Magnus, you really must ask yourself whether it is a good idea to invite him at your wedding day

Garry Kimovich Kasparov (@Kasparov63)

Blue Moon

Francesco Sonis – Sabino Brunello
77th Italian Chess Championship; Cosenza, November 30, 2017
Two Knights Defence C55

Sabino Brunello doesn’t seem too happy to be playing here and now, or maybe, who knows, he’s not too happy with the Sports Court’s sentence that he may perceive as too light and inconsistent with the seriousness of the misconducts denounced by him and nine other Italian top players. Whatever it is, it is quite obvious that he’s playing visibly under his own standards. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Re1 d6 7. a4 Na5 8. Ba2 c5 9. Na3 Bd7. For 9. ... Nc6 10. c3 a6 11. Nc2 Rb8 12. h3 b5 13. axb5 axb5 14. Ne3 Be6 see Giri – Carlsen, 2017 “Your Next Move” Grand Chess Tour Blitz, Leuven 2017. 10. c3 a6 11. b4 cxb4 12. cxb4 Nc6 13. b5 axb5 14. axb5 Na7 15. Qb3 Be6. Here the immediate ... Na7-c8-b6 was well worth considering. 16. Nc4

14. ... Nd7. 16. ... d5! (Stockfish) seemed the best way to “stay in the game” with interesting play for both colours. Now Black gradually falls into an unpleasant position, in a way that may resemble Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi’s blue mood during the 32nd (and last) game of the 1978 World Chess Championship match against Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov. 17. Be3 Nc8 18. Qb2 Kh8 19. Bb3 Rxa1 20. Rxa1 Bxc4 21. Bxc4 Ncb6 22. Qb3 f5? Black had no reason to be happy with his position, but this is indeed the losing move. Suddenly, the power of White’s Bishop pair comes out prepotently, and, after the infiltration of the light-squared Bishop (which exchanges itself with the d7-Knight) Black’s Queenside falls apart. 23. exf5 Rxf5 24. Be6 Rf8 25. Bxd7 Nxd7 26. Qd5 Qc8 27. Ra7 1 : 0.

Through the Wall

• L’Officina Santa Maria Novella vince a Pechino | The Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella wins a legal case in 北京 (Běijīng), Il Sole 24 ORE, November 28, 2017

Trademark lawyer Paola Stefanelli, who incidentally is also the mother of Sofia and Diana Wilson, young ballerinas of Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, informs us that her legal office, Bugnon S.p.A., won a legal case in 北京 (Běijīng), China, on behalf of the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, an historical Florentine brand founded in 1612. As often happens, a Chinese trademark squatter stolen the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella’s mark and registered it as a trademark in China, with the purpose of selling it back to the owner and/or distribute products labeling the trademark to worldwide consumers. The win has not been easy, as Paola Stefanelli told Laura Cavestri of Il Sole 24 ORE: “We’ve produced a huge amount of documents in order to prove the story and the soundness of the company: from the worldwide trademark registrations to the global list of distributors. From the history of the Officina to the invoices (since 2006). And then and again: press reviews, lists of awards won, loans of historical items to museums”. And finally the Celestial Empire surrendered.

The Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Birthday?

It’s the price of success. While in London to take part in the 9th London Chess Classic, 16th World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen had to celebrate his 27th birthday in a way consistent with the values and aims his mentor Garry Kimovich Kasparov actually follows. So, he was cajoled into playing the 5th Pro-Biz Cup and losing a blitz game with Kasparov. Who knows what else will come out when the birthday party begins. A can of red balls? The famous last words by Sophia? C’mon, everything passes by, after each winter comes spring again.

Diving Queen 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá) celebrating both her birthday and her first month of marriage on November 10, 2017. Photo: weibo.com/wuminxia.

Layla

Red Lips by Rudy Boyer (LensCulture Street Photography Awards 2017 finalist, single) “When I’m out and about, I observe how people move and keep an eye out for interesting colours and light. This was shot in a side street in old Nice: a girl on her phone turned to me, and the curve of the cap she was wearing created a shadow on her face, leaving only her lips in the sunlight”, the photographer says. Photo © Rudy Boyer.

