Yes, Edna, sometimes life is like being on demi-pointe

Artwork © Lauren Jackson (@laurenlouisecreation)

The Merchant of Venice

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets all over Britain and outside the gates of Downing Street in protest against UK PM Boris Johnson’s move to shutdown Parliament.

非對稱作戰 (Asymmetric warfare)

Violent clashes erupted between protesters and riot police at 香港 (Hong Kong)’s Prince Edward station on Saturday, August 31 in the 13th consecutive weekend of anti-government and anti-police mass demonstrations. Police apparently acted like they were auditioning for the lead in a remake of the “Bloody Sunday” (August 21), when commuters and passengers were assaulted with batons at the 元朗 (Yuen Long) station by suspected triad gang members.

Let him say his say, Edna; it’s just that he’s so much envious of you

Artwork © Courtney Rexford (@CFRCreations)

一報還一報 (Measure for Measure)

CCTV-5 footage of the 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Mixed Doubles Chess Tournament held on August 29 at the Sunshine Hotel in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China and won by the post-90s couple 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) with an almost perfect score of 4½ points out of 5.

Sure, Edna, even if you are one thousand years old, you never get old

Illustration by costume designer Edith Head, from the 1967 Random House edition of her book “How to Dress for Success”. Courtesy of LiveJournal.com.

回到未来 (Back to the Future)

The radiant winner couple, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī), shining in the limelight of the 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Chess Tournament awards ceremony. Of course, a ’90s stylist cannot but know how much the success (or the failure) of a dress depends upon the occasion upon which it is flaunted. Photo: 梁自明 (Liáng Zìmíng) (@sinotahl).

集市 (Funfair)

Today, following a format similar to the one of the Grand Chess Tour, the 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Chess Tournament featured a friendly version of yesterday’s mixed doubles competition, matching chess Grandmasters with an equal number of female and male “Shēnzhènese” entrepreneurs. Pictured above is four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) smilingly helping a businessman not to shipwreck in the labyrinths of the board. Photo: 梁自明 (Liáng Zìmíng) (@sinotahl).

Never take a joke too far

The time has come for chess enthusiasts to start the countdown for the 2019 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX, which will be staged as usual at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis from September 2–5, featuring the return of 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov, who will take on Fabiano Caruana in a 20-game blitz and rapid match at chess960 (a.k.a. Fischerandom chess).

Garry Kimovich Kasparov (@Kasparov63)

Ages and Stages

Pictured above, left to right, are FIDE Treasurer 诸宸 (Zhū Chén) and FIDE Vice President Nigel David Short vainly trying to save their own marriage in the mixed double match against four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī), who dominated and won (with 4½ points out of 5) the 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Chess Tournament in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China. Second place was won (with 3½ points) by the “odd couple” Maia Grigorievna Chiburdanidze & 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) (with an age difference of 38 years!), while the post-80s couple Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina & 倪华 (Ní Huá) took third place (3 points). The other teams follow: 谢军 (Xiè Jūn) & Eugene Torre, 刘适兰 (Liú Shìlán) & Arkadij Naiditsch, and 诸宸 (Zhū Chén) & Short. Photo: Sina Sports.

Of course, Edna, no one really cares where he sits, as long as it’s not in front of you

Artwork © Cheryl Simon (@hokeydonutaz)

Words and Pictures

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) playing mixed doubles with 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) on their triumphant way through the 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Chess Tournament at the Sunshine Hotel in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China. Photo: 梁自明 (Liáng Zìmíng)/新华社 (Xīnhuá News Agency).

梁自明 (Liáng Zìmíng)’s pictorial and narrative report of the 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Chess Tournament — with pictures of the all-stars by haute couture — is freely available online at https://mp.weixin.qq.com. Photo collage: 梁自明 (Liáng Zìmíng).

Don’t be too bitter, Edna. I feel one day a prince will come along with a diamond ring and will make you forget all those toads longing for a kiss from you

Artwork © Jon Madrazo (@jonassaenz)

Single but not alone

Greedy squirrel in St James’s Park, City of Westminster, central London, United Kingdom. Photo: Jeremy Selwyn.

The Dating Game

The 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Chess Tournament has started today at the Sunshine Hotel in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China with a mixed doubles competition involving a number of stars such as 倪华 (Ní Huá), Nigel David Short, Eugene Torre, 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī), 韦奕 (Wéi Yì), seven-time Chinese Women’s Chess Champion 刘适兰 (Liú Shìlán), 6th Women’s World Chess Champion Maia Grigorievna Chiburdanidze, 7th Women’s World Chess Champion 谢军 (Xiè Jūn), 9th Women’s World Chess Champion 诸宸 (Zhū Chén), 14th Women’s World Chess Champion Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina, and, last but not least, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who, as usual, took on the mission of showing herself up as a sartorial incarnation of Caïssa. In the end she and her mate 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) triumphed also in the “chess dating game”, just as to demonstrate that a goddess can do what a mere human cannot do. Photos: 张晓露 (Zhāng Xiǎolù).

