Stage space in performance

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

Memento

Laxior hexaphoris tua sit lectica licebit: cum tamen haec tua sit, Zoile, sandapila est. Your litter may be roomier than one borne by six; But, seeing that it is yours, Zoilus, It is a pauper’s bier.

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

Anonymous, Bauhaus student in a mask from the Triadic Ballet (circa 1927). Photo © Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles.

Yes, Edna, they are obsessed by their ideal of absolute ignorance

Artwork © kimcraftedadorables

Watching the Wheels

In the meantime, in Belgrade, on the second and final day of the mixed doubles match China–Europe, the Dragon, led by four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above), defeated the Old Continent by 5½–2½. The match, sponsored by the Chinese tire manufacturing enterprise Linglong Tire, was held in the breathtaking interiors of the Palace of Serbia (see picture below). The empty chairs and the missing painting on the wall are presumably coincidental. Photos: International Mind Sports Association (IMSA).

Words and Languages

Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 30, 2019
Slav Defence D17

Everything is ready for the “big High Noon scene”. Two women of different origins and generations, who for one reason or another live in the same country, will contend tonight for the title of U.S. Women’s Chess Champion. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 f6 12. 0-0 Rd8 13. Qc1 Be6 14. Ne4. A few days earlier, 于 (Yú) went through some very bad moments after 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Qe3 Qa5? 16. Bxe5 fxe5 17. Qg5!→ 王安妮 (Annie Wáng) – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú), 58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2019. 14. ... Bb4 15. Rd1. In the first game of the 1937 World rematch, 5th World Chess Champion Max Euwe continued with 15. a5 0-0 16. a6!? bxa6? (16. ... b6 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. Qe3↑) 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. Nc5 Bxc5 19. Qxc5± Euwe – Alekhine, The Hague 1937, World Chess Championship match game 1. 15. ... 0-0 16. Rd4!? Zatonskih should have probably looked for an improvement between the lines of 16. a5 a6 17. Rd4 Nc5 18. Nxc5 Bxc5 19. Nxe5 fxe5 20. Qxc5 exf4 21. Rxf4 Rxf4 22. gxf4 Rd2 23. f5 Bf7 24. e4 Qd8 25. Re1 Rxb2 26. e5 Qd2 27. Rf1 Qg5 28. Kh1 Qxf5 29. Qd4 Bd5 30. Bxd5+ cxd5 31. Qxb2 ½ : ½ Shankland – Alonso, 9th American Chess Continental, Praia da Pipa 2014. 16. ... a5 17. h4 Nc5! 18. Rxd8. White cannot realistically hope for any advantage after 18. Nxe5 Nb3!∞ (19. Nxc6 Qxc6!). 18. ... Qxd8 19. Nxc5 Bxc5

20. Nxe5? Zatonskih probably felt by now quite demoralised and began to sink. Here she should have taken with the Bishop: 20. Bxe5 fxe5 21. e3, humbly playing for a draw. 20. ... Bxf2+! 21. Kh2. Not 21. Kxf2 on account of 21. ... fxe5 22. Qe3 Qf6 winning back the Bishop with interest. 21. ... fxe5 22. Bxe5 Bd4 23. Bf4 Qb6 24. Qc2 Bb3 25. Qc1 Qb4 26. Bd2 Qd6 27. Bf4 Qb4 28. Bd2. Now Zatonskih would be happy with a draw by repetition. 28. ... Qe7! But 于 (Yú), after gaining time on the clock, declined. 29. Bc3 Be3 30. Qe1? This loses on the spot! White had nothing better than 30. Bd2 Bxd2 31. Qxd2, but even then Black may continue 31. ... Rf2 32. Rf1 Rxe2 33. Qxa5 h6 with clear superiority. 30. ... Bf2 31. Qd2 Bxg3+! 32. Kxg3 Qc7+ 33. Kg4 Be6+ 0 : 1. For mate in two follows.

Thanks to her convincing victory over Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih, 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) succeeded in crowning herself U.S. Women’s Chess Champion a round in advance! Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Life Goes On

It’s Saturday again, and that should tell you enough, so do not to miss your class of chess960 at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, starting at 16,00 as usual. Of course, since “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”, don’t forget to take with you a pair of clean sneakers to be used in the dance room only.

Credit: Andrew Bujalski, Computer Chess, 2013.

