LABIRINTI E CASEMATTE: May 2017

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Jeremy, Gordon asks, was really necessary to recite a poem dedicated to Kezia with dreaming eyes and honey lips?

BBC debate: Rivals attack Theresa May over absence, BBC News, May 31, 2017

The BBC election debate. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images.

Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner

Online game “CorbynRun” allows players to become the Labour leader as he attempts to topple “Theresa Mayhem”

There’s a new UK election-themed online video game where you can help Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn beat Theresa May to Number 10.
It’s called CorbynRun and allows players to become Corbyn as he attempts to topple “Theresa Mayhem” with help from junior doctors, student and Deliveroo couriers. [Read more].

Luke Morgan Britton, Help Jeremy Corbyn beat Theresa May in this UK election-themed video game, NME, May 30, 2017

http://www.nme.com/news/corbyn-run-election-video-game-2081416

“CorbynRun”: you can play the game here

Lotus tree

The Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown performance will be held at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017, starting at 20,30.

Laura performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Sunday, June 15, 2008.

Changing of the Guards

Daniel Boffey, China and EU strengthen commitment to Paris deal with U.S. poised to step away, The Guardian, May 31, 2017

Wind turbines in 天津 (Tiānjīn). China and the EU say they are determined to forge ahead with Paris and accelerate the global transition to clean energy. Photo: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

The Lonely Way

A student makes her way to class carrying a tutu at the Novosibirsk State Ballet School in Novosibirsk, Russia. Photo: Kirill Kukhmar/TASS.

A Hobo Odyssey

Jeremy, Gordon says he saw Theresa wandering around in the countryside with a strange look on her face; he thinks it’s better that you don’t speak about Kezia just once in television

Shepton Mallet, England: Theresa May samples cheese at the Royal Bath and West Show. Photo: Reuters.

Waiting for Godot

Young dancers check their phones during a break in class at the Novosibirsk State Ballet School in Novosibirsk, Russia. Photo: Kirill Kukhmar/TASS.

A Bolt from the Blue

On May 29, 2017 in 潍坊 (Wéifāng), China, 山东景芝酒业股份有限公 (Shāndōng Jǐngzhī Liquor Co., Ltd.)’s Chairman 刘全平 (Liú Quánpíng) awarded four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) a crown with a single blue sapphire gem on the centre — worth ¥160,000 元 (yuán) — to reward her contribution to the development of chess in the 山東省 (Shāndōng province), with the wish she may be forever “out of the blue”.
The award ceremony was held concurrently with the “景芝杯” (“Jǐngzhī Cup”) Team Rapid Chess Tournament, which was enriched by a number of side events in which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) herself took part. Photo: 新浪微博 (Sina Wēibó).

Around the World with Orson Welles

Jeremy Corbyn speaking in Reading, Berkshire, England where he announced he would take part in tonight’s TV election debate. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images.