五分鐘短劇 (Five-Minute Plays)

Magnus Carlsen – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
7th Sinquefield Cup; tie-break game 4 (5+3); Saint Louis, August 29, 2019
Spanish Game C84

After two draws in the first two rapid tie-break games, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) has neatly won both the two blitz games — at a time cadence in which Carlsen is generally considered unbeatable — thus becoming the first Chinese player to ever win the élite super-rich Sinquefield Cup, and also mooting his challenge to the Norwegian king for a World Chess Championship match. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 0-0 12. h3 Re8 13. d5 Bd7 14. Nc3 Qb8 15. Bd3 Rc8 16. Ne2 Nb7 17. g4!? Nc5 18. Ng3 Nxd3 19. Qxd3 b4 20. Re1 Qb5 21. Qd1 Rc7 22. Be3 Rac8 23. Nd2 g6 24. b3 Qb7 25. Nc4 Bb5 26. Na5 Qb8 27. Qd2 Rc3 28. a3 bxa3 29. Nc6 Bxc6 30. Qxc3 Bxd5 31. Qa5 Bxe4

After losing the 3rd blitz game, Carlsen, in a “must-win” situation, flings himself against the wall: 32. g5? This could lead to a draw by force, which for Carlsen is equivalent to a defeat. Hence White had to prefer something like 32. Nxe4 Nxe4 33. Qxa3 just to “keep on playing”. 32. ... Ba8! 33. Qxa6? In his understandable desperation Carlsen cannot afford to content himself with 33. gxf6 that after 33. ... Qb7 34. Kf1 Qg2+ 35. Ke2 Qf3+ allows Black perpetual check. 33. ... Nd5 34. Ba7 Qc7 35. Rec1 Qxc1+ 36. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 37. Kh2 Bc6 38. Qxa3 Bxg5 39. Qxd6? Bf4 40. Bc5 Ne7! 0 : 1. “Yesterday I was playing a tournament. Today I played a match” 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) eventually said.

“I gotta say, he was a lot better than I was today”, Carlsen finally said. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour.

Yes, Edna, I think he’s already resigned to the whim of your moods and the inscrutability of your unquestionable discretion

Credit: nikiunleashed 🌻🧡 (@nikiunleashed)

There’s Always a Tomorrow

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Magnus Carlsen
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 28, 2019
Sicilian Defence B31

Carlsen was playing (against Vachier-Lagrave) for only one result — a win. 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) was playing (against Mamedyarov) for only one result — a draw. And last but not least, Karjakin was playing (against Caruana) for only one result — a win. With a little help from their opponents, only Carlsen and 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) got what they wanted, and thus a two-way tie-breaker is required to determine the winner of this year’s Sinquefield Cup. Tomorrow is the date. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. d4 cxd4. In his round-two game with Anand, Carlsen preferred 5. ... Bg7 6. dxc5 Qa5+ 7. Nbd2 Qxc5 8. 0-0 d6 9. Re1 f6 10. a3!? Nh6 11. b4 Qh5 12. c4 0-0 13. Qa4 Bd7 14. Nf1 Nf7 15. Ng3 Qg4 16. c5!? e5! 17. cxd6 c5 18. Qb3 cxb4 19. axb4 Qe6 20. Qxe6 Bxe6 21. Be3 a6 22. Rec1 Rfd8 23. Nd2 Bf8 24. Nc4 Rac8! 25. f3 Nb5 29. Bxf8 Rxc1+ 30. Rxc1 Kxf8= with a draw agreed on move 45, Anand – Carlsen, 7th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2019. 6. Qxd4 f6 7. 0-0 d6 8. c4 c5 9. Qd3 Bg7 10. b3. Or likewise 10. Nc3 Nh6 11. Nh4 Rb8 12. b3 0-0 13. Re1 Nf7 14. f4 f5 with a draw agreed on move 64, Kovalev – Praggnanandhaa, 81st Tata Steel Challengers Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2019. 10. ... Nh6 11. Nc3 Rb8 12. Bd2 0-0 13. Rae1 Nf7 14. h4!? Rb7! 15. h5 g5 16. Nh2 Ne5 17. Qg3!? Kh8! 18. f4!? gxf4 19. Bxf4 Rg8 20. Re3 Nc6. Clearly not 20. ... Bh6? because of 21. Bxh6! Rxg3 22. Rxg3 with a crushing preponderance for White, but 20 ... Qf8!? (intending actually ... Bg7-h6) was well worth considering. 21. Qf2 f5!?