Nothing Is Easy

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – Tatev Abrahamyan
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 29, 2019
Nimzo-Indian Defence E46

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Ne2 c6 6. a3 Ba5 7. c5 d5 8. cxd6 Qxd6 9. b4 Bc7 10. g3 e5 11. Bg2 Re8. 于 (Yú) certainly had pleasant memories of 11. ... exd4 12. Nxd4 Bb6 13. 0-0 Rd8 14. Qc2 Bxd4 15. exd4 Qxd4?? 16. Rd1 Qb6 17. Be3 Qc7 18. Nb5 Rxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Qe7 20. Bc5 Qe5 21. f4 1 : 0 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – Jacobson, CCCSA Labor Day IM Norm Invitational, Charlotte 2018. 12. dxe5. White has no particular ideas about what to do with her “first-move advantage”. Philosophy aside, the text doesn’t promise anything but an uncomfortable equality. Comparatively better is 12. 0-0 e4 13. Bb2 Bf5 14. Rc1 Nbd7? (best is 14. ... a6! so as to control the b5-square after an eventual d4-d5, ... c6xd5) 15. d5! Ne5 16. dxc6 bxc6 17. Qxd6 Bxd6 18. Nd4 Bg6 19. Nce2 with a powerful advantage for White (even though the game ended as a draw!), del Río de Angelis – Cuenca Jiménez, 29th International Chess Open, Roquetas de Mar 2018. 12. ... Qxd1+ 13. Nxd1 Bxe5 14. Bb2 a5 15. bxa5 Nbd7 16. 0-0 Rxa5 17. Bxe5 Nxe5 18. Ndc3 Nd3 19. Nd4 Nc5 20. a4 Be6 21. Rab1 Rea8 23. Rd1 R8a7 24. Ra1 Nd5 25. Bxd5 Bxd5 26. Nxd5 cxd5

27. Nb3? Of course, White could not play 27. Nb5? on account of 27. ... Rxa4, but 27. Rc1! actually threatens Nd4-b5; it might follow then: 27. ... Nxa4 28. Rc7 Nc5 29. Nb3 Nd3 30. Nxa5 Nxb4 31. Rxb7 with equality. 27. ... Nxb3 28. Rxb3 b5! Black wins the a-Pawn, but the resulting ending is far from being winnable, and 于 (Yú) manages somehow to save half a point. 29. Rd1 bxa4 30. Ra3 Kf8 31. Rd4 Ke7 32. Kf1 Kd6 33. Ke2 Kc5 34. Kd3 Kb5 35. Kc3 Rc7+ 36. Kb2 Rc5 37. Rad3 Kc6 38. Ka3 Rc2 39. Rf4 f5 40. Rdd4 Rac5 41. Rxa4 R5c3+ 42. Kb4 Rc4+ 43. Kb3 Kb5 44. Raxc4 Rxc4 45. Rf3 Kc5 46. Rf4 Rxf4 47. gxf4 d4 48. Kc2 Kc4 49. Kd2 h6 ½ : ½.

For whom the bell will toll? 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) still leads by half a point over Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih, who won a King and Pawn endgame against 王安妮 (Annie Wáng). Of course, it’s only by chance that they’ll be facing each other tomorrow! Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Mind Games

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 温阳 (Wēn Yáng) – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk & Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin
Linglong Tire Cup 2019 (25+10); Belgrade, March 29, 2019
Sicilian Defence B41

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. g3 d5 6. Nb3. Less convincing is 6. e5 on account of 6. ... Nc6 7. f4 Nxd4! 8. Qxd4 Ne7 and Black stands well, Giustolisi – Flesch, 27th Hoogovens II, Beverwijk 1965. 6. ... Nf6 7. exd5 exd5 8. Bg2 Be7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Nc3 Be6 11. Bg5 Nc6 12. Nd4 Nxd4 13. Qxd4 h6 14. Be3 Rc8 15. Qd3 Qd7 16. Rad1 b5 17. Bd4 b4. Blacks simplify the game, but leave Whites with a dangerous positional initiative. Instead, 17. ... Bf5! followed by ... Nf6-e4 seems to fully equalise. 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Nxd5 Bxb2 20. Qxa6 Bxd5 21. Bxd5 Rxc2 22. Bb3 Rd2. If 22. ... Qc6 then 23. Qa7! Rc5 24. Rd7 Rf5 25. Rfd1 and Whites seem to stand pretty good. 23. Rxd2 Qxd2 24. Rd1 Qg5 25. Rd7 Qf5 26. Qb7 Bc3 27. Kg2 g5 28. Qc6 Kg7

29. a4! Be1? Doubtless both Whites and Blacks could have played better earlier, but this is certainly Blacks’ last and most decisive mistake. 30. f3! Qe5 31. Qc4 Qb2+ 32. Kh3 Qf6 33. Qd5 h5 34. Rd6 Qe7. Alas for Blacks, 34. ... g4+!? 35. fxg4 Qf1+ 36. Kh4 Qf4! (Δ ... Qf4xg4#) doesn’t work, due to 37. Qg5+ forcing the exchange of Queens and a winning ending. 35. Qd4+ Kh7 36. Bc2+ Kg8 37. Rh6 f6 38. Rg6+ Kf7 39. Bf5 g4+ 40. Kh4 gxf3 41. Rh6 Rg8 42. Rh7+ Rg7 43. Qd5+ 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 温阳 (Wēn Yáng) vs. Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk & Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin. Photos: International Mind Sports Association (IMSA).

