Tuesday, April 30, 2019

A Day at a Time

Here’s wishing you all a thoroughly restful International Workers’ Day tomorrow, hope to see you again at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” on next Saturday’s chess960 class, starting at 16,00 as usual — and if yes, pray take with you a pair of clean sneakers to be used in the dance room only.

Strip © Jim Davis

Arch of Triumph

A couple kiss at the Trocadéro overlooking the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Photo: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images.

Oh, my golly! Tell me I’m wrong, Edna. Tell me he’s not your commercial and theatrical agent, or otherwise, I fear seven lives won’t be enough for you to forgive yourself

Monday, April 29, 2019

The Eights

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler – Magnus Carlsen
6th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 28, 2019
Sicilian Defence B30

Not surprisingly, Magnus Carlsen confirmed his supernatural status of invincibility even at the 6th GRENKE Chess Classic, so much that — I guess — the super-tournaments organisers will have to “revisit” their formats and lineups for an update, especially for the good of the one who always wins. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 d6 6. Nd2 Nf6 7. Nf1 Nd7 8. Nd5 Nb6 9. Nxb6 axb6 10. c3 0-0 11. Ne3 Bg5 12. 0-0 Kh8! More ambitious than 12. ... Bxe3 13. Bxe3 Qe7 14. f4 exf4 15. Bxf4 Be6 16. Bxe6 Qxe6 17. Qb3 Qxb3 18. axb3 Rad8 19. Bg3 Rd7 20. Rf5 Rfd8 21. b4 Ne7 ½ : ½ Lékó – Kramnik, 31st Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 2003. 13. a3!? Svidler’s quasi-novelty represents no improvement on 13. Bd2 Bxe3 14. fxe3 Qe7 15. Bd5 Be6 16. Qb3 Na5 17. Qc2 (if 17. Qxb6?? then 17. ... Ra6 18. Qb5 Bd7 traps the Queen) 17. ... Qc7 18. h3 h6 19. c4 Nc6 20. Qd1 Bxd5 21. exd5 Ne7 22. a4 f5 23. Bc3 Rf7 24. Qb3 Ng6 25. Rf2 Raf8 26. Raf1 f4 27. Bd2 f3 28. Rxf3? (28. Qd1!) 28. ... Rxf3 29. gxf3 (29. Rxf3 Rxf3 30. gxf3 Nh4 31. Qd1 Qf7−+) 29. ... Qc8! 30. Kh2 (30. Kg2 Nh4+ 31. Kg3 Qf5!−+) 30. ... Rf5 31. f4 Rh5 32. f5 Rxf5 33. Qd1 Qf8 34. Rxf5 Qxf5 35. Qe2 e4! 36. Qg4 (if 36. dxe4 then 36. ... Qe5+ 37. Kg1 Qxb2 followed by ... Ng6-e5 winning heavy material) 36. ... Qxg4 37. hxg4 Ne5 38. Kg3 exd3 39. b3 g6 40. e4 h5 41. gxh5 gxh5 42. Kf2 h4 0 : 1 Anand – Ivanchuk, World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament 2001/2002, Moscow 2001, match game 4. Both there and here, differently but similary, the Kingside is Black’s dreamtheatre, so Carlsen does not need to ask Caïssa what to do: 13. ... f5! 14. Nxf5 Bxc1 15. Rxc1 Bxf5 16. exf5 d5! The game is still about even, but Black’s play already comes easier. 17. Ba2 Rxf5 18. Qg4 Rf6 19. f4!? Svidler becomes impatient defending and embarks himself in a precarious adventure, which perhaps deserved better luck. 19. ... exf4 20. Qg5 Qf8 21. Qxd5 Rd8 22. Qf3? 22. Qg5! Rxd3! leaves Back a Pawn ahead, but, as a compensation, White would get plenty of play on the light squares. After the text, instead, White is doomed to fall apart pretty soon. 22. ... Ne5! 23. Qe4


23. ... Ng4! 23. ... Nxd3?? 24. Rcd1! would throw any advantage out the board. 24. Rce1 Ne3 25. Rf2 Re8 26. Qxb7!? At least White consoles himself with a Pawn, because 26. Qf3 g5! 27. h3 Re7 would give no hope for a different outcome. 26. ... g5! White is helpless against the coming ... g5-g4, and very chivalrously Svidler allows Carlsen to deliver checkmate on the board: 27. Rfe2 (27. Qf3 g4 28. Qe2 f3!−+) 27. ... g4 28. Rf2 Qh6 29. Qc7 Ref8 30. h3 gxh3 31. g3 fxg3 32. Rxf6 h2+ 33. Kh1 g2 mate.

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler (left) vs. Magnus Carlsen (right). Photo © Georgios Souleidis.

Pink Tutu

A giant teddy bear measuring over 20 meters long and weighing 4 tons is measured for the Guinness World Records book in Xonacatlán, State of Mexico, Mexico. Photo: Mario Vázquez/AFP/Getty Images.

The Legend of Zorro

Pedro Sánchez, Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), will almost certainly continue as Spain’s Prime Minister after the PSOE won the most seats — but not a majority — in Sunday’s general election. That means that Sánchez will have to put together a governing coalition with the support of other parties. Photo: Pablo Blázquez Domínguez/Getty Images.

