The Healthy Way to Stretch

In fact, much of what goes on at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” these days may well seem to be nothing more than a rehearsal for a new healthy mode of stretching.

Once Upon a Time

Argentine cartoonist Joaquín Salvador Lavado “Quino”, who created the character Mafalda, has died today aged 88 in Mendoza, the city where he was born July 17, 1932.

After School Charisma

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) conveys her best wishes on the inauguration of the after-school chess club.

Yeah, Edna, punctuation in red ink is more visible and better catches the attention of students

Artwork © Emimonster

Upside Down

Alessio Valsecchi – Felix Blohberger
11th Dolomiti International Chess Open; Forni di Sopra, September 29, 2020
Nimzo-Indian Defence E21

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 0-0 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 c5 7. Rc1 cxd4 8. Nxd4 a6. The dernier cri is 8. ... d5 9. cxd5 g5 10. Bg3 Qxd5 11. e3 Qxa2 12. Qc2 Bxc3+ 13 Qxc3 Ne4 14 Qc2 Qa5+ 15 Ke2 Nxg3+ 16 hxg3 Kg7 17. f4 Nc6 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Kf2 Rd8 20. Rd1 Rxd1 21. Qxd1 Qf5 22. Qd6 Qd5 23. Qa3 a5 24. Qc3+ e5 25. Bc4 Qd6 26. fxe5 Qb4 27. Qd4 Be6 28. Bxe6 Qxd4 29. exd4 fxe6 30. Rc1 Ra6 31. g4 Rb6 32. b3 Rxb3 33. Rxc6 Rd3 34. Rxe6 Rxd4 35. Re7+ Kg6 36. Re6+ Kg7 37. Re7+ Kg6 38. Re6+ Kg7 ½ : ½ Nepomniachtchi – Lékó, Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour, 4th stage, Legends of Chess, chess24.com, July 27, 2020, match game 2 (time control: 15+10). 9. e3 Nc6 10. Be2 Be7 11. 0-0 d6 12. Bg3 Bd7 13. Nb3 e5 14. Qd2 Be6 15. Rfd1 Qb6 16. f3 Rfd8! Probably best — otherwise Black gets crushed. 17. Bf2

17. ... d5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. e4 Nd4?? A blunder, losing material and the game. Correct and consistent was 19. ... Ne3! 20. Qxe3 Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 Qb4 22. Qc3 Qa4 just with a hope to get some compensation for the Pawn. 20. exd5+− Bg5 21. f4! Bxf4 22. Bxd4! 1 : 0.

Of course, Edna, time passes, but not in vain

Artwork © ℍ𝕘 𝔸𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕤 (@hg_artes)

Postil

In addition to four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above), two other queens will be starring in the inaugural “机器人谷杯” (“Robot Valley Cup”) China City Chess League to be held online and offline from mid October until January 2021 — namely, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), representing 上海 (Shànghǎi) and 重庆 (Chóngqìng) respectively. Photo: 孙海光 (Sūn Hǎiguāng)/新京报 (Běijīng News).

Yeah, Edna, time must pass somehow, especially since there’s nothing to do but sit and wait for you to unveil your new collection

Artwork © Misa (@maidmisachan)

Another Way to Climb a Tree

Luca Moroni – Szymon Gumularz
11th Dolomiti International Chess Open; Forni di Sopra, September 28, 2020
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3 0-0 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 dxc4 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Qa4 Nd5 9. Qc2 Be7 10. Rd1 Bd7 11. e4 Ncb4 12. Qd2 Nb6 13. Ne5 Nc6 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Qe2!? Moroni ambitiously aims at improving Fabiano Caruana’s heritage: 15. Qc2 f5 16. a4 fxe4 17. Bxe4 Bxe4 18. Qxe4 Qd7 19. d5 exd5 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 21. Rxd5 Qc6 22. Rd4 Bc5 23. Qxc6 bxc6 24. Rxc4 Bxf2+ 25. Kg2 c5 26. Ra2! Bd4 27. b4! Rad8 28. bxc5 c6 29. Bf4 Rfe8 30. Rd2 with great play for White, Caruana – So, 6th Sinquefield Cup/4th Grand Chess Tour, 4th leg, Saint Louis 2018, tie-break game 2 (time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 15. ... Re8 16. Be3 f5? (16. ... Bb4!)