Doubles vies

The Linglong Tire Cup Sino-European Chess Élite Tournament is taking place in Belgrade, Serbia, from March 28 to April 1, 2019. The format consists of round-robin mixed doubles matches at time control of 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. Here are the four couples that are rumoured to be in line: Europe Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk & Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin Jovana Vojinović-Rapport & Richárd Rapport China 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) & 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì) 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 温阳 (Wēn Yáng) For further details and information please visit: serbiachess.net. Photos courtesy of Serbia Chess Federation.

A Game of Thrones

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) entertains a fellow Rhodes Scholar on occasion of the visit of the Rhodes Trust delegation to 北京 (Běijīng) Queen’s Wing Chess Club on Thursday, March 28, 2019. Photos: Kumeren Govender.

No, Edna, none can stay around long enough to be eternal

Artwork © Courtney Jones (@courtneyjdesign)

Take Leave and Go

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

One Day Ahead

Akshita Gorti – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 28, 2019
Torre Attack D03

1. d4 d5 2. Bg5 Nf6 3. e3 g6 4. Nf3. It would seem that Gorti feels more at her ease with the Torre Attack than the Trompowsky Attack (4. Bxf6). 4. ... Bg7 5. Nbd2 0-0 6. Bd3 Nbd7 7. 0-0 b6 8. c4 dxc4 9. Bxc4. 9. Nxc4 c5 should not worry Black at all, Pelletier – van Der Weide, 2nd Julian Borowski GM Turnier (Group B), Essen 2000. 9. ... Bb7 10. Qe2 c5 11. Rfd1!? A new move instead of the previous 11. dxc5 Nxc5 12. Rfd1 Qe8 13. Rac1 a6 14. Bf4 Nfd7 15. Nb3 b5 with quite an even game, Speelman – de la Villa Garcia, 7th International Tournament, Pamplona 1996. 11. ... Rc8 12. Rac1 cxd4 13. Nxd4

13. ... Rc5! A pretty positional Rook lift which enables Black’s Queen to take control of the a8-h1 diagonal. 14. N2f3 Qa8 15. b4 Rcc8 16. Bb5 Rfd8. Black seems to have equalised. 17. Rxc8 Qxc8 18. Qe1!? Intending Rd1-c1. 18. ... Nb8? This artificial and convoluted move might have caused Black considerable problems. Better and safer seems 18. ... h6! and if 19. Rc1 then 19. ... Qa8 with approximately equal chances. 19. h3? Gorti chooses the most prudent approach, probably fearing some sort of trick from her opponent. However, after 19. Rc1! Qg4 20. h3 Qe4 21. Ba4! Black’s position does not seem enviable at all. 19. ... Be4 20. Ne5 a6 21. Ba4 b5 22. Bb3 Bd5 23. Rc1 Qb7. Both opponents are already seriously short of time, so they should avoid being overly speculative — or perhaps the exact opposite! 24. Bxd5!? Qxd5 25. Nec6!? Nxc6 26. Nxc6 Rd7 27. Bf4!? Qxa2 28. Nb8. 28. Ra1 Qc2! indirectly defends the a-Pawn. 28. ... Rd8 29. Nc6 Re8 30. Ra1 Qe6 31. Rxa6 Nd5 32. Bg3? A grave mistake and a sign of the imminent disintegration. There’s nothing better than 32. Qf1 Nc3 33. Qd3 h5 34. Nb8 Qc4! leaving Black with an easier ending, but probably nothing more than that. 32. ... Qc8 33. Qd2? After 33. Nb8 Qb7 Black gains two pieces for a Rook and can comfortably play for a win, and yet it was better than the text continuation, which gives up the Exchange for nothing. 33. ... Qxa6 34. Qxd5 Bf6 35. Be5 Bxe5 36. Nxe5 Rf8 37. h4 Qd6 38. Qe4. An endgame is unthinkable, but the middle game, too, proves to be a “terminus” for White. 于 (Yú)’s concluding attack is easy and merciless: 38. ... Rc8 39. g3 Rc1+ 40. Kh2 Kg7 41. h5 f5 42. Qf4 Qd1 0 : 1.

After Round Eight, 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) kept her sole lead with 7½/8, one point ahead of Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Somewhere Somehow

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

地底旅行 (Journey to the Centre of the Earth)

The value of the recent diplomatic visit of the Rhodes Trust delegation to China, aimed to consolidate mutual relations after a large-scale launch of the Rhodes Scholarships for China in 2015, can be summed up with four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s own words: “Visiting a number of institutions in 北京 (Běijīng) and 上海 (Shànghǎi), from legal to NGOs, from educational to investment fund, from colleges to national chess clubs, the ten-day trip was very tiring but very fulfilling”, she wrote on her 新浪微博 (Sina Wēibó) microblogging account. “Like in an adventure journey, foreign scholars could enjoy a less stereotyped view of real China; and as for me, through this ‘self-cultivation’, I could recognise the fertile soil in which I’ve grown up”. Photos: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)/新浪微博 (Sina Wēibó).

