Opera Game

Paris Opera ballet dancers perform outside Palais Garnier in protest against pension reform. Photo: Stephane de Sakutin/AFP.

Things Money Can’t Buy

It’s less than a few days before the start of the 12-game Women’s World Chess Championship match between 17th Women’s World Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) and her challenger Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina which will be hosted by both China and Russia — the birth countries of both women. The first half will take place at 上海市棋牌运动管理中心 (Shànghǎi Board and Card Games Administrative Centre) in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China from January 4–12, 2020; the second half at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) in the Russky Island area of Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia from January 15–25, 2020. The opening ceremony will be held Saturday, January 4, 2020 at the 上海静安洲际酒店 (InterContinental Shànghǎi Jìng’Ān Hotel). The Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) offered the unusually high prize fund of €500,000 €uros, of which 60% goes to the winner (55% in case of tie-break). However, since money alone can’t buy legitimacy, much will depend upon whether the crowning of one, rather than the other, will be perceived by the public as a fair deal with respect to the abdication — whether forced or voluntary — of the No. 1 woman player in the world, namely 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). In spite of many discouraging signs, hope is always hopeful.

Oh, Edna, just imagine how history would have been changed, if “Gone with the Wind” had been filmed nowadays, starring you and Johnny Depp

Artwork © art_person2 (@art_person2)

Catwalk Queen

Bright lights and high fashion took over the stage at the awards ceremony of the Linglong Tire Cup One Belt One Road Sino-European Chess Championship in 青岛 (Qīngdǎo), China, with four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above centre) and 黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn) — duly escorted by their servant knights 赵骏 (Zhào Jùn) and 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì) — being awarded their cup and medals for the victory of the Chinese team. Pictured below are Bela Khotenashvili and Jovana Vojinović-Rapport next to their mates Vladimir Nailevich Malakhov and Richárd Rapport receiving their second-prize medals on behalf of the European team. Photos: International Mind Sports Association.

Footsteps in the Sea

Even though it was December, we enjoyed a sweet walk on the seashore today: blue sky, calm sea, and a sunny day. Photos: Mado Flynn.

Far End

[Event "Linglong Tire Cup Sino-European Chess Championship"]
[Site "青岛 (Qīngdǎo) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.30"]
[Round "3.2"]
[White "Vojinović-Rapport, Jovana/Rapport, Richárd"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)/赵骏 (Zhào Jùn)"]
[ECO "E12"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "69"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.c4 e6 4.Bf4 Bb7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nc3 Ne4 7.Nxe4 Bxe4 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 O-O 10.h4 Nc6 11.e4 f5 12.e5 d6 13.exd6 Bxd6 14.Qe3 Bxf4 15.Qxf4 Qd6 16.Qxd6 cxd6 17.O-O-O e5 18.d5 Nb4 19.Kb1 Rac8 20.b3 a5 21.a4 h6 22.h5 Na6 23.Kc2 Nc5 24.Nh4 Ne4 25.Rhf1 Rf6 26.f4 Ng3 27.Rf3 exf4 28.Ng6 Re8 29.Nxf4 Ne4 30.Re1 Kf7 31.Rfe3 Rc8 32.g4 Kg8 33.gxf5 Ng5 34.Ng6 Nh7 35.Ne7+ 1-0

[Event "Linglong Tire Cup Sino-European Chess Championship"]
[Site "青岛 (Qīngdǎo) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.30"]
[Round "4.2"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)/赵骏 (Zhào Jùn)"]
[Black "Vojinović-Rapport, Jovana/Rapport, Richárd"]
[ECO "A26"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "67"]

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Rb1 Nge7 7.b4 a6 8.a4 a5 9.b5 Nb4 10.Nf3 c5 11.bxc6 bxc6 12.O-O O-O 13.Bd2 d5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Nb5 Nec6 16.Ne1 Bg4 17.h3 Be6 18.Nc2 Qd7 19.Nxb4 axb4 20.Kh2 Qe7 21.Qb3 Rfc8 22.Rfc1 Bf8 23.Qd1 Qb7 24.f4 exf4 25.Bxf4 Qd7 26.h4 Bg4 27.Rb2 Bg7 28.d4 Bf8 29.Qh1 Rxa4 30.Bxd5 Ne7 31.Rxc8 Nxc8 32.Bc6 Qd8 33.d5 Bd6 34.Nxd6 1-0

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 赵骏 (Zhào Jùn) scored a draw in their second and last round mixed doubles match against Jovana Vojinović-Rapport & Richárd Rapport at time control of 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move, which was enough to ensure the victory of China over Europe in the Linglong Tire Cup One Belt One Road Sino-European Chess Championship just concluded at 青岛 (Qīngdǎo), China. Photos: International Mind Sports Association.

