Song of Bacchus

Paolo Polegato, CEO of Astoria Wines, an Italian company which produces Prosecco (as well as other wines), bought pages of newspapers and magazines to advertise his anti-racist message: “The violence of words and facts is no longer tolerable”. “We have to pay attention to our words and conduct, and not solicit hatred and anger”, he says. However, Polegato’s challenge of advertising goes beyond his own cosmopolitan values, as it was also dictated by the need to safeguard the image of Astoria Wines worldwide: “Abroad, Italy is perceived as a country which is quickly descending into racism, and this certainly damages the business of our company that exports at least 40 per cent of its production”. Photo: Democratica.

Wow, Edna! A suitor has come whom your pride and haughtiness did not frighten! Now do your best not to make him regret it!

Artwork © Kristina Vardazaryan

Дополнительное время (Overtime)

Moscow, Russia: Members of the feminist protest punk rock group Pussy Riot (from left: Veronika Nikulshina, Olga Kuracheva and Olga Pakhtusova) leave a detention centre after serving 15 days for invading the pitch at the World Cup final, before being forced into a police van seconds later. They were allegedly charged with also “the organisation and holding of public events without prior notice” and could face another 10 days behind bars. Photo: Reza Nourmamode/AFP/Getty Images.

Floating umbrellas

A woman with an umbrella walks under the rain past a sculpture called Umbrellas by Greek sculptor George Zongolopoulos along the waterfront in Thessaloniki, Greece. Photo: AFP/Sakis Mitrolidis.

The Superman in Transition

Quod tibi crura rigent saetis et pectora villis, verba putas famae te, Charideme, dare? Extirpa, mihi crede, pilos de corpore toto teque pilare tuas testificare natis. “Quae ratio est?” inquis. Scis multos dicere multa: fac pedicari te, Charideme, putent. Because your thighs are rough and hairy, And your breast shaggy, Do you think, Charidemus, that you give the lie to rumour? Pluck out, believe me, the hairs from your whole body And show that you shave your buttocks. “Why?” say you. You know that many men say many things; Make them think that you are sodomised, Charidemus. Caridemo, credi davvero mai che le gambe setolose che tu hai ed il torace villoso ti faranno famoso? Dammi retta, ascolta, depilati da cima a fondo e mostra a tutto il mondo che le chiappe hai rasato. Perché? M’hai domandato. Sai che la gente di te sparla così per niente. Meglio far credere che lo prendi in culo solamente.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 6, LVI
English translation by R. Fletcher
Italian translation by Franco Zagato

Ministry of Ship Contractors

Vessel allegedly broke international law by returning 108 people rescued from Mediterranean to Tripoli A search and rescue charity has alleged that an Italian ship returned scores of people rescued from the Mediterranean to Libya, even though Libya is not regarded by Europe as a safe place under international law. In what would be an unprecedented case if confirmed, the Asso 28, an oil rig support vessel, allegedly saved 108 people from a dinghy and then took them to Tripoli. [Read more].

• Angela Giuffrida, Italian ship returned rescued people to Libya, charity says, The Guardian, July 31, 2018

It is against the law for one country to return people to another territory that is at war, or where they could be subjected to the death penalty, torture or other inhumane conditions. Photo: Jon Nazca/Reuters.

Not you, Edna. You won’t end like that. I feel you won’t ever marry, and will remain a spinster for life!

Artwork © listlessscrawls

Whenever a veil should be drawn over the marital bed, they have instead the unfortunate ability to make her remember the husband she can’t forget

The Superman Project

Triginta tibi sunt pueri totidemque puellae: una est nec surgit mentula. Quid facies? You’ve got thirty boys and as many girls, too, And a prick that won’t rise — what will you do? Hai trenta ragazzi e altrettante ragazze sotto mira. Ma che farai tu con un cazzo solo che non tira?

Martial, Epigrams, Book 12, LXXXVI
English translation by Fiona Pitt-Kethley
Italian translation by Franco Zagato

Paul Klee, Lovers, 1920. Credit: FamousArtistsGallery.com.

Edna, I think it is quite offensive on your part to assume that I could ever vote for anyone who votes for people such as them

Artwork © Lesi (@theinkispoision)

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Black Italian athlete Daisy Osakue was injured early on Monday in Turin, Italy when unidentified assailants hurled an egg at her face. “I don’t want to play the sexism or racism card, but people should be able to go out without someone attacking you out of the blue”, Osakue said, wearing a patch over her eye. Doctors said Daisy, whose parents are Nigerian, should recover in time to take part in the 24th European Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany next month where she is due to represent Italy in the discus throw.

Daisy Osakue. Photo: la Repubblica.