22. Nf3?? This destructive mistake was played by Vachier-Lagrave almost instantly, and without any reason. 22. exf5 Bxf5 (22. ... Bd4 23. Nb5!) 23. Rg3 was perfectly playable and even good for White. 22. ... Bxc3! 23. Rxc3 e5! 24. Rd3. Desperation, but otherwise ... f5-f4 would follow with decisive effect. 24. ... exf4 25. Qb2+ Rbg7 26. h6 fxe4. The rest is easy. 27. Rd2 exf3 28. hxg7+ Rxg7 29. Rxf3 Qg5 30. Rdf2 Nd4 31. Rxf4 Bf5 32. b4 Be6 33. Rf8+ Bg8 34. bxc5 dxc5 35. Qb8 Qe3 36. Qd6 Qc1+ 37. Kh2 Qg5 38. Qd5 Qh4+ 39. Kg1 Qe7 40. Qh5 Qe3 41. Qh4 Ne2+ 42. Kh1 Qc1+ 43. Rf1 Ng3+ 44. Kg1 Qe3+ 0 : 1. “It’s a bit surreal but now I have to get back to earth cause there’s more chess to play tomorrow”, Carlsen finally said.

A huge oversight on Vachier-Lagrave’s part gave Carlsen an unhoped-for opportunity to get to the tie-break. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour.

Escape from Tomorrow

Queen Game

On the afternoon of Monday, August 26, 2019 four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) gracefully walked into the 青岛第二十六中学 (Qīngdǎo No. 26 Middle School) in 青岛 (Qīngdǎo), 山东省 (Shāndōng province), China to give a lecture-demonstration (plus Q&A) on chess and its social significance, finally followed by a choreographic 30-board simultaneous exhibition. Photos: 杜金城 (Dù Jīnchéng).

Okay, Edna, go and say it like a mantra one billion times till they ask you to give them all, poor common mortals, a sense of your presence so that their human uselessness may turn to cult worship

Artwork © lil’ Jane (Жанна) (@lil_jane_art)

Tomorrow Never Knows

Levon Grigori Aronian – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 27, 2019
Two Knights Defence C58

Thanks to today’s draw, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) enters the final round of the 7th Sinquefield Cup ahead by half point over Anand, Carlsen (who finally scored his first win), Karjakin, and Nepomniachtchi (who melodramatically threw away a draw), not to mention that Caruana, Mamedyarov, and Vachier-Lagrave follow one point behind. In short, it’s not all yet, but it’s enough to guess that everything can still change. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3!? Nd5 9. Nf3. Seven-time Italian Chess Champion Vincenzo Castaldi got literally zugzwanged by Paul Petrovich Keres after 9. Ne4 f5 10. Ng3 Nf4 11. Bf1 Bc5 12. c3 Bb6 13. d4 Ng6 14. Bd3 0-0 15. b4 Nb7 16. Bc4+ Kh8 17. d5 (“after this the storm breaks unexpectedly”, Julius du Mont and Savielly Tartakower wrote in their book “500 Master Games of Chess”, New York, Dover Publications, 1975, p. 48) 17. ... Nd6 18. Bb3 f4 19. Nf1 Ne4 0 : 1 Castaldi – Keres, 7th Chess Olympiad, Stockholm 1937. 9. ... Bd6 10. 0-0 Nf4 11. Nc3. Though only five-minute chess, the following game is worth a close look: 11. Re1 Nxd3 12. cxd3 0-0 13. Nc3 Re8 14. h3 c5 15. b3 Ba6 16. Ba3 Bxd3 17. Ne4 Bxe4 18. Rxe4 f5 19. Ra4 e4 20. Nh2 Nc6 21. Rc1 Ne5 22. d4 Nd3 23. dxc5 Bf4 24. Rc2 e3 25. f3 Bg3 26. Nf1 Bf2+ 27. Kh1 Nf4 28. Qxd8 Raxd8 29. Rxf4 Rd1 30. Re2 Bg3 31. Kg1 Bxf4 32. g4 Red8 33. Bb4 R8d4 34. Ba5 Rd5 35. Bb4 a5 36. Bxa5 Rxc5 37. Bb6 Rcc1 38. Bxe3 Rxf1+ 39. Kg2 Bxe3 40. Rxe3 Rfe1 41. Rd3 f4 0 : 1 Short – Kasparov, “Your Next Move” Blitz Chess Match, Leuven 2011, match game 8. 11. ... Nxd3 12. cxd3 0-0 13. b3 c5 14. Ba3 Nc6 15. Ne4 Nb4 16. Bxb4 cxb4 17. Re1 Bb8!? A novelty in place of 17. ... Bb7 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 19. Nxe5 Rfe8 20. Nc4 Qxd3 (after 20. ... Qg6?! 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Qf1± Black does not have enough compensation for the two Pawns, Zhigalko – Inarkiev, 4th World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015) 21. Re3 Qg6 22. f3⩲ with White heading for an endgame a Pawn up, Zhigalko – Ragger, 41st Chess Olympiad, Tromsø 2014. 18. Ng3 Qxd3 19. Nxe5 Bxe5 20. Rxe5 Be6 21. Re3 Qd4 22. Ne2 Qd6 23. d4 a5 24. h4 Rfd8 25. Qd2 a4 26. Rd1 axb3 27. axb3 Ra5. Unlike the aforementioned games (by Zhigalko), here 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) succeeded in bargaining for enough counterplay to get his minus Pawn sufficiently compensated, so the game drifts towards an inevitable draw.

