0-0 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Nh5 (Karjakin – Carlsen, 1st Gashimov Memorial, Shamkir 2014).
5. d5 0-0. 5. ... b5 6. e4 0-0 transposes.
6. e4 b5. Some players prefer to hide their intentions a bit and first go 6. ... d6 Just five days ago it was seen in a blitz game between Mamedyarov and So. There followed 7. Bd3 b5 (7. ... Nbd7 8. Nge2 Ne5 gets the Bishop, but White may be OK with that as 9. Bg5 creates problems with the pin) 8. Nge2 bxc4 9. Bxc4 exd5 10. Bxd5 Nxd5 11. Qxd5 this appears to be the problem with putting the Pawn on d6 — Black doesn’t have ... Nb8-c6 to save the Rook. Wesley, as we might always expect, had something prepared. 11. ... Qb6 12. Bf4 Be6 13. Qxa8 Nc6 14. Qxf8+ Kxf8 15. Bxd6+ Kg8 16. 0-0-0 Na5 with extra-sharp play. In the end of that crazy game Shakh was able to inflict a rare defeat on the hard-to-beat Wesley.
7. e5. No looking back. The positional approach 7. Nh3 d6 8. Nf4 e5 9. Nfe2 spends too much time, and Black gets to start his own play with 9. ... Nh5 10. g4 Qh4+ 11. Kd2 Nf4 12. Nxf4 exf4 13. Kc2 occurred in Eljanov – Harikrishna, 4th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2016.
7. ... Ne8 8. f4 d6 9. Nf3 exd5 10. cxd5 Nc7. The game that started it all was a classic battle Shirov – Kramnik, 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2010: 10. ... c4 11. a4 Bg4 (11. ... Nd7 12. Be2 Qb6 13. axb5 Nc7 in the later game Mamedyarov – Karjakin) 12. axb5 Nd7 13. e6 fxe6 14. dxe6 Nb6 15. Be2 Nc7 16. Ng5 Bxe2 17. Qxe2 d5 (possibly better was 17. ... Qf6 18. 0-0 h6 19. Nce4 Qf5) 18. 0-0 Qf6 19. f5! leading to a victory for the Latvian.
RR Gramdmaster Viktor Petrovich Moskalenko gives here 10. ... c4!? 11. a4 Nd7 12. Be2 Qb6 13. axb5 dxe5 14. fxe5 Nc7= with equality.
11. a4. There comes a novelty. 11. Bd3 c4 12. Be4 f5! worked out for Black number of times, including Shirov – Grandelius, 42nd Chess Olympiad, Baku 2016.
11. ... Bb7 12. Bd3

12. ... h6? 侯 (Hóu) chooses the wrong way to secure the King. Granted, it was hard to ignore the threat, but 12. ... Nxd5 13. Bxh7+ Kxh7 14. Ng5+ Kg8 (14. ... Kg6 15. f5+ crashes) 15. Qh5 Qxg5 16. fxg5 Nxc3 might just be playable for Black, e.g. 17. 0-0 g6 18. Qg4 Nc6 19. bxc3 Bxc3 20. Ra3 Bd4+ 21. Be3 b4. Best was 12. ... g6 13. 0-0 c4 14. Be4 Nd7 15. exd6 Ne8.
13. 0-0 [RR ±]
13. ... Bxc3. Now in case of 13. ... c4 White has a powerful idea in 14. Bb1 dxe5 15. fxe5 Nxd5 16. Qc2.
14. bxc3 dxe5 15. axb5 e4. 15. ... Nxd5 16. fxe5 with is Bishops pair and strong Pawn on b5 White should be very optmistic here: 16. ... Nxc3 17. Qd2 Nd5 18. Be4 Qd7 19. Ba3±.
16. Bxe4 Bxd5

17. Bb1! Nd7 18. c4! Bb7. Naturally, not 18. ... Bxc4? 19. Qc2, but 18. ... Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Ne6 was a must, although I doubt Black can survive this.
19. Ra3! Shakh is incredibly strong in such positions.
19. ... Ne6 20. Qc2. A mere extra Pawn after 20. Rd3 Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Nd4 22. Qf2 Qc7 23. Bb2 Nf6 24. Bxd4 etc. was not good enough for Shakh.
20. ... Nf6 21. Bb2 Ne4. Black should have tried her luck in the endgame: 21. ... Be4 22. Bxf6 Bxc2 23. Bxd8 Bxb1 24. Be7 Rfe8 25. Bxc5 Nxc5 26. Rxb1 Re4 although White then has the powerful 27. b6.
22. Rd3 Qc7 23. f5. Black’s pieces are totally overwhelmed.

23. ... Nd4 24. Nxd4 cxd4 25. Bxd4 a6 26. b6 Qc6 27. f6 Rfd8 28. fxg7 Rd6 29. c5 Rg6 30. Ba2 Ng5 31. Rg3 Nh3+. One last try, but 32. Kh1 forced resignation. It seemed 侯 (Hóu) was a bit out of her league challenging Shakh in his home turf, but overall, she showed solid play in Sharjah. Shakh, in his stead, must be content with making up for his loss to Grischuk in the previous round and gaining a share of first place. 1 : 0.

阴阳 (yīn and yáng). Photo © Maria Yassakova.

