Friday, July 31, 2020

Blowin’ in the Wind

“On March 13, 2020, the last coronavirus patient in 铁岭 (Tiělíng), 辽宁省 (Liáoníng province), China, was discharged from hospital. I was walking on a street with few pedestrians, when a spring breeze suddenly blew, wiping away the mask I had worn for a long time”. Caption and photo: 桥窝居士 (Qiáoāo Jūshì).

Little Coin, Much Care

First, Mado Flynn’s handmade emoji: Letizia (red hair), Olga (blue hair) Sofia (pink hair), and Viola (green hair). And then store-bought calendula and lavender hand sanitiser gel by Wally Cosmetici.

The Importance of Small Things

In the end, all’s well that ends well, and there are small gifts for everyone too.

A Family Portrait

In the meantime, Sofia gladly continued being both a woman and a mother to her family.

Watermelon

Sofia brought fresh summer fruit in season, namely watermelon.

The Lucky Few

Tonight was the last day of non-school at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, and we — very few good people — celebrated it as a secular miracle of sobriety. Thus, while Letizia and Olga brought home-cooked dishes, Viola instead emptied her family’s artisanal ice cream shop Caffè delle Carrozze.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Vacation on Earth

Radosław Wojtaszek – Noël Oliver Studer
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 29, 2020
Bogo-Indian Defence E11

The Biel International Chess Festival concluded today its 53rd anniversary and, no matter who won and who came close, it will go down to history as a bold human achievement in times of unreality. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 0-0 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. a4 a5 9. Qc2 c6 10. Na3 Bd6 11. Rfd1!? The most recent theory is 11. Ne1 Re8 12. Nd3 e5 13. cxd5 e4 14. Nf4 cxd5 15. Nb5 Bb8 16. Rac1 Ra6! which gave Black good play in 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Anand, 7th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2019. 11. ... Ne4 12. Be3 f5. Transposing to a Dutch Defence. 13. Qc1 h6 14. Ne1 g5 15. f3 Nef6 16. Nd3 Qe7 17. Bf2 Qg7 18. Re1 h5 19. cxd5 (19. Be3⩲) 19. ... exd5 20. Nb1 Kh8 21. Nc3 h4 22. gxh4 gxh4 23. Kh1


23. ... h3! 24. Bxh3. Very risky, but if 24. Bf1 there might follow 24. ... Rg8 with the threat of ... Qg7-g7 followed by ... Rg8-g2. 24. ... Qh7 25. Nf4 Nh5?! Sound and peaceful is 25. ... Bxf4 26. Qxf4 Qxh3 27. Bh4 Ng4! 28. Bg3 Ngf6 with a likely draw by repetition, but even better is 25. ... Qh6! 26. Bg3 Rg8 with powerful compensation for the Pawn. Instead, as often happens, one mistake gives birth to another: 26. Ne6 Re8? (26. ... Ng7!∞) 27. Ng5 Qg6


28. Nf7+! Qxf7 (28. ... Kh7 29. Bxf5!+−) 29. Qh6+ Qh7 30. Qxd6 Ndf6 31. Bh4. That’s all. Within a few moves, White will force a liquidation to a won ending. 31. ... Qf7 32. Rg1 f4 33. Bxc8 Raxc8 34. Bxf6+ Qxf6 35. Qxf6+ Nxf6 36. Rg6 Nh7 37. Rag1 Rc7 38. R1g4 Rf7 39. Kg1 Nf8 40. Rh6+ Nh7 41. Kf2 Rg8 42. Rgh4 Rg5 43. Na2 Kg8 44. Nc1 Nf8 45. Nd3 Ng6 46. Rg4 Kg7 47. Rxg5 Kxh6 48. Rxg6+! Kxg6 49. Ne5+ Kf6 50. Nxf7 Kxf7 51. e4 fxe3+ 52. Kxe3 b6 53. h4 c5 54. f4 Kg7 55. Kf3 Kg6 56. Kg4 Kg7 57. h5 Kf6 58. f5 cxd4 59. h6 1 : 0.

