Well, Edna, don’t worry about them. If they should blame you for your absence, you can always say that you were using an empty chair technique

Artwork © Alice Negri Illustration (@marlavonduta)

The Woman with Two Smiles

• Frederic Friedel, Encounters: Richard and Richard and Woody, ChessBase.com, February 21, 2019

The two strongest female players in history, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Judit Polgár, attending the gala opening ceremony for the World Chess Championship at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) on November 8, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. Photo: Frederic Friedel/ChessBase.com.

蓓尔美尔 (Pall Mall)

• Raymond Dennis Keene, Playing the blues, The Spectator, March 2, 2019

This Saturday (2 March) sees the annual varsity match between the teams of Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford are strengthened this year by the addition of China’s 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the former women’s world champion, and are likely to be the favourites. As usual, the match starts at noon in the traditional venue of the RAC in Pall Mall and spectators are welcome, though there is a smart dress code for those who wish to watch. [Read more].

Yes, Edna, he only was able to write a recipe scrapbook such as that one in one sole night and then present it as his birthday gift to you

Cymatics

From left: Maddalena Sottili, Aurora Cheli, Matilde Guerri, and Emma Giuliani performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

范冰冰 (Fàn Bīngbīng)

Gif Art © Frank Nitty/Propaganda Studio.

Oh, Edna, who could forget that today is the fictional date of birth randomly given to you by the fashion industry! So happy birthday to you!

Credit: Tommy Lee (@genkibuta)

Don’t get impatient, Edna! You should know that Great Britain is one hour behind the European mainland

Artwork © Caitlin Mullen (@caitlin._.art)

Summer Hours

Emma Giuliani performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Up

Letizia Rogai performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Another Word

Maddalena Sottili performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

The Art of the First Date

Pigcasso, a rescued pig, paints on a canvas at the Farm Sanctuary in Franschhoek, outside Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Reuters.

Yes, Edna, probably when Cruella calls herself “the boss”, it’s just to imply that her husband is her butler

From Disney, “Minnie in Paris”, written by Sheila Sweeny Higginson and illustrated by Mike Wall, Disney Press, 2014. Courtesy of Jared Prophet (@geekbroll).

Swimming in the Moon

From left: Serena Vinci, Letizia Rogai, Giuditta Sottili, Arianna Settembrini, and Ester Marra performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Sight Unseen

From left: Aurora Cheli, Maddalena Sottili, Matilde Guerri, and Emma Giuliani performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Heartbeats

Stockfish – Leela Chess Zero

Top Chess Engine Championship Season 14 – Superfinal; match game 100; tcec-chess.com, February 23, 2019

Sicilian Defence B99

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. 0-0-0 Nbd7 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 Nc5 14. Rg1. In the previous, reverse game there followed: 14. f6 gxf6 15. gxf6 Bf8 16. a3 Rb8 17. Bh3!? b4 18. Nd5!? Qb7 19. axb4 exd5 20. exd5 Qxb4 21. Qe3+ Be6 22. b3 Qa3+ 23. Kd2 h5 24. Ke1 Qb4+ 25. c3 Bh6 26. Qf3 Qb7 27. dxe6 Qxf3 28. Nxf3 Nxe6 29. b4 Rb6 30. Rg1 Nf4 31. Bf1 d5 32. Ra1 Rxf6 33. Rxa6 Rxa6 34. Bxa6 Kd7 with a balanced endgame which finally ended in a draw at 95th move, Leela Chess Zero – Stockfish, Top Chess Engine Championship Season 14 – Superfinal, February 23, 2019, match game 99. 14. ... b4 15. Nce2 e5 16. Nb3!? This is a new move, probably improving on 16. f6 exd4 17. fxe7 d3 18. cxd3 b3 19. axb3 Nxd3+ (as 19. ... Nxb3+! 20. Kb1 Qa5! seems to give Black a formidable attack) 20. Kb1 Ne5 21. Qc3 Qxe7= 22. Qb4 ½ : ½ Boleslavsky – Aronin, 24th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1957. 16. ... Nd7 17. Kb1 h6 18. g6 0-0 19. gxf7+ Rxf7 20. Ng3 a5 21. Nd2 Ba6 22. Bxa6 Rxa6 23. Nh5 a4 24. Rg2 Nf6 25. Nxf6+ Bxf6 26. Nf1 a3 27. Ne3 axb2 28. Nd5 Qa7 29. Nxb4 Ra3 30. Rd3 Ra4 31. c3 Rb7 32. Qe3 Qa8! Leela Chess Zero goes for a double Pawn sacrifice, preferring a dynamic unbalance to a formal material equality, as after 32. ... Rxa2!? 33. Qxa7 (not 33. Nxa2?? because of 33. ... Qxa2+! with mate in two moves) 33. ... Raxa7 34. Rxb2 White’s control of the d5-square (where the Knight will plant itself) would leave it (him) with a comfortable edge. 33. Rxb2. Clearly not 33. Qxh6?? on account of 33. ... Rxa2! winning on the spot.