28. Rg3 Rf5 29. Ra1 Bd5 30. Qe3 h6 31. Rg4 Rf6 32. Ng3 Qe6 33. Qxe6 Bxe6 34. Re4 Bxb3 35. d5 Rb6 36. Rb1 Bxd5 37. Rexb4 Rxb4 38. Rxb4 Be6 39. f3 Ra8 40. Kh1 Rd8 41. Kg1 Ra8 42. Kh1 Rd8 43. Kg1 ½ : ½.

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) showed himself ready even to take on Aronian’s “Romantic” challenge. Photo © Crystal Fuller/Grand Chess Tour.

北京时间 (Běijīng Time)

Nigel David Short (@nigelshortchess)

香港時間 (Hong Kong Time)

香港 (Hong Kong)’s Chief Executive 林鄭月娥 (Carrie Lam) holds a news conference in 香港 (Hong Kong), China, August 27, 2019. Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters.

Hell on Earth

A burning tract of the Amazon jungle photographed near Canarana, Mato Grosso state, Brazil August 26, 2019. Photo: Lucas Landau/Reuters.

Well, Edna, he has still not understood which of the two systems is more convenient to buy Valentines, but sooner or later in one form or another he’ll buy something for you!

Artwork © Bad Rogue Design (@badroguedesign)

A Deal Before the Altar

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Fabiano Caruana
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 26, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

In the end, Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi and 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) took the sole lead of the 7th Sinquefield Cup by winning respectively with Wesley So and Fabiano Caruana. Particularly impressive was the victory won by the Chinese Grandmaster over Miami’s Grandmaster in what might as well have been billed as a showdown between two “human calculators”. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qe2 Qc8 11. 0-0 Qb7 12. a3 c5 13. Nb5 Rac8!? A novelty that does not change much with respect to 13. ... Ne4 14. Rac1 Rac8 15. Ne5 Nd6 16. Nxd6 Bxd6 17. Qg4 cxd4 18. Rxc8 Rxc8 19. Nxf7 Bxf4 20. Qxe6 Nc5 21. Nh6+ Kh8 22. Nf7+ Kg8 23. Nh6+ Kh8 ½ : ½ Carlsen – Nakamura, 7th World Blitz Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018. 14. b4 Nd5 15. bxc5 bxc5 16. Rab1 Rc6 17. Be5 Rb6. The game is a draw near, but not yet a draw, as Black is subjected to a gentle but continuous pressure which forces him to play very carefully and precisely. 18. a4 Nac7 19. dxc5 Bxc5 20. Rbc1 Nxb5 21. Rxc5 Nd6 22. a5 Rc6 23. Bxd6 Rxd6 24. Rfc1 h6 25. h3 Rfd8 26. Ne5 Nf6 27. Nc6. 27. Rc7 Rd1+ 28. Kh2 Qe4 29. Qb2 may still leave White with some initiative. 27. ... R8d7 28. a6 Qb6 29. Ne5 Rd8 30. Rc8 Qa5 31. f4 Rd2. There is probably nothing wrong with this move, although 31. ... Nd7 seems safer. 32. Qf3. The engines’ zwischenzug 32. Qf1! Qa3 33. Qf3 could be an improvement. 32. ... Rd5 33. R1c7 Kh7. 33. ... Qxa6 was perhaps simpler, for if 34. Rxd8+ Rxd8 35. Rxf7 there may follow 35. ... Qa1+ 36. Kh2 Qe1 37. Qb7 Nh5 38. Qf3 Nf6 repeating moves. 34. Kh2. Mirror moves: 33. ... Kh7/34. Kh2. 34. ... Rxc8 35. Rxc8 Qxa6 36. Ra8(!) Qb7 37. Rf8 Rb5? In playing his “natural” move, Caruana completely overlooked White’s refutation. Correct was 37. ... Qb4! 38. Rxf7 Qb1! with a draw in sight (if 39. Rxa7 Black can reply with 39. ... Rd1).