The Heavenly Lightness of Not Being Arcovazzi

Since now you know who they are, I pray don’t tell me anything else. It would take at least three centuries to forget such a degree of ugliness, but alas, I don’t have so much time ahead of me. So please leave them to their fate, no matter what they stole. Get back to life, come and fly on the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s carpet-dance!

An eastern barn owl performing modern dance
Photo: Richard Fisher (Flickr)

Careful What You Wish For

Mentiris, credo: recitas mala carmina, laudo: cantas, canto: bibis, Pontiliane, bibo: pedis, dissimulo: gemma vis ludere, vincor: res una est, sine me quam facis, et taceo. Nil tamen omnino praestas mihi. “Mortuus”, inquis, “accipiam bene te”. Nil volo: sed morere. I praise your doggerel verse: believe your lye: You sing, I sing: you drink, and so do I. You bet, I lose: we play, you win the game: One thing, you do without me, I don’t name. And yet you nothing give me. When you die, You promise much: – but one more wish have I. Menti, ti credo; reciti versetti da nulla, li lodo. canti, canto; se bevi, Pontiliano, io bevo. Spari, non me n’accorgo; giochiamo agli scacchi, io perdo; sola una cosa tu fai senza di me, ed io taccio. Pure, non mi dài nulla di nulla. “Da morto” mi dici “ti lascerò il gruzzolo”. Altro non voglio; ma crepa.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 12, XL
English translation by William Hay
Italian translation by Giuseppe Lipparini

Artwork © queencattabby

A Valentine’s Kiss With Teeth

The sharp teeth of the Tiger Moray (Enchelycore anatina). Photo: Natursports/Dreamstime.com/King’s College London.

Build a Poster Colouring Book

• Ганна Музичук зіграла в нічию першу партію за звання чемпіонки світу з шахів (відео) | Anna Muzychuk drew the first game of the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament final (Video), ukranews.com, February 27, 2017

“Today Anna failed to pose any real problem to her opponent. Black confidently achieved a draw. Of course, it is not what we wished for, but there is no reason to panic. Come on”, the head of the Ukrainian women’s national team Grandmaster Mikhail Brodsky told journalist Eugene Kuzmenko.

• 女子国象世锦赛决赛首局 谭中怡后手战和对手 | 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) drew the first game of the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament final, sports.sina.com.cn, February 27, 2016

“Today’s game proceeded in a smooth and peaceful way for 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), and we are satisfied. So far Anna always won with White, so we felt a bit worried. But we succeeded where everyone else failed: draw!”, the head coach of the Chinese women's team Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) told sina.sports.com.cn.

Anna Muzychuk vs. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo: sina.sports.com.cn

Out of The Easy

In Mumbai slums, 78% of community toilets lack water supply, 58% have no electricity and many don’t have proper doors. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo.

The majority of slum residents are forced to depend on the thriving informal market for water, operated by a network of local strongmen. Photo: Rajanish Kakade/AP.

Stained glass

Anna Muzychuk – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 1; Tehran, February 27, 2017

French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7 5. Nf3 Bc6 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. 0-0 Ngf6 8. Ned2 Be7 9. b3 0-0 10. Bb2 b6. For 10. ... Re8 11. c4 Bxf3 12. Nxf3 c5 13. Bc2 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Qb6 15. Qe2 Nf8 16. Rad1 Ng6 17. a3 a5 18. Nb5 see A. Muzychuk – Piesik, 4th International Tournament of Polonia Wrocław Chess Club, Wrocław 2009. 11. c4 Bb7 12. Qe2 c5 13. Rfe1 Re8 14. Rad1 Qc7 15. Ne4. Apparently not too ambitious. Another try was 15. Bc2 Rad8 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Ne5 a5 18. Ndf3 Nce4 19. Rxd8 Rxd8? (Black’s last few moves were quite dubious, but this last one is decidedly wrong) 20. Nxf7! Kxf7 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. Ng5+ Ke8 23. Nxe6 Qd7 24. Rd1 Bd6 25. c5! bxc5 26. Nxc5+ Qe7 27. Qxe7+ Bxe7 28. Rxd8+ Bxd8 29. Nxb7 remaining two Pawns up in a clearly won endgame, Rozentalis – Couso, 35th Rilton Cup 2005/2006, Stockholm 2005. 15. ... Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 Nf6 18. Qe5 Bd6 19. Qe2 Rad8 20. dxc5 Bxc5. The position looks already very drawish. 21. Bxf6. Attempting to shatter the balance. 21. Ne5 was very natural, but hardly supernatural. 21. ... gxf6 22. g3 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 Rd8

24. Kg2. Strangely self-pinning her own Knight. 24. ... Rxd1 25. Qxd1 Qc6 26. Qd3. With her Knight stuck on f3, White must hurry to get a draw by perpetual check on time. 26. ... f5 27. Qd8+ Kg7 28. Qg5+ Kf8 29. h4 Qe4 30. Qd8+ Kg7 31. Qd2 a5 32. h5. With the deadly threat of h5-h6+. 32. ... h6 33. Qc3+ Kg8 34. Qd2 Kh7 35. Qb2 Qg4 36. Ne5. The Knight is finally free, at the cheap cost of a Pawn, and just in time to assist Her Majesty in her drawing choreographies. 36. ... Qxh5. Also after 36. ... Qd1 37. Nf3 (not 37. Nxf7?? on account of 37. ... Bd4 followed by ... Qd1-e1−+) 37. ... Kg8 the game is roughly even. 37. Nd7 Qg5 38. Nf6+. The Queen endgame would not have promised anything more. 38. ... Kh8 39. Ne8+ Kg8 40. Nf6+ Kh8 41. Ne8+ Kg8 42. Nf6+ ½ : ½. Draw by mutual respect.