17. d5!± exd5 18. Bxb6 axb6? 18. ... cxb6 was necessary, so as to neutralise any effect from Nc3xd5xb6; White, however, would play 19. e5!± followed either by the capture of the d5-Pawn or of the c4-Pawn (if Black pushes on d4). 19. Nxd5 b5 20. Nb6 Bd6 21. Nxa8 Qxa8 22. a4. Black has not enough for the Exchange, as Moroni brilliantly demonstrates. 22. ... Qa6 23. axb5 Qxb5 24. Rd4

24. ... fxe4? White obviously stands much better and would win the game anyway, but Black’s move hastens the end. 25. Bxe4 Bc5 26. Bxc6 Qxc6 (26. ... Rxe2 27. Ra8+ Kf7 28. Rf4+ Kg6 29. Bxb5+−) 27. Qxc4+ Kh8 28. Re4 Rf8 29. Rf4 1 : 0.

Windwords

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) delivers her speech at the launching ceremony of the inaugural “机器人谷杯” (“Robot Valley Cup”) China City Chess League which took place at Tuspark International Convention Centre in 北京 (Běijīng), China on September 28, 2020.

Prêt-à-porter Technology

On September 28, 2020, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) brought all her grace and charm as she performed the launching ceremony of the inaugural “机器人谷杯” (“Robot Valley Cup”) China City Chess League which took place at Tuspark International Convention Centre in 北京 (Běijīng), China. In her speech, she said that, thanks to technology, “the newly born trophy will fulfill all safety and health requirements, by combining online and offline modes, so as to involve as many participants as possible”. The 1st “机器人谷杯” (“Robot Valley Cup”) China City Chess League — in which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) shall defend the colours of the 济南银丰 (Jǐnán Yínfēng) team — will officially kick off on October 16 and will last until January 2021, featuring 14 seeded teams and over 50 audition teams. The format consists of five tiers of qualifiers, preliminaries, semifinals, repêchage matches and finals. Qualifiers, preliminaries and semifinals will be held online at 智赛网 (zhisai.net), while repêchage matches and finals will take place offline. In the hope to enhance the spectacularness of the show, the organisers opted for rapid time controls. It should be noted, finally, that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) “went thro” the ceremony with the same outfit that she wore when she attended the gala party ceremony for the World Chess Championship at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London, United Kingdom on November 8, 2018. Photos: liz.

Of course, Edna, you don’t need to wear any makeup to look more breathtaking than all those top models who feature on the popular magazines’ cover page as icons of beauty

Artwork © The Beauty Lioness (@thebeautylioness)

Wuthering Heights

Noah Fecker – Luca Moroni
11th Dolomiti International Chess Open; Forni di Sopra, September 27, 2020
Spanish Game C87

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 d6 6. Re1 Be7 7. c3 0-0 8. d3 Re8 9. Nbd2 Bf8 10. Nf1 g6. Larry Evans and Walter Korn, in their completely revised tenth edition of “Modern Chess Openings” (Isaac Pitman & Sons, London, 1965, p. 70), give 10. ... b5 11. Bb3 h6 12. Ng3 Na5 13. Bc2 c5 14. d4 Qc7 15. h3 Rb8= Yates – Bogoljubov, British Empire Club Chess Tournament, London 1927. 11. Ng3 Bg7 12. h3 b5 13. Bc2 Bb7 14. a4!?TN (14. d4 Na5 15. a4 exd4 16. cxd4 c5 17. d5 Nd7 18. Rb1⩲ Nisipeanu – Kantarji, 16th European Individual Chess Championship, Jerusalem 2015) 14. ... Nb8 15. Be3 Nbd7 16. Qd2 c5 17. Bh6 Qc7 18. h4 Nf8 19. h5 Ne6 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. h6+ Kh8 22. Ng5 Ng8. Perhaps 22. ... Nxg5 23. Qxg5 Ng8 might have been more prudent, in order to follow with ... Qc7-e7. 23. Nxe6 fxe6 24. d4 exd4 25. cxd4 c4 26. e5 d5 27. Nf1 Qe7 28. Ra3 Rf8 29. Rh3 Rf7 30. Nh2 b4 31. f4 b3 32. Bb1 a5 33. Nf3 Qb4. Now it becomes suddenly clear that White’s Kingside attack is faster than Black’s on the Queenside:

34. Ng5! Re7. The Queen is taboo due to mate in one (34. ... Qxd2?? 35. Nxf7#). 35. Qe3 Bc6

36. Bxg6! hxg6 37. h7 Nh6 38. Rxh6 Be8. Now Black’s sitting alone on the verge of ruin. If 38. ... Kg7 then 39. f5!!+− Kxh6 (39. ... exf5 loses to 40. e6!+− while 39. ... gxf5 is demolished by 40. h8=Q+! Rxh6 41. Nxe6++−) 40. f6! with mate coming soon. 39. Qg3. (39. Nxe6! Rxe6 40. f5!+−) 39. ... Rc8 40. Re3. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but 40. Nf7+! Rxf7 (40. ... Bxf7 41. Qg5!+− leads to a quick mate) 41. Rxg6 (Δ 42. Rg8+ Kxh7 43. Qg6#) was at least equally good: if, for instance, 41. ... Kxh7 then 42. Re3!+− (Δ 43. Qh3+ Kxg6 44. Rg3#). 40. ... c3. Spes ultima dea.

41. bxc3? Although it does still not spoil the win, White should regret at having missed his best move for the second time: 41. Nf7+! Rxf7 (41. ... Bxf7 42. Qg5!+−) 42. Rxg6 (Δ 43. Rg8+ Kxh7 44. Qg6#) with mate in a few moves; for instance: 42. ... Kxh7 43. Qh3+ Kxg6 44. Rg3#. 41. ... Qb7 42. Re1 b2 43. Rb1 Qb3 44. Qf2 Rb8 (44. ... Qxc3 45. Rxb2+−)

45. Nf3?? And finally White does his rewind back to the point of no return. White’s last winning chance was 45. f5!! exf5 (or 45. ... gxf5 46. Rf6!+−) 46. Qe1!+− with Black being helpless in preventing e5-e6. Of course, now Moroni takes the opportunity to turn the tables on his opponent: 45. ... Rg7 (45. ... Qxc3−+) 46. g4? Qxc3−+ 47. Rh2 Rxh7 48. Rg2 Rh3 49. Ng5 Qc1 50. Qf1 Qxf1+ 0 : 1.

Hey, Edna, no matter which of the three historic coffee houses you choose, as all serve delicious desserts

Artwork © GeorgeSabertooth

Imagine

People from all over the country gathered today in Piazza della Repubblica in Florence, Italy, rallying for the end of speciesism, as well as for ending the exploitation and killing of animals in the name of human interests. Photo: Tom Mangelsen/5th Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards.

Yes, Edna, almost everyone now believes that school days are the best days of our lives

Artwork © Still Ale (@still_ale)

Two And Half O’Clock Thursday

Early in the afternoon of September 24, 2020, on one of her stops along her itinerant teaching mission around 龙岗区 (Lónggǎng District), four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the youngest and most charming of all Professors of 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University), took on 50 young students in a simultaneous display at 兰著学校 (Lánzhu School) in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China. Photos: 郑燕妹 (Zhèng Yànmèi)/深圳晚报 (Shēnzhèn Evening News).

Somewhere in Between

When summer ends and autumn has not yet begun. Photo: Francesca.

Yeah, Edna, without a caption, it would not be so easy to distinguish the teacher from the students

Artwork © bembubi (@bembubi)

West Side Story

The newly formed student team from the 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University), which competed for the first time in the inaugural University Chess Online Championship held September 17–20, 2020, took third place behind the 上海财经大学 (Shànghǎi University of Finance and Economics) and the 首都体育学院 (Capital University of Physical Education). Most credit certainly goes to four-time Women’s World Chess Champion Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above, front row, centre, in a group photo with her student team), who formed the 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University) squad in a very short time, for an average age of 18 years, captaining it to the podium and qualifying for the 2020 World University Championship Mind Sports to be held online next fall. Photo: 彭爱方 (Péng Àifāng).