33. ... d5! A superb pointe. 34. exd5 Ra3 35. Qe4 Rb8 36. h4 Kh7 37. Kc1. If 37. Rg3 at once, Black can reply with 37. ... Qa4! threatening ... Qa4-d1 mate. 37. ... Qa7 38. Rg3 Qb7 39. Kc2 Qb5 40. Re3 Qa4+ 41. Kd2 Qa7 42. Ke2 Rc8! Black, in spite of being two Pawns down, has brilliantly got its (her) positional equaliser. 43. Nc6 Qa6+ 44. Qd3 Qa8 45. Qc2 Qa6+ 46. Qd3 Qa8 ½ : ½. Thus Stockfish finally won its (his) 100-game match against Leela Chess Zero by the narrowest margin of one point.

劉勃麟 (Liú Bólín), Hiding in the City – Your World, 2016. Courtesy of Galerie Paris–北京 (Běijīng), Paris.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

A specimen of the Galápagos giant tortoise, thought to have been extinct for about a century, at the Galápagos National Park on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos archipelago, in the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Rodrigo Buendía/AFP/Getty Images.

No, Edna, she doesn’t wear capes

Credit: Edna (@emode.edna)

AOC

Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be soon featured in a new comic book as a political superhero. Devil’s Due Comics, a North American publisher, announced Friday it will release a one-time comic book “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Freshman Force” in May. Image courtesy of Devil’s Due Comics.

On Waiting

Arianna Settembrini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Portrait in a Frame

Silvia Bertini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Barycentre

Viola Rocchini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

A View from the Board

Apparently there’s no dance at the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” tomorrow afternoon, just to make room for the Saturday class of chess960, starting at 16,00 as usual. So don’t forget to take with you a pair of clean sneakers to be used in the dance room only!

A worker watches as ballet dancers Brandon Brereton and Emily Pohl pose for pictures Wednesday in London as building works commence at Central School of Ballet’s new SE1 premises, following a successful fundraising campaign. Photo: AP/Frank Augstein.

Blindspot

Matilde Guerri and Emma Giuliani performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s end-of-year show in Grassina on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

In the Frame

Olga Calamai performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

A Portrait in Time

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) portrayed by 上海 (Shànghǎi)-based freelance photographer Tim Franco, whose pictures accompanied the article that TIME dedicated to her on May 17, 2018. Photo: Tim Franco.

Pillow Thoughts

From left: Emma, Sofia, Serena, and Silvia performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s end-of-year show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Thinking Machines

Leela Chess Zero – Stockfish

Top Chess Engine Championship Season 14 – Superfinal; match game 85; tcec-chess.com, February 20, 2019