And very opportunely the photographer did not forget to snap a shot of Anna Muzychuk and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) shaking hands before the start. Photo © David Llada.

Painting the Moon

Moon – Solo Dance by 杨丽萍 (Yáng Lìpíng)

Magic in the Moonlight

A “supermoon” was seen rising beyond a ferris wheel in 香港 (Hong Kong), China on November 14, 2016. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images.

The Forever Season

It’s Monday and I wish it were Sunday! But this is anyway more bearable than what Arcovazzi’s wife feels upon seeing him and how much he is just him. So don’t mix with them (since they are not worth your time and your life!) and confidently jump onto the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s carpet-dance!

Anna Pavlovna (Matveyevna) Pavlova as a bacchante in Marius Ivanovich Petipa and Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov’s ballet “Les Saisons” in Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1907. Photo: Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Queen in Blue

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Richárd Rapport
Grand Prix 2017; 1st stage; Sharjah, February 26, 2017
Caro-Kann Defence B19

Notes by Andrew David Martin, “First Steps: The Caro-Kann”, Gloucester Publishers, London, 2018, pp. 58-61.

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 a5 Various ideas have been tried by Black to spice this line up and 11. ... a5 has not been scoring badly in recent times. Larsen liked to push his flank Pawns all the way, but the modern treatment is to prepare ... Bf8-b4. 12. 0-0-0 Bb4. Trying to force a concession on the Queenside. The notion is that if White moves the c-Pawn forward he (or she) is weakening his (or her) King position. Political correctness is a must in any modern chess book. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) agrees. 13. Ne4 Ngf6 14. c3. 14. Bxb4, aiming for Ne4-d6+, can be met in two successful ways: 1) 14. ... axb4! 15. Nd6+ Ke7 16. Nxb7 Qb6 17. Nc5 Nxc5 18. dxc5 Qxc5 19. Qb3 Rhd8 and the very weak Pawn on h5 gives Black an undisputed advantage. 2) 14. ... Nxe4 is also good; e.g. 15. Be1 (15. Qxe4? axb4 16. Kb1 Qa5) 15. ... Nef6 16. Kb1 0-0 is equal. 14. ... Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Nf6 16. Qe2 Be7 17. g4. Perhaps White should prevent ... Qd8-d5 with the traditional 17. c4, but Black is comfortable after 17. ... a4 18. Kb1 a3 19. b3 Qc7. 17. ... Qd5! Inconvenient, as the Queen attacks a2 and threatens ... Qd5-e4. 18. c4 Qe4 19. Qxe4 Nxe4 20. Be3

20. ... f5! Rapport is known as an original and creative player and we see this with his choice of 20. ... f5. With the game already heading for a draw, Black finds a way to spice it up. 21. gxf5 0-0! 22. Nh4 exf5. White gets a little more active than she does in the game if Black trades on h4; e.g. 22. ... Bxh4 23. Rxh4 exf5 24. d5 cxd5 25. Rxd5 Rac8 26. b3 a4 27. Kc2 axb3+ 28. axb3 and White has an edge, with more active pieces and a better King. 23. Ng6 Rfe8 24. Nxe7+. The trump card can be played with 24. d5 but Black is safe enough after 24. ... Bg5. Therefore 侯 (Hóu) chops the Bishop off. 24. ... Rxe7 25. Rh4 Nf6 26. Rf4 Nxh5 27. Rxf5 Ng3 28. Rf3 Ne4 29. d5 cxd5 30. Rxd5. This way around, Black doesn&squo;t have a vulnerable Pawn on f5 to worry about. 30. ... a4 31. Kc2 Rc8 32. b3 axb3+ ½ : ½. I think we can safely say that 10. ... e6 is a tough nut to crack.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the Queen of draws. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.

红色娘子军 (The Red Detachment of Women)

• 革命现代芭蕾舞剧《红色娘子军》在澳大利亚墨尔本成功上演... (Revolutionary Modern Ballet “The Red Detachment of Women” succeeded in Melbourne, Australia...), RedChinaCn.net, February 25, 2017

On February 15, 2017 at the invitation of the Organizing Committee of the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts, 108 dancers of the National Ballet of China performed “The Red Detachment of Women”, one of the twentieth century's most striking cultural icons, at the Melbourne’s State Theater. Created and premiered in 1964, “The Red Detachment of Women” fuses the athleticism and rigour of Chinese ballet with a stylish and colour-saturated design and striking original score.

Set in the 1930s on the lush tropical island of 海南 (Hǎinán), “The Red Detachment of Women” is based on the stories of an all-female company of China’s Red Army. A peasant girl who has escaped the clutches of a tyrannical landlord joins the Red Detachment brigade and leads them to defeat her former tormentor and liberate the people. Photo: RedChinaCn.net.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Asghar Farhadi, director of The Salesman, tells London protest that global reaction to U.S. travel ban has become powerful movement The Iranian director behind Oscar-nominated film The Salesman told about 10,000 protesters in London that solidarity against Donald Trump’s travel ban holds the power to “stand up to fascism, be victorious in the face of extremism”. [Read more].

