One Special One

王安妮 (Annie Wáng) – Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze

58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; tie-break playoff game 1 (25+5); Saint Louis, April 30, 2018

Nimzo-Indian Defence E36

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 c5!? A sharp variation, by which Black offers two Pawns for a powerful initiative. 7. dxc5 d4. “Romanishin’s gambit has been doing well of late. In 2016 Black has scored a very impressive 71% with it! Regardless of its objective merits, more often than not Black gains excellent practical compensation. White’s position is not easy to play over the board, as Anatoly Karpov found out to his cost recently”, writes Grandmaster John Michael Emms. 8. Qg3 Nc6 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qh6 e5 11. Bg5!? Quite an insubstantial novelty. The subject-matter of analysis should be 11. b4 Rg6 12. Qd2 Ne4 13. Qb2 Qf6 14. e3 a5 15. b5 Ne7 16. Bd3? [16. Nf3 Bh3!? (16. ... Bg4!?) 17. exd4 Bxg2 18. Nxe5? Bxh1 19. Nxg6 hxg6 20. Be3 Bf3 21. Be2 Nxc5−+ 黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn) – Kosteniuk, 4th Women’s World Team Chess Championship, Astana 2013] 16. ... Nxc5! 17. Bxg6 Qxg6 18. Kf1 Be6−+ Karpov – Édouard, 5th Trophée Anatoly Karpov, Cap d’Agde 2016. 11. ... Rg6 12. Qh4 Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qxc5 14. e4 Qd6? 14. ... dxe3! would have ensured Black excellent prospects of exploiting her development advantage, and even 14. ... d3!? at once makes more sense now than later. 15. f3! Now, almost incredibly, White manages to consolidate. 15. ... d3? A flawed concept. 15. ... Qd8 16. Nh3 Na5!? seems quite unclear.

16. Qf2! Nd4. That was Paikidze’s idea (17. Bxd3?? Nb3), but... 17. Bb4! White cashes in the second Pawn and at the same time completes her development. 17. ... Qc6 18. Bxd3 Be6 19. Ne2 0-0-0 20. 0-0-0 Bxc4 21. Nxd4 Rxd4 22. Bxc4 Rxc4+ 23. Kb1 Nd7. Thus Black exposes herself to a mating attack, but 23. ... b6 24. b3! was totally lost as well. 24. Qxa7 Rxg2 25. Qa8+ Kc7 26. Ba5+. Here 26. Be7! (Δ Qa8-d8 mate) 26. ... Nb8 27. Bd6+ was even quicker, but it does not make much sense to quibble about how 王安妮 (Annie Wáng) wins, as she will confidently bring home the goal. 26. ... b6 27. Qa7+ Kd8 28. Bxb6+ Ke8 29. Bf2 f6 30. Rd2 Rg7 31. Rhd1 Re7 32. Rg1 Kf7 33. Qe3 Nf8 34. Qh6 Ke8 35. Rgd1 Nd7 36. Qh5+ Kd8 37. Qg4 Kc7 38. Qg8 Qb5 39. Qg4 Qc6 40. Rd5 Nb8 41. Qg8 Nd7 42. Be1 Rc5 43. Bb4 Rxd5 44. exd5 Qa4 45. Rc1+ 1 : 0.

王安妮 (Annie Wáng) (standing) vs. Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze (seated). Photo: Eric Rosen.

Up Against a Wall

Vilnius, Lithuania: Performers present the Bodies in Urban Spaces project from Austrian artist Willi Dorne. Photo: Mindaugas Kulbis/AP.

Driving School

ar-Riyāḍ (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia: A woman practises her driving ahead of the lifting of a ban on women drivers, which comes into effect in June. Photo: Yousef Doubisi/AFP/Getty Images.

Self Portraits of a Chaperone

A Menina figure inspired by the Spanish artist Diego Velázquez’s 1656 painting Las Meninas. More than 80 such sculptures, decorated by different artists, have been placed around Madrid, Spain as part of an art installation. Photo: Zipi/EPA.

很久以前，在一個遙遠的銀河系…… (A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...)

Artwork © MilkcapMania

Kin-dza-dza!

The 5th Russia–China Junior Match of Friendship will be held from 15 to 18 July 2018 in Belokurikha, a balneological resort town in Altai Krai, Russia, involving, as usual, two teams of youngsters aged up to 14 years. Each team will feature two girls and six boys, and are scheduled two games at classical time control in two days. The big attraction of the Friendship summit meeting, however, will be an exhibition match between Russian Grandmaster Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov and four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). As a corollary, both 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Vitiugov will give a joint simultaneous chess exhibition, taking on all young comers.