Well, Edna, finding an ideal mate prior to the end of year is not so easy — not even for your chaperone

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

Two Plus Two Equals One

[Event "Linglong Tire Cup Sino-European Chess Championship"]
[Site "青岛 (Qīngdǎo) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.29"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Khotenashvili, Bela/Malakhov, Vladimir Nailevich"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)/赵骏 (Zhào Jùn)"]
[ECO "D02"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "214"]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.Bf4 c5 4.c3 d5 5.e3 Nc6 6.Ne5 Nxe5 7.Bxe5 Be7 8.Nd2 O-O 9.Bd3 b6 10.O-O Bb7 11.a4 Bd6 12.f4 Ne4 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.Qc2 Nxd2 15.Qxd2 a5 16.Qe2 Bc6 17.Rf3 f5 18.g4 Qd7 19.Bc2 cxd4 20.exd4 fxg4 21.Rf2 Rf6 22.Qxg4 Raf8 23.Qh5 g6 24.Qe5 Qf7 25.Re1 Bd7 26.Ref1 Qe8 27.Qc7 Qd8 28.Qxd8 Rxd8 29.Kg2 Kf7 30.h4 Ke7 31.Kf3 Rdf8 32.Ke3 Kd6 33.Rh1 Be8 34.Rg1 R8f7 35.Rg5 Rc7 36.Kd2 Rcf7 37.Ke3 Rc7 38.Rg3 b5 39.axb5 Bxb5 40.Rg1 Rf8 41.Ra1 Ra8 42.Rg2 Be8 43.Bd3 a4 44.Ra3 Rb8 45.Ra2 Rcb7 46.Rh2 Rb3 47.Rg2 Ke7 48.Rc2 Kf6 49.Be2 a3 50.Rxa3 Rxb2 51.Rxb2 Rxb2 52.Ra7 h5 53.Ra8 Bd7 54.Ra7 Be8 55.Ra8 Bf7 56.Rc8 Rb1 57.Kf3 Rh1 58.Kg3 Rc1 59.Bb5 Rc2 60.Bd3 Rd2 61.Bb5 Rb2 62.Bf1 Rb7 63.Bd3 Ke7 64.Ba6 Rb1 65.Rc7+ Kf6 66.Rc8 Rg1+ 67.Kf3 Rg4 68.c4 dxc4 69.Bxc4 Rxh4 70.Kg3 Rg4+ 71.Kf3 Rg1 72.Be2 Ra1 73.Ke4 Ra3 74.Bd3 h4 75.Rh8 g5 76.fxg5+ Kxg5 77.Bf1 Bg6+ 78.Ke5 Re3+ 79.Kd6 Be4 80.Bc4 Bf5 81.d5 e5 82.Ke7 Ra3 83.Rg8+ Kf4 84.Rh8 h3 85.d6 Ra7+ 86.Kf6 Rd7 87.Rh4+ Kg3 88.Rh8 Kf4 89.Rh4+ Kg3 90.Rh8 Bh7 91.Kxe5 h2 92.Bd5 Rg7 93.Bc6 Ra7 94.Ke6 Kf4 95.Rf8+ Kg3 96.Rh8 Kf4 97.Rf8+ Kg3 98.Rh8 Kf4 99.Ra8 Bf5+ 100.Kf6 Rxa8 101.Bxa8 Be4 102.Bxe4 Kxe4 103.d7 h1=Q 104.Ke7 Qh7+ 105.Ke8 Qg6+ 106.Ke7 Qg7+ 107.Ke8 Qe5+ 0-1