• Nadia Khomami, Solidarity key to resisting Trump, says Oscar-nominated Iranian director, The Guardian, February 26, 2017

The public screening of The Salesman in London on Sunday was intended to be a show of unity and strength against Donald Trump’s travel ban. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images.

Façade

“The knockout format is really cruel”, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) told 重庆晚报 (Chóngqìng Evening News). “[Yesterday] it took seven games to determine the outcome of the tie-break. Harika had great chances of winning, but unfortunately, she did not take them. I saw her expression after I won, and since I shared with her what it might feel like to be in her shoes, I really felt sorry for her”.
As for the final with Anna Olehivna Muzychuk from Ukraine — who can rely upon the unconditional support of the Slavic (especially pro-American) chess communities — 重庆 (Chóngqìng)’s Woman Grandmaster showed tranquility and strength: “I have no idea where I will go, only that I will go tomorrow”.
And indeed, regardless of whether she wins or loses, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) can well be happy with what she’s accomplished so far.
The other finalist, meanwhile, came all the way up without never needing to play a single tie-break. But as Leontxo García writes on his El País column, “Despite the fact that Muzychuk is clearly favourite, it’s likely that 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) does not suffer any psychological inferiority as their results are perfectly balanced in the four games played so far. The Chinese won their first game at the 15th World Youth Chess Championship Girls Under-10 in Oropesa del Mar, Spain in 2000. The Ukrainian took her revenge by winning their game at the 17th World Youth Chess Championship Girls Under-12 in Heraklion, Greece in 2002. The other two games ended in a draw, both being played in the Women’s Grand Prix series in the Chinese cities of 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) and 成都 (Chéngdū), respectively in 2011 and 2016. However, besides Muzychuk’s superior theoretical strength, the fact that she never played a single tie-break so far, could be a decisive factor in terms of accumulated fatigue”.

A Nap in a Lap

北京 (Běijīng), China: A vendor takes a nap from selling gourd products on his stall at the 十里河天娇市场 (Shílǐhé Tiānjiāo Cultural Products Market), which is set to close in March. Photo: 吴宏 (Wú Hóng)/EPA.

Common Sense Not Needed

Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg), head coach of the Chinese women's team participating in the surreal Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament in Tehran, Iran, exchanged some impressions with 梓沫 (Zǐ Mò) of Sina Sports about the fast and furious climb of 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), the most veiled of the Chinese pretenders and China’s last hope to hold the Knockout crown and eventually negotiate a “royal dignity pact” with the “Warlords” which may allow to resuscitate both the Queen and the Queendom. “Today’s games were too unpredictable and subject to ups and downs, and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) was very lucky to qualify for the final”, 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) said. “Nevertheless, the tie-break games reflected all her excellent qualities in rapid play, such as resilience, tenacity, and psychological endurance. Her opponent in the final, Anna Olehivna Muzychuk, is notoriously very strong. I hope 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) may have a good rest tomorrow, so she can play at her best in the final”.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) as Joan of Arc. Photo: qipai.org.cn.

A Day with Aeroflot

余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – Denis Rimovich Khismatullin
15th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 24, 2017
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. Nh3 b4 7. Ne2 d5 8. e5 Nc6 9. f4 Nh6. Very similar consequences may arise from 9. ... Nge7 10. 0-0 Nf5 11. g4 Nh4 12. Ng3 Nxg2 13. Kxg2 Qd7 14. Qe1 0-0-0 15. a3 a5 16. axb4 axb4 17. Kg1 f6 18. c3 d4 19. c4 Re8 20. Qe2 f5 21. Bd2 g6 22. Kf2 Be7 23. Ke1 Kc7 24. Kf2 Ra8 25. Ng1 Na5 26. h3 h5 27. gxh5 gxh5 28. Nf3 h4 29. Nh1 Nb3 30. Rab1 Qc6 31. Kg2 Rag8+ 32. Kh2 Rg6 33. Ng5 Rhg8 34. Rg1 Bxg5 35. Rxg5 Qf3 36. Re1 Rxg5 37. fxg5 Qxe2+ 38. Rxe2 Nxd2 39. Rxd2 Rxg5 40. b3 Kd7 0 : 1 Mack – Hillarp Persson, 35th Guernsey International Chess Festival, Guernsey 2009. 10. Nf2 Nf5 11. 0-0 Qb6 12. c3 Be7 13. g4? Nh4⩱ 14. Bh1 h5! 15. g5 f6. Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão much prefers 15. ... g6⩱, apparently not too convinced by Black’s following Pawn sacrifice. 16. exf6 gxf6 17. Ng3 fxg5 18. fxg5 0-0-0! 19. Qe2. As a matter of fact, it seems a loss of time. After 19. Re1! (Leitão) 19. ... e5 20. Nxh5 Kb8 21. Qg4 Ng6 the same position of the actual game occurs, but with the difference that the White Rook is on e1 (White has magically gained a move!). 19. ... e5 20. Nxh5 Kb8 21. Qg4 Ng6. Black’s attacking prospects more than compensate for the Pawn. 22. Nf6 e4! Leitão recommends 22. ... Bc8!∓, but, indeed, Black’s second positional Pawn sacrifice appears very powerful. 23. dxe4 Nce5 24. Qg3 Bd6 25. h3 Qc7 26. Rd1 Nd7! 27. Qf3 Nxf6 28. gxf6 dxe4 29. Qg4 Rhg8 30. Kf1 Nf4 31. Qf5