Lost in the Crowd

Poison Heart by Alexandre Grand (LensCulture Street Photography Awards 2017 finalist, single) Vincent feelings. Photo © Alexandre Grand.

Courtesy Head

While All Around Are Losing by David Barrett (LensCulture Street Photography Awards 2017 finalist, single) “It’s the first basic rule you’re taught in traditional photographic composition: don’t cut off their heads!”, the photographer says. Photo © David Barrett.

Sine wave

Costanza Cioni performing as “The Caterpillar” 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 17, 2017. GIF made by her herself.

印象派 (Impressionism)

A mountain of impounded shared bikes can be seen at a parking lot in 南京 (Nánjīng), east China’s 江苏省 (Jiāngsū province). Although the bike-sharing services are booming nationwide in China, it’s challenging to manage bike-sharing and arrange orderly parking, and some bike-sharing companies have gone bankrupt after months of problems. Photo: 方東旭 (Fāng Dōngxù)/Photoshot/Avalon.

Hidden Stone

Michele Godena – Danyyil Dvirnyy
77th Italian Chess Championship; Cosenza, November 29, 2017
French Defence C03

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Bd3 c5 5. dxc5 Nf6 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. Qf3. Godena adopts a modest approach which will turn out to be psychologically quite crafty. 7. ... Qxc5 8. Ne4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4. Calling for Black’s castling Kingside. 9. ... Nd7 10. Nf3 Nf6 11. Qh4 Nd5 12. Qg3 0-0 13. a3(!) Bd6. Dvirnyy was probably very relaxed and plays by ear. Here he should have done better to play 13. ... Qc7! (eventually exchanging Queens) with at least equality. 14. Qh4 f5 15. 0-0 e5? Black probably made this move so natural without thinking too much about it first, but, unluckily for him, it is a mistake which loses at least a Pawn. After 15. ... Qc7 16. Re1 Black’s position is quite unpleasant, but there’s nothing irreparable.

16. Qc4! e4 17. Qxc5 Bxc5 18. Bc4 Rd8?? Blundering a piece! It’s true that after 18. ... exf3 19. Bxd5+ Kh8 20. Bxf3 White remains a Pawn ahead with a clear advantage in position, but it’s also true that it was by far the lesser evil. 19. Bg5 Rd6 20. Be7 1 : 0. Things that can happen to everyone! Michele Godena himself has once lost in 21 moves to Stefano Tatai (on occasion of the 48th Italian Chess Championship at Chianciano Terme in 1988).

Don’t get impressed, Edna. He’s desperately trying to draw your attention to himself

Through the Looking Glass bench

Agon Limited has finally announced that the 12-game World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and the challenger who will be the winner of the next Candidates Tournament will be held in London, United Kingdom from 9 to 28 November 2018 with a money prize of one million €uros. No venue has been yet announced.

Ralph Steadman’s Through the Looking Glass bench. Photo: Chris O’Donovan for the National Literacy Trust.

How Chess Imitates Life

Artem Gilevych – Andrea Stella
77th Italian Chess Championship; Cosenza, November 29, 2017
Neo-Grünfeld Defence D70