Of course, Edna, students who spend their quarter of an hour’s recreation stuck in your classroom, may, at their own discretion, give up their free Sundays and receive ten hours credit

Artwork © Famous_series_art (@famous_series_art)

Four O’Clock Thursday

On the afternoon of September 24, 2020, as a corollary to a chess class, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the youngest Professor to ever be appointed to such a professorship within the 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University), gave a 32-board simultaneous exhibition for the young students of the 平安里学校 (Píng’ānlǐ School), 龙岗区 (Lónggǎng District), 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China. Photos: 郑燕妹 (Zhèng Yànmèi)/深圳晚报 (Shēnzhèn Evening News).

Yes, Edna, it’s pretty much one day after another waiting for a dance rehearsal to begin, even though no theatre has been set for the première as yet

Artwork © erasercap

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

A chipmunk sings its heart out. Photo: Roland Kranitz/6th Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards.

Sanding

A grizzly bear lies on its back with its paws dangling in the air in the Alaska wilderness near to Lake Clark. Photo: Janet Miles/6th Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards.

Yeah, Edna, the halls are all empty, so hopefully they’ll let you say what you want

Artwork © art space (@thesevycreative)

Nothingness and Emptiness

An empty lounge is seen outside the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters during the 75th annual United Nations General Assembly high-level debate, which is being held mostly virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, United States. Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters.

Yes, of course, Edna, schoolwork is more important than minesweeper will ever be

Artwork © arte de marte (@mg_artee)

Rooftops

A picture from “In Situ — dans les coulisses de l’Opéra de Paris” by Pierre-Élie de Pibrac, Éditions Clémentine de la Féronnière (Paris, 2014). Photo: Pierre-Élie de Pibrac/Agence Vu.

Yes, Edna, students couldn’t wait for Monday early morning to sit in a corner of your classroom and watch you teach till evening without having time to even take a snack

Artwork © RokyStrongo

Cloak Games

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler
Online training match; Lichess, September 4, 2020
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Position #696

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Ne3 Ne6 4. Qc3 b6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 Qc5 8. Qxc5 bxc5 9. Bc3 Bc7 10. Bc2 e6 11. g4 h6 12. f3 Ke7 13. Ke1. From the opening into the endgame — they both renounced the right to castle. 13. ... d6 14. Kf2 Bc6 15. h4 a5 16. a4 Rhg8 17. g5 Nd7 18. Rh3 h5 19. f4 g6 20. Rd1 Rgb8 21. b3 Rb7? (21. ... Kf8)

22. Nd5+! exd5 23. cxd5 Bxa4 24. bxa4 c4 25. Re3+. By 25. Rf3(!) Bb6+ 26. Kg3 Kf8 27. e4 White could probably achieve a much better coordination. 25. ... Kf8 26. Re4 Rc8 27. e3 Bb6 28. Ke2 Bc5 29. Rxc4? 29. Bxa5± was the right Pawn to take. 29. ... Nb6 30. Re4 Ba3 31. Rd3 Rbc7. If nothing else, 31. ... Nxd5 32. Rxd5 Rxc3 gave Black more reasons to play further, though with very little hope of any significant advantage (33. Bd1 Bc5 34. f5! should be enough to hold a draw). The text move, however, leads to a forced draw: 32. Bd2 Rxc2 33. Rxa3

33. ... R8c4 34. Rxc4 Rxd2+! 34. ... Nxc4 35. Rd3 Ra2 36. Rd4 Nxd2 37. Rxd2 Rxa4 also draws, but not so pretty as the way of the game. 35. Kxd2 Nxc4+ 36. Kc3 Nxa3 37. Kb3 Nb1 38. Kc2 Na3+ 39. Kb3 Nb1 40. Kc2 Na3+ 41. Kb3 ½ : ½.

Somewhere in Between the Moon and Earth

On Sunday, September 20, 2020, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) visited the 坂田小学 (Bǎntián Primary School) in 龙岗区 (Lónggǎng District), 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China. Her program included a 35-board simultaneous exhibition followed by a Q&A, fostering pupils’ curiosity and wonder. Photos: 深圳市龙岗区坂田小学 (Shēnzhèn Lónggǎng Bǎntián Primary School).