38. Qf1!± Qd5 39. Nxf7 Nd7 40. Rd8 Rb8 41. Rxb8 Nxb8 42. Qb1+ Qf5 43. Qb7 Nc6! 44. Nd6 Qc5 45. Ne4 Qc2?? The last and decisive mistake. 45. ... Qxe3! 46. Qxc6 Qxf4+ would have offered the toughest resistance. 46. Nf6+ Kg6 47. Ne8 Qc3 48. e4 a5 49. Qd7 a4 50. Qxe6+ Kh7 51. e5 Nd4 52. Qd7 Kg6 53. Qxg7+ Kf5 54. Nd6+ Kxf4 55. Qf6+ Ke3 56. e6 Kd3 57. e7 1 : 0.

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) and Caruana exchange their points of view right after the end of the game. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour.

Improvisation in Rehearsal

格蘭傑因果關係 (Granger causality)

That must mean something about the concept of “one country, two systems” and its nuances. And thus today it was announced that the 2019 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 罗湖 (Luōhú) All-Star Chess Tournament will be held in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China from 28–30 August, 2019. A constellation of women including seven-time Chinese Women’s Chess Champion 刘适兰 (Liú Shìlán), 6th Women’s World Chess Champion Maia Grigorievna Chiburdanidze, 7th Women’s World Chess Champion 谢军 (Xiè Jūn), 9th Women’s World Chess Champion 诸宸 (Zhū Chén), 14th Women’s World Chess Champion Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina, and four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is announced to be shining on stage. Finally, here is the schedule as it was planned in the mainland China: 1. All-Star meeting 深圳市翠竹外国语实验学校 (Shēnzhèn Cuìzhú Foreign Language Experimental School) August 28, 2019 10,00–11,30. 2. Opening ceremony Sunshine Hotel, 罗湖区 (Luóhú District), 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) August 29, 2019 9,00. 3. All-Star Friendly Tournament Sunshine Hotel, 罗湖区 (Luóhú District), 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) August 30, 2019 14,30–16,00. 4. 2019 粤 (Guǎngdōng), 香港 (Hong Kong), and 澳門 (Macau) Chess Classic 深圳市翠北实验小学 (Shēnzhèn Cuìběi Experimental Primary School) August 30, 2019 8,00–17,00. 5. World Chess Champions’s 100-board simultaneous exhibition 深圳市翠北实验小学 (Shēnzhèn Cuìběi Experimental Primary School) August 30, 2019 17,00–18,00. 6. Closing ceremony Sunshine Hotel, 罗湖区 (Luóhú District), 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) August 30, 2019 19,00. Of course organisers can change their programs without notice.

Valentines

Tear gas canisters are lined up after police clashed with anti-extradition bill protesters in 荃灣 (Tsuen Wan), 新界 (New Territories), 香港 (Hong Kong), China August 25, 2019. Photo: Thomas Peter/Reuters.

Fire and Blood

A picture released by Greenpeace shows smoke billowing from forest fires in Altamira, Pará state, Brazil. Photo: Victor Moriyama/AFP/Getty Images.

Sure, Edna, a chivalrous opponent will just not deploy tanks if you miss a date

Artwork © runniyolk

Borderlines

The 2019 粤 (Guǎngdōng), 香港 (Hong Kong), and 澳門 (Macau) Chess Classic, an one-day rapid youth tournament (1 hour per game, 7 rounds, age groups), will be held on August 30, 2019 at 深圳市翠北实验小学 (Shēnzhèn Cuìběi Experimental Primary School) in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China, starting at 8,30 A.M. Among others, stars and VIPs such as four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 韦奕 (Wéi Yì), and Eugene Torre will attend as guests of honour, offering their help and assistance to organisers and teachers.

The Wild Bunch

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 25, 2019
Grünfeld Defence D86

Thanks to their victories this evening, both Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin and Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi joined Viswanathan Anand, Fabiano Caruana and 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) at the lead of the 7th Sinquefield Cup. Magnus Carlsen, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Wesley So are following just a half point behind. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 0-0 10. 0-0 b6 11. dxc5 Qc7 12. Nd4 Ne5 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. Bd5 Ng4 15. g3 Nxe3 16. fxe3 a6 17. Nd4. Vachier-Lagrave, playing White against Boris Abramovich Gelfand six years ago, continued with 17. Bxf7+ Kh8 18. Nd4 bxc5 19. Bd5 Rxf1+ 20. Qxf1 cxd4 21. Rb1 Qa7 22. Qf7 Be6 23. Qxe6 dxc3 24. Bxa8 Qxe3+ 25. Kg2 Qe2+ 26. Kh3 Qh5+ 27. Kg2 Qe2+ ½ : ½ Vachier-Lagrave – Gelfand, 5th Chess World Cup, Tromsø 2013, match game 1. The memory of that game must have made him a little confused: 17. ... bxc5? (17. ... Bh3!∞) 18. Rb1 Qa7? (18. ... Qc7!? 19. Bxa8 cxd4 20. cxd4 Bh3 21. Bd5 Bxf1 22. Kxf1!?± seems a little better) 19. Nc6 Qc7 20. Nxe7+ Qxe7 21. Bxa8 Bh3 22. Bd5 Bxf1 23. Qxf1 Bxc3 24. Qxa6. White is a Pawn ahead (furthermore, a passed one!) and enjoys a powerful initiative which is made devastating by the presence of opposite-coloured Bishops. Black is by now doomed.