King’s Indian Defence E87

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 0-0 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. Qd2 Qh4+ 9. g3 Nxg3 10. Qf2 Nxf1 11. Qxh4 Nxe3. David Ionovich Bronstein’s controversial Queen sacrifice: Black gives up Her Majesty for two Bishops and a Pawn, and will win a second Pawn after 12. ... Nxc4. But theoreticians still do not agree whether or not Black’s positional compensation is sufficient. 12. Ke2 Nxc4 13. Qe1!? Mankind probably thought better than what machines calculate: 13. Rc1 Na6 14. Nd1 Nb6 15. Nh3 Bd7 16. Ne3 f6 17. Rhg1 (17. Nf2 Nc8 18. Rc3 Ne7 19. Rhc1 Rac8 20. Rb3 Rb8 21. Nd3 Rf7 22. Qe1 Nc8 23. Qa5 Nb6 24. Rxc7 f5 25. Rc2 fxe4 26. fxe4 Rbf8 27. Rxb6 ½ : ½ Kasparov – Seirawan, 4th Grandmasters Association World Cup Tournament, Barcelona 1989) 17. ... Rad8 (17. ... Rae8 intending ... Re8-e7 and ... c7-c6 was suggested as an improvement for Black by Yasser Seirawan) 18. b3 c6 19. dxc6 bxc6 20. Nf5! gxf5 21. Rxg7+! Kxg7 22. Rg1+ Kf7 23. Dh5+ Ke6 24. Qxf5+ Kf7 25. Qh5+ Ke6 26. Qf5+ Kf7 27. Ng5+ Ke8 28. Ne6 Rf7 29. Rg7! Rc8 30. Rxf7 Kxf7 31. Ng5+ Ke7 32. Qxh7+ Kd8 33. Qh8+ Kc7 34. Qxf6 Re8 35. h4 Nc5 36. h5 Ne6 37. h6+− Karpov – Velimirović, 6th “Solidarity” International Tournament, Skopje 1976. Instead, 13. Nh3!? may be interesting and worth further experimentation, as after 13. ... Nxb2!? 14. Rab1 Nc4 15. Ng5! h6 16. Rbg1! Na6 (16. ... hxg5 17. Qxg5 followed by h2-h4-h5 would give White an irresistible attack) 17. Ne6! Black ended up in big trouble, even if a draw was finally certified at 362nd move (!), Stockfish – Leela Chess Zero, Top Engine Championship Season 14 – Superfinal, match game 86, February 21, 2019. 13. ... f5 14. h4 fxe4 15. Nxe4 c6 16. Qd1 Bd7 17. Kf2!? This and the next move are hard to share with common mortals, as White willingly enters a “cage” which would scare any ordinary human being! 17. ... Bf5 18. Ng3!? Nxb2 19. Qb3 Nd3+ 20. Kg2 Nc5 21. Qd1 Bd7 22. h5 Nba6 23. Rc1 Rf6 24. N1e2 Raf8 25. h6 Bh8 26. Rf1

26. ... g5! 27. Kg1 Rxh6 28. Ne4 Rf7 29. N2c3 Rg6 30. dxc6 Bxc6 31. Rc2 Bg7! Both Black’s Bishops finally come into play. 32. Rd2 Bf8 33. Nxd6 Rf4 34. Ne2! Probably the only move! 34. ... Ba4 35. Qe1 Bxd6 36. Nxf4 gxf4+ 37. Kh1 Bc7! 38. Rh2!? 38. Qh4 Ne6 39. Rg2 Bc6 40. Qf6 Nac5 41. Rxg6+ hxg6 42. Qxg6+ Kf8 43. Qh7 Bd6 44. Rg1 Bxf3+ 45. Kh2 Ke8 46. Rg8+ Bf8 47. Qf5 Ke7 48. Qxe5 Be4 may finally produce a similar ending, but on the whole — and from a human standpoint — that seems a little more defensible. 38. ... Nd7 39. Rg1 Bc6 40. Rxg6+ hxg6 41. Qh4 Bxf3+ 42. Kg1 Bb6+ 43. Kf1 Bh5 44. Qe7 Nac5 45. Rf2. 45. Rd2 e4 46. Rxd7 Nxd7 47. Qxd7?? e3 just loses outright. 45. ... Nf8! 46. Qxe5 Nfe6 47. a4 Bc7 48. Qd5 Bg4 49. Rc2 Bh3+ 50. Ke2 b6 51. Qa8+ Kf7 52. Qxa7 Kf6 53. a5 Bf5 54. Rxc5 bxc5 55. Qa8 Bg4+ 56. Kf1 f3 57. Qh8+ Kg5 58. a6 Bg3 59. a7 Bf5 60. Qh1 Bd3+ 61. Kg1 Nd4 62. Qh2 Bxh2+ 63. Kf2 Kf4 64. Ke1 0 : 1.

Traveling Through

Arianna Settembrini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Rapid Foto Center.

Okay, Edna, if you need your glasses to study, just whistle

Artwork © Jon Madrazo (@jonassaenz)

元宵节 (Lantern Festival)

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) apparently spent yesterday in company with her fellow scholars celebrating the 元宵节 (Lantern Festival) at Rhodes House. On next March 2 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), indisputably the world’s No. 1 woman player, will take the top board for the Oxford University team in the 137th Varsity Chess Match against Cambridge at London’s Royal Automobile Club (RAC), which is held to be the world’s longest running chess fixture, dating back to the first Varsity Chess Match in 1873. Photo: Rhodes Trust (@rhodes_trust).