生日會 (Birthday party)

Visitors gather to observe giant panda triplets on the animals’ fourth birthday at 长隆野生动物世界 (Chimelong Safari Park) in 广州 (Guǎngzhōu), China. Photo: The Asahi Shimbun.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

And, finally, let’s introduce the third FIDE President in fieri, Georgios Makropoulos from Greece. Chess International Master, he also achieved a Grandmaster norm in the 4th “Banco di Roma” International Tournament in Rome, Italy, 1980. Makropoulos often took part in the “Banco di Roma” tournaments during the 1980s, and one can imagine him spending evenings in Rome with Grandmaster Sergio Mariotti and International Master Alvise Zichichi, laughing and drinking wine. But Makropoulos soon chose a diplomatic career, both at home and abroad, apparently with some success, as he has been the President of Greek Chess Federation since 1982, and Vice President of FIDE since 1986. During his long mandates he had been often compelled to agree to unpopular compromises, which, if on the one hand saved the face of his masters as well as his own personal power, on the other hand weakened his public image. It is certain that he has enemies in the Caucasus. After serving FIDE for long years in the shadow of President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov, with whom he keeps entertaining a solid relationship, Makropoulos had to play all out just to stay in the game. After Ilyumzhinov was blacklisted by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Makropoulos reinvented himself as Kirsan Nikolayevich’s most irreducible opponent, candidating himself for FIDE Presidency, so as to reassure both the Yankee sheriffs and the Swiss bankers, in a last desperate attempt to maintain the status quo. But, foreseeably, they did not believe in such a proof of discontinuity, and thus the bigwig Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich and the Knight of the Crown Nigel David Short had to run in rescue of Caïssa. Like Short, Makropoulos, too, has no realistic chance of arriving ahead of Dvorkovich in the presidential race, but, nevertheless, it wouldn’t be wise nor prudent to underestimate his almost messianic ability to be a man for all seasons.

Havana Club

11th World Chess Champion Robert James “Bobby” Fischer holding a conversation at Hotel Habana Libre’s restaurant in Havana, Cuba on October 28, 1966 during the 17th Chess Olympiad. Photo: WorthPoint.

The Dawn of the New Cycle

A worker assembles a pleasure doll at the WMDoll factory in 中山 (Zhōngshān), 广东省 (Guǎngdōng province), China. The factory counts more than 200 full-time staff workers, and claims to produce AI-powered handcrafted dolls, even if, for now, the AI’s soul is still very basic as they can whisper a few words and move eyes and arms, but cannot yet hold long conversations. Photos: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

The Woman in White

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) shows off her “beautiful mind” on stage of the 5th China–Russia Junior Match of Friendship which took place in Belokurikha, Altai Krai, Russia from 15–17 July, 2018. Vadim Vyazantsev’s report for Altai Sport, No. 7 (834), July 27, 2018, p. 1.

Edna, I guess that however rudely he may have told you, he really wanted to beg you to forgive him for not noticing you before and implore you to wait for him to make self-criticism about his hedonistic social life

Artwork © Dani Fer | She/Her

Vloggers

Vloggers livestream an event celebrating the fourth birthday of the world’s only giant panda triplets, 萌萌 (Méng Méng), 帥帥 (Shuài Shuài), and 酷酷 (Kù Kù), at 长隆野生动物世界 (Chimelong Safari Park) in 广州 (Guǎngzhōu), China. Photo: Bobby Yip/Reuters.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental

Fascism is demagogic but master-like, rhetorical, xenophobic, culture-hating, despiser of freedom and justice, oppressor of the weaker, servant of the stronger, always ready to point at the “others” as the reason of its own impotence or defeat. Ennio Flaiano, “Diario degli errori”, Milano, Rizzoli, 1976 English translation by Andrea Gaddini

Street theatre

Ballerinas perform during a red traffic light in Mexico City, Mexico on Saturday, July 28, 2018. The 58-second show – the duration of a Mexico City stop light – is part of the Ardentía Contemporary Dance Company’s attempt to brighten the days of motorists at snarled intersections in this sprawling megalopolis notorious for its clogged roadways. Photo: Emilio Espejel/AP.

I don’t know why, Edna, but I am always more convinced it is a three-horse race you will never lose

Artwork © SweetDream87

Blowin’ in the Wind

Abscisa servom quid figis, Pontice, lingua? Nescis tu populum, quod tacet ille, loqui? Why cut his tongue out, Ponticus, And nail your slave upon the cross? Aren’t you aware that people shout The very things he can’t let out? Perché tagliare la lingua al tuo servo, o Pontico? Non sai tu che il popolo dice ciò che egli tace? Martial, Epigrams, Book 2, LXXXII English translation by A. G. Carrington Italian translation by Giuseppe Lipparini

Paul Klee, Gespenst eines Genies (Ghost of a Genius), 1922. Credit: Scottish National Gallery.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Egyptian photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, also known as Shawkan, makes a gesture mimicking taking a picture from inside a soundproof glass dock, during his trial in the capital Cairo. Photo: AFP/Khaled Desouki.

