A magellanic and a gentoo penguin hanging out on the beach on the Falkland Islands. Photo: Jennifer Hadley/CWP. |
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Near & Far
Friday, December 30, 2022
Piano Lessons
Paraphrasing Him, one could say that it is easier for a trojan horse to pass through the Great Firewall, than for a poor devil to enter into the queendom of God. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE. |
King Midas
Magnus Carlsen – Vincent Keymer
10th World Blitz Chess Championship; time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; Almaty, December 30, 2022
2rr2k1/ppq2pp1/3b2p1/2n3Pn/4p1Q1/1P1pP2P/PBPR1PB1/1KR1N3 b - - 1 24
Position after 24. Nf3-e1
Once again Carlsen proved his superiority over all his rivals — both young and old — above and beyond formal titles. In the position in the diagram, the young German star Vincent Keymer could now — and should — play 24. ... Nf4!⇄ with quite a mess.
24. ... Be5?! 25. Bxe5 Qxe5 26. cxd3 Nxd3?? An hallucination that loses heavy material. 26. ... f5 27. Qd1! or (perhaps better) 26. ... Nxb3!? 27. Rxc8 (27. axb3 Rxc1+ 28. Kxc1 Qa1+ 29. Kc2 f5 30. gxf6 Nxf6 31. Qe6+ Kh8 32. Rd1 Qa2+ 33. Kc1 Nd7!−+) 27. ... Qa1+ 28. Kc2 Qc1+ 29. Kxb3 Rxc8 30. Rc2 Qb1+ 31. Rb2 Qc1 32. a3 Rc5 33. Ka2 Qxe1 34. Bxe4 would leave White a Pawn ahead — which was probably the best Black could hope for.
27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Qxc8+ 1 : 0.
24. ... Be5?! 25. Bxe5 Qxe5 26. cxd3 Nxd3?? An hallucination that loses heavy material. 26. ... f5 27. Qd1! or (perhaps better) 26. ... Nxb3!? 27. Rxc8 (27. axb3 Rxc1+ 28. Kxc1 Qa1+ 29. Kc2 f5 30. gxf6 Nxf6 31. Qe6+ Kh8 32. Rd1 Qa2+ 33. Kc1 Nd7!−+) 27. ... Qa1+ 28. Kc2 Qc1+ 29. Kxb3 Rxc8 30. Rc2 Qb1+ 31. Rb2 Qc1 32. a3 Rc5 33. Ka2 Qxe1 34. Bxe4 would leave White a Pawn ahead — which was probably the best Black could hope for.
27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Qxc8+ 1 : 0.
With his double gold victories, Carlsen raised his standards higher and higher. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE. |
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Thursday, December 29, 2022
The Sun Also Shines at Night
The 1970 World Cup was the first to be watched live by a global television audience. It was also the first to be broadcast in colour, and in the brilliant Mexican sunshine the gold shirts and cobalt blue shorts of Brazil dazzled the watching world. They won the tournament for the third time playing football of such imagination and thrilling execution it is regarded as one of the high-water marks in the history of sport. This picture shows Pelé celebrating his goal, the first in a 4–1 win over Italy in the final, in the 18th minute. Photo: Colorsport/Shutterstock. |
Time and Again
谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Ulviyya Fataliyeva
8th Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship; time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; Almaty, December 29, 2022
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37
1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 c6 8. Bd3 b6. An oldie but a goodie: 8. ... Nh5 9. Be5 f6 10. Bg3 f5 11. Ng5? (11. b4) 11. ... Ndf6? (11. ... Nxc5!) 12. Be5 g6 13. h3 b6 14. g4 Ng7 15. Na4 Ne4 16. Nxe4 fxe4 17. Be2 Ne8 18. Qb3 b5 19. Nc3 a5 20. Bd1 Bh4 21. Rh2 Ba6 22. Ne2 Ra7 23. Nf4 Qc8 24. Rg2 g5 25. Nh5 Raf7 26. Ng3 b4 27. Qa4 Qd8 28. Qxc6 Bc8 29. a3 Rb7 30. b3 Ra7 31. axb4 Ra6 32. Qb5 Nc7 33. Qb8 1 : 0 Steinitz – Chigorin, International Tournament, Nuremberg 1896.
