Monday, June 29, 2020

Okay, Edna, next time they ask you to play a love scene with the Incredible Hulk, send in your stunt double

Artwork © Sarah Scott

Last But Not Least

Zdenko Kožul – Ante Brkić
21st Croatian Chess Championship; Vinkovci, June 29, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

Today Grandmaster Zdenko Kožul (twice Yugoslav Chess Champion and twice Croatian Chess Champion in the same life) awoke Brkić from his dreams of glory with a shockingly brilliant attacking game — worthy of his round three miniature against Marin Bosiočić — thus confirming himself as a merciless Ragozin killer. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 0-0 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Qc2 Qe7 12. Ne4! A brilliant novelty instead of 12. a3 Bd7 13. Ba2 Rc8 14. Bb1 g6 15. h4 (I. Sokolov – Cornette, 2014 Top 12 French Team Chess Championship, Saint-Quentin 2014) and now Black should reply 15. ... h5 with complex play. 12. ... Bb4+ 13. Ke2. This is the corollary of White’s previous move. 13. ... Bd7?! Had he known what was to happen, Black would have probably played 13. ... f5! with a tough game. 14. a3 Ba5 15. b4 Bb6


16. g4!↑ Bc6? After this White’s attack spreads its wings. Better was 16. ... Rc8, though after 17. g5 Bb5 18. Ned2 Nd7 19. Rhg1↑ White keeps the initiative. 17. Rhg1 Nd7 18. g5 h5. The ending a Pawn down after 18. ... f5 19. gxh6 Bxe4 20. Rxg7+ Qxg7 21. hxg7 Bxc2 22. gxf8=Q+ Nxf8 23. Rxc2 is quite hopeless for Black. 19. g6! Rac8? Black had probably nothing better than giving up the Exchange by 19. ... f5 (20. Neg5 Rf6 21. Nh7) — but what a pity to conclude so fine a story with such a prosaic epilogue! 20. Neg5 f6 (20. ... Bxf3+ 21. Nxf3 f5 22. Ng5 Rc6 23. Qb3+−) 21. Bxe6+ Kh8


22. Nf7+! Rxf7 (22. ... Kg8 23. Qf5+−) 23. Qf5! Kg8. Black could resign here. 24. gxf7+ Kf8 25. Nh4! 1 : 0.

And so Saša Martinović finished half a point ahead of Brkić, Kožul, Hrvoje Stević, and Robert Zelčić. Photo: Croatian Chess Federation.

A to B

Stockfish – Leela Chess Zero
Top Chess Engine Championship Season 18 — Superfinal; match game 72; tcec-chess.com, June 28, 2020
Philidor Defence C41

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nc3 d6 4. d4 fxe4 5. Nxe4 Nf6. One of Morphy’s most famous games went instead 5. ... d5 6. Ng3 (Zukertort rightly prefers 6. Nxe5 dxe4 7. Qh5+ g6 8. Nxg6 Nf6 9. Qe5+) 6. ... e4 7. Ne5 Nf6 8. Bg5 (8. f3! is Keres’ recommendation) 8. ... Bd6 9. Nh5? (9. c4) 9. ... 0-0 10. Qd2 Qe8 11. g4? Nxg4 12. Nxg4 Qxh5 13. Ne5 Nc6 14. Be2 Qh3 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Be3 Rb8 17. 0-0-0 Rxf2!! 18. Bxf2 Qa3!! 19. c3 Qxa2 20. b4 Qa1+ 21. Kc2 Qa4+ 22. Kb2? (22. Kc1 Bf5! 23. Be1! e3! 24. Qb2 a5!→) 22. ... Bxb4! 23. cxb4 Rxb4+ 24. Qxb4 Qxb4+ 25. Kc2 (25. Ka2 c5!−+) 25. ... e3! 26. Bxe3 Bf5+ 27. Rd3 Qc4+ 28. Kd2 Qa2+ 29. Kd1 Qb1+ 0 : 1 Bird – P. C. Morphy, London 1858. 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Bxf6 gxf6 8. Ng3!? A novelty, and probably a good one. Quite dubious is 8. Nxe5?! as after 8. ... dxe5 9. Qh5+ Kf8! White has no clear compensation for the Bishop. On the other hand, the good old theory was also fine enough for an edge: 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Bd3!⩲ Ondozi – Kett, 22nd ECU Club Cup, Feugen 2006. 8. ... Be6 9. Be2! 0-0 10. Bd3! Qc8 11. 0-0 Nc6?! (11. ... Kh8!? 12. c3±)