Kin-dza-dza!’s spaceship (“pepelats”) appeared on the serpentine “Belokurikha-2”. The spaceship was made by the sculptor Vladimir Iosifovich Voychishin. Photo: Press service “Resort Belokurikha“.

One Today

Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze (@NaziPaiki)

Lose to Win

Fabiano Caruana – Alexander Vasilyevich Onischuk
62th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 29, 2018
Spanish Game C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 7. d3 Be7 8. Re1 0-0 9. a4 Re8 10. Nbd2 Bf8 11. Nf1 Na5 12. Ba2 d5!? An interesting idea which brought 12th Women’s World Chess Champion Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk good luck in 2008. 13. axb5. If 13. Ng3 then 13. ... h6 14. Bd2 b4 15. exd5 Bxd5 16. Bxd5 Qxd5 17. b3 Rad8 and Black is fine, T. Kosintseva – Kosteniuk, Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament, Nalchik 2008, match game 2. 13. ... axb5 14. exd5 Bxd5. 14. ... Nxd5 seems much better (16. Nxe5 Nb3!).

15. Bg5! Bxa2? Black is anxious to prevent Ba2xd5 followed by Bg5xf6, but his solution, implying a Pawn sacrifice, doesn’t work. 16. Rxa2 e4 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. Rxe4 Rxe4 19. dxe4 Rd8 20. Qe2 Nc4 21. c3. White came out a Pawn up, for which Black can claim no compensation. 21. ... Bc5 22. Ra1 g6 23. e5 Qc6 24. Ng3 Re8 25. b3 Nb6 26. Ra5 Bf8. 26. ... b4 27. Ne4 Be7 29. c4 gave White a great advantage, but, if nothing else, it would have not allowed him to gain a second Pawn. 27. Qxb5 Qxb5 27. Rxb5 Ra8 28. h4 1 : 0. Onischuk has had enough.

Fabiano Caruana. Photo: Lennart Ootees/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (@STLChessClub).

USDX

Samuel L. Shankland – 梁世奇 (Awonder Liáng)
62th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 29, 2018
Caro-Kann Defence B13

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Nf6 6. Bf4 Bg4 7. Qb3 e5!? The usually rock-solid 梁世奇 (Awonder Liáng) suddenly feels in the mood to go for adventures in the South. Good luck. 8. h3. If 8. dxe5 then 8. ... Nh5 9. Be3 Nxe5 10. Bb5+ Nc6 11. h3 Be6 12. Qd1 Nf6 13. Nf3 Bd6 14. 0-0 0-0 15. Nbd2 Qd7 16. Re1 a6 17. Bf1 Rac8 18. Nb3 Ne4 19. Nbd4 Bb8∞ 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – David Navara, 2017 “恒大杯” (“Héngdà Cup”) Chess Grandmaster Summit Match, 盐城 (Yánchéng) 2018, tie-break game 2 (5+3). 8. ... exf4 9. hxg4 Qe7+ 10. Kf1 0-0-0!? It may be an improvement over 10. ... Ne4 11. Qc2 0-0-0 12. Nd2 Re8? 13. Bxe4 dxe4 14. Re1 f5 15. gxf5 e3 16. fxe3 fxe3 17. Rh3 Qc7 18. Rexe3 Rxe3 19. Rxe3 Bd6 20. Ne2 Rf8 21. Rf3 Re8 22. Ne4 Bf8 23. Qd3 Qf7 24. b3 h6 25. Nf4 1 : 0 Demchenko – Yurtseven, 2nd Portugal Open, Lisbon 2018. 11. Nd2 g6 12. Re1 Qc7 13. g5 Nh5 14. Be2 Ng7 15. Ngf3 Ne6 16. Bb5 Bg7 17. Qa4 Rd6 18. Nb3