Thus, in the end, all the glory went to Wojtaszek, who, by winning his last round game with Studer, succeeded in keeping Harikrishna and Adams (both winning their games as well) at a distance, finally securing the first prize. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

A Rook and a Chariot

Pentala Harikrishna – Romain Édouard
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 28, 2020
Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 5. Be2 Nc6 6. Qe3 Nf6 7. 0-0 g6 8. h3 Bg7 9. c4 0-0 10. Nc3 Rb8 11. Rd1 Nd7 12. Rb1 b6 13. b3 Bb7 14. Bb2 Ba8 15. Nd5. Also good is 15. Rd2 Re8 16. Rbd1 Qc8 17. Nh4 Nd8 18. Bg4 h5 19. Bxd7 Qxd7 20. Nd5 Bxb2 21. Rxb2 b5 22. c5 Bxd5 23. Rxd5 Qe6 24. Nf3 dxc5 25. Rxc5 Nb7 26. Nd4 Qb6 27. Rc6 Qa7 28. Nf5 Qxe3 29. Nxe3 Ra8 30. Nd5 Nd8 31. Rb6 Ne6 32. Rc2 Kf8 33. h4 Rac8 34. Rcc6 Nd4 35. Rxc8 Rxc8 36. Rxa6 Rc1+ 37. Kh2 Rc2 38. f4 e6 39. Nf6 Ne2 40. f5 exf5 41. exf5 Nf4 42. Kg3 Ne2+ 43. Kh3 Nf4+ 44. Kg3 Ne2+ 45. Kh3 Nf4+ 46. Kg3 Ne2+ 47. Kh3 Nf4+ ½ : ½ 倪华 (Ní Huá) – 赵骏 (Zhào Jùn), 3rd Singapore Masters International Open Tournament, Singapore 2006. 15. ... b5 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. b4 bxc4 18. Bxc4 a5 19. b5 Nce5 20. Nxe5 Nxe5 21. Bf1 Nd7 22. Rbc1 Bxd5 23. exd5 Nc5


24. Rd4! Kg8 25. Rh4 f5 (25. ... h5? 26. Rxh5!+−) 26. Rd4 a4 27. h4! Qe8


28. Rxc5! A disrupting sacrifice. 28. ... dxc5 29. Rxa4 Rxb5. Black returns the Exchange in the vain hope of avoiding the inevitable. 30. Ra7 Rf7. 30. ... Rb6 31. Bc4! is likewise bad for Black. 31. Bxb5 Qxb5 32. Rxe7 Rxe7 33. Qxe7 Qb1+ 34. Kh2 Qxa2 35. Qxc5 Qd2 36. d6 Kf7 37. f3 Qe1 38. Qd4 Qe8 39. Qd5+ Qe6 40. Qxe6+ Kxe6 41. Kg3 Kxd6 42. Kf4 Ke6 43. Kg5 Kf7 44. Kh6 1 : 0. Black resigns, for 44. ... Kg8 45. f4 Kh8 46. h5 gxh5 47. Kxh5 Kg7 48. Kg5 is an elementary win for White.

Thanks to their victories in today’s games, both Pentala Harikrishna and Michael Adams can still hope to overtake Radosław Wojtaszek with only one round to go. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Monday, July 27, 2020

Beyond the Prosaic

Vincent Keymer – Noël Oliver Studer
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 27, 2020
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Be7 6. e4 dxe4 7. fxe4 c5 8. d5 exd5 9. exd5 0-0 10. Be2 Re8 11. Nf3 Bg4 12. 0-0 Nbd7 13. h3!? In the recent first half of the Candidates Tournament 2020, Fabiano Caruana won a complex game after 13. d6!? Bf8 14. h3 Bh5 15. Nb5 Re6 16. Bf4 a6 17. Nc7 Re4 18. Bh2 Rc8 19. g4 Bxg4 20. hxg4 Nxg4 21. Bd3 Nxh2 22. Bxe4 Nxf1 23. Qxf1 Bxd6? (23. ... Nf6!∞) 24. Nd5 g6 25. Qh3 Kg7 26. Kh1 Ne5 27. Nh4 h5 28. Rg1 Bf8 29. Nf4 Ng4 30. Nxh5+! gxh5 31. Bf5 Be7 32. Bxg4 hxg4 33. Qxg4+ Bg5 34. Qh5 1 : 0 Caruana – Alekseenko, Candidates Tournament 2020, Yekaterinburg 2020. Keymer goes by another way. 13. ... Bxf3 14. Rxf3 Bd6 15. Bg5 Qe7 16. Nb5 Bb8 17. Re3 Be5 18. d6 Qf8 19. Bg4 a6? Studer goes for a very dubious Exchange sacrifice. Correct was 19. ... Bxb2 20. Rb1 Rxe3 21. Bxe3 Be5 with a perfectly playable game. 20. Bxd7 Nxd7 21. Be7 Rxe7 22. dxe7 Qxe7 23. Nc7 Rd8 24. Nd5 Qg5 25. Kh1 Bd4 26. Re7 Ne5 (26. ... Bxb2 27. Qf3 Ne5 28. Re1!+−) 27. Rxb7 h5 (27. ... Nxc4 28. Ne7+ Kh8 28. Nc6+−) 28. Qc1 Qh4 29. Ne7+ Kf8 30. Nf5 Qf6 31. Qf1 Qc6 32. Rb3 Qa4 33. Rg3. In a way 33. Rb6+− (Δ Nf5xg7) might have been simpler. 33. ... Bxb2 34. Rb1 Qxc4