31. ... e3! Another convincing line is 31. ... Rg1+!? 32. Kg1 Ne2+ 33. Kg2 e3+ 34. Ne4 Ng3−+ (Leitão’s analysis). 32. Bxe3 Bxh1? Black misses the most forcing 32. ... Rg1+! 33. Kxg1 Ne2+ 34. Kf1 Ng3+ winning heavy material. 33. f7? Returning the favour. Best was 33. Rxd6 Bg2+ 34. Ke1 Qxd6 35. Qxf4 Qxf4 35. Bxf4+ Kc8∓ (Leitão’s analysis). 33. ... Bg2+ 34. Ke1 Qe7! 35. Ng4 Rxg4! 0 : 1.

The Ultimate Shoedown

Hebron, West Bank: A Palestinian demonstrator throws a shoe at a poster of Donald Trump in a protest against the U.S. president’s support for Israel. Photo: Hazem Bader/AFP/Getty Images.

Hannibal

Boxing legend’s 44-year-old son detained and questioned about religion after flying back to U.S. from Jamaica, lawyer says. [Read more].

• Emma Graham-Harrison, U.S. border agents ask Muhammad Ali’s son: “Are you a Muslim?”, The Guardian, February 25, 2017

Fatal attraction: Malcom X and Muhammad Ali in 1964. Photo: Jack Kanthal/Associated Press.

Don’t feel sorry for me. Muhammad Ali

The War After Armageddon

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Dronavalli Harika

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; tie-break game 2 (25+10); Tehran, February 25, 2017

Queen’s Gambit Declined D53

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) questions her fate in the 2nd (Rapid) tie-break game which she needs absolutely to win, having lost the first-one. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 0-0 8. Qc2 c5 9. Rd1 Qa5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Bxe7 Nxe7 12. Be2 Nf6 13. 0-0 cxd4 14. Nxd4!? Here is where they started playing on their own. In So – Kramnik, Grand Chess Tour YourNextMove Rapid, Leuven 2016 was seen 14. Rxd4 Nc6 15. Rd2 Bd7 16. Rfd1 Rfd8 17. Qb3 Rab8 18. a3 a6 19. Bd3 Be8 20. Bb1 Rxd2 21. Nxd2 Ne5 22. Nc4 Nxc4 23. Qxc4 Bc6 24. Qd4 Rc8 25. h3 Qh5 26. Rd2 Qg5 27. f3 e5 28. Qd3 e4 29. fxe4 Re8 30. Qd4 Nd7 31. Rf2 Ne5 32. Ba2 Rd8 33. Nd5 Bxd5 34. exd5 Rd6 35. Bb1 g6 36. Be4 Qe7 37. Bf3 Rd8 38. Bg4 Qc7 39. Rf1 h5 40. Be2 Qd6 41. e4 Rc8 42. Bd3 Kg7 43. Qe3 b5 44. Kh1 Rc7 45. Qf4 f6 46. Qd2 Qc5 47. Bb1 g5 48. Qe2 h4 49. Bd3 ½ : ½. 14. ... e5 15. Ndb5 Bf5 16. Qb3 Be6 17. Bc4 Bxc4 18. Qxc4 a6 19. Nd6 b5 20. Qb3 Qc7 21. Rd2 Nc8 22. Rfd1 Nxd6 23. Rxd6 Rfd8 24. Qa3 Rxd6 25. Qxd6 Qxd6 26. Rxd6 b4 27. Na4. 27. Nxd5 Nxd5 28. Rxd5 Rc8 also looks quite drawish. 27. ... Ne4 28. Rd1 Rc8 29. f3 Nf6 30. Rd2 Kf8 31. Kf2 Ke7 32. e4 Rc6 33. b3 Nd7 34. Nb2 f6 35. h4 h5 36. Nd1 Rd6 37. Ke2 Rxd2+ 38. Kxd2 Kd6 39. Ne3 g6 40. Kd3 Kc5 41. Nd5 a5 42. g3 Kb5. Maybe it is not wrong, but 42. ... g5 appears to be better and safer. 43. f4! 43. Nc7+ Kb6 44. Ne8 was also worth considering, but 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s choice looks more natural and principled, even if not advantageous. 43. ... Kc5 44. Ne7 Nf8

45. f5! Of course Harika would have been quite happy to answer 45. Ng8 by 45. ... Nd7. 45. ... gxf5? I guess there must have been too much pressure on Harika’s shoulders, causing her finally to commit a serious mistake. After 45. ... g5 46. Nd5 Nd7 Black should hold. 46. Nxf5 Ne6 47. Ne7 Kd6 48. Nf5+ Kc5 49. Ke3 Kb5? The last, and decisive mistake in a not easy position. 49. ... Kc6 50. Ne7+ Kd6 51. Ng8 f5! 52. exf5 Nd4 might be the less worst way to retains hopes of saving the ending a Pawn down. 50. Nd6+ Kc6 51. Ne8 a4 52. bxa4 Nc5 53. Nxf6 Nxa4 54. g4. Now White wins easily and, once resuscitated, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) will be able to heroically stand up to her opponent till victory in the final Armageddon! 54. ... hxg4 55. h5 Nb2 56. h6 Nc4+ 57. Ke2 Nd6 58. h7 Nf7 59. Nxg4 Kd6 60. Kd3 Kc5 61. Ke3 Kd6 62. Kd2 Ke6 63. Kd3 Nh8 64. Kc4 Kf7 65. Kxb4 Kg7 66. Nxe5 Kf6 67. Nc6 Kg7 68. a4 Nf7 69. a5 Nd6 70. a6 Nc8 71. a7 Nxa7 72. Nxa7 Kxh7 73. Nc6 1 : 0.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo © David Llada