Draniki

Daniele Vocaturo – Alan Tate
18th European Individual Chess Championship; Minsk, May 30, 2017
Two Knights Defence C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. 0-0 Bc5 10. f3 Ng5 11. f4 Ne4 12. Be3 Bb6. No doubt Vocaturo knows very well what is playing. If 12. ... 0-0 there might follow 13. Nd2 f6 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Qe2 Qe7 16. Qc4+ Kh8 17. Nf5 Bxe3+ 18. Nxe3 Rab8 19. b3 Rb4 20. Qc3 h6 21. Rad1 a5 22. exf6 Rxf6 23. Qe5 Re6 24. Qxa5 Rb5 25. Qxc7 Qc5 26. Rfe1 Be8 27. Qc8 Qe7 28. Qd8 Qc5 29. f5 Re5 30. f6 gxf6 31. Qxf6+ Kh7 32. Rd6 1 : 0 Vocaturo – Martínez López, 17th Sants Open 2015, Barcelona 2015. 13. Nd2 Nxd2 14. Qxd2 c5 15. Nf3 d4 16. Bf2 0-0. Probably sounder is 16. ... Bc6, e.g. 17. Bh4 Qd7 18. Rad1 0-0 19. f5 Qxf5 20. Nxd4 Qh5 21. Nxc6 Qxh4 22. Qd5 c4+ 23. Kh1 Rae8 24. a4 Qg4 25. a5 Be3 26. Rf3 Bg5 27. Rd4 Qe6 28. Qxc4 f6 29. h4 fxe5 30. Re4 Qxc4 31. Rxc4 Bd2 32. Re4 Re6 33. Nd4 Rxf3 34. Nxe6 Rf1+ 35. Kh2 Bxa5 36. Rxe5 Bb4 37. Nc5 Rf2 38. c3 Bxc5 39. Rxc5 Rxb2 ½ : ½ G. C. B. Jones – E. l’Ami, 5th Remco Heite GM Tournament, Wolvega 2014. 17. a4!? Just a little diversion. For 17. Qd3 Qc8 18. b4 cxb4 19. Nxd4 c5 20. Nf3 c4 21. Qd6 Rb8 22. Rad1 Bf5 see Smerdon – Wallis, 23rd Australian Open, Sydney 2015. 17. ... a5 18. Qd3 Qc8 19. Nh4. Prevents ... Bd7-f5. 19. ... f6? This will turn out to be a wrong and very detrimental idea, as it dramatically weakens Black’s Kingside. Probably best is 19. ... f5 (Stockfish) eventually followed by ... Bd7-e6-d5. 20. Rae1 Be6? After which White’s attack is easy and unbearable. Perhaps Black might do a little better by 20. ... Qa6, but, even in such a case, 21. Qf3 followed by f4-f5 would be very unpleasant for him to bear.

21. f5! Bd5 22. c4! Qa6 23. b3 Bc6 24. exf6 Rxf6 25. Bg3 Raf8 26. Be5 R6f7 27. f6! gxf6. No better is 27. ... g6 28. Nxg6 hxg6 29. Qxg6+ Kh8 30. Rf4 with mate to follow in three moves. 28. Rxf6! With the deadly threat of Rf6-g6+. 1 : 0. For if 28. ... Rxf6 then 29. Qg3+ Kf7 (neither 29. ... Kh8 30. Nf5 nor 29. ... Rg6 30. Nxg6 would change the outcome) 30. Bxf6 Kxf6 31. Qe5+ Kf7 32. Rf1+ and mate in three moves.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Naked King

Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn)

Jeremy, now Theresa is obsessed by the thought that you may be “alone and naked” and mistreated by the white-collar Euro-bureaucrats. Tony fears you passed the point of no return, and if we win, he suggests to nominate her as Prime Minister anyway, so to give her an opportunity to always stay ahead of you

Lucy Pasha-Robinson, Theresa May makes bizarre reference to Jeremy Corbyn “alone and naked”, The Independent, May 30, 2017

