The Key of Knowledge

So it will happen on Friday: four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will make her way home after enjoying her three-day gold holiday in the “Celebrity Island” for the past week. Specifically, she will take on her fellow countrywoman 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) in the semifinal match of the 2nd Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event to be held online at chess.com on Friday, July 2, 2021 at 4.30 A.M. PT/13.30 CEST. No doubt it will be an interesting confrontation — to say the least — as in the yet underway Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is the coach of 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié). Then the question arises: will the student be able to surpass the master? Everything is possible, of course. In an interview with Keti Tsatsalashvili, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said she was greatly pleased with her own rentrée — but only to a certain extent, since the chess stage isn’t on the top list of her priorities today: “To be honest I was busy with my job in the university and also some other projects going on. I am not particularly training myself and not playing too often”. As for chess itself, her most recent performance in the Goldmoney Asian Rapid gave conflicting indications of her current form. In spite of her great talent, creativity and imagination, she often felt insecure, losing valuable points for mistakes that she would not have been likely to make in her prime. But on the other hand, as she once said, “For me, chess is mostly a passion. It’s never a career for me. I love chess; I like to try and explore new stuff, and the deeper you go, you realize there’s more things you don’t know”. For further details, click here.