35. Qf2. With a few minutes to the time control, Keymer is content to play safely within his comfort zone. Here 35. Nxg7 seems to be White’s best, for after 35. ... h4 36. Qf6! hxg3 37. Nf5 Nc6 38. Qxb2 Nd4 39. Qd2! his attack continues. 35. ... Bc1! 36. Qe1 Bf4 37. Rd1 Re8 38. Rc3 (38. Nxg7 Bxg3 39. Qxg3↑) 38. ... Qe6 39. Qe4 Ng6 40. Qxe6 (40. Qb1!) 40. ... fxe6 41. Ne3. Materially speaking, Black has enough compensation for the Exchange, but his Pawns are a bit too scattered to offer much hope for maintaining the status quo. Whatever it is, the following moves give the impression that Black could have defended better.


41. ... Rc8 42. Nc4 Rb8 (42. ... Ke7! 43. g3 Bc7 44. Re3±) 43. g3 Bc7 44. Rd7 Bd8 45. Re3 Bf6 46. Rxe6 Kg8 47. Rb6 Re8 48. Rd5 h4 49. gxh4 Nf4 50. Rf5 Re4 51. Nd2 Re1+ 52. Kh2 Be5 53. Nf3 Bc7 54. Nxe1 Ne6+ 55. Re5 Nd4 56. Rxa6 Bxe5+ 57. Kg2 1 : 0.

Once back to a classical time control, Keymer has regained his luster. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Behind the Panel

Radosław Wojtaszek – Pentala Harikrishna
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 27, 2020
Slav Defence D12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Qb3 Qc7 9. Bd2 Be7 10. 0-0-0 dxc4 11. Bxc4 b5 12. Be2 a6 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. fxe4 c5 16. Kb1 Nc6 17. Bc3!? Very interesting is 17. e5! cxd4? (17. ... Rc8 18. Bf3 0-0 seems fine for Black) 18. Bf3 Rc8 19. Rc1 Qd7? (19. ... Qb6!? 20. exd4 0-0) 20. Qc2! Na7 21. Qxc8+! Nxc8 22. Bc6 Nb6 23. Bxd7+ Kxd7 24. exd4 Nd5 25. h4! Rxh4?! 26. Rxh4 Bxh4 27. Rh1 Be7 28. Rh7 Bf8 29. Rh8 Ke7 30. Kc2 f6 31. exf6+ gxf6 32. Rh7+ 1 : 0 Carlsen – Vachier-Lagrave, The Magnus Carlsen Invitational, chess24.com, April 24, 2020, match game 3 (15+10). 17. ... 0-0 18. h4 c4 19. Qc2 b4 20. Be1 c3. Who knows, maybe the “dual” 20. ... b3!? 21. axb3 cxb3 22. Qc4 Qb7 23. h5 g5 might have offered better counterattacking chances. 21. h5 g5 22. e5 (22. h6!?↑) 22. ... b3 23. Qxc3 bxa2+ 24. Ka1 Bb4 25. Qc2 Bxe1


26. h6? This tempting zwischenzug will turn out to be a cruel illusion. Simply 26. Rdxe1 Rfc8 27. Rc1± gave White a manifest superiority and excellent Kingside attacking prospects. 26. ... Rfc8! Supposedly White was only expecting 26. ... Bxh4? 27. g3! Qb6! 28. gxh4 Na5∞ with unclear play. 27. Rdxe1 Nb4 28. Qxc7 Rxc7 29. hxg7?! This is certainly not good, but otherwise Black would play ... g7-g6 with great advantage. 29. ... Nc2+ 30. Kxa2 Nxe1 31. Rh8+ (31. Rxe1 Kxg7−+) 31. ... Kxg7 32. Rxa8 Nxg2 33. Rxa6 Nxe3. Material equality is restored, but the ending is hopeless for White. 34. Ra3 Nf5 35. Rd3 Rd7 36. d5 Rxd5 37. Rxd5 exd5 38. b4 Nd4 39. Bg4 Nc6 40. b5 Nxe5 41. b6 Kf6 42. b7 Nc6 43. Ka3 Ke5 44. Ka4 Kd6 45. Kb5 Kc7 46. Kc5 Ne7 47. b8=Q+ Kxb8 48. Kd6