Between the Acts

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – Sabina-Francesca Foişor
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 27, 2019
English Opening A21

1. c4 e5 2. e3 f5 3. d4 e4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nge2 g6 6. Nf4 Bg7. An immediate 6. ... Bh6 proved to be insufficient in at least two “serious” games: 7. Be2 (7. b4 Nc6 8. Rb1 Ne7 9. h4 0-0 10. d5 Ne8 11. c5 d6 12. Bc4 a5 13. b5 Kh8 14. c6 bxc6 15. dxc6 Bg7 16. Bb2 Be5 17. h5 Kg7 18. hxg6 hxg6 19. Nh5+ Kh6 20. Nxe4 1 : 0 Kuligowski – Nogueiras, 24th Chess Olympiad, La Valletta 1980) 7. ... 0-0 8. b3 c6 9. Ba3 d6 10. d5 g5 11. Ne6 Bxe6 12. dxe6 Qa5 13. Qc1 Qe5 14. Qd2 Rd8 15. 0-0-0 Na6 16. Qd4 Qxe6 17. Bxd6 Bg7 18. Qe5 Qc8 19. Qg3 h6 20. c5 b6 21. Be7 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 Qb7 23. Qd6 Nh7 24. Qe6+ Kh8 25. Rd7 Nc7 26. Qf7 1 : 0 Harikrishna – Gashimov, 19th World Youth Chess Championship Under-16, Oropesa del Mar 1999. 7. h4! Nc6 8. h5 Ne7. If 8. ... g5? then 9. h6! as in the game. 9. c5 g5? 9. ... d5 10. cxd6 Qxd6 11. Nb5 is likewise unpleasant, but probably a little more sustainable, even though at cost of loss of material; an example variation is 11. ... Qd7 12. h6! Bf8 13. d5! a6 14. Qd4 axb5 15. Qxf6 Rg8 16. Be2 Ra6 17. Qc3 g5 18. Bh5+ Kd8 19. Ne6+ Rxe6 20. dxe6 Qxe6 21. Qb3!± forcing the exchange of Queens and the passage to a better ending. 10. h6! gxf4 (10. ... Bf8 11. Nh5+−) 11. hxg7 Rg8. It is not a thing that happens every day: Black is doomed after only 11 moves!

12. Rxh7! f3!? Not 12. ... Nxh7?? because of 13. Qh5+ Ng6 14. Qxg6+ Ke7 15. Nd5 mate. 13. Rh6 Ng4 14. Rh8 fxg2 15. Bxg2 d5 16. cxd6 Qxd6 17. Qb3 Be6 18. Nb5?? It’s inexplicable why 于 (Yú) did not take the b7-Pawn, which would have ensured her both a material and positional advantage and, likely, a win. One could only observe that, in his third age, 1st World Chess Champion Wilhelm Steinitz used to earn his living in the U.S. with much more pragmatism! 18. ... Bxb3 19. Nxd6+ cxd6 20. axb3 Kf7 21. Bd2 a6 22. Bb4. Somewhat simpler was, perhaps, 22. f3 Nf6 23. fxe4 fxe4 24. Rxg8 Rxg8 25. Rc1 Rxg7 26. Kf2 Ned5 with a roughly balanced ending — two good Knights versus a not-too-strong Bishop pair. 22. ... Ke6 23. Rxg8? Much better seems 23. Rh1! Rxg7 24. Bf1! with safe equality. 23. ... Rxg8 24. Bf1? And 于 (Yú) keeps playing with fire — 24. Bc3 Nd5 25. Bf1 Rxg7 26. Bc4 Nf6 is not comfortable, but yet bearable. 24. ... Rxg7. The tables have dramatically turned, and now White must invent something to save the day. 25. Rc1 Kd7? 25. ... Rh7! followed by the Rook’s invasion into White’s camp seemed decisive. 26. Be2 Nd5 27. Ba5 Nh2 28. Bc4 Nf6 29. Be2 Nf3+? Once again, Foişor misses her big chance: 29. ... Ke6! 30. Bc4+ d5! 31. Bf1 Rg1 leaves Black with a dominant position. 30. Bxf3! Rg1+ 31. Kd2 Rxc1 32. Bxe4. 32. Kxc1?? exf3 33. Kd1 Ne4 tellingly demonstrates that a Knight can also bring rich rewards. 32. ... Ra1 33. Bxf5+ Ke7 34. Bc3. Although her half “bad” dark-square Bishop, White has more than enough compensation for the Exchange, both positional and material, and Foişor should hurry to seek a draw. 34. ... a5 35. e4 d5 36. f3 b5 37. b4 a4 38. Kd3 Ne8 39. e5 Ng7 40. Bg4 Ne6 41. Bf5 Rh1 42. Ke3 Rh2 43. Bd3 Nc7 44. f4 Rh3+ 45. Kd2 Rh2+ 46. Ke3 Rh3+ 47. Kd2 Ke6? Maybe Black could have saved herself even later (I wouldn’t be so sure of that), but Foişor would have done better to immediately “book” a draw by 47. ... Rh2+ — now instead, White’s Bishop comes immediately back to life: 48. f5+! Kd7 49. Ke2 Kc6 50. Bd2! Rh2+ 51. Kd1 Rh4 52. Be3 Kd7 53. Kc2 Rg4 54. Be2 Rg2 55. Kd1 Ke7 56. Ke1 Kf7 57. Bf4 Rg1+ 58. Kd2 Rg2 59. e6+ Nxe6 60. fxe6+ Kxe6 61. Ke3 Kf5 62. Bd6 Ke6 63. Bc5 Rg3+ 64. Kf4 Rb3 65. Bxb5 Rxb2 66. Bxa4 Rf2+ 67. Ke3 Rb2 68. Bc6 Rb1 69. b5 Kf5 70. b6 Rb3+ 71. Kd2 Ke4 72. b7 1 : 0.