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Winds of the Isle

Stefano Tatai – Zbigniew Doda
21st Chess Olympiad; Nice, June 17, 1974
Sicilian Defence B44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. Bf4 e5 7. Be3 a6. If, instead, 7. ... Nf6 then 8. Bg5 Be6 9. Bxf6! (not 9. N1c3? a6! 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Na3 d5!∓) 9. ... gxf6 10. Nd2!± Tatai – Hartoch, 1st “Costa Brava” International Tournament, Sant Feliu de Guíxols 1973. 8. N5c3 Nf6 9. Bc4 Be7? According to the theory of the time, Tatai afterwards recommended 9. ... Na5!∞ with an unclear balance. 10. Nd5!± Nxd5 11. Bxd5. The domination of the d5-square is more than enough for a crystal clear, elegant and refined positional player such as the twelve-time Italian Chess Champion. 11. ... 0-0 12. 0-0. In his “My 60 Memorable Games” Bobby Fischer cited a clock exhibition game he played in the Philippines in 1967: 12. Nc3 (“With absolute control of d5”) 12. ... Kh8 13. 0-0 Be6 14. Bb3 Na5 15. Nd5 Nxb3 16. axb3 Bxd5 17. Qxd5 Qc7 18. c3 g5 19. Ra4 Rad8 20. Rb4 Rd7 21. Rb6 Kg7 22. Ra1 f5 23. exf5 Rxf5 24. Ra4 Rf8 25. Rc4 Qb8 26. Rcb4 Qa8 27. c4 a5 28. R4b5 a4 29. Rxb7 axb3 30. h4 Rxb7 31. Rxb7 Rf7 32. Bxg5 Qa1+ 33. Kh2 Qxb2 34. Qe6 Qxf2 35. Rxe7 1 : 0 R. J. Fischer – Badilles, Meralco 1967. 12. ... Bg5 13. Re1! Bxe3 14. Rxe3 Be6 15. Na3 Qc7 16. c3. After 16. Rd3 Bxd5 17. Rxd5 Rad8 Black would be ready to free himself from his constraint by ... Nc6-e7, Qc7-c6, and finally ... d6-d5 (Tatai’s analysis). 16. ... Rad8 17. Bb3 b5 18. Nc2 Qb7 19. Rd3 Qb8 20. Ne3 Ne7 21. Qd2 Rd7 22. Rd1 Rfd8 23. Bd5 Bxd5 24. Nxd5 Nxd5 25. Rxd5 Qc7 26. Qd3 Qc6 27. h4 Kf8 28. Rd2 h6 29. Kh2. Tatai was just a bit short of time and delayed his final execution plan: 29. h5! followed by Qd3-f3-f5. 29. ... Ke7 30. a3 Qc4 31. Qf3 g6 32. h5 Rg8 33. R2d3 gxh5? Tatai’s punctuation is a bit exaggerated as he himself was not able to suggest anything better: 33. ... Rdd8 is actually met by 34. Qe3+− and 33. ... f5 34. exf5 e4 by 35. Qe3+− (but Stockfish’s 35. f6+! Kf8 36. Qg4 would be much stronger).

34. Qf5! Threatening Rd5xe5+. 34. ... Rdd8 35. Rf3 Rdf8 36. Qf6+ 1 : 0.

C’mon, Edna, just pretend you don’t see or hear him

Jeremy, for once Tony has had the right idea: it will not be easy to find you here

London, England: Jeremy Corbyn meets staff and children at Marsham Street community nursery in Westminster during a visit to highlight the Labour party’s pledge to extend free care to all two- to four-year-olds. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA.

Jeremy, Gordon says that Theresa has duplicated herself – two hearts, two heads, four eyes, four hands, four arms, four legs – just to appear suddenly everywhere you turn

Wolverhampton, England: Theresa May arrives at a campaign rally at the Grand Station. Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images.

Twins and super-twins

130 sets of twins gather at 豫西大峡谷 (Yùxī Grand Canyon) to take part in the 11th Twins Rafting Festival in 三门峡 (Sānménxiá), 河南省 (Hénán province), China. Photo: VCG via Getty Images.

Time Lapse

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will partecipate in the 4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament (which will feature a first prize of £50,000) to be held in Douglas, Isle of Man from September 23 to October 1, 2017, as well as in the 7th Chess World Cup to be held in Batumi and Tbilisi, Georgia from 1 to 25 September 2017. However, the unfair “juxtaposition” of the two great events, due most likely to the electoral campaign for FIDE Presidency, could eventually compel her to pass through the eye of a needle, so maybe it’s better to say that four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will took part in the 4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, provided she manages to get eliminated (at least before September 21) from the 7th Chess World Cup. It’s kind of like Russian roulette with her (his) own toes. Greedy people may get crazy.