Yes, Edna, sugar is everywhere, and everyone eats it even if they do not put in the tea, so you can enjoy your dessert without feeling guilty

Credit: HeXtian

Sunday, April 28, 2019

The Sugarland Express

Pictured above, from left, are 徐龙海 (Xú Lónghǎi), Deputy President of 和建国际工程有限公司 (Harcan Engineering Co., Ltd.), and Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov, President of the International Sugar Corporation (ISC) as well as former President of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), signing a memorandum for construction on April 25, 2019 in 北京 (Běijīng), China. The signing of the agreement formalised the Chinese investment in the pilot project of the “First Donskoy Sugar Factory” to be constructed in Tselina, Tselinsky District, Rostov Oblast, Russia. As Ilyumzhinov told Nezavisimaya Gazeta by phone immediately after the memorandum signing, construction works will start on next September. “The cost of the project is 16 billion and 200 million rubles (about $250 million dollar), of which approximately 30% will be Chinese investment”, Ilyumzhinov said. “The construction will be conducted by the Chinese company Harcan Engineering, which is involved in constructing nuclear power plants as well as other complex industrial facilities in 24 countries. The factory will start working in September 2021”. Photo © yugsn.ru.

Perhaps, Edna, but one day at sea is not necessarily worth four days in the classroom when it comes to discovering the Atlantis myth

Alone in a Crowd

A woman talks on a phone on a balcony beside mannequins in Kiev on April 20, 2019 on the eve of the second round of the Ukrainian presidential election. Photo: AFP/Sergei Gapon.

Edna, I think it’s not necessary to say that all the time, or no one will ever ask you again to pose as a role model for their scholastic community in general and other academic institutions in particular

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Who’s That Girl

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is heartily enjoying her studies at Oxford. Photos: 龚哲浩 (Gōng Zhéhào).

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi


Ethiopian legend Abele Bikila won the marathon at the 17th Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, on September 10, 1960 making the achievement even more impressive by running barefoot, and setting a world record time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 16 seconds. He was the first Sub-Saharan African to win an Olympic gold medal.

Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex

Yeafersonth Manrique, whose nickname is B-Boy Chispa, practices breakdancing at the Teresa Carreño Theatre in Caracas, Venezuela. “When we’re out here dancing, we don’t think about the state of the country”, says 24-year-old Manrique. “In this world there is no crisis”. Photo: Iván Alvarado/Reuters.

TGIF

But, of course, the most important news today is that four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is among the MPPers who happily did with four exams, as she herself announced on her 新浪微博 (Sina Wēibó) microblogging account:

“TGIF
Four consecutive days of examinations passed. Although the Trinity Term is about to commence, the mood is still the same as in the third picture from above.
Next weekend — change of identity. Still chess and distant place”.

It’s worth remembering that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), undisputedly the world’s No. 1 woman player, is studying for a Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the University of Oxford, thanks to a Rhodes Scholarship. Photos: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)/新浪微博 (Sina Wēibó).

Marriage Advice

Speaking at the Ministry of Information on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 Ghana’s Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, warned single Ghanaian women not to marry men who have no toilet facilities in their homes because, as she said, “sanitation gives all of us dignity”.

Public toilet designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas (OMA) & photographer Erwin Olaf, at Reitemakersrijge canal in Groningen, Netherlands. Photo: Gerardus/Wikimedia Commons.

Friday, April 26, 2019

Again I tell you, Edna, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for him to make the first move

百萬美元寶貝 (Million Dollar Baby)

Chinese movie star 范冰冰 (Fàn Bīngbīng)’s recent public reappearance at the IQIYI Ninth Anniversary Gala in 北京 (Běijīng), China last Monday raised some unanswered questions about her tax disputes with the Chinese tax authorities, which after fining her $129 million dollar and sentencing her to nearly one year in wilderness, might still not be satisfied. Luckily for her, bargaining agreements, however unofficial they may be, prohibit payment in kind, even in China. Photos: afinance.cn.

Nonviolent resistance

Since Arcovazzi is a constant threat to humanity, you must stand up against him every day of your life, especially on Saturday afternoon when he uses to claim his marital rights! Ghandian resistance is the only safe strategy to avoid the worst, so, come on, don’t miss your class of chess960 at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” tomorrow, Saturday, April 27, starting at 16,00 as usual — and pray take with you a pair of clean sneakers to be used in the dance room only!

Marcel Duchamp, Study for “Portrait of Chess Players”, 1911. © 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris/Succession Marcel Duchamp. Courtesy of The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.

Passepartout

Italy’s northern city of Reggio Emilia declared its intention to follow the footsteps of Germany, where the unisex public toilets are already at work since long time. Reggio Emilia’s Mayor, Democratic Party (PD) member Luca Vecchi, called the newly approved protocol — the first in its genre all over the country — a step forward on the way of granting “full rights and equal dignity for all people” regardless of their gender in public institutions such as city halls, schools, universities, and hospitals.

The sign used to mark gender-neutral toilets at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) in Turku, Finland. Credit: Åbo Akademi University.