The 77th Italian Chess Championship has started today in Cosenza, Italy, a very few days after a sentence on its own reliability. Everything began when ten top Italian players wrote an open letter denouncing unethical acts and behaviours by a group of unnamed fellow players. After months of investigations, the Sports Court (a quasi-judicial body), on behalf of the Federazione Scacchistica Italiana, in a secret trial, made its verdict. I don’t know the facts as well as they do, so for any details you may read the ruling of the Court. Regarding the moral issue raised by the signatories of the open letter, instead, I believe that the most important answer may lay between the lines of the ruling of the Sports Court: “A spontaneous and widespread rebellion has lately emerged in the chess world against what, at first, were only occasional immoral behaviours, but that, more recently, have unfortunately become in Italy widespread and constant unlawful practices”. Yes, we all live in a yellow submarine.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 e6!? 4. Nc3 d5 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Be7. 6. ... Bg7 7. e4 dxe4 8. fxe4 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 0-0 11. Be2 gives White a plus (Larry Kaufmann’s analysis). 7. cxd5. From a theoretical viewpoint, the exemplary reference should be 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. Bg3 c6 9. e4 dxe4 10. fxe4 Bb4 11. Bd3 e5 12. a3 Ba5 13. d5 cxd5 14. cxd5 Nc5 15. b4 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Bb6 17. Nf3 0-0 18. Nxe5 a5 19. b5 a4 20. Nc4± Nakamura – Safarli, 5th Chess World Cup, Tromsø 2013, match game 1. 7. ... Nxd5 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. e4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 c5 11. Qd2 Nc6. Black has a temporary advantage in development, which yields him at least equality. 12. Bb5 0-0 13. Ne2. 13. Qxh6 cxd4 14. h4 dxc3 15. h5 g5 doesn’t seem to lead to any particular benefit. 13. ... Rd8 14. h4. Who knows, with hindsight, castling Kingside could have been wiser. 14. ... cxd4 15. Bxc6. I have my doubts that this was necessary. 15. ... bxc6 16. cxd4 Ba6! Black has clearly taken command of the game, but White’s next moves precipitate the catastrophe. 17. Nc3? 17. Rc1 seemed the best to avoid the worst. 17. ... c5! 18. d5? Now White’s position quickly disintegrates. 18. ... exd5 19. Nxd5

19. ... Rxd5! 20. Qxd5 Rd8 0 : 1. For if 21. Qc6 then 21. ... Qe5! finis.

A Farewell to Arms

Army dog 多多 (Duō Duō) sits up showing respect as retiring soldiers salute their guard post in 宿迁 (Sùqiān), 江苏省 (Jiāngsū province), China. Photo: CSN/Reuters.

C’mon, Edna, show ’em we’re the best!

The artist’s caption reads, “The legendary Edna Mode at her Prague fashion show fitting. And of course, NO CAPES!!!”. Artwork © Sean A (@hvbdraws).

Fragments d’un discours amoureux

13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov talking to Sophia the Robot – who was recently granted the Saudi citizenship – at the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal on November 8, 2017.

He’s not quite so enthusiastic about having to choose between a beer with Ken and a TED stage with Garry

Love Wins

• Anna Livsey, Barbie comes out in support of same-sex marriage, The Guardian, November 29, 2017

The superstar fashion doll appeared to come out in support of equal marriage in an Instagram post promoting a collaboration with the fashion blogger Aimee Song. The post shows Barbie and a new friend – a doll version of Song – wearing matching T-shirts with the pro-marriage equality slogan “Love Wins” emblazoned across the front. The shirts are mini replicas of ones Song released for Pride month, the proceeds of which go to a not-for-profit supporting LGBTQ youth. Credit: Barbie® (@barbiestyle) © Mattel.

Layla

Wednesday

Tomorrow is Wednesday and it’s not a holiday day at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, so put your pointe shoes on and be punctual to your ballet class!

Gooney Bird Dance – Classic Pose – Midway Atoll, 1974. Photo credit: Gary Edstrom/Wikipedia Commons.

Forkesch Tower

Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
11th ROMGAZ Kings Rapid Tournament; Mediaș, November 27, 2017
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

The Ukrainian duo constituted by Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk and Anna Muzychuk won respectively the men’s and women’s 11th ROMGAZ Kings Tournament in memoriam of Elisabeta Polihroniade held in Mediaș, Romania. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. a3 Nc6 9. Qc2 Qa5 10. 0-0-0 Ne4 11. Nb5 a6 12. Nc7 e5 13. Nxd5. The alternative 13. Rxd5!? (Kasparov – Vaganian, 10th European Team Chess Championship, Debrecen 1992) after 13. ... exf4! 14. Qxe4 Qxc7 15. Rxc5 fxe3 would lead to nothing special; for instance: 16. Bd3 g6 17. Qxe3 b6 18. Rh5!? Bg4 19. Rh4 Bxf3 20. gxf3! Ne5∞ with very unclear (but dynamically balanced) play.