24. ... Qg5 25. Qe2 Kh8 26. Kg2 f5 27. Qd3 Be5 28. Rf1 Kg7 29. exf5 Rxf5 30. a4 Rxf1 31. Kxf1 Bd4 32. Bc4! Bxe3 33. Qd7+ Kh6 34. Qh3+ Kg7 35. Qe6 Bd4 36. Qf7+ Kh6 37. a5 Bf6 38. Kg2! Qd2+ 39. Kh3 Qg5 40. Qf8+ Bg7 41. Qf3 Bd4 42. a6 Qe7 43. Qa8 Bf6 44. a7 Qd7+ 45. g4 Qe7 46. Qf3 Qxa7 47. Qxf6 Qa3+ 48. Bd3! Not 48. Kh4?? Qh3+! (idem to say 48. ... Qg3+!) and stalemate follows. The “dual” is 48. Bb3 instead. 48. ... Qxd3+ 49. Kh4 Qd4 50. Qf8+ Qg7 51. g5 mate.

“It always happens with me because I normally mix up moves when I play. This time when I was preparing to the game I repeated the line one hundred times”, Karjakin finally said. Photo © Justin Kellar/Grand Chess Tour.

Countdown to Midnight

Magnus Carlsen – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 25, 2019
Nimzo-Indian Defence E21

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 0-0 5. Bg5 c5 6. Rc1 h6 7. Bh4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 d5 9. cxd5 g5 10. Bg3 Qxd5 11. e3 Qxa2!? 12. Qc2. Quite recently 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) managed to get a laborious draw after 12. Bd3 Qxb2 13. 0-0 Bxc3 14. Rc2 Qb4 15. Nb5 e5 16. Rxc3 Nc6 17. f4 Bg4 18. Qc2 exf4 19. exf4 Rac8 20. Bc4 Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Qf5 22. Bd3 Qd7 23. fxg5 Nb4 24. Qf2 Nxd3 25. Qxf6 Qxb5 26. gxh6 Nf2+ 27. Rxf2 Qb1+ 28. Rf1 Qg6 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Qe7 Be6 31. Qxb7 Qxh6 32. Qxa7 Rc1 33. Rg1 Rxg1+ 34. Qxg1 Bd5 35. Qd1 Qe6 36. Qd2 Qf5 37. Kg1 Qb1+ 38. Be1 Db6+ 39. Kh1 Qf6 40. h3 Qf5 41. Kh2 f6 42. Bf2 Kf7 43. Bd4 Ke6 44. Qe3+ Qe4 45. Qf2 Qf5 46. Qg3 Qe4 47. Bc3 Kf5 48. Qf2+ Qf4+ 49. Qxf4+ Kxf4 50. Bxf6 Kf5 51. Bc3 Kg6 52. g4 Be6 53. Kg3 Bd7 54. h4 Be6 55. h5+ Kh7 56. Kf4 Bd7 57. g5 Be8 58. Kg4 Bf7 59. g6+ Bxg6 60. hxg6+ Kxg6 ½ : ½ Topalov – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), 4th “心桥杯” (“Xīnqiáo Cup”), 温州 (Wēnzhōu) 2018, match game 3. 12. ... Nd5 13. h4 Nxc3 14. bxc3!? Carlsen introduces his novelty, which, by itself, doesn’t seem better than 14. hxg5!? as after 14. ... Na4+! 15. Kd1 Qxb2! 16. Qxb2 Nxb2+ 17. Kc2! hxg5 18. Kxb2 White’s initiative apparently fully compensates for the two Pawns minus, Brunner – Lékó, 2nd Bundesliga Sud 2016/2017, Deizisau 2017. 14. ... Qxc2 15. Rxc2 Be7 16. hxg5 hxg5 17. f4 Nc6 18. fxg5 Bxg5 19. Rh5 f6