18. ... b6? A gross mistake that delivers the U.S. Championship title in Shankland’s hands. Black should have played 18. ... a6 19. Bxc6 Rxc6 20. Nc5 Nxc5 21. dxc5 Re6(!) and then invent something to compensate for his weak Pawns on d5, f4 and h7. 19. Nc1 Nb8 20. Nd3 Kb7 21. Nb4 Qd8 22. Ne5 Qc7 23. Qb3! Black is virtually in Zugzwang, and the rest is nothing but a formality. 23. ... Rhd8 24. Rxh7 a6 25. Bd3 Ka7 26. Qa4 a5 27. Bb5 Kb7 28. Nbd3 Rg8 29. Nf3 Rh8 30. Rxh8 Bxh8 31. a3 Nc6 32. Bxc6+ Rxc6 33. Nde5 Bxe5 34. Nxe5 Rd6 35. Qe8 Rd8 36. Qxf7 Nxg5 37. Qxc7+ Kxc7 38. Nxg6 f3 39. Nf4 Kc6 40. gxf3 Nxf3 41. Re6+ Kb5 42. Ke2 Ng1+ 43. Kd3 1 : 0. “Pretty surprised +5 didn’t cut it. Congrats to Sam, excellent play throughout”, Fabiano Caruana tweeted.

Samuel L. Shankland. Photo: Lennart Ootes.

Flying High

An egret flies over the 奇墅湖 (Qíshù Lake) in 黄山 (Huángshān), east China’s 安徽省 (Ānhuī province). Photo: 施广德 (Shī Guǎngdé)/新华社 (Xīnhuá News Agency)/Barcroft Images.

Comeback 2.0

Arianna Settembrini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s end-of-year show at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017.

Today or Tomorrow

Tatev Abrahamyan – Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 28, 2018
4r1k1/R4pp1/Nr5p/4q3/Rp1pn3/1P5P/2P2PP1/4Q1K1 w - - 2 33

Position after 32. ... Rb8-e8

Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze kept alive her last minute chances of becoming U.S. Women’s Chess Champion thanks to a miraculous turnaround in her game against Tatev Abrahamyan. 33. Nxb4 Rg6? Paikidze didn’t need a draw after all, so she takes all risks even at the cost of losing the game. Perhaps, under other circumstances, she would have been content with 33. ... Nc5 34. Qxe5 Rxe5 35. Nd3 Nxd3 36. cxd3 Re1+ 37. Kh2 Re2 38. Rxd4 Rf6 with a draw in sight. 34. Ra8 Rxa8 35. Rxa8+ Kh7 36. Ra6 f6 37. Nd3 Qf5. The most Black has obtained is not enough. There is only one hope for Paikidze: her opponent has only one minute and thirty seconds left. 38. Ra5? And here is Abrahamyan’s drama. 38. Qe2! would have left White a clear (passed) Pawn up with a win in sight. Now there follows a spectacular coup de théâtre: 38. ... Qf3! 39. Qf1 Nd2 40. Ne1? The last move before time control is also White’s last move of the game. However, now after 40. Kh1! Qc6! 41. Qg1 Qxc2 it is Black who remains a clear (passed) Pawn up with excellent winning prospects. 40. ... Qd1 0 : 1.

Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze. Photo: Eric Rosen.

One Last Thing Before I Go

Yaroslav Volodymyrovych Zherebukh – Fabiano Caruana
62th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 28, 2018
Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 a6 4. g3 b5 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. d3 Nc6 7. 0-0 d6 8. Ng5!? h6 9. Nh3 Nf6 10. f4 Be7 11. f5 b4! After 11. ... e5 12. Nf2 Nd4 13. Nb1! Nd7 14. c3 Nc6 15. a4 Bg5 16. Bxg5 Qxg5 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8+ Bxa8 19. Na3 Na7 20. d4! White would have all reasons to be satisfied at his opening choice, Simagin – L. Portisch, Moscow 1959. 12. Ne2!? It seems an improvement over 12. Nb1 exf5 13. Rxf5 0-0 14. c4 Nd7 where Black stands better already, Tripoteau – Bricard, 3rd Open, Plancoet 2003. 12. ... exf5 13. Rxf5 0-0 14. c4 bxc3 15. bxc3 Ne5 16. c4 Bc8 17. Rf1 Rb8. Black’s game appears easier than White’s one, but probably not much more. White’s next mistake – both strategic and tactical – almost immediately precipitates him into a serious misadventure. 18. Nhf4? Probably best was 18. Qc2 with a holdable game. 18. ... g5 19. Nd5. The getting back was not so easy either, for if 19. Nh3 then 19. ... Nfg4! 20. Qc2 f5! with powerful advantage to Black. 19. ... Nxd5 20. cxd5 Bf6. Black wins the Exchange. 21. d4 cxd4 22. Nxd4 Bg4. “It’s strategic mastery for Black”, Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan commented. 23. Qa4

23. ... Nd3! With the threat of ... Rb8-b4. 24. Qc4 Rb4 25. Qxd3 Bxd4+ 26. Be3 Bxa1 27. Rxa1 Qf6 28. Re1 Rc8 29. h3 Bd7 30. Qxa6 Rc2 31. Rf1 0 : 1. And White resigned, without waiting for his opponent’s reply since 31. ... Qb2 32. Rf2 Qb1+ 33. Kh2 (33. Rf1 Rxg2+! 34. Kxg2 Qxe4+−+) 33. ... Rbb2 is a catastrophe.