13. ... exf4? Ivanchuk has caught his opponent unprepared. It would have been interesting to find out what he had in mind about 13. ... Nxf2! 14. Ng5 Bf5! 15. Qxf2 exf4 16. Qxf4 Ne7! 17. Nxe7+ Bxe7 18. Rd5 Qe1+ 19. Rd1 Qa5 20. Rd5 Qe1+ 21. Rd1 ½ : ½ Gelfand – Jussupow, 10th Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez Ciudad de Linares, Linares 1992. 14. Qxe4 fxe3 15. fxe3 h6. 15. ... b5!? may look a bit more tricky, but 16. Nd4! is much better for White anyway. 16. Nd4 Qd8 17. Bd3 f5 18. Qf4 Bd6 19. Qf2. White is a Pawn up and has a far superior position. That’s more than enough for Ivanchuk. 19. ... Be5 20. Bc2 Rf7 21. Rhe1 Qf8 22. Nf3 Be6 23. Nxe5 Nxe5 24. Qf4 Ng6 25. Qg3 Bxd5 26. Rxd5 Ne7 27. Rd6 Rc8 28. Kb1 Kh8 29. Red1 Nc6 30. Qf4 Re8 31. R1d5 Ne7 32. Re5 Nc6 33. Rxe8 Qxe8 34. Bxf5 Qf8 35. g4 Rf6 36. Rxf6 Qxf6 37. Qc7 g6 38. Qc8+ Kg7 39. Qxb7+ Kf8 40. Qc8+ Kf7 41. Qd7+ Ne7 42. Bd3 Qe5 43. Qd4 Qxh2 44. c5 h5 45. gxh5 gxh5 46. Bc4+ Ke8 47. Be6 1 : 0.

The Nest

A goose vehemently protesting at the photographer for taking pictures too close to its nest. Photo: This Incredible World/Flickr.

Tulle Veil Hat

A Scottish straight cat wearing a hat during an international cat show in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Photo: AFP/Vyacheslav Oseledko.

Layla

Journey to No End

Well, I made a vow of not speaking about Arcovazzi, and maybe, with a little of imagination, you can guess why. The only thing I care for is that you jump and fly on the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s carpet-dance every day!

Mantis style. Photo: CaPro/Wikimedia Commons.

But, Edna, why do you always get mad when he’s joking with you?

You know, Edna, he would like to go there and stay alone for two weeks, only him and her, just like a honeymoon couple. So who knows if your ticket will ever get a confirmed seat...

I’m sorry, Edna. Your issue is currently pending, depending upon His mood

The Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) says it is making “huge efforts” to grant to Israeli players the right to participate in the King Salman World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships which will take place in ar-Riyāḍ (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia from 26 to 30 December 2017. FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos confirmed to Reuters on Monday that seven Israeli eligible players (and not eleven as previously announced) have actually applied for visas. “We have sent their documents to the organizers and the visa status is currently pending”, Mr. Makropoulos told Reuters. “The same applies for many other chess players who are waiting for their visa invitation letters. We are making a huge effort to ensure that all players get their visas”.

ar-Riyāḍ (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia: A woman enjoying her makeup at the Saudi Comic Con, the first comic book and pop culture convention ever held in Saudi Arabia. Photo: CNN.

Mary Poppins

Audrey Hepburn’s iconic black-and-white dress from My Fair Lady’s royal ascot scene sold for $3.7m at an auction by the auction house Profiles in History. Photo: Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar.