20. Nf3! Even here White gives up two Pawns for a powerful attack. 20. ... Bxe3 21. Re2 Bc1 22. Re4 e5 23. Bc4+ Kg7 24. Reh4. Carlsen can at least be content with the fact that Black’s staying alive requires a quasi-continuous series of “only” moves. 24. ... Kg6 25. Rh7 Bg4. Not the only move, but the most natural. Now, 25. ... e4!? 26. Nd2 Ne5! was the engines’ alternative. 26. Bd3+ f5. Clearly not 27. ... Bf5?? on account of 24. R4h5! (Δ Nf3-h4 mate) 24. ... Bg5 25. Nh4+ Bxh4 26. Bxf5 mate. 27. Nxe5+ Nxe5 28. Bxe5 Kg5! 29. g3 Rg8! 30. Rxb7. Enough is enough, and a draw is now enough for Carlsen too. 30. ... Rae8 31. Rb5 Rg6 32. Kf2 Rb6 33. Rxb6 axb6 34. Rh1 Rxe5 35. Rxc1 f4 36. gxf4+ Kxf4 37. Rb1 Rc5 38. Rb4+ Kg5 39. Rxb6 Rxc3 40. Ke3 Bf5 41. Rd6 Rxd3+ 42. Rxd3 Bxd3 ½ : ½. “The disadvantage of playing a forced opening, if your opponent calculates well, he’s gonna be fine but people don’t usually do that every time”, Carlsen eventually said.

Appearances to the contrary, Carlsen’s and 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)’s lively opening can be considered a drawing line. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour.

Thoughts in Words

The poet who sees everything is accused of freedom of thought. Il poeta che vede tutto viene accusato di libertà di pensiero. Alda Merini

Robots learn from humans, and so they adopt humans’ biases. Photo: Alamy.

Well, okay, Edna, but now let them sleep. Tomorrow is another day!

Artwork © Halida (@alttring)

Mementos and Memories

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Viswanathan Anand
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 24, 2019
Bogo-Indian Defence E11

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 0-0 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. Qc2 c6 9. a4 a5 10. Na3 Bd6 11. Ne1 Re8!?TN 12. Nd3 e5 13. cxd5 e4 14. Nf4 cxd5 15. Nb5 Bb8 16. Rac1 Ra6! 17. Bh3? 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) would have certainly gone for 17. Nc7 Rc6 18. Nxe8 Rxc2 19. Nxf6+ Nxf6 20. Rxc2 with a two Rooks vs. Queen battle, had he imagined what was coming. 17. ... Rc6! 18. Qb3. On other Queen moves there follows ... g7-g5-g4 winning a piece. 18. ... Nb6! 19. Bxa5. It goes down straight, but 19. Bxc8 Nc4! is also very bad. 19. ... Bxh3! 20. Nxh3 Qc8! 21. Kg2 Rxc1. 21. ... Nc4! is the engines’ “best move”, but Anand’s continuation is also perfectly good. 22. Rxc1 Qxc1 23. Bxb6 e3! 24. f3

24. ... h5!!−+ 25. Ba5 h4 26. gxh4. A sign of desperation. 26. ... Qc6?! It takes just a few seconds for the engines to spot 26. ... Ne4!! which wins in all variations (27. fxe4 Rxe4 may well run into a mating attack). 27. Be1 Nh5? Her Majesty was still in time to infiltrate White’s realm by 27. ... Qc1! with still lots of possible attack scenarios. Now 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) gets out of the nightmare: 28. Bg3! Qc4. Of course, Anand might still win the endgame, but after throwing away so much “mementos” of his glorious past, he was probably lucky not to end up losing the game. 29. Qxc4 dxc4∓ 30. Ng5 Nf6 31. Na3 Bxg3 32. hxg3 Ra8 33. Nxc4 Rxa4 34. Nxe3 Rxd4 35. Kf2 Nd5 36. Nf5 Rb4 37. h5 Rxb2 38. h6 f6 39. Ne4 gxh6 40. Nxh6+ Kf8 41. Nf5 b5 42. Ne3 Nb6 43. Ke1 b4 44. Kd1 Na4 45. Nd5 f5 46. Nd2 b3 47. e4 fxe4 48. fxe4 Kf7 49. g4 Nc5 50. Nb4 Ke6 51. Kc1 Na4 52. g5 Ke7 53. Nc6+ Kf7 54. Nd4 Kg6 55. N4xb3 Ra2 56. Nf3 Nc3 57. Nbd2 Rxd2 58. Kxd2 Nxe4+ 59. Ke3 Nxg5 60. Nxg5 ½ : ½. And yet, that must have been a hard lesson for 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) to learn.

Only Anand’s anagraphic age prevented him from taking the sole lead in the 7th Sinquefield Cup. Photo © Austin Fuller/Grand Chess Tour.

Alternate Academy Awards

On August 22, 2019 1st President of the Republic of Kalmykia and 6th FIDE President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov was elected by acclamation as Honorary Chairman of the “Russian-Chinese Union of Entrepreneurs, Artists and Cinematographers”, a newly founded non-profit organisation aimed at facilitating and promoting development of the cinematographic, audiovisual and multimedia industry all around the world.

The Rodina Cinema in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia. Photo: Dmitry89/Wikimedia Commons.