Staging the Screen

Margot Fonteyn on a cruise to the Greek islands, 1951. Photo courtesy of Joan Leigh Fermor.

#BD559C

Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez played “a lightning round game” during a House Oversight Committee hearing on February 6, to emphasize the “fundamentally broken” system of ethical accountability.

Behind the Screens

Stockfish – Leela Chess Zero

Top Chess Engine Championship Season 14 – Superfinal; match game 66; tcec-chess.com, February 17, 2019

Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 d5 6. Bg2 dxc4 7. Ne5 Bb4+ 8. Kf1 Bd6 9. Nxc4 Nd5 10. Bb2 Nc6 11. h4 f5 12. Nbd2 0-0 13. Kg1!? This could be an improvement over 13. Bf3 Be7 14. Kg2 Bb7 15. Rc1 Bf6 16. e3 Qd7 17. Qe2 Rae8 18. a3 Kh8 19. h5 Qf7 20. b4 a6 21. Ne5 Nxe5 22. dxe5 Be7 23. Nb3 Rc8 24. Bd4 Kg8 25. Rhd1 g5 26. hxg6 hxg6 27. Rh1 g5 28. Kg1 Kg7 29. Bh5 Rh8 30. Bf3?? (30. e4! would have won material for White) 30. ... g4! 31. Bg2 Rxh1+ 32. Bxh1 Rh8 with irresistible attack, Ostermeyer – Lau, Solingen 1986. 13. ... b5 14. Nxd6 cxd6 15. e4! Stockfish’s straightforward strategy proves to be quite effective. 15. ... fxe4 16. Nxe4 Qd7 17. Ng5! h6 18. Qg4 Rf5. Not 18. ... hxg5? because of 19. Bxd5 Bc8 20. Bg2 getting an easy and overwhelming attack for free. Likewise after 18. ... Bc8 19. Re1! hxg5 20. hxg5 Qf7 21. f4! White’s attack continues vehemently. 19. Re1! Nf6. Probably Black had nothing better than 19. ... hxg5 20. Qxf5! exf5 21. Bxd5+ Kh7 22. hxg5+ Kg6 23. Re6+ Qxe6 (23. ... Kxg5?? 24. f4+ Kg4 25. Rg6#) 24. Bxe6 Nb4 25. d5 remaining with a Pawn down and an inferior but possibly tenable position. 20. Qe2 Re8 21. Ne4! Stockfish doesn’t distract its Knight with the capture of the e6-Pawn. 21. ... Nd5 22. Bh3! Rf7 23. Bg4! With the threat of Bg4-h5. 23. ... Rfe7 24. Rh2! Qd8 25. f3 Nb8 26. Qc2! White again renews the siege on Black’s castle. 26. ... Bc8 27. Ng5! The Knight is obviously taboo. 27. ... Nf6 28. Bh5! Rf8. Not 20. ... Nxh5?? because of 21. Qh7+ Kf8 22. Qh8#. 29. Bg6. It’s not yet the final destination of the White Bishop’s long journey. 29. ... Na6 30. Qd2 b4!? Black dares a desperate Pawn sacrifice in the vain hope of distracting White from its methodical Kingside attack. 31. g4 Nc7 32. Qxb4 Nfd5 33. Bh7+ Kh8 34. Qd2 Nf4 35. Bb1! Ba6 36. Nh7! Rff7 37. g5 Nh5 38. gxh6 gxh6. 38. ... Rxf3 39. Ng5 was hardly any better at all. 39. d5+ e5 40. Qxh6 Rxh7

41. Rxe5! An elegant pointe finishes the game. 41. ... Rg7+. If 41. ... dxe5 then 42. Bxe5+ Kg8 43. Bxh7+ Rxh7 44. Rg2+ with mate in four moves. If, instead, 41. ... Rxh6 then 42. Rxh5+ possibly transposing into the game. 42. Rg2 Rxh6 43. Rxh5 Ne8. Or 43. ... Rxh5 44. Bxg7+ Kg8 45. Bf6+ and finis. 44. Bxg7+ Nxg7 45. Rxh6+ Kg8 46. Rh7 Qb6+ 47. Kh1 Kf8 48. Rgxg7 Qf2 49. Be4 Qe1+ 50. Rg1 Qe3 51. Rh5 Ke7 52. Rg7+ Kf6 53. Rg6+ Kf7 54. Rh7+ Kf8 55. Rf6+ Kg8 56. Re6! Qe1+ 57. Kh2 Qf2+ 58. Kh3 Bc8 59. Rc7! Qf1+ 60. Kg4 Bxe6+ 61. dxe6 Qg1+ 62. Kh5 Qg3 63. Rf7 Qe5+ 64. Bf5 Qd5 65. Kg5 Qd2+ 66. f4 Qf2 67. Bh7+ Kh8 1 : 0.