Golden Mediasch

Anna Muzychuk – Elisabeth Pähtz
11th ROMGAZ Kings Rapid Tournament; Mediaș, November 27, 2017
Sicilian Defence B29

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nc3 e6 5. Nxd5 exd5 6. d4 Nc6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qxd5 Qb6 9. Bc4 Bxf2+ 10. Ke2 0-0 11. Rf1 Bc5 12. Ng5 Nd4+ 13. Kd1 Ne6 14. Ne4 d6 15. exd6 Rd8 16. Bf4!? Possibly better is 16. Qh5! Bxd6 17. Bd3! f5 18. Rxf5!? with the initiative, Planinc – Dobrev, International Tournament, Varna 1970. Just keep in mind Albin Planinc was a genius! 16. ... Be3? Quite unluckily for Pähtz, her first move of her own is already a crucial mistake! Theory gives 16. ... Nxf4= 17. Qxf7+ Kh8 18. Rxf4? (correct is 18. Qxf4 Bxd6 with rough equality) 18. ... Bxd6 19. Nxd6 Be6!−+ Nozdrachev – Klyuev, 12th Memorial Tsiolkovsky, Kaluga 2013. 17. Bxe3 Qxe3 18. c3 Bd7 19. Qe5 (Δ Ne4-f6+) 19. ... Qh6 20. Kc2 Rac8 21. Bd3? Maybe Muzychuk did not yet have a clear idea of how to proceed, otherwise she would have preferred 21. Bd5(!) followed by Ra1-e1, similarly to the game. 21. ... Ba4+? Black apparently misses her fleeting chance: 21. ... f5! 22. Rxf5 Nd4+ 23. Qxd4 Bxf5 (Stockfish) seems quite unclear. 22. b3 Bc6 23. Rae1 Bxe4. Otherwise Ne4-g3-f5 would follow. 24. Bxe4 Rc5 25. Bd5! Qg6+ 26. Kb2 Qd3 27. Rd1 Qa6. Thus Pähtz subjects herself to a flashy ending, but 27. ... Qg6 doesn’t seem to me much better as after 28. c4(!) Black cannot escape the storm anyway.

28. Rxf7! Rxd6. If 28. ... Kxf7 then 29. Qxe6+ and mate next move. 29. Rxg7+! 1 : 0. Mate in two follows.

Cats & Plants

“Cats & Plants” is the début book from Chicago-based artist Stephen Eichhorn. The 152-page book includes more than 200 rich colour images of the artist’s elaborated cat collages, and features felines balancing plants (and sometimes shells or minerals) on their furry heads. All images © Stephen Eichhorn.

She wants to force them to buy back all the unsold tickets of the lottery that her husband did not have enough luck to win

Exegi monumentum aere perennius

• Benjamin Haas, Chinese bike share graveyard a monument to industry’s “arrogance”, The Guardian, November 25, 2017

Thousands of share bikes laid to rest in the south-eastern Chinese city of 厦门 (Xiàmén), 福建省 (Fújiàn province). Photo: 陈紫翔 (Chén Zǐxiáng) for The Guardian.

Layla

Whatever gets you through your life

Just forget Arcovazzi. The court refused to accept that his wife had been guilty of loving another besides him and denied him a divorce, so he’s doomed to eternal damnation in the marital house. But it’s Monday! And so it’s time for you to spend yet some other hours of your colourful life dancing on the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s magic carpet!

Hedy Lamarr in White Cargo, 1942. Photo: fineartamerica.com.

But, Edna, he only wanted to make you a joke!

Transylvania

Anna Muzychuk – Corina-Isabela Peptan
11th ROMGAZ Kings Rapid Tournament; Mediaș, November 26, 2017
Sicilian Defence B41