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Of course, Edna, they are only background actors, mere splashes of primary colours randomly scattered throughout the scene just to make you shine brighter than any star in the universe except you

A Queen is never late, everyone else is simply early

Rhodes Trust CEO Dr. Elizabeth Kiss (first row, centre), Rhodes China Programme Director 汤玫捷 (Tāng Méijié) (half-head behind Dr. Kiss, centre), Director of Strategy and Development Alasdair Maclay (second row, third from right), four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (three heads above Dr. Kiss, centre) as well as other Rhodes Scholars meet with the heads of 上海科技大学 (ShànghǎiTech University), including President 江绵恒 (Jiāng Miánhéng) (first row, third from left), Provost and Vice President 印杰 (Yìn Jié) (first row, second from left), Vice President 鲁雄刚 (Lǔ Xiónggāng), Vice Provost 江舸 (Jiāng Gě) and other deans on March 21, 2019 in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. For an “official” account of the diplomatic visit by the Rhodes Trust delegation to China (17–22 March) visit: https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/. Photo: 上海科技大学 (ShànghǎiTech University).

Backstage at the Opera

The Design Museum in Kensington, London, United Kingdom will host from April 26 to September 15, 2019 Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition, celebrating and exploring the work of one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century, and featuring about 700 objects, films, interviews, letters and photographs. Pictured above are Stanley Kubrick and George Campbell Scott playing chess in the War Room, in a break during filming of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, directed by Kubrick (1963–1964; Great Britain/United States). Production photo. © Sony/Columbia Pictures.

無條件基本收入 (Universal Basic Income)

Chinese movie star 范冰冰 (Fàn Bīngbīng) finally appeared in public again after having being in hiding for almost a year, which was allegedly due to her tax evasion scandal. She herself shared on her Instagram handle a couple of pictures of her posing on a red carpet at the IQIYI Ninth Anniversary Gala in 北京 (Běijīng), China on April 22, 2019. Photo: 范冰冰 (Fàn Bīngbīng).

Earth, sea, and sky


The Marlene Kuntz (feat. Skin) present, in preview on la Repubblica web site, an unedited version of Italian Resistance song “Bella ciao” with a videoclip filmed in Riace, the small town in Calabria that thanks to its Mayor Domenico Lucano and citizens gained worldwide attention through its innovative approach to dealing with refugees.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Black Satin

From left: Malcom Pein, Richard A. Conn Jr., four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), and Frederic Friedel 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 courtesy of Richard A. Conn Jr.

Yes, Edna, next Thursday, April 25 is the 74th Anniversary of the Resistance and it’s a national Italian holiday!

Next Fall

Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen
6th GRENKE Chess Classic; Karlsruhe, April 23, 2019
Sicilian Defence B33

Finally Carlsen and Caruana meet again after their autumnal World Chess Championship match in London, United Kingdom which was won “only” at the tie-break by the Norwegian star. Of course Germany cannot be considered a much more neutral field than England (Caruana being the diamond pointe of the OSG Baden-Baden), but this time — at least officially — the board’s affair shouldn’t be conditioned and shaped by sponsors and gamblers. As for chess, Carlsen is in wonderful form and won everything and more than he’d been playing for since his World Championship match. On the other hand, Caruana just took some time off to regenerate himself, and, in fact, he let Caïssa sleep while he appeared on the stages of the 63rd U.S. Open Chess Championship and the German Schach Bundesliga. So far no one came forward to claim the role of co-star, but it is guessable that pretty soon the newly European Chess Champion Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev will knock at the door of Caïssa’s heart, so this game might even have a precise meaning with regard to the next World Chess Championship cycle. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Ne7 9. c4 Ng6 10. Qa4 Bd7 11. Qb4 Bf5 12. h4 h5 13. Bg5!? Caruana picks up from where he left off before the tie-breaks. Indeed, the last classical game of the London match continued with: 13. Qa4 Bd7 14. Qb4 Bf5 15. Be3 (that’s the difference) 15. ... a6 16. Nc3 Qc7 17. g3 Be7 18. f3 Nf8 19. Ne4 Nd7 20. Bd3 0-0 21. Rh2 Rac8 22. 0-0-0 Bg6 23. Rc2 f5 24. Nf2 Nc5 25. f4 a5 26. Qd2 e4 27. Be2 Be8 28. Kb1 Bf6 29. Re1 a4 (Carlsen was harshly criticised for not trying to win in the “regular times” by 29. ... Ba4 30. Rcc1 b5! 31. cxb5 Qb6, but facts proved that he was right, as he easily crushed Caruana in the tie-breaks) 30. Qb4 g6 31. Rd1 Ra8 ½ : ½ Caruana – Carlsen, London 2018, World Chess Championship match game 12. 13. ... Qb8 14. Qa4!? Caruana varies from his great predecessor, Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin, who (after the interpolation of 13. Qa4 Bd7 14. Qb4 Bf5 15. Bg5 Qb8) continued 16. Be2 a6 17. Nc3 Qc7 18. g3 Be7 19. Be3 e4 20. 0-0 just to fall into Carlsen’s monstrous theoretical promptness after 20. ... 0-0! 21. Bxh5 Ne5 22. Be2 Qd7 23. Qa4 Qc8 24. c5 dxc5 25. Nxe4 c4! 26. Nc3? (26. Qc2!?) 26. ... b5 27. Qd1 b4 28. Na4 Be4 29. Qd4 Qf5 30. f4 Qg6 31. Bf2 Nd3 32. h5 Qf5 33. Bg4? Qxg4 34. Qxe4 Bd6 35. Qg2 Rae8 36. Bd4 Qxh5 37. Qf3 Qg6 38. Kh1 Re4 39. Bf2 Rfe8 0 : 1 Karjakin – Carlsen, 6th Gashimov Memorial, Şəmkir 2019. 14. ... Bd7 15. Qc2 Bxb5 16. cxb5 Be7 17. Bd3 Nf8 18. b6 Nd7 19. bxa7 Qxa7 20. 0-0 Bxg5 21. hxg5 0-0 22. Bf5 Rad8 23. b4 Qd4 24. Qc7 Nb6 25. Rad1 Qf4 26. Bh3 Na4