12. d5! Bxd5 13. Nh4! 13. Bxh7+ Kxh7 14. Qxd5 f5 restores material equality, but with no advantage. 13. ... Be6?! 13. ... e4 14. Ngf5 Kh8 15. c4! is anything but pleasant for Black, but at least it does not lose by force. Maybe.


14. Bxh7+!+− Kxh7 15. Qh5+ Kg8 16. Qg6+ Kh8 17. Qh6+ Kg8 18. Nh5 Rf7 19. Ng6 Rh7 20. Nxe7+ Rxe7


21. f4! e4 22. Qg6+ Kf8 23. f5 Bc4 24. Qh6+ Kg8 25. b3! Rf7. If 25. ... Bxf1 then 26. Nxf6+ Kf7 27. Qg6+ Kf8 28. Qg8#. 26. Rf4 Be2 27. Nxf6+ Rxf6 28. Qxf6 Qf8 29. Qh4 Qg7 30. f6 Qg6 31. f7+ Kg7 32. Kh1 Ne5 33. Qf2 Bb5 34. f8=Q+ Rxf8 35. Rxf8 e3 36. Qf5 Bc6 37. Qxg6+ Nxg6 38. Rc8 Nf4 39. Rxc7+ Kg6 40. Re1 Nxg2 41. Rg1 e2 42. Rxc6 e1=Q 43. Rxd6+ Kf5 44. Rxe1 Nxe1 45. Rd7 Ke6 46. Rxb7 Nd3 1 : 0.

The AI robot Erica cast in the upcoming sci-fi film b. Courtesy of Life Productions Inc./The Hollywood Reporter.

Of course, Edna, it is undisputed that a metaphorical love declaration such as “Our life is difficult, but at least we are not together” should not be taken too seriously as a marriage proposal

Sunday, June 28, 2020

All in a Day

Blažimir Kovačević – Saša Martinović
21st Croatian Chess Championship; Vinkovci, June 28, 2020
English Opening A26

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 e5 4. Bg2 d6 5. d3 Nc6 6. e3 Nf6 7. Nge2 0-0 8. 0-0 Be6 9. Nd5 Qd7 10. Nec3 Ne8 11. f4 Bh3 12. Bxh3 Qxh3 13. Bd2 (13. f5 gxf5 14. Qf3 e4 15. dxe4 Ne5 16. Qe2 fxe4 17. Nxe4 Qg4 18. Qxg4 Nxg4 19. Rb1 Ne5 20. b3 Ng6 21. Ba3 f5 22. Ng5 c6 23. Nf4 Nxf4 24. exf4 h6 25. Ne6 Rf6 26. Rfe1 Kf7 27. Nd4 c5 28. Nf3 Re6 29. Rxe6 Kxe6 30. h3 h5 31. Kg2 Bf6 32. Re1+ Kd7 33. Rd1 b6 34. Rd2 a6 35. Bb2 Bxb2 36. Rxb2 b5 37. Nh4 Ng7 38. Kf2 ½ : ½ van Wely – E. l’Ami, 66th Dutch Chess Championship, Eindhoven 2010) 13. ... exf4!? This is new, but hardly an improvement over 13. ... Qd7 14. Qa4 (14. f5! seems more to the point) 14. ... f5 15. Rae1 Rf7 16. b4 Nf6 17. Nxf6+ Bxf6 18. Nd5 Bg7 19. Bc3 Nd8 20. Qxd7 ½ : ½ Taimanov – Sánchez Guirado, 2nd Open Internacional Málaga de Ajedrez, Málaga 1999. 14. gxf4 f5 15. Rf3 Qh4 16. Qb3 Nd8


17. c5! Rf7 18. cxd6 cxd6 19. Be1 Qh5 20. Kg2 Ne6 21. Rh3 Qg4+ 22. Rg3 Qh5 23. Rh3 Qg4+ 24. Bg3 g5 25. Rf1 h6 26. e4! gxf4 27. Nxf4 Nd4 28. Qc4 fxe4 29. Nh5! Nf5?!