Artwork © EmaDread

Well done, Jeremy: four extra free days which Theresa will have to spend with his husband

Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn)

Round the Moon

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
6th Chinese Women’s Masters Chess Tournament; 无锡 (Wúxī), May 30, 2017
Four Knights Game C49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. 0-0 0-0 6. d3 Bxc3 7. bxc3 d6 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. h3 h6 10. Be3 Be6 11. c4 Nd7 12. Nd2 f5!? New wine in old bottle. The older try was 12. ... c5 13. f4 f5 14. Qe2 Qe7 15. fxe5 Nxe5 16. exf5 Bxf5 17. Bf4 Ng6 18. Qxe7 Nxe7 ½ : ½ Sydor – Adamski, 35th Polish Chess Championship, Kraków 1978. 13. exf5 Bxf5 14. f4 exf4 15. Bxf4 Nc5 16. Qh5 Qe8 17. Qxe8 Raxe8 18. Bg3 Re2 19. Rf2? A seemingly trivial oversight which loses a (maybe not so valuable) Pawn. Stockfish’s line 19. Nb3 Ne6 (after 19. ... Rxc2 20. Nd4 Black could find difficult to get adequate compensation for the Exchange) 20. Rf2 Rxf2 21. Bxf2 c5 appears to lead to equality.

19. ... Bxd3! 20. Rxe2 Bxe2 21. Re1 Bh5 22. Nb3 Na6!? 16th Women’s World Chess Champion judges, perhaps correctly, that after 22. ... Nxb3 23. cxb3 c5 24. Re7 her chances to exploit her extra Pawn would be virtually zero, and opts for a move which, at least from a psychological viewpoint, gives her opponent more pressure. 23. Nd4? So it worked out! Best was 23. c5! dxc5 24. Nxc5 as after 24. ... Nxc5 25. Re5 White regains the piece with concrete drawing chances. 23. ... c5! Now 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) forces a very pleasant ending, which will be able to handle with confident technique. 24. Nb5 Bf7 25. Nxa7. If 25. Re7 then 25. ... Rd8! (Stockfish) 26. Nxa7 (on 26. Nxc7? Kf8 wins the Exchange) 26. ... Bxc4 with consequences not too different from those in the game. 25. ... Bxc4 26. a3 Kf7. Here ... Rf8-b8-b2 looked also very strong. 27. Re4 Bd5 28. Ra4 Bb7 29. Nb5 Ke6 30. Rg4 Rf7 31. h4 Kd7 32. h5 Bd5 33. Nc3 Be6 34. Ra4 Nb8 35. Ne2 Nc6 36. c3 Bb3 37. Ra8 Re7 38. Kf2 Ne5 39. Bxe5 Rxe5 40. Nf4 Re4 41. g3 Ra4 42. Rh8 Ke7 43. Rc8 Ra7 44. Ke3 Be6. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) shows herself to be more than a chess machine, not fearing to enter the Rook endgame a Pawn up and thus challenging Tartakower’s statement that “all Rook endgames are drawn”. 45. Nxe6 Kxe6 46. Rg8 c6 47. Kd2 Kd5. Black’s win turns out to be quite easy as, in addition to her extra Pawn, she can rely on Steinitz’s dictum, who held that His Majesty is a strong piece. 48. Kc2. 48. Kd3 c4+ 49. Kc2 c5 does not appear to change anything. 48. ... Kc4 49. Kb2 d5! 50. a4 d4 51. Rc8 Rb7+ 52. Kc2 d3+ 53. Kd2 Rb2+ 54. Ke3 Kxc3 55. Rxc6 c4 56. Rc7 Re2+ 57. Kf3 Re1 0 : 1.

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) vs. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

The One & Only

Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn)

跳越 (Zapping)

Grand Commun

Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron at their first highly symbolic meeting in the sumptuous setting of the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France. Macron described the conversation as “extremely frank and direct”. Photo: Stéphane de Sakutin/EPA.