劉勃麟 (Liú Bólín), Screens in Rest, 2017. Photo © 劉勃麟 (Liú Bólín).

Physique du rôle

Margot Fonteyn and Sir Frederick Ashton at the barre in a boat. Photo courtesy of Joan Leigh Fermor.

The Underestimated Superman

Plena laboratis habeas cum scrinia libris, emittis quare, Sosibiane, nihil? “Edent heredes” inquis “mea carmina”. Quando? Tempus erat iam te, Sosibiane, legi. Although you possess bookcases crammed with books, Arduously compiled, why, Sosibianus, do you send forth nothing? “My heirs”, you say, “will publish my lays”. When, oh, when? ’Tis already high time, Sosibianus, you should be read.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 4, XXXIII
English translation by Walter C. A. Ker

A man rests in his wooden cart used to collect saleable items such as cardboard, plastic, glass and aluminium in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: AFP/Bay Ismoyo.

Oh, Edna, this is a subtle way of reminding him that you must be paid for your inestimable services

Credit: captainpoe.tumblr.com

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

How to Make a Career Out of Nothing

Nil recitas et vis, Mamerce, poeta videri. Quidquid vis esto, dummodo nil recites. You recite nothing, and yet wish, Mamercus, to be held a poet. Be what you like — provide you recite nothing.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 2, LXXXVIII
English translation by Walter C. A. Ker

An elephant seal on King George Island, Antarctica. Photo: Özge Elif Kızıl/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images.

Scarlet Letters

Apparently it’s no longer only for the sake of chess that at least one young player comes to us regularly every Saturday afternoon, but also because he just wants to keep alive the correspondence thread with his letters to one of the dancers of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”. Guess who?

The Kindness of Strangers

Berlin, Germany, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Maurizio Braucci, Claudio Giovannesi and Roberto Saviano were awarded the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the 69th Berlin Film Festival for the film Piranhas (La paranza dei bambini), based on Saviano’s homonymous novel.

Yes, Edna, I too think that when Superman asks for more superpowers it’s just because he feels jealous of you taking care of the wardrobes of Batman and Spiderman

Artwork © Alexander Damon (@corvid_tea)

Quercus suber

Ghisonaccia, France: This cork oak in Corsica is a contender to be named European Tree of the Year 2019. Photo: Pascal Pochard-Casabianca/AFP/Getty Images.

In the Midnight Hour

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
1st Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 15, 2019
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6. Gunina, who appeared in a shining shape during all tournament, needed today just a draw to pick first prize, which may explain why she’s chosen the rock-solid Berlin Defence. 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nbd2 Nd7 7. Nc4 Qe7 8. a3!? Kosteniuk’s move is almost unknown ground. After 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Bd2 Rd8 10. Rb1 f6 11. b4 Bd6 12. Nh4 Nf8 13. Nf5 Qf7 14. a4 Ne6 Black equalised pretty soon, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 周健超 (Zhōu Jiànchāo), 44th Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2013. 8. ... a5!? Gunina’s novelty seems much natural. On the other hand, in the only game played with this variation so far (Shyam – Leenhouts, 49th Condigne Dutch Open, Dieren 2017) there followed 8. ... 0-0 9. b4 Bd6 10. Bb2 b5 11. Na5 c5 with approximate equality. 9. b3 0-0 10. Bb2 f6! 11. 0-0 Nb6 12. Ne3 a4! 13. b4 Bxe3 14. fxe3 Bg4. This position is hard to assess, but still harder is to envision any kind of advantage for White. 15. Qe1. If 15. c4 Black would equally reply with 15. ... c5 with quite an even game. 15. ... c5 16. Nh4. Kosteniuk understandably feels compelled to invent something, and doing it from a position not of strength, she inevitably ends up with a number of weaknesses in her camp. 16. ... cxb4 17. axb4 Nc8! 18. b5 Nd6 19. Ba3!? Kosteniuk finally opts for the “tricky way”. 19. Qb4 Qd7 20. h3 Be6 21. Rxa4 Nxb5 is probably sounder than the text, but not strong enough to break the balance of equality. 19. ... Qd7 20. h3 Be6 21. c4 b6. With the powerful positional threat of ... c7-c6. 22. Bb4. White’s Bishop goes forth and back without clear goals, but probably Kosteniuk’s not to blame for trying to accomplish her mission impossible. Perhaps 22. Qg3 at once would have saved a little time. 22. ... c5 23. bxc6 Qxc6 24. Ba3. All for tactics, inevitably burning her bridges behind her. 24. ... Rfd8 25. Qg3 Kh8 26. Qf3 Kg8 27. Rad1 Nf7. 27. ... Ra7(!) would have avoided many “last ditch” annoyances. 28. Qg3. Kosteniuk doesn’t feel like hazarding 28. Be7!? Rd7 29. Bxf6 gxf6 30. Qxf6 which, however far from “winning”, was unclear enough to be seriously considered. 28. ... Kh8 29. Rf2. 29. Be7 could still evoke seducing chimeras: 29. ... Re8 30. Rxf6! Rxe7?? 31. Nf5! and White wins, but a deeper analysis must have persuaded Kosteniuk that after 30. ... Qd7! 31. Rxe6 Qxe6 32. Nf5 Rg8 33. Ba3 Ra7 Black would have defended successfully. 29. ... Ra7. The game entering into a furious, mutual time scramble, anything and everything can still happen. 30. Rfd2 Rad7 31. Nf3 b5 32. cxb5