30. Qxf7+?? This melodramatic harakiri not only throws away the win, but also loses the game! Consistent and strong was 30. Nd5! with the annihilating threat of Rf1xf5; after 30. ... Kh8 31. Nxg7 Nxg3 32. Rxh6+ Kxg7 33. Rxf7+ Kxh6 34. hxg3 White gains at least a Pawn with a winning (end)game. 30. ... Kxf7 31. Rh4 Qf3+! 0 : 1.

With only one round to go, Ante Brkić is in the lead by half a point over Saša Martinović and Robert Zelčić. Photo: Croatian Chess Federation.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Yeah, Edna, do your best to give him a little class without indulging in embarrassing comparisons

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Emperor’s New Clothes: Bobby Fischer and his tailor in Yugoslavia 1970. Photos: Dragoslav Andrić. Courtesy of Antiquariat A. Klittich, Braunschweig.

A Saturday Afternoon with a Difference

Ante Brkić – Davor Rogić
21st Croatian Chess Championship; Vinkovci, June 27, 2020
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 0-0 6. c3 d6 7. Re1 a6 8. a4 Ba7 9. h3 h6 10. Nbd2 Be6. The titled alternative is 10. ... Re8 11. Nf1 Be6 12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. Nxe3 d5 15. Qc2 Qd7 16. Rad1 Rd8= M. O. Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Lviv 2016, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 1. 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. b4 b5!?TN (12. ... Nh5 13. Ra2 Qf6 14. Nc4 b5 15. Ne3 Bb6 16. Ng4 Qe7 17. Be3 Bxe3 18. fxe3⩲ Anand – Carlsen, 5th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017) 13. Nf1 d5 14. Ng3 Qd6 15. Qb3 Kh7?! His Majesty stands very badly here. 16. Bb2. 16. d4! Nd7 17. axb5 axb5 18. Be3 was probably White’s best line of play. 16. ... Nd7 17. d4


17. ... Rae8. 17. ... Rxf3! 18. gxf3 exd4 19. Kg2 d3! gives Black excellent play for the Exchange. 18. Rad1 exd4 19. cxd4 Qxb4?? This is a ruinous blunder that loses immediately — it was not too late for the Black King to backtrack with 19. ... Kg8(!). 20. Qc2!+− Qc4 21. Qb1 Ncb8 22. Rc1 Qb4 23. exd5+ Kg8 24. dxe6 Nf6 25. Rxc7 Bb6 26. Rb7 Nd5 27. Nf5 Bc7 28. Nxh6+! 1 : 0. If 28. ... gxh6 then 29. Qg6+ Kh8 30. Qxh6+ Kg8 31. Rxc7 Nxc7 32. Qg6+ Kh8 33. Re4 with unavoidable mate, while if 28. ... Kh8 there is 29. Ng5 winning much material and eventually mating.

After nine rounds, Ante Brkić is now in the lead by half a point over Robert Zelčić. Photo: Croatian Chess Federation.

Yeah, Edna, the louder Cruella screams and shouts, the more is she scorned for her arrogance

Friday, June 26, 2020

Off the Chart

Zdenko Kožul – Robert Zelčić
21st Croatian Chess Championship; Vinkovci, June 25, 2020
1Q6/1b3ppk/6r1/3p1q1p/2pB3n/P3RPP1/1P5P/3R2K1 w - - 5 30

Position after 29. ... Kg8-h7

Yesterday, in the round seven of the 21st Croatian Chess Championship, Zelčić overtook Kožul thanks to a lucky win as Black. In the position of the diagram, White, who is to play, should capitalise on his extra Exchange (for instance with 30. Kh1!±), but instead gets ensnared into his own mirage of mate: 30. Re8?? Nxf3+ 31. Kh1. Kožul is not tempted by 31. Kg2 Qc2+, but it’s doubtful that his move will work any better. 31. ... Rf6? (31. ... Re6! 32. Rh8+ Kg6 33. Bxg7! Re2! 34. Rh6+! Kg5! 35. g4 Qxg4 36. Qd8+ Kf4 37. Qf6+ Qf5−+) 32. Rh8+? Of course, 32. Bxf6?? loses right off to 32. ... Qc2, but 32. g4! hxg4 33. Bxf6 Nd2!∞ would have very likely ended in a draw. 32. ... Kg6 33. Qg8. Threatening Qg8-h7+ followed by mate. Now 33. g4 hxg4 34. Bxf6 would no longer be of any help to White on account of 34. ... Qe4! 35. Qg3 d4!−+ winning by force. 33. ... Ng5! 0 : 1.