After Round Seven, 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) still has the sole lead with 6½/7, half a point ahead of Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih. Photo © Austin Fuller/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Up and Down Stairs

Haik M. Martirosyan – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 27, 2019
Réti Opening A07

A particularly difficult opponent awaited Goryachkina today. World Youth Chess Champion Under-16 in 2016, Armenian Chess Champion in 2018, last month Martirosyan just shared first place with Kaido Külaots in the 17th Aeroflot Open, finishing second on tie-break. 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 Bg4 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. h3 Bh5 7. 0-0 e5 8. e4 dxe4 9. dxe4 Be7 10. Qe1 0-0 11. Nc4 Qc7 12. Nh4 Rfe8 13. a4 Bf8 14. Bd2 Nc5 15. Bc3. Of course, there is another way, quite similar: 15. Ba5 b6 16. Bc3 Nfd7 17. f4 f6 18. fxe5 fxe5 19. Ne3 Ne6 20. Nef5 Rad8 21. Kh1 Nf6 22. Nh6+ gxh6 23. Rxf6 Nd4 24. Rf2 Bg6 25. Qe3 Qg7 26. Raf1 Be7 27. Nxg6 Qxg6 28. Be1 Rf8 29. b4 Rxf2 30. Rxf2 Rf8 31. c3 Rxf2 32. Bxf2 Ne6 33. h4 Nc7 34. Qd3 Qd6 35. Qc4+ Qe6 36. Qxe6+ Nxe6 37. Be3 Bf8 38. Bh3 Kf7 39. Bf1 Nc7 40. Bc4+ Kf6 41. Kg2 Ne8 42. Bg8 Kg7 43. Be6 Nf6 44. Kf3 Kg6 45. Bf5+ Kg7 46. Ke2 h5 47. Kd3 Kf7 48. a5 1 : 0 Nakamura – Pelletier, 6th Kortschnoi Zürich Chess Challenge (45+10), Zürich 2017. 15. ... Nfd7 16. f4!? Black gained the upper hand in Javakhadze – Sevian, 10th Philadelphia Open, Philadelphia 2016, after 16. Bf3? Bxf3 17. Nxf3 b5!⩱ — understandably, White changes direction and move. 16. ... exf4 17. gxf4 f6 18. b4. 18. e5 Nb6 doesn’t seem to lead anywhere. 18. ... Bf7 19. Nd2 Na6. 19. ... Ne6 20. e5 c5⩱ seems to offer more prospects for an advantage. Black’s move is not wrong in itself, but, as it will become clear very soon, it aims at the wrong target. 20. Rb1 Qb6+ 21. Kh1

21. ... Bxb4?? A grave miscalculation, which in fact costs Goryachkina the game immediately. Black ought to play 21. ... c5! 22. a5! Qd8 23. b5 Nb4 24. Qg3! Nxc2 25. e5 with White’s initiative compensating for the Pawn, but probably not more. 22. Bxb4 Nxb4 23. Qg3! Black cannot defend both wings. 23. ... Nf8 24. Nf5 Ng6 25. Nd6 Re7 26. e5 Ba2 27. Rb2 fxe5 28. fxe5 Bd5 29. c3 Bxg2+ 30. Qxg2 Qe3 31. cxb4 Qxe5 32. N2c4 Qe6 33. Rff2 Qe1+ 34. Kh2 Rd8 35. b5 Qe6 36. Rbe2 Qd7 37. bxc6 bxc6 38. Rxe7 Qxe7 39. Qxc6 Qe6 40. Qc7 Rf8 41. Qxa7 Rxf2+ 42. Qxf2 1 : 0.