The 11th ROMGAZ Kings Tournament in memoriam of Elisabeta Polihroniade has started, with Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin, Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk, 韦奕 (Wéi Yì), Bogdan-Daniel Deac starring as Kings, and Anna Muzychuk, Pia Cramling, Elisabeth Pähtz, Corina-Isabela Peptan starring as Queens. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Qd3 Qc7. 7. ... d5!? is an interesting other way. 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 Nxe4. Very risky. 9. ... 0-0 10. Bd3 d6 11. 0-0 e5 seems quite playable, Codenotti – Caruana, 71st Italian Chess Championship, Perugia 2011. 10. Nb5! That’s the reason why. 10. ... axb5 11. Qxg7 Rf8 12. Bh6 Qc5 13. f3! bxc4. 13. ... b4 doesn’t seem any better: 14. fxe4 Nc6 15. Qxf8+ Qxf8 16. Bxf8 Kxf8 17. Bd3 bxa3 18. Rxa3 Rxa3 19. bxa3 d6 20. Kd2 Ne5 21. Be2 Bd7 22. Ke3 Bc6 23. Rc1 Nd7 24. h4 h6 25. Bf3 e5 26. Bg4 Nc5 27. Bf5 Kg7 28. Rb1 Kf6 29. g4 Kg7 30. Rg1 f6 31. Rd1 1 : 0 Nepomniachtchi – Svidler, World Blitz Chess Championship, Dubai 2014. 14. Bxc4 Nf6. 14. ... d5? 15. Bb5+ Bd7? 16. Rc1 is just a disaster, A. Kovačević – Kontić, 2nd Memorial Danilo Dajo Batrićević, Cetinje 2009. 15. Qxf6 Rg8 16. Bd3 Qe7 17. Bg7 Qxf6 18. Bxf6 Rxg2 19. 0-0-0! This is a new, and much better move than 19. Rd1 Nc6 20. Kf1 Rg6 21. Bxg6 fxg6 22. Kf2 which gives White much less chances for success, Shi Diwen – Deac, World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad, Győr 2014. 19. ... Nc6 20. Rdg1 Rxg1+? Now, after 20. ... Rg6(!) 21. Rxg6 fxg6 White, thanks to her long castling, could have played for a more tangible advantage with 22. Rg4 followed by Rg4-h4 and Rh1-g1. 21. Rxg1 Ne7 22. Bxh7 Ra4 23. Bc2 Ra5

24. h4! b6 25. f4? Muzychuk apparently misses the much stronger 25. Bg5! followed by the advance of the h-Pawn. 25. ... Rh5! 26. Bd1 Rc5+ 27. Kd2 Bb7? 27. ... Rf5! seems much tougher to deal with. 28. Rg5 Rxg5? Black shouldn’t have done this for nothing in the world! 29. fxg5 Be4 30. h5 Nd5 31. h6 Bf5. 31. ... Kf8 would be met by the same move (32. Bc2!). 32. Bc2 Bxc2 33. Kxc2 1 : 0.

There’s Something About Magnus

ar-Riyāḍ (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia: Girls pose for a group picture as one stands behind a frame depicting King Kong, while attending the Saudi Comic Con, the first comic book and pop culture convention ever held in Saudi Arabia. Photo: Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images.

Yes, No, Maybe

Artwork © Haryza

Edna, you had promised to no longer disguise yourself as 柯洁 (Kē Jié)...

Pictured from left: world’s Go number one 柯洁 (Kē Jié) and 16th Women’s World Chess Champion 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), both running for the “Best non-Olympic Athlete Award” at 2017’s “China’s Top Ten Laureus World Sports Awards”. The online polls are open, and each microblogging account can vote. The (only one) winner will be announced on December 20. Photo: sports.sina.com.cn.

Who’s Who

The International Cat Show in Prague, Czech Republic, featured competitors from seven countries. Photo: Slavek Ruta/Rex/Shutterstock.

Nights of Passion

Chi va a letto co’ cani, si leva colle pulci. If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Tuscan proverb

Layla

Silent Presence

“Silenziosa Presenza” ™ © Mado Flynn

Handmade in Italy by Mado Flynn

Hey world, here we bloom! Today, Sunday, November 26, 2017 there is a special Christmas opening day at Mrs. Paola Soldi’s gallery-shop “Art of Tuscany”, Borgo Ognissanti 99/R, 50123 Florence, Italy, with a large selection of Mado Flynn’s high fashion floral collection on display!

Yeah, Edna, in a way, he may look a little like you, but I’m sure it’s just a coincidence. No, I think he’s not him your body double

“Edna Mode It’s My Way or the Runway” is a Limited Edition production by WDCC Disney Classics. Credit: Disneyclassics.net.