Hippocratic Oath

And today, finally, Lilia, too, retook her throne seat in the secretariat of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” — as written in the Hippocratic Oath, a doctor never really retires!

Naw, Edna, it doesn’t take an infallible elephant’s memory to remember happy times

Enactment effect

Save the Last Dance

Thus, Matilde will no doubt have to rely on Aurora’s memory for saving the last dance.

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Life Through a Lens

In the last four months, Matilde showed her talent as a photographer with a series of black and white pictures documenting life in lockdown, but maybe she did not rehearse her dance.

The Next Ten Years

Aurora is thinking about the next ten years, as she is still undecided about where she will go this summer.

Knots and Physics

All was well that ended well and finally Aurora and Matilde sat together in the living room of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, surrounded by Mado Flynn’s knots.

The Last Four Months

Today, after nearly four months of enforced lockdown, Aurora and Matilde — who, in the meantime, has passed her matura exam — finally got back on their feet again. So we welcomed them as they made a pit stop for frozen yogurt on their way back to the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

Yes, Edna, they were too busy playing video games on their cell phones to pay any attention to you

Twice Upon a Time

Saepius ad palmam Prasinus post fata Neronis
pervenit et victor praemia plura refert.
I nunc, livor edax, die te cessisse Neroni;
vicit nimirum non Nero, sed Prasinus.

Oftener after Nero’s death the green charioteer reaches the goal,
And as winner bears off more prizes.
Go to now, grudging envy, say you yielded to Nero.
’Twas not Nero, I wot, who won, but the Green.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 11, XXXIII
English translation by Walter C. A. Ker

Duane Michals, Dr. Heisenberg’s Magic Mirror of Uncertainty, 1998. Shot for French Vogue. Photo: Duane Michals/Courtesy DC Moore Gallery, New York.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Back to reality. The 53rd Biel International Chess Festival, one of the most prestigious Swiss classic, has been announced to be staged offline from July 18–29, 2020 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, in compliance with all health and hygiene protocols outlined by the Federal Council. Eight players will take part in the Grandmaster Triathlon (GMT) feauring 28 games as 3 sets of round-robin: 7 classical games (100 minutes for the first 40 moves + 50 minutes for the next 20 moves + 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an addition of 30 seconds per move starting from move one), 7 rapid games with reversed colours (15 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move), and 14 two-way blitz games (3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move). Three years after the triumph of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in the 50th anniversary (2017), no woman will take part in it. The eight participants are (in rating order): Pentala Harikrishna, Radosław Wojtaszek, David Antón Guijarro, Michael Adams, Romain Édouard, Arkadij Mikhailovich Naiditsch, Noël Oliver Studer, and Vincent Keymer.

Nothing but Time

Robert Zelčić – Ante Šarić
21st Croatian Chess Championship: Vinkovci, June 24, 2020
Sicilian Defence B48

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. 0-0 Nxd4 9. Bxd4 Bc5 10. Be2 d6 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Qd2 Bd7 13. Rfd1!?TN (13. Rad1 Bc6 14. Qf4 ½ : ½ Kadrić – Matlakov, 27th European Chess Club Cup, Rogaška Slatina 201113. ... Bc6 14. Rab1! a5 15. a3 Ke7? Right place but wrong time. Black had hardly anything better than 15. ... Qb6 followed by ... a5-a4. 16. b4 axb4 17. axb4 Bb6 18. Rb3. 18. b5 Bd7 19. e5! seems even stronger (19. ... dxe5? 20. Ne4+−). 18. ... Rhd8 19. Qh6 Rg8 20. Bf3? 20. Bh5! would have kept Black tied up. 20. ... Ba4 21. Nxa4 Qxc2?? Simply after 21. ... Rxa4 there wasn’t much left for White to claim as a winnable advantage (22. Qxh7 Bxf2+!). Now it’s over for Šarić. 22. Nxb6 Qxb3 23. Qd2+− d5 24. Qf4 e5 25. Qf5 dxe4 26. Qd7+ Kf8 27. Bxe4 Re8 28. Bxh7 Rh8 29. Qd6+ Kg7 30. Bf5 Rh5 31. Bg4 Rg5