Collateral damages

Gaza City: A Palestinian girl cleans the face of her brother outside their destroyed house after an Israeli missile targeted a nearby Hamas site. Photo: Mohammed Salem/Reuters.

Of course, there’s a chair for you, too, Edna

Artwork © b.8con (@b.8con)

Once Upon a Pillow

From left: Arianna Settembrini, Isabella Ceccatelli, and Ester Marra performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Stefano Marmino.

Dancing in the Vortex

Aurora Cheli performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Stefano Marmino.

The Stage and the Chair

Isabella Ceccatelli performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Stefano Marmino.

No, Edna, none will ever know what might have happened had the serpent tempted Adam rather than Eve

Artwork © Courtney Jones (@courtneyjdesign)

The World in Alphabetical Order

Two-time Russian Chess Champion Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina celebrates in the best possible way her “moment of grace”, yielding a seat on the stage of the next historical Women’s Candidates Tournament, which will be held in Kazan, Russia from May 29 to June 19, 2019. Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), indeed, regretted to decline the invitation due to her master study at the University of Oxford, thus making room for Goryachkina, who was first reserve. Therefore, the final line-up will be as follows (in alphabetical order): Nana Dzagnidze, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno, Anna Olehivna Muzychuk, Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk, and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí).

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina. Photo © Sergey Bobylev/TASS.

Something Special

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Rauf Mamedov
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 26, 2019
King’s Indian Defence E81

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 0-0 6. Be3 c5 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. d5 Na5. The alternative is 8. ... Ne5, against which Goryachkina scored a crushing victory not so long ago: 9. Ng3 h5 10. Be2 h4 11. Nf1 e6 12. Bg5 h3 13. Ne3 hxg2 14. Rg1 Qa5 15. Qd2 exd5 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nexd5 Bh4+ 18. Kd1 Qd8 19. f4 Ng4 20. Rxg2 Nf2+ 21. Kc2 Bh3 22. Rgg1 Re8 23. Bf3 Qc8 24. Rg3 Bxg3 25. hxg3 Ng4 26. Rh1 Nh6 27. Nf6+ Kf8 28. Qxd6+ Re7 29. Ncd5 Ng8 30. Nxg8 1 : 0 Goryachkina – Blohberger, 16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2018. 9. b3 a6 10. Rc1 Bd7 11. Ng3 Rb8 12. Bd3! This is probably an improvement on 12. a3 b5 13. cxb5 axb5 14. b4 cxb4 15. axb4 Nc4 which seems to be fine for Black, Keymer – Nikolov, 26th ZMDI Open, Dresden 2017. 12. ... b5 13. 0-0 bxc4 14. bxc4 Qc7 15. Bd2 e6. Worth considering was 15. ... Rb2 16. Rc2 (or 16. Rb1 Rb4!?∞) 16. ... Rfb8 with a reasonable game. 16. Qe1 Rfe8. 16. ... Rb2 was still possible, after which White can continue with both 17. Rb1 and 17. Rf2 with an edge in either case. 17. Nce2 Nb7 18. Bc3 h5 19. Qd2. Here 19. dxe6 Bxe6 (19. ... fxe6? 20. e5!+−) 20. f4 was a tempting, perhaps stronger, option. 19. ... e5 20. Rb1 h4 21. Nh1 Nh5 22. Rb3 Kh7 23. Rfb1 Bh6 24. Qb2 Bc8 25. Rb6. White succeeded in getting a big advantage by simple means, and now she has somehow to turn it into a win — a thing still far from easy. 25. ... Be3+ 26. Kf1 Qe7 27. Bd2 Qg5. 27. ... Bxd2 28. Qxd2 Ra8 looks a more stubborn defence, but after 29. Nf2 (among others) White continues to be in the driver’s seat. 28. Bxe3 Qxe3 29. Nf2 h3

30. Qc1. Now the engines suggest 30. g4! (followed, in case of 30. ... Nf6, by 31. Ng1) — which could indeed be White’s best winning attempt. However, it’s hard to think that Goryachkina’s move may be wrong. 30. ... hxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Qxc1 32. Rxc1 Ra8 33. Bc2 Na5? With the approaching of the time control, Mamedov becomes anxious and helps his opponent decisively in fulfilling her wishes. The move in the text, indeed, loses a vital Pawn, leaving White with a powerful passed central Pawn and (nearly) a technical win. Therefore a better advice would be 33. ... Kg7 34. Nd3± — White stands obviously better, but no forced win is demonstrable. 34. Rxd6 Nxc4 35. Rc6 Ne3+ 36. Kg1 Bd7 37. Rxc5 Nxc2 38. R5xc2 Kg7 39. Nd3 Bb5 40. Nc5 Rec8 41. Ng3! 1 : 0.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

John Sato, 95, one of only two Japanese servicemen in the New Zealand army in the second world war, took two buses from Howick to join the march against racism at Aotea Square in Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images.