Cat in the Castle

Russian chess Grandmaster Dmitry Olegovich Jakovenko won on tie-break over Levon Grigori Aronian the fourth and last stage of the Grand Prix 2017 held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain from 16 to 25 November 2017. Photo: Francisco Javier Ochoa de Echagüen (@echaguen).

Yet you knew he can’t stand any kind of rivalry

Solo

Jorden van Foreest – Aryan Tari
56th World Junior Chess Championship; Tarvisio, November 25, 2017
8/2prn1pk/1p5p/p2q4/P2N2Q1/2P5/1P4PP/5RK1 w - - 5 29

Position after 28. ... Kg8-h7

Norway celebrated today his second World Chess Champion as Aryan Tari convincingly won the 56th edition of the World Junior Chess Championship held in Tarvisio, Italy. It’s a good news for the World “senior” Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen too, as he finally has a worthy rival even in chess matters! Today Tari needed only a draw to win solo, but his opponent, Jorden van Foreest from Netherlands, was not in the mood of gift giving: 29. Rf7! Qxf7 30. Qxd7 c5 31. Nc6 Qd5! 32. Qxd5 Nxd5 33. Ne5 Kg8 34. Kf2 Kf8 35. Kf3 Ke7 36. Nc4 Ke6 37. Ke4 Nf6+ 38. Kd3 Nd7 39. Ne3 Ne5+ 40. Ke4 g6 41. Nd5 Nc4 42. Nf4+ Kd6 43. b3 Nd2+ 44. Kd3 g5 45. Kxd2 gxf4 46. g3 fxg3 47. hxg3 h5 48. c4 Ke5 49. Ke3 Kf5 50. Kf3 Kg5 51. Kf2 Kg4 52. Kg2 Kf5 53. Kf3 Kg5 54. Kf2 ½ : ½.

Odds and Ends

Teimour Boris oghlu Radjabov – Richárd Rapport
FIDE Grand Prix 2017; 4th stage; Palma de Mallorca, November 25, 2017
Queen’s Gambit Declined D30

Teimour Boris oghlu Radjabov left the stage without so much as a restless farewell. He seemed not to have the strength to try for more. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxe7 Qxe7 6. Nbd2 Nf6. Rapport is not so generous to give a copyleft licence to his opponent for free: 6. ... f5 7. e3 Nd7 8. Bd3 Nh6?! (better was 8. ... Nf6 followed by ... Nf6-e4) 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Qc2 g6 11. Rab1 Nf6 12. Ne5 Nf7 13. f4 Bd7 14. Ndf3 Rfd8 15. b4 Be8 16. Rfc1 a6 17. Qf2 Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Nd7 19. Nf3! Rdc8 20. c5 and Black got dramatically pythonised, Capablanca – Treybal, International Chess Masters Tournament, Karlsbad 1929. 7. g3 0-0 8. Bg2 b6 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. Nxd7 Nxd7 12. Rc1 Rfd8 13. Qb3 Rab8 14. Rfd1 Nf6 15. Qa4 Ba8 16. b3 a5 17. c5 Nd7

18. cxb6 Qb4 19. Qxb4 axb4 20. e3 Rxb6 21. Nf3 Bb7 22. Rc2 Ra8 23. Bf1 Kf8 24. Rdc1 Ke7 25. Ne1 Ra5 26. Kg2 Kd6 27. Nd3 Ba6 28. Nc5 Bxf1+ 29. Kxf1 Kc7 30. Nd3 Ra8 31. f4 Kd6 32. g4 Rc8 33. h4 Nf6 34. Ne5 Rc7 35. Kg2 Ne4 36. Kf3 ½ : ½. “I don’t fully understand Radjabov’s decision, given that he had to play for a win to fight for the only thing worth fighting for in the Grand Prix. These things are always difficult, but in this case it was really all or nothing”, Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana tweeted. However, after 36. ... f6 37. Nd3 Rb5 eventually followed by ... c6-c5 there’s no reason for which White shouldn’t agree a draw.