27. g6 fxg6 28. Qc2 b5 29. Qxg6 Rf6 30. Qxh5 g6 31. Qg4 Qxg4 32. Bxg4 Rf4 33. Be6+ Kg7 34. Rc1 Rxb4 35. Rc7+ Kh6 36. g3 Nc5 37. f4 exf4 38. Rxf4 Rxf4 39. gxf4 Ra8 40. Rc6 Ne4 41. Bh3 Rxa2 42. Bg2 Ng3 43. Rxd6 Ne2+ 44. Kf1 Nxf4 45. Be4 Ra4 46. Bxg6. And that’s the pointe of a deeply analysed reality game, soon producing a book draw which still requires a certain deal of emotional suspence. 46. ... Nxg6 47. Rb6 Rf4+ 48. Ke1 b4 49. d6 Rd4 50. d7 Rxd7 51. Rxb4 Kg5 52. Ke2 Re7+ 53. Kd2 Kf5 54. Rb5+ Ne5 55. Rb4 Rd7+ 56. Ke2 Nd3 57. Ra4 Nf4+ 58. Ke1 Kg4 59. Ra3 Rd8 60. Rc3 Rh8 61. Ra3 Rh2 62. Kd1 Kf5 63. Re3 Nd5 64. Re8 Kf4 65. Kc1 Nc3 66. Re7 Ne4 67. Re8 Ke3 68. Re7 Rh6 69. Rc7 Kd3 70. Rd7+ Rd6 71. Rxd6+ Nxd6 ½ : ½. And just like the Leela Chess Zero-and-Stockfish romance, the story will continue endlessly as a loop counter with no countdown — at least until next fall.

Magnus Carlsen (left) and Fabiano Caruana (right) starring in the remake of their 2018 hit show. Photo © Georgios Souleidis.

Who’s Who on the Stage

From left: five-time Kazakh Chess Champion Darmen Kanatovich Sadvakasov, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), and two-time French Chess Champion Joël Lautier 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 courtesy of Darmen Kanatovich Sadvakasov.

Well, okay, Edna, let’s pretend today is Saturday

Monday, April 22, 2019

Pride and Prejudice

Antoaneta Stefanova – Inna Grigoryevna Gaponenko-Yanovska
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 22, 2019
French Defence C09

Five players ended up tying for first place in the 20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, each with 8/11, by virtue of the victory of 10th Women’s World Chess Champion Stefanova over Gaponenko-Yanovska. Now, irony of fate (or of the tie-breaks), they finished respectively 5th and 4th, with Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya winning gold, Marie Rachel Sebag silver, and Elisabeth Pähtz bronze. 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 Nc6 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bb5 Qe7+ 7. Be2 Qc7 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Nb3 Be7 10. c3 Nf6 11. Bg5 0-0 12. 0-0 Be6 13. Nfd4 Rad8. More usual and better is 13. ... Rae8 14. Re1 Ne4 as played recently in Erenburg – Shtembuliak, 12th Philadelphia International, Philadelphia 2018. 14. Bh4 Bc8 15. Bd3 Ne4. 15. ... Rfe8 first would have been perhaps safer. 16. Bxe7 Nxe7 17. Re1 f5 18. f3 Nd6 19. Ne6 Bxe6 20. Rxe6 Qb6+ 21. Kh1 Ng6 22. Qd2. In sum, White’s centralisation is already quite too heavy, whatever ideas Black had in mind when playing 13. ... Rad8. 22. ... Rde8 23. Rae1 Rxe6 24. Rxe6 Rf7 25. Nd4 Qd8 26. Qe3 Nf8 27. Re5 Ng6 28. Rxd5 Re7 29. Qd2 Nf4


30. Rxd6! Qxd6 31. Nxf5 Qxd3 32. Nxe7+ Kf7 33. Qxf4+ Kxe7. The most Gaponenko-Yanovska was able to get is a Queen endgame two Pawns down, which Stefanova, with careful play, must win. 34. Qb4+ Ke6 35. h4 b6 36. Kh2 Qd2 37. Qc4+ Ke7 38. b4 g5 39. Qe4+ Kd6 40. hxg5 Qxg5 41. c4 Qh6+ 42. Kg3 Qg7+ 43. Kh3 Qh6+ 44. Qh4 Qc1 45. Qd8+ Kc6 46. Qc8+ Kd6 47. c5+ Kd5 48. Qd7+ Ke5 49. Qe7+ Kd4 50. Qd6+ Kc4 51. c6 Kb5 52. c7 Ka6 53. Qd7 Qh6+ 54. Kg3 Qg6+ 55. Kf2 Qc2+ 56. Ke3 Qc1+ 57. Ke4 Qe1+ 58. Kf5 Qb1+ 59. Ke5 Qe1+ 60. Kf6 Qa1+ 61. Kf7 1 : 0.