48. ... f5! 49. Bd1 g4! 0 : 1. For after 50. Kxe7 g3 51. Bf3 d4 one of Black’s Pawns promotes.

After his Sunday débâcle in the Blitz Tournament, Harikrishna scored a much-needed “Classical” win against Wojtaszek, thus reducing the gap to three points with two rounds to go. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Sunday, July 26, 2020

The Blessing


Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), and other Chinese chess celebrities, starring in a videoclip for the International Chess Day celebration which falls on July 20 — “No matter what age, or gender, we are to ignite our passion for chess through a board”.

Above The Clouds

Natalie Duran, dressed as Catwoman, wears a mask while hanging from a street light in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City, United States. Outdoor arts and entertainment, sporting events without fans and media production are being allowed under phase 4 of the city’s reopening from coronavirus lockdown. Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

The Third Wheel

Michael Adams – Romain Édouard
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Blitz; Biel/Bienne, July 25, 2020
Sicilian Defence B51

Radosław Wojtaszek and Michael Adams dominated the Blitz Tournament (3+2), which was today on the agenda of the Grandmaster Triathlon in Biel/Bienne, thus increasing their lead in the combined standings. Tomorrow is day off. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. Re1 Nf6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 d5?? A catastrophic blunder. After 8. ... e6 9. Nb5 White regains his Pawn with a very slight pull, Antipov – Sakaev, 7th World Blitz Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018. 9. Bf4!+− (Δ Nd4-b5) 9. ... a6 10. Nc3 e6 (10. ... b5 11. Bxb5!+−)


11. Rxe6+! fxe6 12. Nxe6 Qb6 13. Nc7+ Kf7 14. N3xd5 Qa5 15. Bb3 Ra7 16. Nxf6+ Kxf6 17. Ne8+ (17. Qg4+−) 17. ... Ke7 18. Nd6 Qb4 19. Nxc8+ Kd8 20. Bd2 Qd4 21. Nxa7 Qxa7 22. Be6 b5 23. Be3 Qc7 24. Qd5 (24. Bb6+−) 24. ... Bd6 25. Rd1 Ke7 26. Bxd7 Qxd7 27. Bg5+ 1 : 0.

Pictured above (foreground) is Adams playing his last round game against Noël Oliver Studer. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Multiverse

Teams from 163 countries will take part in the first ever Online Chess Olympiad to be held online at chess.com from July 25 to August 30, 2020 under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) in partnership with Gazprom.
Most of the world’s chess stars are due to represent their countries, but there will be two notable absentees in Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana.
The Olympic Tournament is composed by a group stage followed by a knockout stage.
Each team consists of six mixed players, with a minimum quota of three females and two juniors. Teams may have up to six reserves, plus a captain.
Time control is 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move.
Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s début will be in a few weeks — namely, from August 21, when the Top Division group stage takes off.

Friday, July 24, 2020

Œil-de-bœuf

Pentala Harikrishna – Vincent Keymer
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 24, 2020
Semi-Slav Defence D47

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bb3 b4 9. Ne2 Be7 10. 0-0 Bb7 11. Nf4 c5 12. Ng5 0-0!? A novelty and an improvement over 12. ... Qb6? (Annakov – Nevostrujev, Moscow 1995) and now White ought to have played 13. Nxf7! with devastating effect.