32. ... Qxb5? Gunina plays it safe, in fact overlooking 32. ... Qc3! 33. Bb2 Qb3 which would have ensured Black an overwhelming superiority. Now White’s position springs to life suddenly and immediately: 33. d4! Bb3 34. Rc1 Qb7 35. Qg4 Nh6 36. Qh4 Bf7 37. Rb2 Qa7 38. Rc6 Ng8. The situation is still very tricky, and they both must avoid traps of emotion on their way to the 40th move (38. ... Bg6? 39. Rxf6!). 39. Bc5?? Kosteniuk makes a tremendous mistake which should have irrevocable consequences. With 39. Kh2! she would have clearly retained better chances. Now Black’s passed Pawn runs on: 39. ... Qa8 40. Rbb6 a3! 41. Ra6 a2! 42. Qe1 Rb7 43. Nd2 Qb8 44. Rcb6 exd4 45. exd4 Rxb6 46. Rxb6 Qf4. 46. ... Qa8 47. Qa1 Rc8 seems even simpler. 47. Ra6 f5?? Gunina now returns the courtesy, conceding her opponent a honourable draw. Both 47. ... Re8 (48. d5 Bxd5) and 47. ... Rc8 appear quite definitive. 48. d5 fxe4 49. Rxa2 Bxd5 50. Ra7 Ra8 51. Rxa8 Bxa8 52. Nc4 Nf6 53. Bd4 e3! 54. Qxe3 Qxe3+ 55. Nxe3 Ne8 56. g4 Kg8 57. Kf2 Kf7 58. Kg3 Nf6 59. Nc4 Bd5 60. Ne5+ Ke6 61. Kf4 h6 62. Nf3 Kf7 63. Bb2 g5+ 64. Ke3 Nxg4+ 65. hxg4 Bxf3 66. Kxf3 Kg6 67. Ke4 ½ : ½.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk vs. Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Just Breathe

Tomorrow is Saturday the sixteen, and, luckily, it’s not too late for you to kick Arcovazzi off and be punctual and on time at your chess960 class at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, starting at 16,00 as usual.

Pablo Picasso, Chess, 1911. © 2019 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy of The Met, New York.

Bin Ends

People look at the shredded Banksy painting Love is in the Bin at the Museum Frieder Burda in Baden-Baden, Germany where the work is being on display from February 5 to March 3, 2019. It was originally titled Girl with Balloon and since it destroyed itself during an art auction in London, it’s been called Love is in the Bin. Photo: AP/DPA/Uli Deck.