Dronavalli Harika
Photo © David Llada

A Little Time

It’s finally Saturday, and even if Arcovazzi does not intend it, today is the day to play Fischerandom chess at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”. So don’t miss it and please don’t say Arcovazzi I told you so!

Garfield’s mood
Illustration: Jim Davis

The Fire in the Dust

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – 李超 (Li Chāo)
World Chess Federation Grand Prix 2017; first stage; Sharjah, February 24, 2017
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. c4 c6 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 Bf5 12. Bg5! Varying from round one’s game Vachier-Lagrave – 李超 (Li Chāo), Sharjah 2017 which went 12. Ne5 Bxe5 13. dxe5 Qe7 14. Re1 Nd7 15. Qf3 g6 16. Qg3 Rfe8 17. Bf4 Qc5 18. Bb3 a5 19. a4 b5 20. h4 Be6 21. Bc2 b4 22. Bd3 b3 23. h5 Nf8 24. Bh6 b2 25. Rab1 Rab8 26. Qf4 Nd7 27. Qg5 Qe7 28. Qxe7 Rxe7 29. Re2 Ree8 30. Rexb2 Rxb2 31. Rxb2 Nxe5 32. Be2 gxh5 33. f3 Nd7 34. Rb7 Nc5 35. Ra7 Nb3 36. g3 Bd5 37. Kf2 Rb8 38. Bf1 Be6 39. Bd3 Bd5 40. Bf5 Re8 41. Bc2 c5 42. Rc7 c4 43. Bf5 Rb8 44. Bd7 f6 45. Bb5 Bf7 46. Rc6 Na1 47. Ra6 Nc2 48. Rxa5 Na3 49. Bc6 Nb1 50. Rb5 1 : 0. 12. ... Qc7 13. Re1 h6 14. Nh4! Bh7 15. Bxh6! Bxh2+. If 15. ... gxh6 there might follow 16. Qg4+ Kh8 17. Nf5 Bxh2+ (clearly not 17. ... Rg8?? on account of 18. Re8+-) 18. Kh1 Bxf5 19. Qxf5 Qf4 20. Qh3 with a powerful initiative for White. 16. Kh1 Bf4. Perhaps Black should have contented himself with 16. ... gxh6 17. Qg4+ Kh8 18. Nf5 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 Qf4 21. Qh5 which leaves White a definite edge, but (maybe) less tactical sharpness.

17. Bxg7! A pretty corollary. 17. ... Kxg7 18. Qg4+ Kh8 19. Nf5 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 Qd6 21. g3! White elegantly makes room for his Rooks on the h-file. 21. ... Bh6 22. Kg2! b5 23. Bb3 Qg6 24. Qxg6 fxg6 25. Re7. Unsurprisingly, even without the Queens White’s attack proves to be irresistible. 25. ... g5 26. Re6 Kg7 27. Rh1 Rh8 28. Re7+ Kg6 29. Bc2+ 1 : 0. For if 29. ... Kh6 then 30. Rhe1 g4 31. R1e6+ Kg5 32. Rg6+ Kh5 33. Re5+ and mate next move.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Photo © Maria Yassakova/Agon Limited

Dance of the Hours

The Will

Dronavalli Harika – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 24, 2017

Sicilian Defence B51

“C’mon [Dronavalli Harika]. All the best. Just play chess today & try keep the play going. You have played very well”, 15th World Chess Champion Viswanathan “Vishy” Anand solemnly wished his countrygirl, just before the game started. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. 0-0 Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Bc4 b5 8. Bf1 e5 9. d4. For 9. a4 b4 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 Be7 12. Nbd2 exd4 13. Nb3 0-0 14. Nfxd4 d5 see Cornette – Pap, Schachbundesliga 2015-2016, Erfurt 2016. 9. ... Be7 10. d5 Na7 11. Nbd2 0-0 12. Bd3 Nc8 13. Nf1. As very usually happens, the Rossolimo Sicilian has transposed into a kind of Spanish Game. 13. ... Nb6 14. h3 Qc7 15. Ng3 a5 16. Bg5 Rfe8 17. Qc1 h6 18. Be3 c4 19. Bc2 b4. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) prepares to sacrifice her c-Pawn for some interesting positional compensation. 20. Qd1 Reb8 21. Nd2 Nh7 22. Qe2 Rc8 23. Bxb6 Qxb6 24. Nxc4 Qc5 25. Bd3 bxc3 26. bxc3 Bg5 27. Rab1 Rab8 28. Nf1 Nf8 29. Kh2