Umbrella sharing

Silvia Bertini and Viola Rocchini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s summer dance show on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Photo: Stefano Marmino.

Thru the Curtain

Fabiano Caruana – 熊奕韬 (Jeffery Xióng)
63rd U.S. Open Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 25, 2019
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. 0-0 Qe7 7. Nbd2 Bg4 8. h3 Bh5 9. a3 a5 10. Nc4 Nd7 11. g4 Bg6 12. b4 Bb6. A pondered novelty — which, however, is not necessarily an improvement over 12. ... axb4 13. Bg5 f6 14. axb4 Rxa1 15. Qxa1 Bd6 16. Qa8+ Dd8 17. Qxd8+ Kxd8 18. Ra1 Ke7 19. Bd2 Bf7 20. Ne3 g6 21. g5 fxg5 22. Nxg5 b6 23. Kg2 Be6 24. h4 Nf6 25. Bc3 Rf8 26. Nf3 Nd7 27. Ng5 Nf6 28. Nf3 Nd7 29. Ng5 Nf6 30. Nf3 Nd7 ½ : ½ Anand – Nakamura, 3rd Grand Chess Tour, 4st stage, Saint Louis Blitz Chess Tournament, Saint Louis 2017. 13. bxa5 Bxa5 14. Bb2 f6 15. Nxa5 Rxa5 16. Nh4 0-0 17. Nf5 Qe6. Afterwards, Caruana suggested that Black should, perhaps, take the Knight off with 17. ... Bxf5, though even then 18. gxf5 c5 19. Kh2 Kh8 20. Rg1↑ allows White to keep some initiative. 18. Kh2 c5 19. h4 c4 20. h5 Bf7 21. Rg1 cxd3 22. cxd3 Rb5 23. Bc1 Kh8 24. Be3 Rb3 25. Rg3 c5 26. Qe2

26. ... g5? 熊 (Xióng) was certainly worried by the eventuality of Ra1-g1 followed by g4-g5, but in this case the cure seems worse than the disease. 27. hxg6 Bxg6 28. a4 Qa6 29. Bh6 Rg8 30. Rag1 Qxa4. Black finally decides to accept the Pawn, but White’s attack is by now overwhelming. 31. Ne7 Qd4 32. Qd1 c4 33. Nxg8 Kxg8 34. dxc4 Rxg3 35. Qxd4 exd4 36. Kxg3 Bxe4 37. Rd1 d3 38. f3 Bg6 39. Ra1 Kf7 40. Ra7 Nc5 41. Be3 Ke8 42. Bxc5 d2 43. Ra8+ Kd7 44. Bb6 Kc6 45. Ba5! 1 : 0.

Fabiano Caruana vs. 熊奕韬 (Jeffery Xióng). Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Tough Luck

封好美 (Maggie Fēng) – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 25, 2019
Neo-Grünfeld Defence D79

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 d5 5. c4 c6 6. cxd5 cxd5 7. Nc3 0-0 8. Ne5 Nc6 9. 0-0 Bf5 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Na4 Nd7 12. Bf4. An illustrious precedent is 12. b3 e5 13. dxe5 Bxe5 14. Bh6 Re8 15. Rc1 Rc8 16. Qd2 Qe7 17. Rfe1 Bd6 18. Qd4 Qf6 19. Qxf6 Nxf6 20. Nc5 Nd7 21. Nxd7 Bxd7 22. e4 Ba3 23. Rcd1 Bg4 ½ : ½ Botvinnik – Smyslov, Moscow 1957, World Chess Championship match game 11. 12. ... Qa5 13. b3 Rac8. 13. ... Nb6 14. Bd2 Qb5 15. Nc3 Qa6 16. Be3 Rad8 17. Qd2 c5 18. Rfd1 c4 19. b4 Qa3! marked a famous win for Hjartarson (after many moves, yet) which at the time made a certain impression, Vaganian – Hjartarson, 9th European Team Chess Championship, Debrecen 1992. 14. Rc1 Rfe8 15. Bd2 Qb5!? A novelty (instead of 15. ... Qd8 16. Bb4 e5 as played in the game Aronian – Mamedov, 9th World Team Chess Championship, Antalya 2013). 16. Bc3 e5 17. dxe5 Nxe5 18. h3 Rcd8 19. Bb2 h5 20. Re1 a6 21. Rc5 Qb7 22. Qa1. 22. Qc1 is also answered by 22. ... Qe7 with similar implications. 22. ... Qe7 23. Rd1 Kh7 24. e3. White stands somewhat better, and probably something like 24. Bd4 would have made it clearer. 24. ... Bh8 25. Bxe5 Bxe5 26. Qc1 Bd7. Time is already very short for them both, which may explain what will follow. 27. Nb6? A clear oversight. Simply 27. Rc2 would have maintained the balance. 27. ... Bb2! Now White has nothing better than giving up the Exchange for no compensation (28. Qxb2 Qxc5), but instead she goes for a desperate attempt to seek complications: 28. Qc2 Bf5 29. e4 dxe4?? 封 (Fēng)’s bet succeeded! With the move in the text Black throws away the win, which instead could be easily obtained by taking the Pawn with the Bishop. 30. Rxd8 Rxd8. If nothing else, 30. ... Qxd8 31. Qxb2 Qxb6 32. Qf6 can be unpleasant under time pressure.