On the Way Home

Marina Brunello – Jovana Vojinović-Rapport
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 22, 2019
Caro-Kann Defence B13

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. c3 Bf5 6. Nd2 e6 7. Ngf3 Bd6 8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Nh4 Bg6 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Nf3 Nf6. A recent game continued with: 11. ... Nge7 12. Bd3 Nf5 13. g3 0-0-0 14. Qe2 Qc7 15. Kf1 Rhe8 16. Kg2 e5 17. Bxf5+ gxf5 18. dxe5 Nxe5 19. Rhe1 f6 20. Nd4⩲ Tristan – Valerga, 22nd Copa Mercosur, Buenos Aires 2018. 12. h3 Ne4 13. Bd3 Qf4 14. Qe2 Nd6 15. g3 Qf6 16. h4 Rh5 17. 0-0-0 0-0-0 18. Rhe1 Qe7 19. Kb1 Kb8 20. Qd2 Qc7 21. Qf4 Rc8 22. Ne5. Threatening Ne5xf7 followed by Bd3xg6. 22. ... Rhh8 23. Rc1 Na5 24. Re3 Rhe8 25. Rce1 Ka8


26. Nxf7! Brunello bravely goes for a promising Knight sacrifice for three Pawns and — even more importantly — a powerful Kingside Pawn majority. 26. ... Nxf7 27. Qxc7 Rxc7 28. Rxe6 Rxe6 29. Rxe6 Nc6 30. Rxg6 Nfd8 31. Rd6 Rf7 32. f4 Re7 33. Kc2 Re3 34. Rg6 Re7 35. Kd2 Ne6 36. Bf5 Nc7 37. Rd6 Re8 38. Bg4 Rd8 39. Rg6 Ne8 40. h5 Kb8. Time control reached, White finally mobilises her majority: 41. Be6! Rd6 42. f5! Kc7 43. g4 Kd8 44. g5 Ne7 45. h6! Nxg6 46. fxg6 gxh6 (46. ... Rxe6?? 47. h7+−) 47. gxh6 Rxe6 48. h7 Rxg6 49. h8=Q Rd6. Brunello has squeezed the most from her Pawns, but of course the game is far from over, as her opponent can — not unrealistically — cultivate the hope for a fortress on the Queenside. 50. Qe5 b5 51. Qg5+ Nf6 52. Qg7 a6 53. Qb7 Ne8 54. a4 Nc7 55. b3 Kd7 56. Qb8 bxa4 57. bxa4 Rc6 58. Kc2 Rc4 59. Kb3 Rc6 60. Qf8 Rb6+ 61. Kc2 Rc6 62. Qf5+ Kd6 63. Qh3 Rc4 Rc4 64. Kb3 Kc6 65. Qg3 Kd7 66. Qg6 Kc8 67. Qf7 Kb8 68. Qd7 Kb7 69. Kc2 Kb6 70. Kd2 Rc6 71. Qh7 Rc4 72. Qb1+ Kc6 73. Qb3 Kd7 74. Ke3 Rc6 75. Kf4 Rf6+ 76. Ke5 Re6+ 77. Kf5 Rc6 78. Qa3 Kc8 79. Qb2 Kd7 80. Qd2 Kc8 81. Qd3 Kb7 82. Qh3 Kb6 1 : 0. There’s no win in the final position, indeed — but somehow, after quite a long broadcasting blackout, the magic result appeared on the screen, which meant for Marina Brunello to finish at 16th place with 7/11.

A group picture taken backstage after or before the awarding ceremony. The first from right is Marina Brunello, the third from left is Olga Anatolyevna Zimina (40th with 6½), and, finally, next to her is Maria Palma (116th with 3½). Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.

Spring Leaves

A dancer poses for her own photographer in front of pink cherry tree blossoms during a sunny spring morning at the Parc de Sceaux in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. Photo: Reuters/Christian Hartmann.

Official Portraits and Unofficial People

https://rsport.ria.ru/20190421/1552899801.html
Moscow, April 21. Oleg Bogatov, RIA Novosti. President of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich, told RIA Novosti that the decision to hold the first Word Fischerandom Chess Championship is due to the growing popularity of Fischer’s chess, and that Magnus Carlsen from Norway, the current World Champion of classical chess, will be one of the main favourites in the new Championship.
Fischerandom is a variant of chess advocated by 11th World Chess Champion Robert James “Bobby” Fischer from United States, in which the starting position of the pieces on the home rank is randomised (so as to feature 960 unique possible starting positions). The “Regulations for the 2019 FIDE World Fischer Random Chess Championship” have been published on the FIDE web site last Saturday. The Championship will begin on April 28, the Semifinals and Finals will be held from October 27 to November 2 in Bærum, Norway. The winner of the World Championship will receive $125,000 USD.
“FIDE decided to hold the World Fischerandom Chess Championship, given the growing popularity of Fischer’s chess”, Dvorkovich said. “It is called with various names, including chess960 (deriving from the number of starting arrays). Magnus Carlsen is obviously the favourite. He’s already World Champion of classical, rapid, and blitz chess, and he also won the unofficial World Fischerandom Chess Championship last year. No doubt he will be the favourite. But, nevertheless, it won’t be an easy race, as Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler and Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi from Russia and Hikaru Nakamura from United States are all very strong, great contenders”.
“For now it’s a pilot project”, FIDE President said. “It’s official, but also experimental. On one hand, there is an online process of selection, open to everyone, regardless of rating and titles, and we’ll have to carefully monitor how servers, software and anti-cheating software will work — which may make our task technically quite difficult. Then, and only then, we will make a decision for the future. On the other hand, there are professionals playing for the title of World Champion, who are spasmodically followed by crowds of chess fans all over the world”.