[Event "Linglong Tire Cup Sino-European Chess Championship"]
[Site "青岛 (Qīngdǎo) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.29"]
[Round "2.2"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)/赵骏 (Zhào Jùn)"]
[Black "Khotenashvili, Bela/Malakhov, Vladimir Nailevich"]
[ECO "C76"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "113"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.O-O g6 7.d4 Bg7 8.Re1 Nge7 9.d5 Nb8 10.Bxd7+ Nxd7 11.Be3 O-O 12.c4 h6 13.Nfd2 f5 14.f3 Nf6 15.Nc3 f4 16.Bf2 g5 17.c5 Rf7 18.Nc4 Ng6 19.Rc1 Bf8 20.cxd6 cxd6 21.Nb6 Rb8 22.Nca4 h5 23.Re2 g4 24.Rec2 g3 25.Be1 gxh2+ 26.Kxh2 h4 27.Rc8 Rxc8 28.Rxc8 Qe7 29.Qc2 Rg7 30.Rb8 h3 31.gxh3 Nh7 32.Qf2 Ng5 33.Qg2 Rh7 34.Qg4 Rxh3+ 35.Kg2 Qh7 36.Qxg5 Rh2+ 37.Kg1 Rh1+ 38.Kf2 Rh2+ 39.Kg1 Rh1+ 40.Kf2 Qh2+ 41.Qg2 Qh4+ 42.Ke2 Qxe1+ 43.Kd3 Qe3+ 44.Kc4 Rg1 45.Qh3 Rc1+ 46.Kb4 Qd4+ 47.Ka3 a5 48.Qe6+ Kg7 49.Rxb7+ Kh6 50.Qh3+ Kg5 51.Qf5+ Kh6 52.Qh3+ Kg5 53.Qf5+ Kh6 54.Qh3+ Kg5 55.Nd7 Rc4 56.Qg2+ Rc7 57.Qh3 1/2-1/2

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) & 赵骏 (Zhào Jùn) won their inaugural mixed doubles match against Bela Khotenashvili & Vladimir Nailevich Malakhov at time control of 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move which took place at 青岛宝龙福朋喜来登酒店 (Four Points by Sheraton Qīngdǎo) in 城阳区 (Chéngyáng District), 青岛 (Qīngdǎo), 山东省 (Shāndōng province), China on Sunday, December 29, 2019. Photos: International Mind Sports Association.

Oh, Edna, just when he was about to surrender to you and to serve you all his life, they perfidiously distracted him by awarding him the worst love story ever award with a prize consisting of a romantic candlelight dinner with Elastigirl

Artwork © theasezy (@theasezy)

Naw, Edna, it was not only bad luck but a mischievous humor which led him to lose all games in exchange for the sublime ecstasy of sitting next to you

Artwork © WandererRiha

Dynamic Matching Algorithms

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will take part in the Linglong Tire Cup One Belt One Road Sino-European Chess Championship to be held in 城阳区 (Chéngyáng District), 青岛 (Qīngdǎo), 山东省 (Shāndōng province), China from December 28–31, 2019. The format — a series of rapid mixed doubles matches — echoes that of the inaugural Linglong Tire Cup Sino-European Chess Élite Tournament, which took place in Belgrade, Serbia last spring, and to which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) herself participated as the highest-ranked female star. So this time, too, four women, namely: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn), Bela Khotenashvili, and Jovana Vojinović-Rapport are going to be paired with four men: 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì), Vladimir Nailevich Malakhov, Richárd Rapport, and 赵骏 (Zhào Jùn).

Oh, do not be apprehensive, Edna, for they can make all the polls they want, but, luckily for you, in the end, the name of the winner will be drawn at random by me!

Credit: Reddit/sojermanlan

Eclipse of the Sun

The near total “ring of fire” solar eclipse as seen from the south Indian city of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu. Photo: Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images.

And yet, Edna, she still feels like a neophyte compared to you, so do not flaunt your classy before her

Artwork © vavachounette (@vavachounette)

Doorway Through Time

“I retired in 2017, I gave birth to a baby girl in 2018, I re-started my new life as a mother in 2019”, five-time Olympic gold medal diver 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá) said, interviewed by 新浪体育 (Sina Sports). When asked what about Tokyo 2020, she answered: “Well, next year is next year, so I’ll keep it a secret till then. But whatever it will be like, I will always root for the Chinese diving team”.

Stone Hand

The Golden Bridge opened in Bà Nà Hills in nearby Da Nang, Vietnam in June 2018 and, by virtue of its scenic design, has immediately become a tourist highlight. Photo: Gwengoat/Getty Images.

Last Supper

The scene on Ashley Road in Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire, United Kingdom after a car crashed into the front of the Dante Italian Kitchen restaurant in the early hours of Thursday, December 19, 2019. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA.