9. b4 a5 10. a3 Ba6 11. 0-0 Qc8 12. h3 Qb7 13. Qc2 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 h6 15. Rfb1 axb4 16. axb4 b5 17. Nd2 Rxa1 18. Rxa1 Ra8 19. Qb1 Ra6. If 19. ... Bd8 then 20. Rxa8 (or 20. Nb3⩲ Dziuba – Żeberski, 15th Czech Open A, Pardubice 2006) 20. ... Qxa8 21. Qa2 Qxa2 22. Nxa2 Ne8 23. Nb3⩲ Kunte – Kayumov, 7th Open, Dubai 2005.
20. Nb3. Here 20. Rxa6 Qxa6 21. Qa2 Qb7 (21. ... Qxa2? 22. Nxa2 Ne4 23. Nb3+− Hingouet – Stephan, 11th d’Ille et Vilaine Open, Rennes 2018) 22. Qa5 seems to give White a somewhat better game.
20. ... Bd8 21. Na5 Qa8 22. Ra2 Bxa5 23. Qa1
9. b4 a5 10. a3 Ba6 11. 0-0 Qc8 12. h3 Qb7 13. Qc2 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 h6 15. Rfb1 axb4 16. axb4 b5 17. Nd2 Rxa1 18. Rxa1 Ra8 19. Qb1 Ra6. If 19. ... Bd8 then 20. Rxa8 (or 20. Nb3⩲ Dziuba – Żeberski, 15th Czech Open A, Pardubice 2006) 20. ... Qxa8 21. Qa2 Qxa2 22. Nxa2 Ne8 23. Nb3⩲ Kunte – Kayumov, 7th Open, Dubai 2005.
20. Nb3. Here 20. Rxa6 Qxa6 21. Qa2 Qb7 (21. ... Qxa2? 22. Nxa2 Ne4 23. Nb3+− Hingouet – Stephan, 11th d’Ille et Vilaine Open, Rennes 2018) 22. Qa5 seems to give White a somewhat better game.
20. ... Bd8 21. Na5 Qa8 22. Ra2 Bxa5 23. Qa1
23. ... Nb8?! Very interesting is 23. ... Ne4 24. Rxa5 Rxa5 25. Qxa5 (25. bxa5 Qa6 should not worry Black too much) 25. ... Qc8 on which might follow 26. Nxb5!? cxb5 27. Qxb5 Qa8! 28. Qa5! Qc8∞ with practical chances for White.
24. Bxb8 Qxb8 25. Rxa5 Rxa5 26. Qxa5!? After 26. bxa5 Ne8 27. Na2 b4!? (of course Black cannot allow the White Knight to jump into b4) 28. Qb2 b3 29. Nc1 Qb4 30. Nxb3 (or 30. Qxb3!? Qxa5 31. Nd3 aiming at a more dynamic advantage) 30. ... Nc7 31. Qa2 White is a Pawn ahead, but, with such a time control, technical issues may be anything but natural.
26. ... Qb7 27. Ne2 Kh7 28. Nf4
24. Bxb8 Qxb8 25. Rxa5 Rxa5 26. Qxa5!? After 26. bxa5 Ne8 27. Na2 b4!? (of course Black cannot allow the White Knight to jump into b4) 28. Qb2 b3 29. Nc1 Qb4 30. Nxb3 (or 30. Qxb3!? Qxa5 31. Nd3 aiming at a more dynamic advantage) 30. ... Nc7 31. Qa2 White is a Pawn ahead, but, with such a time control, technical issues may be anything but natural.
26. ... Qb7 27. Ne2 Kh7 28. Nf4
28. ... Nd7? (⌓ 28. ... Ne4!)
29. Qd8 Nb8? (29. ... Nf6 30. Nd3 Ne4 31. Qe8 Qa7 32. Kh2)
30. Nh5+− (30. Qe8+− Δ Nf4-d3-e5)
30. ... Na6 31. Qf8 f6 32. Nf4 e5 33. dxe5 fxe5 34. Qf5+ Kg8 35. Qxe5 Nxb4
29. Qd8 Nb8? (29. ... Nf6 30. Nd3 Ne4 31. Qe8 Qa7 32. Kh2)
30. Nh5+− (30. Qe8+− Δ Nf4-d3-e5)
30. ... Na6 31. Qf8 f6 32. Nf4 e5 33. dxe5 fxe5 34. Qf5+ Kg8 35. Qxe5 Nxb4
36. h4? (36. Qe8+! Kh7 37. Ng6!+−)
36. ... Kf7?? (36. ... Qd7! 37. Qb8+ Kf7 38. h5⩲)
37. Qe6+ Kf8 38. Ng6# 1 : 0.
36. ... Kf7?? (36. ... Qd7! 37. Qb8+ Kf7 38. h5⩲)
37. Qe6+ Kf8 38. Ng6# 1 : 0.
Movin’ on
Serbian tennis star Novak Đoković, on the quest for his 10th Australian Open title, returned to Australia on Tuesday, one year after his detention and deportation for being unvaccinated against COVID-19. In the meantime, many things have changed. A new government came to power, and Đoković’s three-year visa ban was finally overturned. Yet it is not just a matter of whether one feels like a year ago, before all that’s happened. “Obviously what happened 12 months ago was not easy for me, for my family, team, anybody who is close to me. It’s obviously disappointing to leave the country like that”, he said.
“You can’t forget those events. It’s one of these things that stays with you for I guess the rest of your life. It’s something that I’ve never experienced before and hopefully never again. But it is a valuable life experience for me and something that as I said will stay there, but I have to move on”. Photo: Mark Brake/Getty Images. |
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
The Sixth Sense
Fabiano Caruana – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev
10th World Rapid Chess Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Almaty, December 28, 2022
3rrbk1/5pp1/pq5p/2p1R2Q/1nP3N1/2B4P/1P3PP1/3R2K1 w - - 4 27
Position after 26. ... Rb8-d8
Fabiano Caruana took third place bronze and played many brilliant games. This is how he wiped out Artemiev from the raffle for the title:
27. Rd7! Rxd7 28. Rxe8 (Δ Ng4-f6+)
28. ... Rd8 29. Ne5! f6. If 29. ... Rxe8 then 30. Qxf7+ Kh7 31. Nd7 Qg6 32. Nf6+! winning. A little better may be 29. ... g6, although 30. Qf3 f5 31. Rxd8 Qxd8 32. Nxg6 would leave Black without hope.
30. Qf7+ Kh7 31. Nd7 Rxd7 32. Qxd7 Bd6 33. Qf5+ 1 : 0.
27. Rd7! Rxd7 28. Rxe8 (Δ Ng4-f6+)
28. ... Rd8 29. Ne5! f6. If 29. ... Rxe8 then 30. Qxf7+ Kh7 31. Nd7 Qg6 32. Nf6+! winning. A little better may be 29. ... g6, although 30. Qf3 f5 31. Rxd8 Qxd8 32. Nxg6 would leave Black without hope.
30. Qf7+ Kh7 31. Nd7 Rxd7 32. Qxd7 Bd6 33. Qf5+ 1 : 0.
As focused as he was on the board, Caruana nevertheless might have felt that nearby there was an interested spectator. Photo: Lennart Ootes/FIDE. |
New Worlds and Old
Magnus Carlsen – Parham Maghsoodloo
10th World Rapid Chess Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Almaty, December 28, 2022
r1r1n1k1/5ppp/4p3/pbqpP1PP/1p3Q2/3B1PN1/PPP4R/1K1R4 w - - 1 25
Position after 24. ... Bd7-b5
Yes, Magnus Carlsen gave up his FIDE classic title, but once again, for the fourth time in eight years, won the world rapid crown, which in his view is not merely a surrogate for the classical one. The freshness of his play as well as his encyclopedic theoretical background prove that he has lost neither the will nor the enthusiasm to fulfil his highest ideal of chess.
As for the position in the diagram, it is the outcome of a Sicilian gone terribly wrong or, conversely, of a Richter-Rauzer gone perfectly right. White is to move and mate:
25. Bxh7+! Kxh7 26. g6+! fxg6 27. Qf7! g5 28. h6! 1 : 0.
As for the position in the diagram, it is the outcome of a Sicilian gone terribly wrong or, conversely, of a Richter-Rauzer gone perfectly right. White is to move and mate:
25. Bxh7+! Kxh7 26. g6+! fxg6 27. Qf7! g5 28. h6! 1 : 0.
Carlsen voluntarily abdicated his throne, but on the other hand, he didn’t want to burn all bridges behind him. Photo: Lennart Ootes/FIDE. |
Another Day in the Life
Dinara Ramazanovna Saduakassova – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
8th Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship; tie-break game 2; time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; Almaty, December 28, 2022
8/1r3ppp/8/p1pk4/P2p1P2/1P1K2P1/5P1P/1R6 b - - 7 37
Position after 37. Rc1-b1
Here is the epiphany of the tie-breaker for the title. In the position in the diagram, material equality is irrelevant, as now 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) obtains the victory and the kingdom with a petite combinaison:
37. ... Rxb3+! 38. Rxb3 c4+ 39. Kc2 cxb3+ 40. Kxb3 f5! 0 : 1.
37. ... Rxb3+! 38. Rxb3 c4+ 39. Kc2 cxb3+ 40. Kxb3 f5! 0 : 1.
Five years after her first time, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) climbed to the top again. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE. |
Journey to Now
谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Nino Batsiashvili
8th Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Almaty, December 28, 2022
Queen’s Gambit Declined D36
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7
6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 c6 8. Bd3 0-0 9. Qc2 Ne8 10. Bg3 Nd6 11. Nf3 Be6 12. 0-0 Nd7 13. Rad1. It may be interesting to note that, only a year ago, Magnus Carlsen, the Champ of Champs, won a roller-coaster game after 13. a4 a5 14. b3 Re8 15. Ne5
Qc8 16. f3 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Nf5 18. Bxf5? Bxf5 19. e4 Bg6 20. Qb2 dxe4 21. fxe4 Bb4
22. Rae1 f6 23. Bf4 Bxc3 24. Qxc3 Bxe4 25. Qg3 Kh7?! 26. Bxh6! gxh6? (26. ... Bg6) 27. Rxf6 Qd7
28. Ref1? (28. Rxe4!+−) 28. ... Qxd4+−+ 29. Kh1 Rad8 30. Qh4?? Bxg2+ 0 : 1 Predke – Carlsen, 9th World Blitz Chess Championship, Warsaw 2021 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move).
13. ... Qc8 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Nf5 16. Bf4 g5 17. Bg3 Rd8 18. Qe2 Nxg3 19. hxg3 b5. Black dares to advance her Pawns on both wings, apparently oblivious to its potentially dangerous consequences.
20. Bb1 Bf5
13. ... Qc8 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Nf5 16. Bf4 g5 17. Bg3 Rd8 18. Qe2 Nxg3 19. hxg3 b5. Black dares to advance her Pawns on both wings, apparently oblivious to its potentially dangerous consequences.
20. Bb1 Bf5
21. e4 Bg4? An unfortunate error, and especially unfortunate because its refutation turns out to be grounded on a sequence of two forced moves. 21. ... dxe4! would have simplified the position, leaving White with little but her symbolic initiative.
22. f3 d4 23. Nd5! cxd5 24. fxg4 Bc5 25. Kh2 Qe6 26. exd5 Qxd5 27. Qd3. White’s attack is now irresistible.
27. ... Kf8
22. f3 d4 23. Nd5! cxd5 24. fxg4 Bc5 25. Kh2 Qe6 26. exd5 Qxd5 27. Qd3. White’s attack is now irresistible.
27. ... Kf8
28. e6! Qxe6 29. Rde1 Qxg4. Otherwise Qd3-h7 with a mating net.
30. Rxf7+! 1 : 0. For after 30. ... Kxf7 there follows 31. Qg6+ Kf8 32. Qxh6+ with mate in four moves.
And then 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) won again. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Chess Federation of Russia. |
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
A Ticket To...
Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
8th Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Almaty, December 27, 2022
2R1r1B1/6p1/p5kp/1p2qp2/1P1n1Q2/P4PP1/4p2P/4K3 w - - 5 45
Position after 44. ... Kh7-g6
As a low-key person in the loud world of chess, 16th Women’s World Chess Champion 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) is too often underestimated. The position in the diagram shows the final details of her game against Gunina, one of the favorites to the title. White (Gunina) is to move and the question is: should she continue or surrender?
45. Rxe8? The question mark is just pro forma, because also 45. Qxe5 Rxe5 46. Rc3 Kf6 followed by the advance of the g-Pawn would have left Black with an easy game to win.
45. ... Nc2+ 46. Kf2 e1=Q+ 47. Kg2 Ne3+. Or 47. ... Q1e2+ 48. Kh3 (otherwise ... Qa5-a1+ follows) 48. ... Qf1+ 49. Kh4+ Qf6+ followed by mate. White might make it a bit longer now, yet not by much, by sacrificing her Queen — but no, Gunina have had enough:
48. Kh3 Qf1+ 0 : 1.
45. Rxe8? The question mark is just pro forma, because also 45. Qxe5 Rxe5 46. Rc3 Kf6 followed by the advance of the g-Pawn would have left Black with an easy game to win.
45. ... Nc2+ 46. Kf2 e1=Q+ 47. Kg2 Ne3+. Or 47. ... Q1e2+ 48. Kh3 (otherwise ... Qa5-a1+ follows) 48. ... Qf1+ 49. Kh4+ Qf6+ followed by mate. White might make it a bit longer now, yet not by much, by sacrificing her Queen — but no, Gunina have had enough:
48. Kh3 Qf1+ 0 : 1.
The question is: how long will 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) delay her return home? Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Chess Federation of Russia. |
The Wrong Knight
Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Elina Danielian
8th Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Almaty, December 27, 2022
Réti Opening A07
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 Bg4 4. 0-0 Nd7 5. h3 Bh5 6. d4 e6 7. c4 Ngf6 8. cxd5 cxd5. The strategic alternative is 8. ... exd5 9. Nc3 Bxf3 10. exf3 (in the first game of tie-break White recaptured with the Bishop, but after 10. Bxf3 Ngf6 11. Bf4 Nf8 12. Qb3 Qd7 13. Bg2 Ne6 14. Be3 0-0 15. Rad1 Ne8 16. Qa4 Qd8 17. Qc2 Nd6 she achieved nothing special) 10. ... Ngf6 11. h4 0-0 12. Bh3 Nb6 13. Qd3 Re8 14. b3 Nfd7?! 15. Re1 Bf6?! 16. Bd2 a5 17. Kg2 Nf8 18. Rxe8 Qxe8 19. Re1 Qd8 20. Nd1! Nbd7 24. Bxe6! fxe6 25. Ng4 Re8 26. f4 Qd8 27. h5 h6?! 28. Re3 Kh8 29. b5! Nb8 30. Qe2 cxb5 31. Qxb5 Qc8 32. Qxa4+− 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Goryachkina, Women’s World Chess Championship match, Vladivostok 2020, tie-break game 3 (time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). For the readers’ sake, the game was deeply annotated by four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).
9. Nc3 Bd6 10. Qb3 Qb6 11. Qxb6 Nxb6 12. Ne5 Rc8 13. Bf4 Ke7 (13. ... Bb8 14. Rac1 0-0 15. g4 Bg6 16. Nxg6 hxg6 17. Bxb8 Rxb8 18. g5 Ne8 19. e4 dxe4 20. Nxe4 Rd8 21. Nc5 Nd6 22. Nxb7 Nxb7 23. Bxb7 Rxd4 24. Rfd1 Rfd8 25. Rxd4 Rxd4 26. Rc2 Kf8 27. Kg2 f6 28. b3 fxg5 29. Bf3 Ke7 30. Rc5 Kf6 31. Ra5 Rd7 32. Kf1 Rc7 33. Ke1 Nd7 34. Kd2 Ne5 35. Be2 Nc6 36. Ra4 Rd7+ 37. Ke3 Ne7 38. Bc4 Nf5+ 39. Kf3 Nd6 40. Ke3 Nf5+ 41. Kf3 Nd6 ½ : ½ Neiksans – G. C. Flear, 38th French Team Chess Championship, Chartres 2017)
14. g4 Bg6 15. Nb5
9. Nc3 Bd6 10. Qb3 Qb6 11. Qxb6 Nxb6 12. Ne5 Rc8 13. Bf4 Ke7 (13. ... Bb8 14. Rac1 0-0 15. g4 Bg6 16. Nxg6 hxg6 17. Bxb8 Rxb8 18. g5 Ne8 19. e4 dxe4 20. Nxe4 Rd8 21. Nc5 Nd6 22. Nxb7 Nxb7 23. Bxb7 Rxd4 24. Rfd1 Rfd8 25. Rxd4 Rxd4 26. Rc2 Kf8 27. Kg2 f6 28. b3 fxg5 29. Bf3 Ke7 30. Rc5 Kf6 31. Ra5 Rd7 32. Kf1 Rc7 33. Ke1 Nd7 34. Kd2 Ne5 35. Be2 Nc6 36. Ra4 Rd7+ 37. Ke3 Ne7 38. Bc4 Nf5+ 39. Kf3 Nd6 40. Ke3 Nf5+ 41. Kf3 Nd6 ½ : ½ Neiksans – G. C. Flear, 38th French Team Chess Championship, Chartres 2017)
14. g4 Bg6 15. Nb5
15. ... Ne8?! Preferable was 15. ... Bb8 along the lines of the aforementioned Neiksans – G. C. Flear.