(Very free translation by Nobody’s Perfect)

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Happy Easter, Edna!

Behind the Lines

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Olga Sergeyevna Badelka
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 21, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Declined D39

A lot of people can still win the European women’s title, but the top seed Goryachkina is not one of them — objectively speaking, she never appeared too interested in it. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qa5 10. Bb5+ Nbd7 11. Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12. Kf1 gxf6 13. h4 a6 14. Rh3 Qb4 15. Be2 Ne5 16. Rb1 Qd6 17. Rc3 Bd7!? This is a novelty — but a concept of questionable meaningfulness — as Black returns the Pawn without any prospect of additions. More critical is 17. ... 0-0 18. h5 Rd8∞ 19. Qb3 Bd7 20. Rd1 Qf8 21. Rc7! Qh6! 22. Rxb7 Qf4? (22. ... Bb5! 23. Nxb5 axb5 24. Rxb5 Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Rxa2 should be enough for a draw) 23. g3! Qxe4 24. f3 Qd5 25. Qxd5 exd5 26. h6± Giri – Harikrishna, 2nd 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) Masters “读特杯” (“Dú Tè Cup”), 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 2017. 18. Rxb7 Rd8 19. Rb2 (19. h5!? h6 20. Ke1!?±) 19. ... 0-0 20. Rd2 Bb5 21. Bxb5 axb5 22. Nb3 Qb6 23. Qc1 h5 24. Rg3+ Ng6 25. Rxd8 Rxd8 26. Qh6 Qc7


A pyrotechnic draw concludes the story: 27. Rxg6+ fxg6 28. Qxg6+ Qg7 29. Qxh5 Qd7 30. Qg6+ Qg7 31. Qh5 Qd7 32. Qg6+ ½ : ½.

Thru the Chairs

Natallia Kusenkova – Marina Brunello
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 21, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D23

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qc2 dxc4 5. Qxc4 Bf5 6. g3 e6 7. Bg2 Nbd7 8. 0-0 Be7 9. Nc3 h6 10. Re1 Ne4 11. Qb3 Qb6 12. Nh4 Bxh4. 12. ... Qxb3 just did not make good sense after 13. axb3 Bb4 14. Nxf5 exf5 15. Bxe4 fxe4 16. Bd2 Bxc3 17. bxc3 f5 18. Ra5 0-0 19. h4 a6 20. Kg2 Rad8 21. Bf4 Rc8 22. c4 Nb6 23. Rd1 Rf7 24. Be3 Rd8 25. Rd2 Nc8 26. d5 Ne7 27. dxc6 Rxd2 28. Bxd2 Nxc6 29. Rd5 Kf8 30. h5 Ke7 31. e3 Kf6 32. Kh3 Ke6 33. Bc3 b6 34. Kg2 Rc7 35. Kf1 b5 36. Rc5 bxc4 37. bxc4 Kd6 38. Rxf5 Ne7 39. Ra5 Ra7 40. Bxg7 Nc6 41. Bf8+ Ke6 42. Ra4 a5 43. g4 Ne5 44. Bxh6 Rb7 45. c5 1 : 0 Botsari – M. Brunello, 44th Greek Team Chess Championship, Achaea 2016. 13. gxh4 Ndf6 14. f3 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Qc7 16. e4 Bh7!? A new idea, trying to improve on 16. ... Bg6 17. e5 Nd5 18. Ba3 Bf5 19. c4 Ne7 20. Bd6 Qb6 21. Qe3 Rd8 22. a4 Qa5 23. f4 Rd7 24. Red1 Bg4 25. Bxe7 Rxe7 26. Rd2 Rd7 27. d5 cxd5 28. cxd5 exd5 29. Rb1 0-0 30. Rb5 Qxa4 31. Rbxd5 Qa1+ 32. Kf2 Rc7 33. Be4 Rc3 34. R5d3 Rxd3 35. Qxd3 b6 36. Bh7+ Kh8 37. Be4 Qc1 38. Qd6 Re8 39. Bc2 Qh1 40. Kg3 Qf3 mate, Harðarson – M. Brunello, 31st Reykjavik Open, Reykjavík 2016 — Black being content with the result, but maybe not happy with the opening. 17. Ba3 g5 18. Rab1 b6 19. hxg5? This gives sense and meaning to Black’s purposes. White ought to have played 19. d5! to focus herself against the Black King stuck in the centre. 19. ... hxg5 20. Bc1? After this Black is able to decidedly take the offensive. 20. Rb2 0-0-0∞ was probably best. 20. ... Bg6 21. Bxg5 Qxh2+ 22. Kf1 Rg8! 23. Qc4. Not 23. Bxf6? on account of 23. ... Bxe4!−+ nor 23. f4 because of 23. ... Nh5→ with powerful attack. 23. ... Bxe4 24. Rxe4 Rxg5 25. Qxc6+ Ke7 26. Qb7+ Nd7 27. Rg4 Rag8 28. Rxg5 Rxg5 29. Rb2 Qf4 30. Rc2