Honeymoon

A bride poses for picture during the longest “Blood Moon” eclipse this century in Brasilia, Brazil. This eclipse coincided with Mars’ closest approach in 15 years to treat skygazers across the globe to a thrilling celestial spectacle. Photo: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters.

Oh, Edna, I think he finally realised you’ve never been interested in cars

“History never repeats itself, but the kaleidoscopic combinations of the pictured present often seem to be constructed out of the broken fragments of antique legends”

Another Friday, another time. It was June 29, 2018 at an unusual hour (very early in the afternoon) when at least fifty young students from the 深圳中学 (Shēnzhèn Middle School) and 龙岗小学 (Lónggǎng Primary School) gathered in the halls of the Bureau of Culture, Sport and Tourism of 龙岗区 (Lónggǎng District) in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China to enjoy the metaphysical experience of seeing with their own eyes four-time Women’s World Chess Champion as well as Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the superstar Goddess of the royal game, getting down on earth to meet them. After a brief introduction of all her successes in chess as well as in academic studies, the youngsters presented her with their own greetings, gifting her with colourful flowers and the branded silken red scarf. After some chatting, 13th Women’s World Chess Champion performed a spectacular 50-board simultaneous exhibition, with children, young, and old irresistibly struck with the magic circle of boards. In the end, all’s well that ends well: still applauses and flowers at the superstar’s feet, who, on her turn, with a humble smile, signed autographs and posed for group pictures. Photos: sohu.com.

Water on Earth

A visitor looks at the digital art exhibition “Aquarium by Naked” by the Japanese artist Ryôtarô Muramatsu at the 嘉德艺术中心 (Guardian Art Centre) in 北京 (Běijīng), China. Photo: How Hwee Young/EPA.

In the end, it’s like you won first prize in a Chess Queen lookalike contest, Edna

Artwork © michela.illustration

Google+

• Gina Martínez, Google Doodle Celebrates Chess Grandmaster Lyudmila Rudenko’s on What Would Have Been Her 114th Birthday, TIME, July 27, 2018

Google honoured 2nd Women’s World Chess Champion Lyudmila Vladimirovna Rudenko with a 1960’s graphic art-inspired Google Doodle on her 114th birthday. Image courtesy of Google.

[Event "Women’s World Chess Championship 1949–50"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "1950.01.12"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Rudenko, Lyudmila Vladimirovna"]
[Black "Benini, Clarice"]
[ECO "D24"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "101"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. Nc3 a6 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Bg4 10. Rd1 Nbd7 11. e4 Nb6 12. Bb3 h6 13. h3 Bh5 14. g4 Bg6 15. Ne5 Bh7 16. f3 Qe7 17. Be3 Rfd8 18. Nd3 Ba5 19. Rac1 Nbd7 20. Qg2 Kh8 21. Ne2 Bb6 22. Qf2 Rac8 23. Nc5 Bxc5 24. dxc5 Ne5 25. Nd4 c6 26. Bf4 Nfd7 27. Qg3 Qf6 28. h4 g5 29. hxg5 hxg5 30. Be3 Nf8 31. Rd2 Nfg6 32. Bd1 Rd7 33. Be2 Rcd8 34. Rcd1 Qe7 35. b4 a5 36. bxa5 Qxc5 37. Kf2 Nf4 38. Nxe6 Rxd2 39. Rxd2 Rxd2 40. Bxc5 fxe6 41. Kf1 Kg7 42. Be3 Rxe2 43. Bxf4 gxf4 44. Qxf4 Re1+ 45. Kg2 Nf7 46. Qd2 Rb1 47. Qc2 Ra1 48. Qb2+ e5 49. Qxa1 Kf6 50. Qb2 Nd6 51. Qb4 1-0

Random Broadcast

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Hikaru Nakamura
3rd Speed Chess Championship; match game 6 (5+1); Chess.com, July 26, 2018
Alekhine Defence B04