29. ... h5? The Bishop pair and the weakness of the c3-Pawn partially compensated Black for the minus Pawn, but now 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) quite crazily decides to sacrifice another Pawn for something that does not exist. 30. Qxh5 Bf4+ 31. Kg1 Bb5? The postgirl just wants to jump in, both feet into the abyss... 32. Qe2. Simpler seems to be 32. Rxb5! Rxb5 33. g3 Bh6 34. Nxd6 Qxd6 35. Bxb5 Rxc3 36. Rb1 leaving Black in trouble two Pawns down – the analysis is by Georges Bertola from his commentary for Europe Échecs. 32. ... Bxc4 33. Rxb8 Rxb8 34. Bxc4 Qa3 35. Bb5 Qxc3 36. a4 Rc8 37. g3 Bg5 38. Ne3 Qb4. “It was probably necessary to eliminate the White Knight by 38. ... Bxe3!, in spite of the pawn minus, as the Bishops of opposite colour ending is just a chimera”, says Bertola. 39. Nc4 Nd7 40. Nxa5 Rc2 41. Qxc2 Qxe1+ 42. Kg2 Nc5. The alternative – apparently more defensible than the text – was 42. ... Qxa5 43. Bxd7 liquidating to a Queen and opposite coloured Bishops endgame two Pawns down. 43. Nc6! Bd2 44. Bd3. After 44. Nxe5! dxe5 45. Qxc5 Qxe4+ 46. f3 Qd4 47. Qxd4 exd4 48. Kf2 (Bertola’s analysis) not even the Bishops of opposite colours might have saved Black from the too many White Pawns eager to promote. 44. ... g6 45. h4 Bc3 46. Be2 Nxa4 47. Ne7+. Stockfish’s “first thought” 47. Qd3! Nc5 48. Qf3 also appears to be the best thought, carrying serious threats to the Black King. 47. ... Kf8 48. Nc8 Bd4 49. Bf3 Qb4 50. h5 gxh5?? A tremendous blunder for which no explanation is possible. 50. ... Qc5 51. Qxa4 Qxc8 was called for, and good enough to hope for a draw. 51. Qc1? Most certainly it’s a flashy blind spot, and it will not be the last one. 51. Qc7! Qd2 52. Kh3! would have led to a mating attack. 51. ... Bc5? 52. Qh6+? And now Harika misses 52. Qg5!+- Qb7 53. Qd8+ Kg7 54. Ne7 with an easy and ready win. 52. ... Ke8 53. Bxh5 Qxe4+ 54. Bf3 Qg6? Everything is mounted as a tragicomedy of mistakes. 54. ... Qd4! 55. Nxd6+ Bxd6 56. Qxd6 Nc5 would have ensured Black robust drawing chances. 55. Qh4 Kd7 56. Be4? As the show must go on, no matter that 56. Bg4+ Kc7 57. Qe7+ Kb8 58. Qd8 Kb7 59. Qd7+ Kb8 60. Ne7 was devastatingly easy. 56. ... f5 57. Ne7? Just another bid for immortality! Now White misses 57. Qe7+! Kxc8 58. Bd3! and mate in three moves. 57. ... Qf7 58. Bxf5+ Kc7 59. f3 Nb6 60. Be6 Qg7 61. Nf5 Qf8 62. Qh7+ Kb8 63. Ne7 Nc4 64. Nc6+ Ka8 65. Qg8? Now Harika makes the grand offer of exchanging Queens, and this is also the best way to offer her opponent unexpected drawing prospects... 65. ... Qxg8 66. Bxg8 Kb7 67. g4 Be3 68. Nd8+ Kc7 69. Ne6+ Kd7 70. g5 Ke7 71. Bh7 Nb6 72. g6 Nxd5? “72. ... Bh6! must lead to a draw: 73. g7 Bxg7 74. Nxg7 Nxd5 75. Nf5+ Kd7”, writes Bertola. 73. g7 Nf6 74. g8=Q Nxg8 75. Bxg8 Kd7 76. Nf8+ Kc6 77. Ng6 Bg5 78. Kh3 Kc5 79. Kg4 Bd8 80. Nf8 Ba5 81. Ne6+ Kc4 82. Kf5 Kd3 83. Ng5 Kd4 84. Ba2 Bb4 85. Ne6+ Ke3 86. Bd5 Ba5 87. Ng5 Kd4 88. Ke6 Bc7 89. Ne4 Ke3 90. Nxd6 Kf4 91. Be4 Ba5 92. Nb7 Bc3 93. Nc5 Kg5 94. Nd3 Bd2 95. Kxe5 Bc3+ 96. Ke6 Bd2 97. Bc6 Kg6 98. Ke5 Kg5 99. Ke4 Kf6 100. Nf2 Ke6 101. Bd5+ Kd6 102. Ba2 Kd7 103. Ng4 Bg5 104. Ne5+ Kc7 105. Bb3 Bh6 106. Nc4 Bg5 107. Ba4 Kd8 108. Ne3 Kc7 109. Bb5 Kd6 110. Nf5+ Kc5 111. Be8 Kb4 112. Nd4 Bh6 113. Ne2 Kc5 114. Bf7 Bg5 115. Ba2 Bh6 116. f4. Finally, Harika feels ready to demontrate the Bishop and Knight checkmate – actually just a bit too erratically. 116. ... Bxf4 117. Nxf4 Kb4 118. Kd4 Kb5 119. Bd5 Kb4 120. Bc4 Ka3 121. Nd3 Ka4 122. Kc5 Ka3 123. Be6 Ka4 124. Nb4 Ka3 125. Kc4 Kb2 126. Bg4 Kc1 127. Kc3 Kb1 128. Nc2 Ka2 129. Be6+ Kb1 130. Ne3 Ka1 131. Nc4 Kb1 132. Nd2+ Ka1 133. Nb3+ Kb1 134. Bf5+ Ka2 135. Be4 Ka3 136. Bb1 Ka4 137. Nd4 Ka5 138. Kc4 Kb6 139. Bg6 Kc7 140. Kd5 Kd7 141. Nc6 Kc7 142. Kc5 Kd7 143. Bf7 Kc8 144. Be6+ Kc7 145. Ne5 Kb7 146. Bd5+ Kc8 147. Kd6 Kd8 148. Bf7 Kc8 149. Kc6 Kd8 150. Ng6 Kc8 151. Bd5 Kd8 152. Kd6 Ke8 153. Bb3 Kd8 154. Ba4 Kc8 155. Bc6 Kd8 156. Ne5 Kc8 157. Bd7+ Kb7 158. Nc4 Ka6 159. Kc7 Ka7 160. Bb5 Ka8 161. Nb6+ Ka7 162. Nc8+ 1 : 0. All’s well that ends well. The last “gift” the Knockout pageant needed was a worldwide remake of Ushenina – Girya, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014, 1st stage, Geneva 2013.