Driving School

Baku, Azerbaijan: Lewis Hamilton during track practice. Photo: Clive Mason/Getty Images.

One Way or Another

Chess-News.ru (@Chess__News)

Sometimes one way, sometimes the other | 5th Gashimov Memorial in Şəmkir, Azerbaijan: Magnus Carlsen is first, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) second, and both are satisfied. For further details, visit: http://chess-news.ru/node/24620.

Shadow Dance

Even if he’s not first to the prize (so far), our young friend Cesare was rewarded by the presence of one of the most shining dancers of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, Emma – in fact his sister – who passionately supported him in and out of the board.

Halfway

The first half of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s youth chess tournament – in both classical and 960 format – had gone well. The winner will be announced next Saturday afternoon, after the last four rounds.

😵

Fabiano Caruana – Hikaru Nakamura
62th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 27, 2018
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 0-0 6. 0-0 Re8 7. Nbd2 a6 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Nc4 Bd6!? Varying from 9. ... Bg4 10. h3 Bh5 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. g4 Bg6 14. Ncxe5 Rad8 15. Nxg6 Qxg6 16. Qe2 h5 17. Nh4 Qg5 18. Ng2 hxg4 19. hxg4 Bb6 20. Rae1 Rd6 21. b4 a5 22. a3 c5 23. b5 c4 24. d4 Qxb5 25. e5 Rh6 26. Qf3 Qb3 27. g5 Rg6 28. Qg3 Qxa3 29. Nf4+− Caruana – Nakamura, Speed Chess Championship (5’+2” per move), Chess.com, November 2, 2017, match game 7. Strange to say, then Caruana managed to lose the game! 10. Bg5 b5 11. Ne3 Qe7 12. Nh4 Qe6 13. Nhf5 Bf8 14. f4 Nd7 15. Ng3 f6 16. f5 Qf7 17. Bh4 Bb7 18. Qe2 Rad8 19. Nh1 Nc5 20. Rfd1 Rd6 21. Nf2 Red8 22. Rd2 a5 23. g4 g5 24. Bg3 Ba6 25. Rad1 b4 26. c4 b3 27. a3 R6d7 28. Qe1 Nb7 29. Nh1 Nc5 30. Qe2 Rd4 31. Be1 R8d6 32. Nf2 Qd7 33. Kg2 Qd8 34. h3 Rd7 35. Nf1 Na4 36. Nh2 Bc5 37. Nf3 R4d6 38. Rc1 Bxf2 39. Qxf2 c5 40. Qe2 Rxd3 41. Rxd3 Rxd3 42. Bxa5 Bb7 43. Kf2 Qd7 44. Re1 Rd6. Does anyone have any idea how one (with White) may have ended up in such a zugzwanged position? 45. Rc1? Nothing easier than not to find a decent move in such a situation. Perhaps Caruana wasn’t too enthusiastic about neither 45. Kg3 Rd3(!) nor 45. h4 h6(!), and maybe with good reasons, but the text loses right off. 45. ... Qc6! 46. Re1

46. ... Rd8? Nakamura strangely misses 46. ... Qxe4! 47. Qxe4 Bxe4 48. Rxe4 Nxb2 (Δ ... Nb2-d1+) 49. Ke2 when Black wins back the piece by 49. ... Nxc4! 50. Bc3 (50. Rxc4 b2−+) 50. ... b2 51. Bxb2 Nxb2 remaining with two Pawns to the good: if now 52. Nd2 then 52. ... Rd3! 53. Nc4 Rxh3! 54. Nxb2 Rh2+ eventually forcing a Rook ending three Pawns up. 47. h4!? h6? 47. ... Qxe4! was still terribly strong: 48. Qxe4 Bxe4 49. Rxe4 Nxb2 50. Ke2 gxh4! 51. Bxc7 (51. Bc3 Nd1−+) 51. ... Nxc4! could lead to a very asymmetrical pseudo-ending (Queen against Rook, Bishop and Knight) where, however, the passed h-Pawn should make the difference in Black’s favour. 48. hxg5 hxg5 49. Kg3 Rd7 50. Qh2 Rh7 51. Qd2 Rd7 52. Qh2 Rh7 53. Qd2 ½ : ½.

Fabiano Caruana (seated) and Hikaru Nakamura (standing) shaking hands. Photo: Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (@STLChessClub).

Oh, Edna, but you eclipsed everyone, even them, with your grey edged crêpe tailleur!

Artwork © Creativa-Artly01

Pink and Blue

From left: North Korean First Lady Ri Sol-ju and South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook walking together the red carpet at the summit meeting banquet on Friday, April 27, 2018. Photo: kyunghyang.com.

And clicking the glasses, the two presidential couples toasted cheers. Photos: kyunghyang.com.

Alpha Beta

Anish Giri – Magnus Carlsen
5th Gashimov Memorial; Şəmkir, April 27, 2018
English Opening A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. a3 a5 9. d3 0-0 10. Be3 Be6 11. Rc1 a4 12. Nd2 f5 13. Bxb6 cxb6 14. Nxa4 Bg5 15. Nc3. After a long thought, Giri has found nothing better than to follow in the footsteps of Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi. 15. ... e4 16. Kh1. This novelty adds nothing to 16. Rb1 Ne5!? 17. Nb3 Ng4 18. Qc2 Be3! which should have been quite annoying for White (even though somehow wasn’t), Nepomniachtchi – Aronian, FIDE Grand Prix 2017, third stage, Geneva 2017. 16. ... Qd7 17. Rb1 Rad8 18. Nc4 Qf7 19. b3 exd3 20. exd3 f4! Black quickly seized a powerful initiative already, and Carlsen will give his opponent no chance to cope with it. Black will get methodically chopped by an inexorable crescendo. 21. Ne4 Be7 22. gxf4 Qxf4 23. a4 Nb4 24. Qe2 Qh6 25. Rbd1 Nd5 26. Rg1 Kh8 27. Bf1 Rf4 28. Ne5 Rdf8 29. f3 Rh4 30. d4 Nf4! 31. Qd2 Bxb3 32. Rb1 Bxa4 33. Bb5 Bxb5 34. Rxb5 Qe6 35. Qb2 Bd8

36. Ng5. In order to untie Her Majesty from the defence of the second rank, not allowing Black to play 36. ... Rxh2+ 37 Kxh2 Qh3 mate. 36. ... Qe8 37. Rb3 Bxg5. 37. ... Rf5 38. Ne4 Rxh2+ is the computer’s mode of finishing the game, by capturing the White Queen. Carlsen plays it another way. 38. Rxg5 Ne6 39. Rg4 Rxg4 40. fxg4 Qd8 41. Rh3. White was harmless, however it might appear. If 41. Rd3 then 41. ... Qd5+ 42. Kg1 Rf1+! winning handily, whilst after 41. Rf3 Rxf3 42. Nxf3 Qd5 43. Kg2 Ng5 White couldn’t prevent Black from forcing a won King and Pawn ending. 41. ... Qd5+ 42. Kg1 Qe4! 43. Qb4 Rf6 0 : 1.

Anish Giri (left) vs. Magnus Carlsen (right). Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

俯卧撑 (Push-up)

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Rauf Mamedov
5th Gashimov Memorial; Şəmkir, April 27, 2018
4R3/5rk1/p5p1/R4p2/3Pp3/4P2P/1r3PK1/8 w - - 3 35

Position after 34. ... Rb3-b2

Today 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) was gifted by his opponent with an extra half point, in spite of Black’s exemplary play until that point. 35. Rxa6. White has finally won a Pawn, but Black’s dynamic counter initiative at least compensates for it. 35. ... f4! 36. exf4 Rxf4 37. Ra7+ Kh6?? With still enough time on the clock, Mamedov inexplicably blunders for self-mate. 37. ... Kf6 38. Rf8+ (or 38. Kg3 Rf3+ 39. Kg4 Rfxf2) 38. ... Kg5 would have brought Black nearer to a draw. 38. Kg3! Rf6. Both 38. ... Rfxf2 39. Rh8+ Kg5 40. h4+ Kf6 41. Rf8+ and 38. ... Rbxf2 39. Rh8+ Kg5 40. h4+ Rxh4 41. Ra5+ lose a whole Rook. 39. h4! g5 40. Rh8+ Kg6 41. Rg8+ Kf5 42. Rxg5+ 1 : 0. For after 42. ... Ke6 43. Re5+ Kd6 44. Ra6+ White wins a Rook.

Trading Places

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) and South Korean President Moon Jae-in (right) opened the historic Inter-Korean summit at the military demarcation line in Panmunjom, South Korea on April 27, 2018 with a highly symbolic 20 seconds long handshake. Photo: AFP/Getty Images.

Hand in hand, they took their first steps on the southern side in Panmunjom. Kim Jong-un is the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the end of the 1950–1953 Korean war. Photo: EFE.

Kim Jong-un’s younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, too, took part in the meeting held in a blue-carpeted conference room on the second floor of the Peace House, and on her arrival, she was warmly welcomed by Moon Jae-in. Photo: hani.co.kr.

Then the two delegations sit down for the summit meeting. Photo: Newsis.

And finally, Kim Jong-Un’s inscription in the visitors’ book: “A new history begins now. An era of peace, the starting point of history”. Photo: Aflo/Rex/Shutterstock.

And last but not least, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook (right) toast North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and First Lady Ri Sol-ju (left) toast during a banquet held in Panmunjeom on Friday. Photo: Yonhap.

Saturday Afternoon

Just a reminder for the younger ones: the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s youth chess tournament – in both classical and 960 format – will be held at our place on Saturday, April 28, 2018 (starting at 16,00). Please be on time!

Yes, Edna, they have still a long way to go towards finally overcoming their fault of not paying due respect to your chaperone

Artwork © 不知道小姐(17)TAICHUNG (@lala_dkow)

Not Easy

王安妮 (Annie Wáng) – Irina Krush
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 26, 2018
2r2r2/q4p1k/3p2pp/BQ2p2n/3bP1R1/1P5P/P2N1PP1/5RK1 w - - 3 42

Position after 41. ... Bc5-d4

王安妮 (Annie Wáng) – literally Wáng Ānnī – 16 years old, continues to lead the 58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship and, above all, to win even the almost lost games. In the position of the diagram, after reaching time control, she must invent something to prevent her titled adversary, the 7-time U.S. Women’s Champion Irina Krush, from quietly regaining her Pawn and then quietly converting her manifest positional advantage. 42. Nc4!? Kudos for the courage! Now, after 42. ... Rc5 43. Qb4 Ra8 White could do nothing but wait for worst consequences (44. Bb6 Rxc4!), but her tricky jump turns out to have a dramatic psychological impact on Irina, who sacrifices the Exchange – that’s probably not a mistake itself – for a grand attack on the dark squares. 42. ... Rxc4? 43. bxc4 Rb8 44. Qd5 Rb2. Yes, Black has still the better of it, but the situation is now far more unclear than before. 45. Bd8!? Again, the trickiest bet! 45. ... Qd7?! Both 45. ... Rxf2 and 45. ... Rxa2 were quite good and quite consistent. 46. Qa8 Ba7 47. Bh4 Rxa2? Krush finally disintegrates, and the tables turn drastically. 47. ... Rb8(!) was called for. 48. Qf8! Bc5? Tantamount to surrender, but also after 48. ... Rb2 49. Be7! Black is doomed. 49. Rb1! Ba7 50. Kh2! Mercilessly. 50. ... Ra4 51. Be7 Qe6 52. Rb7 Bxf2. 52. ... Ng7 53. Bf6! is not much better. 53. Rb8 1 : 0. For mate is unavoidable

王安妮 (Annie Wáng) (left) vs. Irina Krush (right). Photo: Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (@STLChessClub).

增四度 (Augmented fourth)

David Navara – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
5th Gashimov Memorial; Şəmkir, April 26, 2018
8/2r2pk1/1q1p2pb/1pnPp2p/2p1P2P/2P3P1/RPB2PK1/4QN2 b - - 10 33

Position after 33. Kf3-g2

David Navara’s Anti-Marshall went wrong from the beginning, starting with his 12th move, which was soon followed by the exchange of White’s dark-squared Bishop for a Knight, thus allowing Black to mount a King’s Indian-like position on the Kingside. Seeking out new horizons, Navara soon ended up ceding ground on the Queenside too. Finally, a sequence of erratic moves precipitated White into the bleak position shown in the diagram. Black to move and win. 33. ... b4! 34. cxb4 Nd3! 35. Bxd3 cxd3 36. Ra1 Rc2 (Δ ... Rc2-e2) 0 : 1.

David Navara (right) vs. 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) (left). Photo: Shamkir Chess (@ShamkirChess).