Oh, Edna, you always want to exaggerate the differences between you and all other yourselves just to make you sure that they won’t dare to meet your soulmate before you

Artwork © Cake Eat Easy (@cake_eat_easy)

Twin Peaks

Fabiano Caruana – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 23, 2019
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f4 g6. A recent game continued: 8. ... exf4 9. Bxf4 Nc6 10. Qe2 Be7 11. 0-0-0 Qc7 12. g4 0-0 13. g5 Nd7 14. Qe3 Rac8 15. Kb1 Rfe8 16. h4 b5 17. Qg3 Nce5 18. Nd4 Nb6 19. Bh3 Bxh3 20. Qxh3 Nec4 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. exd5 Nb6 23. Bc1 Nxd5 24. h5 Bf8 25. g6 h6 26. Qg2 Nf6? (26. ... Ne3 27. Bxe3 Rxe3 28. Nf5 Re6 seems tenable) 27. Bxh6! fxg6 28. Rdf1 Qc4 29. Rxf6 Qxd4 30. Rxg6 Kh7 31. Bc1 Qe4 32. h6! Qxg6 33. hxg7+ Kxg7 34. Bh6+ Kf7 35. Rf1+ Qf6 36. Qd5+ Ke7 37. Bg5 and White finally won on move 60, van Foreest – Nepomniachtchi, 81st Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Leiden 2019. 9. Be2 Nbd7 10. g4 Rc8. More usual is 10. ... exf4 that not long ago brought Black very good luck: 11. g5 Nh5 12. Bxh5 Qxg5 13. Bf3?? (13. Bg4 was obviously called for) 13. ... Qg3+ 14. Kd2 Ne5 15. Rf1 Bxh3−+ van Foreest – Ivić, 20th European Individual Chess Championship, Skopje 2019. 11. f5 Bxb3 12. axb3 Rxc3! 13. bxc3 Nxe4 14. 0-0 Qh4 15. Bf3! gxf5 16. Bxe4 fxe4 17. Kh2 Rg8! Vachier-Lagrave’s new novelty radically changes the evaluation of the line, which was grounded so far upon 17. ... Be7 18. Rf5 Rg8 19. Be3 Nf6 20. g5 h5 21. Bf2 Ng4+ 22. Qxg4 Qxf2+ 23. Rxf2 hxg4 24. h4 f6 25. Kg3 fxg5 26. h5 Kd7 27. Kxg4 Ke6 28. c4 b5 29. cxb5 axb5 30. h6 Rh8 31. Rh2 e3 32. h7 d5 33. Ra6+ Kf7 34. Kf5 d4 35. Kxe5 g4 36. Kf4 Bf6 37. Kxg4 Be5 38. Rh5 Bg7 39. Kf3 Rc8 40. Rf5+ Ke7 41. Ra7+ Ke6 42. Rxg7 1 : 0 Forcén Esteban – Riff, 35th Andorra Open, Les Escaldes 2017. 18. Ra4 Nf6 19. g5

19. ... Rxg5! And that’s the point: Black sacrifices the second Exchange, increasing to three Pawns his material compensation, and obtaining, from a positional standpoint, a formidable Pawn centre. 20. Bxg5 Qxg5 21. c4! Qh4 22. Qe1! Thus White forces an asymmetrical endgame two Exchanges ahead, but just to realise that Black can (relatively easily) set a “fortress” draw. 22. ... Qxe1 23. Rxe1 Bh6 24. Rd1 Kd7! 25. c5 d5 26. Rb4 Kc7 27. Rb6 Bf4+ 28. Kg2 Nd7 29. Rxd5! More for the audience than himself. 29. ... Nxb6 30. cxb6+ Kxb6 31. Rd7 a5 32. Rxf7 h6 33. Kf2 Kc6 34. Ke2 b5 35. Rf6+ Kc5 36. c3 a4 37. bxa4 bxa4 38. Ra6 Kb5 39. Ra7 Bg5 40. Ra8 Be7 41. Kd2 a3 42. Ke3 Kc4 43. Kxe4 Kxc3 44. Kxe5 Kb3 45. Ke4 a2 46. Rxa2 Kxa2 47. Kf3 Kb3 48. h4 Kc4 49. h5 Kd3 50. Kg2 Ke2 51. Kh1 Kf2 52. Kh2 Bd6+ 53. Kh1 Be5 stalemate.

Many eyes, including those of Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi (standing in blue T-shirt), are watching at the game between Caruana and Vachier-Lagrave. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour.

Mask and Mirror

A student holds a placard in a tribute to the woman who suffered a serious eye injury in 尖沙咀 (Tsim Sha Tsui), southern 九龍 (Kowloon), 香港 (Hong Kong), China on Sunday, August 11 on a night of clashes with police. Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters.