星尘 (Stardust)

Drones fly in the shape of rocket to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of 南京航空航天大学 (Nánjīng University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) in 南京 (Nánjīng), 江苏省 (Jiāngsū province), China. Photo: China News Service/Getty Images.

In a way or another, Edna, they can’t help but be caught up in the expectation of imperfection that is emanating from your educational classes

Artwork © CL Huth, Artist (@shegeeksart)

Quantum Time

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Hikaru Nakamura

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship; Final match game 1; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 30, 2022

qrbnkbrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/QRBNKBRN w GBgb - 0 1

Position #582

1. b4 b5 2. a4 bxa4 3. Qxa4 e6 4. Nc3 Ng6 5. Ng3 f5 6. e3 Be7 7. b5 0-0 8. Ra1 f4 9. Nge2 (9. Nh5!? fxe3 10. dxe3 c6 11. Ba3⩲)
9. ... fxe3 10. dxe3 c6 11. Nd4 c5 12. Nf3 Bf6 13. Ra3 d5 14. Be2 Rb7 15. 0-0 Qb8 16. e4 d4 17. Nd1?! More promising seems the Pawn sacrifice 17. e5, eventually vacating the square at e4 for the Knight.
17. ... Bd7 18. c4 dxc3 19. Nxc3?! Consistent, but had Nepomniachtchi appreciated the strength of Nakamura’s next move, he would probably have preferred 19. Qc2 Bxb5 20. Nxc3 Bxe2 21. Nxe2 when Black’s volatile extra Pawn counts for very little.

19. ... a6! 20. e5. Clearly not 20. Qxa6? because of 20. ... Bxc3 21. Rxc3 Ra7 trapping the Queen. On the other hand 20. Rb3 Bxc3 21. Rxc3 axb5 22. Qc2 c4 also looks quite scary for White.
20. ... axb5 21. Bxb5 Bxb5 22. Nxb5 Nxe5 23. Nc3 Nxf3+ 24. gxf3 Rb4 25. Qa6 Be5 26. Ne4 Bxh2+. Perhaps a little too greedy.
27. Kg2 Bf4 28. Rd3? ⌓ 28. Qa7! Qe5 29. Bxf4 Rxf4 30. Re3! Nb7 31. Rd1 Rf7 leaves Black with two Pawns ahead, yet White may still hope for some compensation.
28. ... Qe5 29. Rfd1

29. ... Rxe4!−+ 30. fxe4 Bxc1 31. Rxd8 Qg5+ 32. Kf1 Rxd8 33. Qxe6+ Kh8 34. Rd5 Qh4 35. Kg2 h6 36. Rxc5

36. ... Be3! 37. Rc2. If 37. fxe3 then 37. ... Rd2+ followed by mate.
37. ... Bd4 38. Qf5 Qe7 39. f4 g6! 0 : 1.

Thirteen years after his first “unofficial” title in the Mainz World Championships (2009), Nakamura also inscribed his name in FIDE’s honour roll. Nevertheless, it took an Armageddon for him to prevail in his final match against his ultimate opponent, Nepomniachtchi, who was arguably the revelation of the tournament. Photo © David Llada/FIDE.

End of the Line

Humpy Koneru – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal tie-break game 4; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Monte Carlo, October 30, 2022

Tarrasch Defence D32

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qxd4 exd5 7. Qxd5 Nf6 8. Qd1 Bc5 9. e3 0-0 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. Be2 Rd8 12. 0-0 Nc6 13. Qc2 Rac8 14. a3 Ne5 15. Nd4 Ng6

The diagrammed position — a basically theoretical one — was reached in the crucial fourth tie-breaker game between Koneru and Muzychuk. After three tense draws, Indian Grandmaster was the first to succumb to a nervous breakdown, tragically blundering a piece:
16. Bd2?? Bxd4 17. exd4 Qxe2 0 : 1.

It took four tie-breaker games, but in the end it is Muzychuk to move onto the semifinal against 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié). Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Time to Think

Speaking to NRK right after his defeat in the semifinal of the 2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, Magnus Carlsen, without periphrases, called his own play “pathetically bad”. Indeed, he committed an unusual number of mistakes, while instead his opponent, Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi, “played fast and tactically. It was very frustrating. I stood clearly better in all four games, but I was unable to get more out of it”, Carlsen said. “I had neither the time nor the disposition to play my chess. It is also one of the reasons why I advocate to play Fischer’s chess with longer time controls and classical chess at a little faster cadence”. Photo © David Llada/FIDE.

In short, Edna, in both classical and contemporary disciplines, you play the role of the Queen, and they the unpromoted Pawns

Artwork © BrittanyParis (@rose1212britt)

In Extremis

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Humpy Koneru

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 4; Monte Carlo, October 29, 2022

6k1/3R3p/p3pPpP/4q3/P5Q1/7K/2r2PP1/8 b - - 4 40

Position after 40. Kh2-h3

In a must-win situtation, and in the middle of a mutual time-scramble, Muzychuk was lucky enough to be the one who made the next-to-last mistake! White’s 40th move, in fact, was a mistake, but Black’s reply is, alas for Koneru, a much more grave error:
40. ... Qf6? 40. ... Rxf2! would have probably saved a draw (41. Qg3 Qh5+ 42. Qh4 Rxf6=) and given the match victory to Koneru. Now White, thanks to back rank mate threats, wins the a-Pawn and the game, thus taking the match to a tie-breaker tomorrow.
41. Rg7+ Kh8 42. Ra7 Rc8 43. Qe4 Qg5 44. Qd4+ e5 45. Qh4 Qf5+ 46. Qg4 Qf8 47. Qg5 Re8 48. Rxa6

48. ... Kg8. If 48. ... Qxf2? then 49. Qxe5+! Rxe5 50. Ra8+ followed by mate in two.
49. Rf6 Qe7 50. a5 Qd7+ 51. Kh2 e4 52. a6 Qc7+ 53. g3 e3

54. Qd5+ Kh8 55. Qd4 Kg8 56. Qd5+ Kh8 57. Rf7 Qc3 58. Qd7 1 : 0.

In a must-win game, the elder of the Muzychuk sisters gave proof of her best qualities. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

The Same But Different

Magnus Carlsen – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship; Seminfinal match game 2; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 29, 2022

nrnkbrqb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NRNKBRQB w FBfb - 0 1

Position #187

1. f4 f5 2. g4 g6 3. Nab3 Nab6 4. Na5 c6 5. b3 d6 6. c4 Bd7 (6. ... fxg4!? 7. Qxg4 Nd7)
7. g5 Qf7 8. d4 0-0 9. Nd3 Na8 10. Qe3 Nc7 11. Bf2 Qe8 12. Qf3 Qd8 (⌓ 12. ... Ne6 13. e3 Nd8! 14. b4 Nf7 Δ ... e7-e5)
13. b4 e5 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. fxe5 Qxg5 16. h4 Qe7 17. h5 Ne6 18. hxg6 hxg6 19. 0-0-0 Nb6 20. Rg1 Be8 21. Qh3 Nd7? (⌓ 21. ... Bg7 22. c5 Na4)

22. Bxc6! bxc6 23. Nxc6 Qg7 24. Qf3? And not 24. Nxb8?? because of 24. ... Nxe5!−+ turning the tables on Black. White, however, missed here his opportunity of carrying his purpose out by 24. Rh1! (Δ Nc6-e7+) and if 24. ... Kf7 then 25. e4! with a crushing attack.
24. ... Rc8 25. Qd5 Rxc6! 26. Qxc6 Ndc5 27. Qd6 Nxd3+ 28. exd3 Bf7

29. d4!? Now White should have contented himself with 29. Rxg6+! Bxg6 (or also 29. ... Qxg6 30. Rg1 Qxg1+ 31. Bxg1 Rd8) 30. Qxe6+ with a draw in view.
29. ... Rd8 30. Qe7 Qh6+ 31. Rd2? A grave oversight, which in fact loses the game.

31. ... Bxe5!−+ 32. Kc2 Bxd4 33. Re1 Bb6 34. Rxd8+ Bxd8 35. Qd6 Bc7 36. Qd2 Qh3 37. Qd3 Qg2 38. Qd2 g4 39. Qe2 Nd4+ 40. Bxd4 Qxd4 41. Kb3 a5 42. Rd1 Qb6 43. a3 axb4 44. axb4 Bd6 45. Qd2 Bf8 46. Qc3 f4 47. Rd7 Qe6 48. Rd4 Qf5 49. Qd3 Qf6 50. Rd8 f3 51. Qd4 Qf5 52. Qd6 Be6 53. Rxf8+ Qxf8 54. Qxe6+ Qf7 55. Qe1 f2 56. Qf1 Qf3+ 57. Ka4 Qe3 58. Qg2 Kg7 59. b5 Qe1 60. Qb7+ Kh6 0 : 1.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

On Tuesday afternoon, September 27, 2022, the awarding ceremony of the inaugural “深大青年先锋奖章” (“Shēnzhèn University Young Pioneer Award”) was solemnly held in the Alumni Plaza of 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University), coinciding with the 39th anniversary of the founding of the insitute. Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above third from left), a full Professor at the School of Physical Education, Normal College (Faculty of Education), by virtue of her serving as a role model for young generations, won the nomination award out of 20 nominees. “The chessboard has boundaries, but education, knowledge, imagination and creativity can be infinite”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said. “As with so many things in life, even in chess there is no simple one-size-fits-all answer”. She hopes to be able to unveil her true self with the same courage and daring as Bobby Fischer, her imperishable chess idol. “As a teacher I am still a newcomer and need to continue to learn and grow”. Photo: 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University)/Propaganda Department of the Youth League Committee.

True, Edna, if not for Holly, no one would be listening at it

Artwork © Claudia Patricia Reyes Skinner (@claskinner)

A Voice from the Wilderness

Hosted, edited and produced by Dr. Tricia Jenkins for Worldwide: The Unchosen Church, this 30+ minute episode premieres newly discovered tapes of 11th World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, recorded between December 1976 and January 1977, discussing his experience with the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), a doomsday cult to which he donated large sums. The original tapes, whose best highlights are featured in this episode, were about 5 hours long, and most of the content was transcribed in full on the pages of Ambassador Report, 1977 (AR2) under the title “Bobby Fischer Speaks Out!”.

Blazing Noodles

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 3; Monte Carlo, October 28, 2022

Slav Defence D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. Qb3 Qb6 7. cxd5. Or, analogously, 7. Qxb6 axb6 8. cxd5 Bxf3 9. gxf3 cxd5 10. Bb5+ Nc6 11. Bd2 e6 12. Ke2 Be7 13. Rc1 Kd7 14. Nc3 Rhc8 15. Na4 Bd8 16. Rc2 Ne8 17. b3 Nd6 18. Bd3 g6 19. Rac1 Ke7 20. Kd1 f5 21. Bf1 g5 22. Nc3 Kf6 23. Nb1 Be7 24. Bd3 h5 25. Be2 h4 26. Nc3 Kf7 27. Nb5 Nxb5 28. Bxb5 Ba3 29. Rb1 Nb4 30. Rxc8 Rxc8 31. Bxb4 Bxb4 32. Bd3 Kf6 33. Ke2 Ra8 34. Rb2 Rc8 35. Rc2 Rxc2+ 36. Bxc2 Bc3 37. Kf1 b5 38. Bd3 b4 39. Bb5 e5 40. dxe5+ Kxe5 41. Bd7 b6 42. Ke2 f4 43. Bc8 Kd6 44. Bg4 Ke5 45. Bc8 Kd6 46. Bg4 Ke5 47. Bc8 ½ : ½ Muradlı – Shmavonyan, 14th Poti International Chess Festival A Open, Poti 2019.
7. ... cxd5 8. Qxb6 axb6 9. Bb5+ Nfd7 10. Nc3 Bxf3 11. gxf3 e6 12. Bd2 Nc6 13. Ke2 Bd6 14. Rac1 Ke7 15. Na4 Rac8?! To say it with Bobby Fischer, “Add another to those melancholy case histories entitled ‘the wrong Rook’”.
16. Kd3 f5 17. Rhg1 g6 18. f4!? Blocking the position in order to cement her space advantage, but at the cost of making her dark-squared Bishop a “bad” Bishop.
18. ... Rhg8 19. Rc2 Rc7 20. Rcc1. Apparently 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) has no clear ideas on how to proceed, and the suspect arises that a draw would now be welcome to her.
20. ... Kf7 21. Ke2 Rgc8 22. f3 Ncb8 23. Rxc7 Rxc7 24. Bc3 Rc8 25. Kd2 h6 26. b3 Be7 27. Nb2 g5 28. Nd3 Nc6

29. Rc1? The White Rook does not find peace, and thus doing, it ends up ceding the g-file to its Black counterpart. 29. b4! Bf6 30. a4⩲ was much more to the point.
29. ... gxf4 30. Nxf4 Rg8 31. Ke2 Ba3 32. Rd1 Bd6 33. Nd3 Rg2+ 34. Nf2 Nf6 35. Rc1? This ends up being an added trouble to an already uncomfortable (if not yet untenable) situation. She ought first to play 35. Bxc6.

35. ... f4! Suddenly White finds herself sitting on a broken chair, having to deal with a bad Bishop and weak Pawns, not to say of her Rook, vainly wandering in search of a propitious file.
36. Bd2. This may well be questionable, but 36. Bxc6 fxe3 37. Kxe3 bxc6 38. Nd3 Nh5! is also much better for Black.
36. ... fxe3 37. Bxe3 Ne7 38. Bd3 Nh5 39. Kf1 Rg3 40. Ke2 Nc6 41. Rd1 Nf4+! 42. Bxf4 Bxf4 43. Bb5 Ke7? But Muzychuk passes up her chance too. After 43. ... Nb4! 44. Nd3 (44. a4? Na2!−+) 44. ... Nxd3 45. Kxd3 (neither 45. Bxd3 nor 45. Rxd3 make any difference) 45. ... Rxh3 Black’s passed Pawn must tell in the end.
44. Bxc6! Of course White does not need to be told twice!
44. ... bxc6 45. b4. 45. a4 Bd6 46. Nd3 Rxh3 47. Rc1 Kd7 48. b4 just transposes into the game.
45. ... Bd6 46. Rc1 Kd7

47. Nd3! White, at the cost of a Pawn, makes her pieces breathe again.
47. ... Rxh3. If, instead, 47. ... Rg2+ then 48. Ke3 Rxa2 49. Rg1 hunting down the h-Pawn.
48. a4 Rh2+ 49. Ke3 Ra2 50. b5! cxb5. Or 50. ... c5 51. dxc5 bxc5 52. Nxc5+ Bxc5 53. Rxc5 Ra3+ 54. Ke2 Rxa4 55. b6 Rb4 56. Rc7+ Kd6 57. Rh7 Rxb6 58. Rxh6 with a book draw.
51. axb5 Ra5 52. Rh1 Rxb5 53. Rxh6 Rb1 54. Rh7+ Ke8 55. f4 b5 56. Rh6 Kd7 57. Rh7+ Kc6 58. Rh6 Kd7 59. Rh7+ Kc6 60. Rh6 Kd7 ½ : ½.

And in the end, it was a draw — but what a drama! — on the eve of tomorrow’s blazing afternoon. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

And that’s why, Edna, they are so envious and jealous of you that they try to make you feel that what you win is all their merit

Artwork © Michelle (@michelle.f_miss_aquarelle)

4X

Nodirbek Abdusattorov – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Group A; match game 3; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 27, 2022

nrkrbbnq/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NRKRBBNQ w DBdb - 0 1

Position #378

1. g4 Nb6 2. f4 d5 3. e4 Nf6 4. exd5 Nfxd5 5. Ne2 Bc6 6. Bg2? 6. Qg1 Nb4! (Δ ... Nb4xa2#) 7. b3 Nxa2+ 8. Kb2 Nb4 leaves Black a Pawn up, which all considered would be White’s best compromise!

6. ... g5! Vehemently taking the upper hand. Black’s Knights are ready to jump to b4 and c4 with winning threats.
7. fxg5 Qe5! 8. Qf1 Nb4? Threatening a smothered mate (... Nb4xa2#), but allowing White to recoordinate. Much better was 8. ... Ne3! 9. dxe3 Rxd1+ 10. Kxd1 Nc4 11. Bf2 0-0-0+ with a forcing attack.
9. Nc3 Bxg2 10. Qxg2

10. ... N6d5? Another mistake that compromises Black’s game quite irreversibly. Black ought to play 10. ... Nc4, because if now 11. Bg3?? (10. a3 Nd5= is correct) then 11. ... Qxc3!! 12. bxc3?? Nxa2#.
11. Bg3! Qxg5 12. 0-0 f6 13. Nb5 e5 14. Nxa7+ Kd7 15. a3 Bc5+ 16. Kh1 Bxa7 17. axb4 Nxb4. Black has temporarily recovered his Pawn, but his development suffers a grave lack of coordination.
18. Qe4. Double attack.
18. ... Nc6 19. Qxh7+ Kc8 20. Nb3 Rd7 21. Qh8+ Nd8. So now White’s got the Black King bottled up.
22. Qxf6 Qxg4 23. Qxe5 Qc4 24. Na5 Qa6

25. Rf8! Threatening Rf8xd8+.
25. ... Qh6. To avoid the Bishop check at h4 after 26. Rxd8+ Kxd8.
26. Rxd8+! Kxd8. Of course Black cannot take with the Rook, because of the mate on c7.
27. Re1! Kc8 28. Qe8+ Rd8 29. Qf7 1 : 0. For mate follows in a few moves.

Well, basically, yes, Edna. To handle stress and anxiety, it is generally enough to eat a random diet of sweets and pastry

Artwork © SirNoodles

Chaotic Dynamics

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Wesley So

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Group A; match game 2; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 26, 2022

nrkrbbqn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NRKRBBQN w DBdb - 0 1

Position #362

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Rxd5 3. Bc4 Rd6 4. f3 Ng6 5. Bg3 e5 6. a3 Bc6 7. Nf2 Nb6 8. Ba2 Bd5 9. Bxd5 Rxd5 10. Ne4 0-0-0 11. Nb3 h5 12. Nc3 R5d7 13. a4 h4 14. Bf2 f6 15. Ra1! White renounces the possibility of castling a-side as he needs the Rook on the a-file for attacking purposes.
15. ... Nf4 16. Bxb6 cxb6! Black cedes a Pawn to keep the a-file closed.
17. a5 Bb4 18. axb6 a6 19. Ra4 Bxc3 20. Qc5+ Kb8 21. bxc3

21. ... Nd3+!? Black sacrifices a second Pawn in order to strip away all vestiges of the White King.
22. cxd3 Qxb3 23. Rxh4

23. ... Rxd3? A countersense that invalidates Black’s previous moves. Consistent was 23. ... Qa2! 24. Rc4 (or 24. Rb4 Rc8=) 24. ... Qa1+ with a draw by perpetual check.
24. Rc4! With the fatal threat of 25. Qc7+ Ka8 26. Qc8+ followed by mate.
24. ... R3d7 25. d4!

25. ... Qb5? The exchange of Queens must have appeared to So as the lesser evil, but alas for him, the ensuing Rook ending is hopeless for Black. Other moves, however, wouldn’t necessarily be better: 25. ... exd4? 26. Rd2! (Δ Rd2-b2) 26. ... dxc3 27. Qc7+!! Rxc7 28. Rxd8+ followed by mate. The best, probably, would be 25. ... Qa2, but then after 26. 0-0!! (h-side castling) White comes out with a Pawn ahead and much the better game.
26. Qxb5 axb5 27. Rc5 exd4 28. Rxd4 Rxd4 29. cxd4 Rd6 (29. ... Rxd4 30. Rc7!+−)
30. Rxb5 Rxd4 31. Rh5 Kc8 32. Rh8+ Kd7 33. Rh7 Rc4+ 34. Kd2 Kc6 35. Rxg7 Kxb6 36. Rg6 Ka5 37. Rxf6 b5 38. Rf8 b4 39. Rb8 Ka4 40. g4 b3 41. h4 Rf4 42. Ra8+ Kb5 43. Ke3 Rb4 44. Ra1 Kc5 45. h5 Kd5 46. h6 Ke6 47. h7 Rb8 48. Rb1 1 : 0.

Of course, Edna, a daily diet worthy of the power of a great empire consists basically of six layers of grandma’s egg custard pie

Artwork © PSWCreations

Byte-Sized

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 1; Monte Carlo, October 25, 2022

Slav Defence D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. g4 Bg6 7. Ne5 Nbd7 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. cxd5 (9. Bg2 g5 10. 0-0 e6 11. Nd2 Bd6 12. Re1 Nf8 13. cxd5 Nxd5 14. Nc4 Ng6 15. Qb3 Rb8 16. Nxd6+ Qxd6 17. Qa3 Qc7 18. Qxa7 Kd7 19. Bd2 Rh6 20. Rac1 Rbh8 21. Ba5 Qc8 22. b4 Qb8 23. Qxb8 Rxb8 24. b5 Rhh8 25. Rc2 Ra8 26. Bd2 cxb5 27. Bf1 b4 28. Rb2 Nh4 29. Be2 Nc3 30. Bxc3 bxc3 31. Rxb7+ Kd6 32. Reb1 c2 33. R1b6+ Kd5 34. Rb5+ Kd6 35. R5b6+ Kd5 36. Rb5+ Kd6 37. R5b6+ Kd5 38. Rb5+ ½ : ½ Javakhishvili – M. O. Muzychuk, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2015–16, 3rd stage, Batumi 2016)
9. ... cxd5 10. Nc3 e6 11. Bd2 g5 12. Bd3 Rc8 (12. ... Be7 13. Rc1 Rc8 14. f3 Kf8 15. Kf2 g6 16. Qa4 a6 17. Qb3 b5 18. a4 b4 19. Ne2 a5 20. Kg2 Kg7 21. Rxc8 Qxc8 22. Rc1 Qb7 23. Qd1 Nb6 24. b3 Rc8 25. Be1 Rxc1 26. Qxc1 Qc8 27. Qd2 Qc6 28. Bf2 Nc8 29. Qe1 Kg8 30. Qh1 Kg7 31. Kg1 Nd6 32. Bg3 Kg8 33. Qh2 Nc4 34. h4 Nd2 35. Kg2 Nxb3 36. hxg5 Nh7 37. Be5 Bxg5 38. f4 Bf6 39. f5 exf5 40. gxf5 g5 41. Qh6 Qb6 42. Ng3 Qd8 43. Nh5 Bxe5 44. f6 1 : 0 Gunina – Girya, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2015–16, 5th stage, Khanty-Mansiysk 2016)
13. Kf1 Bd6 14. Kg2 g6 15. Qe2 Kf8 16. e4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 Nxe4 18. Qxe4

18. ... Nb6. The sacrifice of the Pawn, though probably prepared, won’t give Black what she wants; however, further analysis are required to assess its merit.
19. Qxb7 Bf4?! Here, for example, 19. ... Kg7!? 20. Qf3 Nc4 21. Bc1 Bf4 might be an improvement.
20. Bxf4 gxf4 21. Qe4 Nc4 22. Rac1. 22. b3 Ne3+! 23. fxe3 Rxc3 almost equalises.
22. ... Nxb2

23. Ne2! Kg7 24. Nxf4 Qf6 25. d5! Rxc1 (25. ... e5 26. Ne2)
26. Rxc1 Rd8 27. Rc7 exd5 28. Nxd5 Qd6 29. Qd4+ Kh6

30. Qf4+. 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) plays it safe, relying upon her remarkable technique — which may explain, if not justify, the fact she overlooked 30. g5+! Kxg5 31. Qe3+ Kh5 32. Nf4+ with mate in a few moves.
30. ... Qxf4 31. Nxf4 f6 32. Rxa7 Rd2 33. h4 Nd1 34. Nh3 g5 35. hxg5+ fxg5 36. Ra6+ Kg7 37. Ra5 Kf6 38. Kg3 Nc3 39. Nxg5 Rxa2 40. Rf5+. 40. Rxa2 Nxa2 41. f4 is an easy win as well.
40. ... Kg6 41. Nh3 Ne4+ 42. Kh4 Ra1 43. f3 Nd2 44. Nf4+ Kh7 45. Ne6 Ra3 46. Kh5 Re3 (46. ... Nxf3? 47. Rxf3!+−)
47. Ng5+ Kg8 48. Kg6 Nc4 49. f4 Rb3 50. Nh7 Rb6+ 51. Nf6+ Kf8 52. Rc5 Nd2 53. Rc7 1 : 0.