Dronavalli Harika vs. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo © David Llada

A Whale Called Bice

Prémanon, France: A child runs past a sculpture of a whale’s tail during a visit to the Paul-Émile Victor Museum, devoted to the Arctic and Antarctic regions, which opened this month. Photo: Sebastien Bozon/AFP/Getty Images.

Halfway Home

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 24, 2017

Sicilian Defence B44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4!? Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bc5!? For the more probing 6. ... Bb4 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 e5 9. 0-0 Bc5 see Karjakin – Grischuk, 23rd Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2016. 7. Nxc6 bxc6? If Kosteniuk’s aim of revenge was actually founded on the ill-conceived text error, we cannot but conclude that, after yesterday’s débâcle, she did not believe that it was possible to hit back at the will of Caïssa. For 7. ... dxc6 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Bf4 Ke7 10. f3 Rd8 11. g4 Nd7 12. 0-0-0 e5 13. Bg3 f6 14. Be2 Nf8 15. Kb1 Ne6 16. Na4 Bd4 see A. Muzychuk – 孙翼男 (Sūn Yìnán), 16th World Youth Chess Championship Girls Under-12, Oropesa del Mar 2001. 8. e5 Ng8 9. Ne4! According to databases, this is a novelty, but only because – I guess – no one deliberately enters such a position just to lose... 9. ... Qb6. 9. ... Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Bb4 might perhaps be a bit less worse than the text. 10. Nxc5 Qxc5

11. Qd6! It certainly was not difficult to find it. Black will be left packed and inexorably undeveloped. 11. ... Qxd6 12. exd6 a5 13. b3 Nf6 14. f3 0-0 15. Be3 Ne8 16. 0-0-0 e5 17. Bd3 g6. The maybe previoulsly planned 17. ... f5 would have been effectively met by 18. Rhe1 Nxd6 19. Bc5 Rf6 20. Rxe5 Nb7 21. Re8+ Kf7 22. Rf8+ Kg6 23. Rxf6+ Kxf6 24. Bd4+ Kg6 25. g4+-, as shown by Georges Bertola in his commentary for Europe Échecs. 18. Bh6 Ng7 19. Rhe1 f6 20. f4! “Very sad position for Alexandra Kosteniuk... Her next best moves would be to propose draw and let Anna Muzychuk fly to the final”, reads the tweet of Europe Échecs, but 12th Women’s World Chess Champion quite proudly decides to drink the bitter chalice to the end. 20. ... Re8 21. fxe5 fxe5 22. Rd2 Re6 23. c5 Ba6 24. Bxa6 Rxa6 25. Bxg7 Kxg7 26. Rde2 Kf6 27. Rf1+ Kg7 28. Ref2 e4. Also 28. ... Ra7 is met by 29. Rf7+ Kh6 30. Re7. 29. Rf7+ Kh6 30. Re7 1 : 0.

Muzychuk vs. Kosteniuk. Photo © David Llada.

Broadcast delay

In his final appearance at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal, Canada, Italy’s Klaus Dibiasi, the man known as “The Chairman” of the diving board claims another Olympic gold as the upcoming Greg Louganis from the U.S. claims silver. Dibiasi won a silver medal in platform diving at the Olympic Games in 1964, and went on to win gold in the same event at the next three editions of the Games (1968, 1972, 1976). He is the only Olympic diver to have won three successive gold medals, and he is the only diver to have won medals at four editions of the Olympic Games.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi’s Wife

Ho avuto trentasei amanti più IVA. I’ve had thirty-six lovers plus tax. Alda Merini

English translation by Susan Stewart

Artwork © dmaabsta

Miss Clarabelle Cow

Verden an der Aller, Germany: A cow is prepared for its portrait during a dairy beauty pageant. About 200 cows compete in 18 different categories. Photo: Carmen Jaspersen/AFP/Getty Images.