13. Ngxe6! White sacrifices a Knight for three Pawns and an enduring initiative. 13. ... fxe6 14. Nxe6 Qc8 15. Nxc5+ (15. Nxf8?! Kxf8 is fine for Black) 15. ... Kh8. Likewise after 15. ... Bd5 16. Ne6 Bxe6 17. Bxe6+ Kh8 18. f3 White has an easier game. 16. Nxb7. After 17. Ne6?! Bd6! 18. Nxf8 Nxf8 White would gain material, but at the cost of ceding all initiative to his opponent. 17. ... Qxb7 17. f3 a5 18. e4 Nb6 19. Qe2 a4 20. Bc2 Rfc8. 20. ... a3 21. b3 Rac8 seems more natural. 21. Bd3 a3 22. b3 Qd7 23. Be3 Rc3 24. Rad1 Rd8 25. Kh1 Qe8 26. Bg1 Bf8 27. Qe1 Nbd7 28. Bb1


28. ... Nh5? Keymer, with a few minutes left on the clock, only hastens his own demise. 28. ... Qh5 was Black’s best chance. 29. e5 Qe6 30. Qh4 Qh6. Black still hopes for White to fall for a last ditch trick: 31. Qxd8?? Ng3#. 31. g4 Nf4 32. Qxd8 Qh3 33. Rf2 Rxf3 34. Qa8 Rxf2 35. Bxf2 Qxg4 36. Rg1 Qh5 37. Re1 1 : 0.

A convincing win by Harikrishna and a new setback for Keymer. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Meta-Reality

Vincent Keymer – Arkadij Mikhailovich Naiditsch
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 23, 2020
King’s Indian Defence E62

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 0-0 5. Nc3 d6 6. Nf3 c6 7. e4 Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 e5 10. d5 cxd5 11. cxd5 a5 12. Be3 Na6


13. h4! h5 14. g4! The corollary of what, with Teutonic pride, Grandmaster Georg Meier calls “a stragetically decisive breakthrough”. 14. ... hxg4 15. Bxg4 Nxg4 16. Qxg4 Nb4 17. h5!?? Maybe Keymer just couldn’t believe he had to exchange Queens after Queenside castling, although 17. 0-0-0 Qc8 18. Qxc8 Rfxc8 19. Kb1 would have left White with an imposing bind. 17. ... f5? “All’s well that ends well”. Critical was 17. ... Nc2+ 18. Kd2 Nxa1 19. hxg6 fxg6 20. Qxg6 Rf6 (20. ... Qf6?? 21. Qh7+ Kf7 22. Rh6!+−) 21. Qh7+ Kf7 22. Qh5+ Kg8 23. Rxa1 with unclear compensation. 18. Qxg6 Rf6 19. Qg2 Kh7 (19. ... Kf7 20. exf5!+−) 20. exf5! Nc2+ 21. Kd2 Nxe3 (21. ... Nxa1 22. Ne4!+−) 22. fxe3 Qb6 23. Kc2 Rc8 (23. ... Qxe3 24. Rh3+−) 24 Rag1 Bh6 25. Kb1 Qxe3 26. Ne4 Rff8 27. Qg6+ Kh8 28. Nf6 1 : 0.

After yesterday’s eclipse, the sun shined today for Keymer. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Life on Earth

Michael Adams – Vincent Keymer
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 22, 2020
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4 Be6 9. Qe2 Qc8 10. Bb3 Nbd7 11. Bg5 Bd8 12. a5 Bxb3 13. cxb3 Qc5 14. Be3 Qc6 15. Qc4 Rc8 16. Nd2 Ng4 17. Qe2 Nxe3 18. Qxe3 b6? Since Black won’t be able to obtain enough compensation for the weakening and subsequent fall of the a-Pawn, he’d have done better to consider something like 18. ... 0-0 19. 0-0 Nc5 with reasonable play. 19. axb6 Bxb6 20. Qe2 a5 21. 0-0 Nf6 22. Nc4 0-0 23. Nxa5 Bxa5 24. Rxa5 Rb8 25. Ra6 Rb6?! Perhaps Keymer wasn’t too enthusiastic about 25. ... Qc5 26. Rd1 Rfd8 27. Qd3 Kf8 28. Rxd6 Rxd6 29. Qxd6+ Qxd6 30. Rxd6 Rxb3 31. Rd2± which would have brought Black into a Rook and Knight ending a Pawn down — but, as they say, “Out of the frying pan into the fire”.