Jeremy, Gordon says that you and Theresa suddenly reminded him Elizabeth Taylor e Richard Burton falling in love again after second divorce

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn arriving at Sky studios in Osterley to be interviewed separately by Jeremy Paxman on the Sky/Channel 4 News “Battle for Number 10” election programme. Photo: The Guardian.

Monday, May 29, 2017

Win, Lose or Draw

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 袁烨 (Yuán Yè)
6th Chinese Women’s Masters Chess Tournament; 无锡 (Wúxī), May 28, 2017
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Be2 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. a4 a5 9. b3 b6 10. Qc2 Bb7 11. e4!? A variation to the theme in respect to 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 f5 15. Qe3 c5 16. Rad1 Rae8 17. Rfe1 Nf6 18. Ne5 Ne4 19. Bf1 Rd8 20. Nd3 Qc7 21. f4 g5 22. dxc5 bxc5 23. Ne5 Qg7 24. Ba1 gxf4 25. Qxf4 Bc7 26. h4 (what a disaster!) 26. ... Rd4 27. Rxd4 cxd4 28. Bxd4 Rd8 29. Ba1 Ng3 30. c5 Rd1 31. Qc4 Rxe1 32. Qxe6+ Kf8 33. Nd7+ Qxd7 34. Qxe1 Nxf1 35. Qxf1 Qd5 36. Kh1 Qe4 37. Bf6 Kf7 0 : 1 Pr. Nikolić – Dreev, World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015. 11. ... dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Qxe4 Nf6 14. Qh4 c5 15. Bb2 Ne4 16. Qh5 cxd4 17. Bxd4 f5 18. Rad1 Qc7 19. Bb2 Bc5 20. Bd3 Qe7 21. Bd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Rad8 23. Bxe4 Bxe4 24. Qe2 e5 25. Nb5 Bc6 26. Rxd8 Rxd8 27. Rd1 Bxb5 28. Rxd8+ Qxd8 29. cxb5. The Queen ending appears to be absolutely drawish, but, since Queen endings are among the most difficult to win (as well as to lose!), we may think that, given her deeper experience, 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) will better know what to do. 29. ... h6 30. h4 Qd6 31. Qc2 f4 32. Kf1 Kf7 33. h5 Ke7 34. Ke2 Qd4 35. Qc7+ Kf6 36. Qc6+ Ke7 37. Qc2 Qd6 38. Qc4 Qd7 39. Ke1 Qd4 40. Qc2 Qa1+ 41. Ke2 Qd4 42. Qc7+ Kf6 43. Qc6+ Ke7 44. Kf3 Qd1+ 45. Ke4 Qe2+ 46. Kd5

46. ... Qd2+? A grave mistake that very precisely prepares for defeat. Correct was 46. ... Qd1+ 47. Kxe5 Qxh5+ 48. Kxf4 Qf7+ regaigning the Pawn with a draw very likely. 47. Kxe5 Qxf2 48. Kf5. Stockfish gives 48. Qe6+ Kf8 49. Kd6 which, indeed, might well be stronger. 48. ... Qe3 49. Qc7+ Ke8 50. Qe5+ Kf7 51. Qd5+ Ke7 52. Kg6 Qg3+ 53. Kh7 Qg4. 53. ... Kf6 might have been more stubborn (at least from a practical viewpoint) as after 54. Qd8+ Kf5 55. Qf8+ Ke4 56. Qxg7 Ke3 57. Qxh6 Qxg2 58. Qxb6 Ke2 59. Qc6 f3 60. b6 (Stockfish) it seems just a bit less easy for White to win. 54. Qb7+ Kf8 55. Qb8+ Kf7 56. Qc7+ Kf8 57. Qxb6 Qxh5 58. Qd8+ Kf7 59. Qd7+ Kf6 60. Qxg7+ Kf5 61. b6 Qe8 62. b7 h5 63. Kh6 Qe6+ 64. Kxh5 Qe8+ 65. Kh6 Qe6+ 66. Kh7 Qe8 67. g4+ fxg3 68. Qxg3 Qe7+ 69. Qg7 Qe8 70. Qc7 Qg6+ 71. Kh8 Qe8+ 72. Kg7 Qg6+ 73. Kf8 Qh6+ 74. Qg7 Qd6+ 75. Qe7 Qb6 76. Ke8 1 : 0.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