The Day Before The Day After

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik
1st Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 14, 2019
English Opening A34

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Nd3+ 7. Ke2 Nf4+ 8. Kf1 Nd3. With a silent draw offer (9. Ke2 Nf4+ 10. Kf1). 9. Qe2 Nxc1 10. Rxc1 e6 11. e5. Or 11. h4 a6 12. e5 Nc6 13. Bd3 Bd7 14. Rh3 Rc8 15. Re1 b5? (Black first had to play 15. ... h6) 16. Ng5! Nd4 17. Qg4! and Black is in trouble, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Tari, Altibox Norway Chess Qualifier, Fagernes 2016. 11. ... Nc6 12. h4 Bd7. Abdumalik knows very well what she is doing, if nothing else, because she suffered a painful defeat not so long ago: 12. ... a6 13. Bd3 Be7 [13. ... Bd7 re-enters into the aforementioned 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Tari] 14. Rh3 Dc7 15. Rg3 g6 16. Qe3 Bd7 17. a3 b5 18. Rg4 c4 19. Be2 Rc8 20. h5 gxh5 21. Rg7 h6 22. Qf4 f5 23. d4 cxd3 24. Bxd3 Bf6 25. Nd5 exd5 26. Rxd7 Qxd7 27. exf6 Rd8 28. Bxf5 Qd6 29. Qe3+ Ne7 30. Rc6 Kf7 31. Rxd6 Nxf5 32. Qe6+ 1 : 0 Kulaots – Abdumalik, 16th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2018. 13. Rh3 h6!? New but not in conflict with 13. ... Qb6, which after 14. Bb5 h6 15. Kg1 a6 16. Ba4 0-0-0 17. Bb3 Kb8 gave Black the best chances, Erdos – Svidler, 36th SchachBundesliga, Baden-Baden 2017. 14. Kg1 Qb6 15. Bb3. 15. Bb5 a6 would transpose into the aforementioned Erdos – Svidler. 15. ... 0-0-0!? 16. Na4 Qa5 17. Qe3 c4. The corollary of Black’s last two moves.

18. Bd1. Probably stronger and more critical was the Exchange sacrifice by 18. Rxc4!? b5 19. Rc5 Bxc5 (19. ... Qb4? 20. a3!+−) 20. Nxc5 with more than enough positional compensation. The text leaves White with a bit of an uncomfortable game. 18. ... Kb8 19. a3 Qb5 20. Rg3 f5! Black sacrifices a Pawn for the sake of the initiative. 21. exf6 gxf6 22. Qf4+ e5 23. Qxf6 Be7 24. Qf7? A strange case of collaboration. After 24. Qg6 Rhf8 25. Nc3 Qb6 the game is tremendously unclear but basically balanced. A sample variation is 26. Nd5 Qxb2 27. Nxe7 Qxc1 28. Qd6+ Ka8 29. Nd5! Qxd1+ 30. Kh2 Rc8 31. Rg7 Bh3! 32. Kxh3 Qh1+ 33. Nh2 Rfd8 34. Nc7+ Kb8 35. Na6++ with a draw by perpetual check. 24. ... Rhf8 25. Qh5 Bf5! 26. Qxh6. Desperation. 26. ... e4 27. Nc3 Qc5?! As usual, Abdumalik melodramatically self-destroys in the time scramble. Here 27. ... Qb6 was much simpler, so as to answer 28. Ne1 with 28. ... Qxb2 and 28. Ng5 with 28. ... e3! followed by ... Qb6xb2 with an overwhelming advantage in all cases. Nothing is yet lost for Black at this point, but what remains to be seen is hardly imaginable. 28. Ng5? A little better seems 28. Nh2 eventually followed by Nh2-f1-e3. 28. ... Rh8. Even stronger seems 28. ... Qd4 with too many threats for White to handle. 29. Ngxe4 Rxh6 30. Nxc5 Rxh4! 31. b4 Rdh8 32. Kf1 Bxc5?? The magnitude of the tragedy. After 32. ... Rh1+! 33. Ke2 Re8−+ White could well resign. 33. bxc5 Bd3+!? 33. ... Rh1+ 34. Ke2 Ne5 seems easier as well as more effective to put pressure on White’s position. 34. Rxd3 cxd3? 34. ... Rh1+! 35. Ke2 Re8+ 36. Ne4 (the only move!) 36. ... Rxe4+ 37. Kf3 Ree1 was (at least in theory) the only way to keep playing for a win. 35. f3! Rc4 36. Kf2 Rxc5 37. Rb1 Rh1 38. Ke3 Ra5 39. a4 Rg5 40. g4 Rh3. 40. ... Re5+ 41. Kxd3 Ree1 leaves Black with a material edge, but no serious chance of converting it into a win. 41. Ne4 Rg7 42. g5 Rf7 ½ : ½.

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina vs. Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik. Photo © Crystal Fuller/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.