It appeared that 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) was well prepared against Muzychuk’s Slav. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Simplicity in Complexity

Wesley So – Hjörvar Steinn Grétarsson

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Group A; match game 2; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 25, 2022

rnbbkqrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBBKQRN w GAga - 0 1

Position #629

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 c6 3. e4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bb6? (⌓ 4. ... f5 5. Nc5 Bb6)
5. c3. 5. Qe2 Nd7 6. c3 Bc7 transposes into the game.
5. ... Nd7 6. Qe2 Bc7 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Nhg3

8. ... h5? This seems a velleitary Pawn sacrifice, but Black’s situation was very difficult in any case. Perhaps he could try 8. ... Bg4 9. f3 Bd7 followed by ... 0-0-0 (a-side castling).
9. Nxf6+ gxf6 10. Nxh5. With the incidental threat of Nh5xf6+.
10. ... Kd8 11. Bf4 Ng6 12. Bxc7+ Kxc7 13. Qe3 Be6

14. Bb3! Bxb3 15. axb3 Rh8 16. Qg3+ Kb6? The Black King goes for a journey with no return, but after 16. ... Kd7 17. Ra5! White still holds a powerful grip on the game.
17. c4! a6 (17. ... Rxh5 18. c5++−)
18. c5+ Ka7

19. Rxa6+! 1 : 0. Mate follows after 19. ... Kxa6 (19. ... bxa6 20. Qc7#) 20. Ra1+ Kb5 21. Qd3+ Kb4 22. Qc4#.

Monte Carlo Methods

Humpy Koneru – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 1; Monte Carlo, October 25, 2022

Queen’s Gambit Accepted D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. 0-0 a6 7. b3 Nbd7 8. Be2 b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. Bf3 Bxf3!? A good novelty. If, instead, 10. ... Qc7 then 11. Nxd7 Qxd7 12. Bb2⩲ 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Aronian, 2nd Online Speed Chess Championship Main Event, chess.com, December 6, 2021, Quarterfinal match game 5 (time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move).
11. Qxf3 Bd6 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. Ba3 Qb8 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Qc6+ Ke7 16. Nd2

16. ... Rc8!? Simpler and safer is 16. ... Qb7! 17. Qxb7+ Nxb7 18. Bb2 f6 with approximate equality.
17. Qf3 Bxh2+!? Even a Pawn may well prove a temptation hard to resist.
18. Kh1

18. ... Bd6? It was probably wiser to return the Pawn by 18. ... Be5 19. Rac1 Kf8 20. Ne4 Kg8 21. Nxc5 bxc5 22. Bxc5 a5 with near equality.
19. Nc4 Kf8? And here is the losing move. 19. ... Ke8! was called for, reserving the square f8 for the Bishop.
20. Rad1 Be7 21. Bxc5 bxc5 22. Rd7. Threatening to trap the queen with Rd7-b7.
22. ... Ra7

23. Nd6! Qxd6. If 23. ... Bxd6 then 24. Qxf7#.
24. Rxa7 1 : 0.

A Knight, a Knight! My kingdom for a Knight! Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

From the Earth to the Moon

Magnus Carlsen – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Group B; match game 1; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 25, 2022

rnbbkqrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBBKQRN w GAga - 0 1

Position #629

1. d4 c5 2. d5 e6 3. e4 Qd6? In fact, here is a big mistake leading to immediate trouble. 3. ... exd5 4. exd5 Qe7+ seems playable.
4. Nc3 Ng6 5. f4 Ba5 6. Qf2! exd5

7. 0-0! d4? Of course, this only makes things worse. But Black had no particularly attractive options — for example: 7. ... Bxc3 8. bxc3 dxe4 9. f5 Ne5 10. Qg3! with great advantage to White.
8. e5 Qe7 9. Ne4 0-0 10. Nhg3 Bc7

11. Nf5 Qd8 12. Nfd6 Bxd6 13. Nxd6 Nc6 14. Be2 f6 15. Qg3 Qe7 16. Bc4+ Kh8

17. Rf3! With the fatal threat of Qg3xg6 followed by Rf3-h3#.
17. ... b5 18. Bd5. 18. Qxg6 bxc4 19. Rh3 wins as well, but by now it is a matter of taste.
18. ... fxe5 19. Qxg6 Rf6 20. Qe8+ Qxe8 21. Nxe8 e4 22. Nxf6 exf3 23. Ne4 c4 24. Bd2 Rb8 25. Re1 1 : 0.