30. ... Rd5? Quite strangely, Brunello loses a tempo and a Pawn — which will prove to be too much of a gift. Instead, with 30. ... Rb5! at once Black could do harm by infiltrating both Queen and Rook: 31. Qe4 Rb1+ 32. Kf2 Qh2! 33. Qg4 Qg1+ 34. Kg3 Nf6 35. Qg5 Qd1 with good winning prospects. 31. Qxa7 Rb5? 31. ... Ra5 32. Qb7 Rb5 may transpose into the line given above, even though with the difference that Black would be a Pawn down, thus allowing White, at the end of the variation, to exchange Queens and head for a drawish endgame by returning the Pawn. 32. Qa3+ Nc5? Black melts into a mirage. By now she had nothing better than 32. ... Kf6 33. Qc1 Qxc1+ 34. Rxc1 Rb2 35. a4 Kf5 with a drawish endgame, though a little easier for Black. 33. Qc1? With 33. dxc5 White would have awakened her opponent to the sad reality. 33. ... Qxc1+ 34. Rxc1 Nd3 35. Rd1 Nf4 36. Rd2 Rb1+ 37. Kf2 Rc1 38. Bf1 Rxc3 39. Rb2 Nd5 40. Ba6 Rc7 41. Bd3 f5 42. Rc2 Ra7 43. Bc4 Kd6 44. Rb2 Rh7 45. Kg1 Rg7+ 46. Kf2 Rh7 47. Kg1 Kc7 48. Bxd5 exd5 49. Rh2 Rf7. Of course, the King and Pawn ending would be drawn, although accurate play is required: 49. ... Rxh2 50. Kxh2 Kc6! 51. Kg3 Kb5 52. Kf4 Kc4 53. Ke5 b5 54. f4 b4= with a draw soon coming. 50. Rh6 f4 51. Kf2 Kb7 52. Rd6 Rf5 53. Ke2 Kc7 54. Re6 Rf8 55. Re7+ Kd6 56. Rb7 Kc6 57. Ra7 Kb5 58. Kd2 Kb4 59. a3+ Kb5 60. Rb7 Ra8 61. Rf7 Rxa3 62. Rxf4 Kc4 63. Rf6 b5 64. f4 b4 65. f5 Kxd4. Maybe White gave a little too much rope to her opponent so far, but a draw was still easily achievable, for instance by 66. Kc2 — instead, Brunello’s stubborness paid off: 66. Rf8?? Ra2+−+ 67. Kc1 Rf2 68. f6 Kc3 69. Rc8+ Kb3 70. Rf8 d4 71. f7 d3 72. Rd8 Rf1+ 73. Kd2 Rxf7 74. Kxd3 Kb2 75. Kc4 Rf4+ 76. Kd3 b3 77. Kd2 Kb1 78. Kd1 Rf5 79. Kd2 b2 80. Rd7 Ra5 81. Rb7 Ka1 0 : 1.

The best wish I can wish you, Edna, is to enjoy your enormous dark-chocolate Easter egg with moderation as an excess can lead you to overweight

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Given the Chance

Today Saturday April 20 2019 can be remembered as a historic day and an important milestone in chess history, as the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) finally recognised that Fischerandom chess (idem to say Fischer Random chess and chess960) is chess. In announcing the inauguration of the first ever “official” World Fischerandom Chess Championship cycle, 7th FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich also made some declarations about the historical opening-process: “It is an unprecedented move that the International Chess Federation recognizes a new variety of chess, so this was a decision that required to be carefully thought out”, he said. “But we believe that Fischer Random is a positive innovation: it injects new energies and enthusiasm into our game, but at the same time it doesn’t mean a rupture with our classical chess and its tradition. It is probably for this reason that Fischer Random chess has won the favor of the chess community, including the top players and the world champion himself. FIDE couldn’t be oblivious to that: it was time to embrace and incorporate this modality of chess”.

Tell-Tale

Inna Grigoryevna Gaponenko-Yanovska – Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 20, 2019
French Defence C07

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd7 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Nb3 a6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Qxd4 11. Nxd4 Nf6 12. Be2 e5 13. Nb3 Be6 14. Rd1 Be7!? The recent script theory was not too encouraging for Black: 14. ... Rc8 15. c3 Be7 16. Bf3 e4 17. Be2 0-0 18. Nd4 Bg4 19. Bxg4 Nxg4 20. Bf4 Rfd8 21. h3 Nf6 22. Nf5 Bf8 23. Bg5± Salem – Goganov, 7th World Rapid Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018. Kashlinskaya changes the Rooks placement and some other minor things. 15. Bf3 Rb8 16. Bd2 e4 17. Be2 0-0 18. Nd4 Bg4 19. Bxg4 Nxg4 20. Bf4 Rbd8 21. h3 Bf6 22. hxg4 Bxd4 23. c3 Bb6 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. Re1