Cecilia’s Year

On the evening of Monday, December 23, 2019 five-time Olympic gold medal diver 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá) was awarded the “体育魅力奖” (Sports Glamour Award) at 新浪微博 (Sina Wēibó)’s and 新浪体育 (Sina Sports)’s 2019 Sports Star Night Awards Ceremony which took place at the Starlight Horizon Centre in 北京 (Běijīng), China. On the occasion, she gave an exclusive interview to 新浪体育 (Sina Sports), in which she summed up her very last years, yet still leaving a doorway open into Tokyo 2020. It’s not a secret that after retiring in 2017 and getting pregnant in 2018, 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá) spent most of the last year taking care of her newly born daughter 西西 (Cecilia). Now she is back on the stage — and when asked how she will involve herself in the next Olympics, she just answered: “Well, next year is next year, so I’ll keep it a secret till then”. Photo: sohu.com.

Christmas Hours

Well, Edna, let’s say it means something like twenty-three wins and one draw, or else someone could get irritated with how many admirers you have

Swans in Rehearsal

Ballet dancers in white tutus performed scenes from Swan Lake on the forecourt of the Paris Opera on Tuesday in a show of support for the French strike against the government’s pension reforms. “No swan can maintain a level of excellence until 64”, they protest. Photo: AFP.

时区 (Time zone)

The Oxford University Chess Club (OUCC) recently published some pictures of the 24-board simultaneous exhibition which four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) performed in the Old Library at Wadham College, University of Oxford, Oxford, England on the evening of Thursday, June 20, 2019. Photos: Oxford University Chess Club (OUCC).

红灯笼 (Red Lanterns)

A worker at a factory making red lanterns in 泗洪县 (Sìhóng County), 江苏省 (Jiāngsū province), China. Photo: Costfoto/Barcroft Media.

Well, Edna, if two eyes aren’t enough for you, for your safety be sure to always wear glasses

Artwork © Rhiny 🤟🏻 (@rhiny.amaya)

Why the Cuckoo Cries

Edita ne brevibus pereat mihi cura libellis, dicatur potius Τὸν δ̕ ἀπαμειθόμενος. For fear my fount of poetry run dry “Him answering” is still my cuckoo-cry.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 1, XLV
English translation by A. L. Francis and H. F. Tatum

South Korean makeup artist Dain Yoon (윤다인) argues that even the veil of the heart does not make love blind. Photo: Dain Yoon (@designdain).

A Dance in the Kitchen

The kitchen in the communal apartment of the Bolshoi Theatre, in which Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya lived in the post-war years, is presented at the exhibition-installation I, Maya Plisetskaya in the gallery on Solyanka Street in Moscow, Russia. This is one of the six period rooms on display associated with her. Photo: Sergey Pyatakov/Sputnik.

Opticals and Titles

We decided on the spur of the moment to pay our friend 林丽丽 (Lín Lìlì) a pre-Christmas visit at her office today, and, not unsurprisingly, Mado Flynn’s sparkling baubles and ornaments shone on the stage!

Beyond Time

Fortunately, Aurora and Matilde are still quite awake enough to carry on their dance rehearsals beyond the ballet room.

Suddenly Frugal

After celebrating her graduation with parties and gargantuan banquets for a week or so, at the Christmas dinner of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, more soberly Chiara partook of a very frugal refreshment.

Stuporwomen

Olga and Sofia enjoy the buffet dinner, which is also filled with their own hand-cooked food.

Quite right, Edna, so I’ve asked Santa Claus, on your behalf, to make them disappear for a while

Artwork © Autumn Breeze (@autumnpinup)

Back to the Summit

On Sunday morning, December 22, 2019 at 9 A.M., the awards ceremony of the 1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) took place at 建国饭店 (Jiànguó Hotel) in 西安 (Xī’ān), 陕西省 (Shǎnxī province), China, with four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) going up on stage to receive first prize. Photos: International Mind Sports Association.

Opticals

If you’re still putting up your Christmas tree and decorating it, maybe you should take a look at Mado Flynn’s handcrafted sparkling baubles at https://madoflynn.blogspot.com/.

Games Without Frontiers

Aurora laughs like crazy thinking back to her first happy days at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

Hors d’oeuvre

Whenever someone succeeds in randomly taking a picture of Matilde eating small pizzas, she says she ate only one.