袁烨 (Yuán Yè)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

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People queue with their luggage outside Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 on Sunday, May 28, 2017. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images.

Theory After Theory

袁烨 (Yuán Yè) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
6th Chinese Women’s Masters Chess Tournament; 无锡 (Wúxī), May 27, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E32

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Ba6 8. e3 d6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. Ne2 c5 11. b4 cxd4 12. exd4 Rc8 13. Qb3 e5 14. b5. Another try was 14. Rc1 h6 15. Bh4 e4 16. Bb1 d5 17. b5 Bb7 18. 0-0 dxc4 19. Rxc4 Bd5 20. Rxc8 Qxc8 21. Qb2 Bb7 22. Ng3 Qe8 23. Nf5 Qe6 24. Ne3 Rc8 25. Ba2 Nd5 26. Rc1 Rxc1+ 27. Qxc1 Nf8 28. Qc4 Nf4 29. Bg3 g5 30. h4 Qxc4 31. Bxc4 N8g6 32. Nf5 gxh4 33. Ne7+ Nxe7 34. Bxf4 Bd5 35. Be2 Nf5 36. Bb8 Nxd4 37. Bf1 h3 38. gxh3 Nf3+ 39. Kg2 Nd2 40. Be2 e3+ 41. Kg1 Bc4 42. Bxc4 Nxc4 ½ : ½ Gershon – H. Stefansson, Elbow Beach Club GM-A, Paget Parish 2001. 14. ... Bb7 15. 0-0 h6 16. Bh4 e4 17. Bb1 Qc7 18. Ba2. If 18. Rc1 there might follow 18. ... d5 19. Bg3 dxc4 20. Qa4 Qd8 21. Qxa7 Bd5 22. Nc3 Re8 23. Re1 Nf8 24. Qa4 Ba8 25. Qd1 Ng6 26. a4 Qe7 27. Qd2 Qb4 28. Bc2 e3 29. Rxe3 Nd5 30. Ra3 Qa5 31. Rf3 Nb4 ½ : ½ Baburin – Kunte, 3rd Mind Sports Olympiad (MSO), London 1999. 18. ... d5 19. Qa4 Qb8 20. Bg3 Qa8 21. Nf4!? Finally, 袁烨 (Yuán Yè) takes her own path, which, however, doesn’t seem any better than 21. Nc3 Rfe8 22. Rfe1 dxc4 23. Bxc4 Nd5 24. Rac1 Nxc3 25. Rxc3 Nf6 26. Rec1 Nd5 27. R3c2 Rcd8 28. Qb3 Rd7 29. Be5 Qd8 30. Qg3 Qg5 31. Bxd5 Bxd5 ½ : ½ Baburin – Rozentalis, Politiken Cup, 18th Copenhagen 1996. 21. ... dxc4 22. Bxc4 Nd5 23. Nxd5 Bxd5 24. Be2 Be6. Both players played in a strange way, but probably not badly. 25. Rac1 Qd5 26. Qxa7!? Alea iacta est. On the other hand, 26. Rc6 would have been equally answered by 26. ... Qa2. 26. ... Qa2 27. Rxc8? Stockfish doesn’t miss the sharp 27. d5! which would ensure White a not-so-metaphorical initiative and, what’s more important, an almost sure escape to salvation. 27. ... Rxc8 28. Bd1 Qd2