26. Rfa1. Also very strong is 26. b4! (26. ... Rxa6 27. b5+−). 26. ... Qb7 27. Rxb6 Qxb6 28. Ra6 Qb8 29. g3 h5 30. h4 Qb4. Other moves may be better (perhaps), but probably not enough to change the outcome of the game; for instance: 30. ... Rd8 31. Qc4 Qb7 32. Qa4 Rb8 33. Rxd6 Qxb3? 34. Rd8+! Kh7 35. Rxb8 Qxb8 36. b4 with a won ending. 31. Qc4 Rb8 32. Ra8 Qb7 33. Rxb8+ Qxb8 34. b4 Qa7 35. Kg2 g6 36. b5 Ng4 37. Qe2 Nf6 38. Qd3 Ng4 39. Qd2 Kg7 40. Nd5. Adams’ display of technique is elegant as usual. 40. ... Qc5 41. b6 Qc4 42. f3 Nf6 43. Nxf6 Kxf6 44. Qxd6+ Kg7 45. Qxe5+ Kh7 46. Qc3 Qb5 47. Qd4 Qe2+ 48. Qf2 Qd3 49. e5 Qb5 50. f4 Kg8 51. Kg1 Qb3 52. Kf1 Qd3+ 53. Kg2 Qb5 54. g4 hxg4 55. Kg3 Qb3+ 56. Kxg4 Qd1+ 57. Kg3 Qb3+ 58. Kh2 Qb4 59. Kg2 Kf8 60. Kf3 Ke8 61. Kg4 Kf8 62. h5 gxh5+ 63. Kxh5 Qb3 64. Kg5 Kg7 65. f5 Qb4 66. f6+ Kf8 67. Qg2 Qa4 68. b7 Qb5 69. Kh6 1 : 0. For if 69. ... Qxe5 then 70. Qg7+ Ke8 71. b8=Q+! and finis.

A superb positional game by Adams and a setback for Keymer. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Somewhere in Between


Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) takes the floor at the virtual celebration of the first ever International Chess Day held online at the United Nations Headquarters on Monday, July 20, 2020, as she delivers a passionate speech about the highly educational role of chess in a post-pandemic world. Videoclip courtesy of Chinese Mission to UN. The whole video can be viewed at UN Web TV.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Zooming In

From top left to bottom right: Sofia, Viola, Letizia, and Olga rehearsing for a non-virtual show yet to come at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”.

Sfogliatelle

After a week in Naples and its environs, Letizia was back at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” tonight, presenting her fellow dancers and friends with a tray of delicious sfogliatelle.

Coding InStyle

20th Linares International Chess Super-Tournament

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 新浪微博 (Sina Wēibó), July 21, 2020

At the time, the Linares Tournament in Spain was an unmissable annual rendez-vous for most élite Grandmasters — unfortunately, it has been suspended since 2010.
In 2003 Kasparov was still the god of chess as his legend continued to grow (he retired in 2005).
Instead, his opponent, Radjabov, at the time only 15 years old, was none other than a rising star (today he is in the world’s top ten).
The game between them, however, made a deep impression on me when I was young:
21. ... Ng4xe5!! What a stunning move! Black sacrifices the Knight on profound positional grounds, aiming at opening the centre to breakthrough to the King.
Although at first Kasparov coped with it correctly, eventually the younger man came to make his dream come true: to win the game, thus ending the myth of Kasparov’s six-year-long unbeaten streak in Linares.
In conclusion, do my friends desire to know the true face of 庐山 (Lúshān)? 🐰 Then have a look at the winner’s own updated commentary 👀:

Monday, July 20, 2020

The Twenty-Fifth Hour

And so, in the end, 14th Women’s World Chess Champion Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina is the absolute winner of the 1st Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship, jointly organised by FIDE and chess.com. In today’s super-final she beat 12th Women’s World Chess Champion Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk 14½–13½ after a fight to the last bullet.

Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
1st Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Super-Final; match game 16; time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, July 20, 2020
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 cxd4 6. exd4 Bf5 7. Bb5 e6 8. Ne5 Qb6 9. c4 dxc4 10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. Ndxc4 Qa6 12. 0-0 (12. Qe2 Bb4+ 13. Bd2 Bxd2+ 14. Nxd2 Qb5 15. Nb3 0-0 16. Rc1 Rfc8 17. Rxc6 Qa4 18. Rxc8+ Rxc8 19. 0-0 Qxa2= Aronian – Inarkiev, 8th World Blitz Chess Championship, Moscow 2019) 12. ... Be7 13. Rc1 0-0 14. Ne3 Be4 15. f3 Bd5 16. Nxd5 cxd5 17. Nc6 Rfe8 18. a4 Bf8 19. b4


19. ... Nd7?? (19. ... Qb7 Δ 20. b5 a6!=) 20. b5+− Qb7 (20. ... Qb6 21. Bc7!+−) 21. Na5 1 : 0.