32. h3? A grave inaccuracy which throws away the win. Instead, first 32. Qd7 Qxb4 and then 33. h3 would have left Black without resource. 32. ... f5! 33. Qd2 Kg6? Due to time shortage, Black misses his key chance: 33. ... Rg6! 34. Bxf5 Rxb6 35. Qg5+ Rg6! saving everything. 34. Bf3. Among other things, it also threatens h3-h4. 34. ... Qxf3 35. Qxg5+ Kxg5 36. gxf3+− Re6 37. Nd5 Rc6


38. f4+! exf4 39. Kg2 Rc4 40. Kf3 b5 41. Rg1+ Kh4 42. Rg8 Rd4 43. Rh8+ Kg5 44. h4+ Kg6 45. h5+ Kg5 46. Rd8 Rd3+ 47. Ke2 Rb3 48. Rg8+ Kh6 49. Rh8+ Kg5 50. h6 f3+ 51. Kd2 Rb2+ 52. Ke3 Rb3+ 53. Kd4 Kg6 54. Nf4+ Kf6 55. Nh5+ Kg6 56. Nf4+ Kf6 57. Nd3 Kg6 58. h7 Kg7 59. Rf8 Kxh7 60. Rxf7+ Kg6 61. Rb7 1 : 0.

After six rounds, Zdenko Kožul is still in the lead, only half a point ahead of Zelčić. Screenshot from the live stream. Courtesy of Patrick Nikić.

Yeah, Edna, as a queen, you may call on them to get down on their knees and apologise to you

😷

Iconically speaking, Letizia and Viola rehearse with lace masks that hardly resemble their everyday face masks.

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Very Last First Time

Olga, like a courageous captain, would rather go down with her ship than surrender it to an alien sea.

Absences

Due to the impossibility to share a dressing room — that’s the humanity coming out of a pandemic — the valiant dancers of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” have to leave their personal belongings scattered around the hall.

Well, Edna, it must be admitted that, virtually speaking, they did not win nor did they take part

生存还是毁灭 (To be, or not to be)


Three-time Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) wishes eveyone a very happy Olympic Day on its 33rd anniversary Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

Of course, Edna, if only he had met you before he met her, he would now be the author he was destined to be

Goodbye Mrs. Robinson

Life After Graduation

The novelist author, Charles Webb, passed away last June 16, 2020 at 81 years of age in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England — he was born June 9, 1939 in San Francisco, California, United States. He found worldwide fame — but no financial fortune — after his 1963 novel “The Graduate” was made into a film of the same name (1967), starring Anne Bancroft (as Mrs. Robinson) and Dustin Hoffman (as Benjamin Braddock).

Benjamin meets Mrs. Robinson. Photo: Rialto Pictures.

Monday, June 22, 2020

Unnumbered Seats

Minions maintain distancing between spectators at a reopened MK2 cinema in Paris, France. Photo: Benoît Tessier/Reuters.

Tick Tock

Saša Martinović – Zdenko Kožul
21st Croatian Chess Championship; Vinkovci, June 22, 2020
King’s Indian Defence E73

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 0-0 6. Be3 c6 7. h3 e5 8. d5 a5 9. Nf3 Bd7 10. 0-0 Na6 11. Nd2 Nc5 12. Qb1 Qe7 13. b4 axb4 14. Qxb4 Bc8 15. a4 Nfd7 16. Nb3 Na6 17. Qa3 c5 18. Rae1 f5 19. exf5 gxf5 20. Qc1 f4 21. Bd2 Nf6 22. Qb1 Nb4 23. a5 Qd7 24. Nb5 Kh8 25. Bxb4 cxb4 26. Nd2 Rxa5 27. Qxb4 Ra6 28. Bf3 Rg8 29. Ne4 Nxe4 30. Rxe4 Bf8 31. Kh2 Qg7 32. Re2 Bf5