29. Bd6?? 袁烨 (Yuán Yè)’s blunder is so inexplicable that I dare not guess anything. White ought to play 29. h3 Qxd4 30. Bf4 eventually followed by Bf4-e3, trying to hold on. 29. ... e3! Now Black goes for mate. 30. fxe3. Otherwise follows ... e3-e2. 30. ... Bd5 31. Bf3 Bxf3 32. gxf3. Or 32. Rxf3 Rc1+ and mate in two moves. 32. ... Rc2 33. Qa8+ Nf8 0 : 1.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

袁烨 (Yuán Yè)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

The Unmade Bed

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Isabella Ceccatelli performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 18, 2016. Photo: Stefano Marmino.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Bernard Sanders (@SenSanders)

Emma Brown, With state budget in crisis, many Oklahoma schools hold classes four days a week, The Washington Post, May 27, 2017

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Between Certainty and Illusion

Jeremy, maybe Angela only got angry with Donald, but Gordon speculates that she could be jealous of Theresa’s sympathy for you

Jon Henley, Merkel says EU cannot completely rely on U.S. and Britain any more, The Guardian, May 28, 2017

Angela Merkel told party members: “We have to fight for our own destiny”. Photo: Matthias Balk/AFP/Getty Images.

Cyberart

More than 850 players from all over the 环渤海经济圈 (Bóhǎi Economic Rim) gathered in 廊坊 (Lángfáng), 河北省 (Héběi province), China on May 28, 2017 to participate in the 5th 渤海 (Bóhǎi Sea) Cities “鲁班 (Lǔbān) Golden Furniture Cup” International Chess Classic, a three-day event that combines sports and tourism. The opening ceremony was attended by most city authorities and officiated, as usual, by the tireless Chinese Chess Association (CCA)’s Secretary-General 叶江川 (Yè Jiāngchuān), who could also rely upon the support of the four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), actively involved with the public as a chess ambassador. Photo: sports.sohu.com.

Ghost in the Machines

Anish Giri – Wesley So
2nd Speed Chess Championship; match game 30; Chess.com, May 25, 2017
nbrkbrnq/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NBRKBRNQ w KQkq - 1 1
Position 376

1. c4 g6 2. d3 c6 3. Bc3 Be5 4. Nf3 Bxc3 5. Rxc3 Nc7 6. h4 Nf6 7. Nb3 d6 8. 0-0 Bd7 9. Qh2? Strategically, White was not able to handle the odd position of his Queen on h1, and it seems to me that the whole plan of castling on the h-side (at least after playing 6. h4) diminished his chances to give Her Majesty a better role to play on stage. Black is probably slightly better even after 9. d4 0-0-0(!), but White’s situation would have been far less compromised. 9. ... Ng4 10. Qg3? Peter Doggers recommends 10. Qf4 after which there might follow 10. ... f5 11. d4 0-0-0 with Black apparently keeping the upper hand. 10. ... f5 11. e3. Giri keep pursuing his slow (and very wrong) course... 11. ... e5 12. d4? f4! White’s Queen suddenly finds herself buried alive, and Giri, just for not giving up hope too quickly, accepts to suffer heavy losses. 13. exf4 exf4 14. Qh3 Ne3 15. Qxd7+. Absolute desperation. However, after 15. Qh2 Nxf1 16. Kxf1 0-0-0 White’s cause would be doomed anyway. 15. ... Kxd7 16. fxe3 fxe3 17. Rxe3 Rce8 18. Rxe8 Rxe8 19. Bd3 Ne6 20. d5 Nf4 21. dxc6+ bxc6 22. Bb1 Qxb2 23. Nfd2 Rf8 24. Kh2 Ne6 25. Re1 Rf2 0 : 1. “The final game was one of the most expensive Chess960 games ever played. So got $1516.67 for the match win (and is assured of more money in round two) whereas Giri received $483.33”, Doggers wrote in his report on Chess.com.

2017 Speed Chess Championship schedule, results and information