25. ... f6? Probably Black had to play 25. ... e3! 26. Bxe3 Bxe3 27. Rxe3 f5! 28. gxf5 Rd1+ 29. Kh2 Rd2 winning back a Pawn and seeming to have good compensation for the other one. 26. Kf1 g5 27. Bc1 Re8 28. f3. Now the e-Pawn is doomed, and no compensation is in sight. 28. ... e3 29. Ke2 Kf7 30. Rd1 Kg6? A little more tenacious would be 30. ... Re7, although after 31. b3! White must sooner or later find her way to the win. 31. Rd7 h5 32. gxh5+ Kxh5 33. Rh7+ Kg6 34. Rxb7 Re6 35. g4 f5 36. gxf5+ Kxf5 37. b4 Rc6 38. a4 Kf4? This loses on the spot, but even after 38. ... Rxc3 39. Rxb6 Rxc1 40. a5! White must win. 39. Rxb6! 1 : 0. With only two rounds to go, Gaponenko is now the sole lead.

Inna Grigoryevna Gaponenko-Yanovska (right) vs. Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya (left). Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.

Non-working time

Sophie Milliet – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 20, 2019
Caro-Kann Defence B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Ne7 6. c3 Ng6 7. 0-0 f6 8. Be3!? A recent (rapid) game continued with 8. Na3 fxe5 9. dxe5 Bxa3 10. bxa3 0-0 11. Nd4 Nxe5 12. g4 Be4? (12. ... c5 was clearly called for) 13. Nxe6 Qf6 14. Nxf8 Nf3+ 15. Bxf3 Bxf3 16. Nxh7!+− Gaponenko – Girya, 5th Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018. 8. ... Be7. Preferable seems to be 8. ... Nd7, as played by 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) against 徐译 (Xú Yì) in the Chinese Blitz Chess Championship at 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) in 2017. 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. Ne1 Nh8. Despite her balancing efforts, also today, Goryachkina will struggle to defend an inferior position for a long time before achieving a lucky draw. 11. f4 fxe5 12. fxe5 Bg5 13. Bxg5 Qxg5 14. Ndf3 Qe3+ 15. Rf2 Nd7 16. Qd2 Qxd2 17. Nxd2 Bg6 18. Nef3 h6 19. Raf1 Bh7 20. h4 Ng6 21. g3 Ne7 22. Ne1 Rxf2 23. Rxf2 c5 24. Bb5 Nc6 25. Nb3 c4. This decision could cost Goryachkina the game. 25. ... cxd4 26. cxd4 a6 was much more to the point, as 27. Bxc6 bxc6 28. Rf3 a5 29. Rc3 a4 30. Nd2 Rc8 should hold for Black. 26. Na5 Nxa5 27. Bxd7 Bf5 28. Ng2 Rd8 29. Ba4 a6 30. Nf4 g5 31. hxg5 hxg5 32. Nh5 b5 33. Bc2 Bxc2 34. Rxc2 Nc6 35. Rf2 Rf8 36. Nf6+ Kg7 37. Nh5+ Kg8 38. Nf6+ Kg7 39. Rh2


39. ... Rh8? Goryachkina consistently invites the exchange of Rooks, so as to force a virtually lost Knight ending. Instead, 39. ... Kg6! 40. Nd7! Rf3 41. Kg2 Re3 42. Nc5 Re2+ 43. Kg1 Re1+ 44. Kf2 Rc1 45. Rh8! b4! gave more drawing chances, not only from a practical but also from a “scientific” standpoint. 40. Rxh8 Kxh8 41. Nd7 Nd8 42. a4? A chivalrous draw offer by Milliet, who could have done equally well, or ideally better, only with 42. g4?? (42. ... a5=). Nevertheless, White could have presented the bill with 42. a3 a5 43. Nb8, putting her opponent on the verge of her second débâcle in two days. 42. ... bxa4 ½ : ½.

Value of time

Marina Brunello – Olga Alexandrovna Girya
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 20, 2019
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be6 8. Nc4 Rb8 9. a4 Nf6 10. Bg5 Nb4 11. a5!?


11. ... d5! This is a clear improvement on 11. ... Qc7 12. Ne3 Be7 13. Ra4 Qc5 14. Qd2 Rd8 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Ncd5⩲ Fataliyeva – Daulytė-Cornette, 18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Riga 2017. 12. exd5 Nbxd5 13. Nxd5 Qxd5. Black has comfortably equalised, but apparently Brunello had already decided to take a day off: 14. Qe2?? Ne4! 15. Rd1?? Qxc4 0 : 1. Everyone can agree that freedom and time are worth losing a chess game for.

Extraterrestrials

Protesters on the fifth day of demonstrations for climate change hold their hands glued together at Oxford Circus in London, United Kingdom. Photo: Frank Augstein/AP.

Dating and Interspatial Relationships

A staff member wearing a mock space suit poses in the 戈壁 (Gobi Desert) near the C-Space Project Mars Simulation Base outside 金昌 (Jīnchāng), 甘肃省 (Gānsù province), China. Photo: Thomas Peter/Reuters.