33. Nc3! Though far from offering any material compensation, White’s Exchange sacrifice has the merit to block off Black’s Kingside initiative and gain control of crucial light squares. 33. ... Bd3 34. Rfe1 Bxe2 35. Rxe2 Qc7 36. Rb2 b6 37. Qb5 Ra1 38. Ne4 Rc1 39. Rb4? This is a mistake that could cost Martinović dearly. White had to play 39. Qxb6 Qxb6 40. Rxb6 Rxc4 41. Rc6! with enough compensation for a draw. 39. ... Be7 40. Ra4? (40. Qxb6 Rxc4∓)


40. ... Rc8? Here Black lets slip his chance for a win, that is 40. ... Bh4! (threatening ... Qc7-g7-g3+) 41. Qb2 b5!−+ (Kožul may have overlooked this move). Now both seem content to go for a draw: 41. Bg4 Rd8 42. Qc6 Qb8 43. Rb4 Qa7 44. Ra4 Qb8 45. Rb4 Qa7 ½ : ½.

Despite today’s draw, Kožul maintains one point lead after round four. Screenshot from the live stream. Courtesy of Patrick Nikić.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Nursery plants in seats during a rehearsal at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain. The opera is reopening its doors with a concert for plants to raise awareness about the importance of an audience after the lockdown. Photo: Nacho Doce/Reuters.

It’s happening, Edna: he broke his engagement with you, instead asking for your virtual alter ego’s hand in matrimony

Sunday, June 21, 2020

A Day in June

Nikki Hefko, Artistic Director of the New Orleans School of Ballet performs during the school’s joint performance with Magnolia Dance & Company in celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday that marks the end of slavery in the United States (dating back to June 19, 1865), in New Orleans, Louisiana, June 19, 2020. Photo: Kathleen Flynn/Reuters.

The Living Age

Zdenko Kožul – Marin Bosiočić
21st Croatian Chess Championship; Vinkovci, June 21, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

The first signs of (chess) life on earth — after the coronavirus aftermath — come from Vinkovci, in the Vukovar-Srijem County of eastern Croatia, where is underway the 21st Croatian Chess Championship, which is being tamely staged in the offline world. After the first three rounds, Grandmaster Zdenko Kožul (twice Yugoslav Chess Champion and twice Croatian Chess Champion) is leading with full score. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 0-0 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. dxc5. 10. 0-0 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Bd7 12. Ne4 Qe7 13. Qh5 Nc6 14. Nb3 Be8 15. a3 f5 16. Qe2 Bxa3 17. bxa3 fxe4 18. Nc5 Ne5 19. Ba2 Nf3+ 20. Kh1 Qh4∞ is a very double-edged variation in theme, So – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2015. 10. ... Nd7 11. 0-0 Nxc5 12. Nb5 Ba5!? A novelty in place of 12. ... a6 13. Nbd4 b5 14. Be2 e5 15. Nc2 Rd8 16. Nxb4 Rxd1 17. Rfxd1 a5 18. Nd5 Qd6 19. Nxe5 Bb7 20. Bf3 Rc8 21. Ng4 Qf8 22. h4 Nd7 with dynamic equilibrium, Carlsen – Navara, 51st International Chess Festival, Biel/Bienne 2018. 13. Be2 Qe7? An obvious mistake. 13. ... Rd8 14. Qc2 Bb6 was quite reasonably sound.


14. Qd6! Qxd6 15. Nxd6 Na4 16. Ne5 Bb4 17. Ndxf7 Nxb2 18. Bh5 a5? 18. ... b5 19. Rc7 Nc4 may be a little better, but after 20. Nc6 White maintains a very powerful bind. 19. Rc7 Na4


20. Bg6! 1 : 0. In fact, Black has no good answer to the threat of 21. Nxh6+ gxh6 22. Bh7+ Kh8 23. Ng6#.

Indeed, it might be said that Kožul’s opponent took a bit too seriously health guidelines about social distancing. Photo: Croatian Chess Federation.

Well, Edna, that’s why, as they say, “Being single is not a curse”

Artwork © J. Shari Ewing