Sure, Edna, after observing them working as a team, every sound-minded and sound-hearted human being cannot but understand the importance of working individually

Artwork © Grey Mae (@grey_the_artistic_mess)

The Terracotta Warriors

On Saturday, December 21, 2019, the eight participants in the 1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) — as pictured above from left to right: Nana Dzagnidze, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina, Antoaneta Stefanova, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, and 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) — enjoyed visiting the 西安博物 (Xī’ān Museum). Photos: International Mind Sports Association.

Hard to Get

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sarasadat Khademalsharieh

1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) (25+10); 西安 (Xī’ān), December 20, 2019

Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d3 Rb8 9. Be3. If 9. Nbd2 then 9. ... 0-0 10. Re1 Bb6 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. Bg5 Ng6 13. Ne3 h6= Stephan – Godena, 30th Mitropa Cup, Merlimont 2011. 9. ... 0-0 10. Nbd2 Bb6 11. h3 Ne7 12. d4 Ng6 13. Re1 h6 14. Bc2 Re8 15. a4 c6. The immediate 15. ... c5 might have been more expedient; for instance: 16. b4 cxb4 17. cxb4 Nh5 with approximate equality. 16. Nf1 c5 17. Ng3 Qc7 18. b4 cxb4 19. cxb4 Be6 20. Rc1 Qb7 21. axb5 axb5 22. Bd3 Bd7 23. Qd2 Rec8

24. Bxh6!? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) offers a speculative sacrifice which might work out well, especially in a rapid game. 24. ... gxh6 25. Qxh6. Threatening Nf3-g5 followed by Ng3-h5. 25. ... Rxc1 26. Rxc1 Rc8 27. Rd1 Bd8 28. Ng5 Nf4. 28. ... Nf8 was also worth considering. 29. dxe5 dxe5 30. Bb1 Be6? 30. ... Qa7 was probably best, for if 31. Rxd7 Qxd7 32. Ba2 Black can reply 32. ... Rc4! after which White has probably nothing better than 33. Nf5 Ne6 34. Bxc4 bxc4 35. Nxe6 fxe6 36. Qg6+ drawing by perpetual check. 31. Nxe6? Here White misses her strongest continuation in 31. Ba2! Bxa2 32. Nf5 N4h5 33. g4 Be6 34. gxh5 Bxf5 35. Rxd8+! Rxd8 36. Qxf6 Rd1+ 37. Kh2 with a terrific attack. 31. ... fxe6 32. Qg5+? Now White should have contented herself with 32. Nf5! to which Black would probably have replied 32. ... Qf7= with a likely draw. 32. ... Qg7 33. Qxe5 Bc7 34. Qb2 Bb6 35. Kf1 Rf8 36. Ba2 Kh8 37. Rd2 Kh7. Also very strong was 37. ... Bxf2! (38. Kxf2? Nd3+!−+) 38. Qe5 Qc7? Khademalsharieh misses 38. ... Qh6!−+ which might have changed the course of history; for instance: 39. Rd6 Bxf2! 40. Kxf2 (or 40. Nf5 Qg5−+) 40. ... Nd3+! 41. Rxd3 Ng4++! winning by force. 39. Qxc7+ Bxc7 40. Ne2 Ra8 41. g3 Nxh3 42. Bxe6 Ng5 43. Bf5+ Kg8 44. Nc3 Be5 45. Nxb5 Rb8 46. Nd4 Ngxe4 47. Bxe4 Nxe4 48. Re2 ½ : ½.

Just one thing before you go

Today is your last chess960 date at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” before Christmas holidays, so be on time at four o’clock in the afternoon, and, needless to say, do not forget to take with you a pair of clean sneakers to be used in the dance room only!

David Bomberg, Sketches for “The Dancer”, circa 1913–1914. Courtesy of Tate Gallery, London.

One Queen of an Ending

Chinese international English-language channel CGTN (China Global Television Network) gives news of the victory of four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in the 1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) which took place in 西安 (Xī’ān), 陕西省 (Shǎnxī province), China on 19–20 December, 2019.

Before the Last Dance

And finally Lavinia, Caterina, and Irene clap their hands at everyone and everything, wishing happy Christmas to all.

Billboard

Caterina, Lavinia, and Claudia ask their smartphones what’s on theatre tomorrow.