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was neatly defeated by the top seed Hikaru Nakamura 27½–2½ in the 1/8 final match of the 3rd Chess.com Speed Chess Championship. In dealing with a format (blitz and superblitz) in which her opponent was objectively stronger than her, however, she could have felt penalised by the (too) innovative “remote Internet gateway”, which, in fact, ended up eclipsing her as the reigning fashion symbol of the broadcast. 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. exd6 exd6 6. c4 Nb6 7. h3 Be7 8. Nc3 0-0 9. Bd3 Bf6 10. 0-0 Nb4 11. Bb1 c5. Black’s last two moves (and especially the last one) are more than questionable. The alternative was 11. ... Be6 12. a3 Na6 13. d5 (13. b3 might well have been better) 13. ... Bd7 14. Ne4 Bf5 15. Nxf6+ Qxf6 16. Bxf5 Qxf5 17. b3 Nc5 18. Be3 a5 ½ : ½ Itkis – Pavlov, 8th Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov Memorial, Kyiv 2010. 12. d5! White takes command of the game. Something similar occurred during the 1966 Championship in Italy: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 exd6 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Nbc3 Nb4 10. Bb1 c5 11. d5 Nd7 12. a3 Na6 13. Ng3 Nf6 14. Bf4 Re8 15. Qd3 g6 16. Bc2 Bf8 17. Rae1 Rxe1 18. Rxe1 Bd7 19. Bg5 h6 20. Bh4 Bg7 21. Nce4 g5 22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Nh5 Qxb2 25. Bg3 Be5 26. Bxe5 1 : 0 Giustolisi – Di Vincenzi, 27th Italian Chess Championship, Rovigo 1966. 12. ... Bxc3. Not 12. ... Nxc4? because of 13. a3 followed by Qd1-d3. 13. bxc3 Na6 14. Bg5 f6 15. Bf4 Nc7 16. a4 a5? As they say, in a bad position bad moves come easily. The text simply loses a Pawn.

17. Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Qb1+ g6 19. Qxb6 Ra6 20. Qb2 Ne8 21. Rfe1 Ng7 22. Nd2 Rf7 23. Ne4 g5 24. Bd2 Bf5 25. Re2 Qd7 26. Qb5 Qd8. Black cannot exchange Queens, for White would win at least another Pawn with catastrophic effect. 27. Qb2 Qd7 28. Qb5 Qd8 29. Qb2 Qd7 ½ : ½. In a totally winning position (30. Rae1+−) White, maybe depressed because she had already lost too many games, decided to content herself with a draw by repetition.

Do not get angry at him, Edna. He may not be a genius, but he’s not to blame for your chaperone’s bigotry and backwardness

Citizen Kane

The last issue of New In Chess (5/2018, July 27, 2018) is finally out, featuring on its cover 17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) making breakfast at Tiffany’s. Inside there is a profile of 上海 (Shànghǎi)’s Queen by Woman Grandmaster 张继林 (Zhāng Jìlín), with analysis and commentary by 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) herself. For further details, visit: https://www.newinchess.com/.

The Never Ending Cycle

In a long interview given to Peter Doggers of Chess.com, Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich, the Russian candidate for the post of FIDE President, offered some specifics about how he would reform the Fédération Internationale des Échecs. The big news is that he was the first and the only – at least so far – to put on the agenda the controversial issue of “women’s chess”. In his electoral program he advocates an immediate move to reconstruct a circuit of great women’s tournaments, build a welfare assistance system for veteran female players in need, and equate women’s and men’s World Chess Championship systems and formats, thus apparently fulfilling four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s demands, which so far had been invariably rejected. And when should it happen? Doggers puts the crucial question: “Will you change the format for the upcoming women’s world championship? The knockout in Khanty-Mansiysk in November?”. Don’t run too fast, cautioned Dvorkovich. “No, we need to change the whole cycle, so it will require us to finish the current cycle first. But then we need a tournament of eight or 10 people, a Candidates’ tournament, and also a Grand Prix series”, Arkady Vladimirovich answered. Thus, the story continues and perhaps it will be told by another President. But now you know why female players might need welfare in the future.

The Semiotics of Fortune Telling

Habet Africanus miliens, tamen captat. Fortuna multis dat nimis, satis nulli. He fawns for more, though he is thousands touch: Fortune gives none enough, but some too much. Ricco è Africano, e ruba. La Fortuna Dà troppo a molti, ed a nessuno assai.

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

Paul Klee, Abenteuer eines Fräuleins (A Young Lady’s Adventure), 1922. Credit: Tate.

Seahorse

A hippopotamus eats frozen watermelon to cool off at Bioparco di Roma during a heat wave on July 25, 2018 in Rome, Italy. Photo: AFP/Tiziana Fabi.

Beyond Cinderella

A frog sits in a forest pond outside Moscow, Russia. Photo: AFP/Yuri Kadobnov.

Mado Flynn’s Bijoux

Handmade beads by Mado Flynn

C’mon, Edna, you have the heart of the good of all mankind on your side!

Artwork © ShaShai

Out of the Blue

• Sarah Smarsh, They thought this was Trump country. Hell no, The Guardian, July 26, 2018

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the sparkling star of the Democratic Socialists of America, is now in Wichita, Kansas, United States with Bernie Sanders to woo progressives in support of congressional candidate James Thompson. Photo: Amy Kontras for The Guardian.