31. Rxf5! That’s was probably not expected by 于 (Yú). 31. ... gxf5? Otherwise she would have played 31. ... Bd4! 32. Rf4 Bxb6 33. Rxe4 Qg5 with equality. 32. Qxb2 h4 33. Nc4 Rd1+ 34. Kh2 Qg5 35. Qe5! The tables are completely turned, and now White is winning. They both have about one minute left for the next four or five moves, and that’s the only thing that can save 于 (Yú). 35. ... Rd5 36. Qc7 Kg7 37. Qxc6?? What a gift! 37. gxh4 followed by Nc4-e3 was good enough for an easy win. 37. ... hxg3+ 38. fxg3 f4 39. Qc7 (39. g4 f3−+) 39. ... Qxg3+ 40. Kg1 Rd1 mate.

Nothing changed after Round Six, 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) (pictured above) being the sole leader with 5½/6, half a point ahead of Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih, and one point ahead of Tatev Abrahamyan. Photo © Justin Kellar/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Come on, Edna — we’re all eagerly awaiting your new spring/summer collection

Artwork © José Nailton (@jose.artsg)

Interruptions

王安妮 (Annie Wáng) – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 24, 2019
Slav Defence D17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 f6 12. 0-0 Rd8 13. Qc1 Be6 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Qe3. Back in the 1930s, 4th World Chess Champion Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine continued here with 15. a5 a6 16. Ne4 Bb4 17. Nc5 Bc8 18. Bxe5 fxe5 19. f4?, but after 19. ... Bd2! Black finally survived the attack and won, Alekhine – Euwe, Ermelo 1935, World Chess Championship match game 21. 15. ... Qa5? This is a mistake that could cost 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) dear. Correct was 15. ... Qb6 16. Qxb6 (after 16. Qc1 Qa5 17. Bxe5 Qxe5 18. a5 a6 19. Ra4 Rd4 Black has more than equalised, Gyimesi – Beliavsky, 50th Yugoslav Team Chess Championship, Vrnjačka Banja 1998) 16. ... axb6 17. a5 bxa5 18. Rxa5 Bb4= Becker – Lichtenstein, Vienna 1935. 16. Bxe5 fxe5 17. Qg5!→ Qc7

18. Ne4? This lets slip White’s big chance to play for mate. Much stronger was 18. Rad1!, so as to continue to keep Black’s King stuck in the centre. 18. ... Bb4 19. Qh5+ Bf7 20. Qg4 Bb3. Not 20. ... 0-0? on account of 21. Nf6+ Kh8 22. Nxh7! Kxh7 23. Qxb4 winning a valuable Pawn with much the better position. 21. Qf5. 21. Nf6+ gxf6 22. Qxb4 Be6 23. a5 a6 doesn’t seem to give anything special. Probably best was 21. Ng5!? Qe7 22. Nxh7 winning a not-so-valuable Pawn, but yet better than nothing. 21. ... Bf7 22. Rad1 0-0. Black eventually castled, and she must have felt as if the worst was finally over. 23. Ng5 Bg6 24. Qg4 Qe7. 24. ... Be7 allows 25. Ne6 Qc8 (alas for Black, 25. ... Bf5?? is unplayable here due to 26. Qxg7 mate) 26. h4 maintaining some pressure. 25. h4 a5 26. Qc4+ Bf7 27. Qc2 g6 28. Bh3 Kg7 29. Nxf7 Qxf7 30. Rd3 Qf6 31. Rxd8 Rxd8 32. Rd1 Rxd1+ 33. Qxd1 Qd6. A silent but loud draw offer. 34. Qxd6 Bxd6 35. Bc8 b5 36. axb5 cxb5 37. Bd7 b4 38. Kg2 Kf6 39. Kf3 Ke7 40. Ba4 Bc5 41. e3 Ke6 42. Ke4 Be7 43. b3 Bd8 44. Bb5 h6 45. Bc4+ Kf6 46. Kd5 g5 47. h5 Bc7 48. Kc6 Bd8 49. g4 ½ : ½.

After the draw with 王安妮 (Annie Wáng), 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) (pictured above) still has the sole lead with 4½/5, half a point ahead of Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih, and one point ahead of Tatev Abrahamyan. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.