16. Rfc1. After 16. Nxa7 Rc2 Black will regain her Pawn.
16. ... a6 17. Rxc8 Nxc8 18. Rc1 Bxe5. 18. ... axb5 19. Rxc8 leaves Black with a somewhat cramped position — and certainly one not easy to play with such a time control.
19. Bxe5 f6 20. Bf4 Kd7 21. Nc3 h5 22. e4!? White does not resist the temptation to open the game up for the benefit of her Bishop pair, but here 22. Na4! b6 23. Bf1 Ned6 24. f3 deserved serious consideration.
22. ... dxe4 23. Nxe4 Bxe4 24. Bxe4
16. Rfc1. After 16. Nxa7 Rc2 Black will regain her Pawn.
16. ... a6 17. Rxc8 Nxc8 18. Rc1 Bxe5. 18. ... axb5 19. Rxc8 leaves Black with a somewhat cramped position — and certainly one not easy to play with such a time control.
19. Bxe5 f6 20. Bf4 Kd7 21. Nc3 h5 22. e4!? White does not resist the temptation to open the game up for the benefit of her Bishop pair, but here 22. Na4! b6 23. Bf1 Ned6 24. f3 deserved serious consideration.
22. ... dxe4 23. Nxe4 Bxe4 24. Bxe4
24. ... Ned6? A wrong move, and most dramatically, the wrong Knight! 24. ... Ncd6! 25. Bf3 hxg4 26. hxg4 g5 27. Bg3 Rh7 was the right way to do what she wanted to do.
25. Bf3? But White misses the chance to disintegrate Black’s Queenside Pawns by 25. Bxb7! (25. ... Nxb7 26. Rc7+).
25. ... hxg4 26. hxg4 g5 27. Bg3
25. Bf3? But White misses the chance to disintegrate Black’s Queenside Pawns by 25. Bxb7! (25. ... Nxb7 26. Rc7+).
25. ... hxg4 26. hxg4 g5 27. Bg3
27. ... Rh7? A tactical slip which loses both the a- and b-Pawns leaving White with a won ending. Black could well consolidate her position with 27. ... Rd8 28. b3 Ke7! followed by ... Rd8-d7 and ... Nc8-b6. Not less interesting is 27. ... Na7!? (idem to say 27. ... Ne7!?) 28. Bxb7 Rb8 29. Bxa7 Rxb2 with very strong drawing chances.
28. Bxb7! Nb6? This loses a piece, but the endgame was lost for Black in any case.
29. Bxd6 Kxd6 30. Rc6+ 1 : 0.
28. Bxb7! Nb6? This loses a piece, but the endgame was lost for Black in any case.
29. Bxd6 Kxd6 30. Rc6+ 1 : 0.
After the disappointment in the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23, Goryachkina is back looking for a less-unhappy ending and a second act. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Chess Federation of Russia. |
Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans
Observance of Christmas by artist. Courtesy of História da Arte Online. |
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Monday, December 26, 2022
A Day Like Today
It’s been a long time since Claudia entered for the first time into the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, and her confidence grew while studying and rehearsing contemporary choreographies. Still today she will show up unfailingly every Monday evening for her dance class. Alas, not today. Regretfully, today is Saint Stephen’s Day! So, today, why not stage a post-Christmas Day and exchange gifts with Mado Flynn? |
Through the Desert
The Last Bus Midnight. The last bus. The conductor cuts me a ticket. Neither bad news nor a big dinner is waiting for me at home. For me, absence waits. I approach it without sadness or fear. The great dark is closing in. Now I can look at the world quietly and at peace. I’m no longer surprised by a friend’s treachery, a knife concealed in a handshake. It's useless — the enemy can’t provoke me now. I passed through the forest of idols with my axe — how easily they all came down. I put my beliefs to the test once more, I’m thankful that most of them turned out pure. I have never been radiant this way, never free like this. Nâzım Hikmet English translation by Randy Blasing and Mutlu Konuk |
René Magritte, La Reconnaissance Infinie, 1961.
Sunday, December 25, 2022
Hello, World!
In a wide-ranging interview with Jeff Slate of The Wall Street Journal, Bob Dylan said that “Technology is like: sorcery. It’s a magic show, conjures up spirits, it is an extension of our body, like the wheel is an extension of our foot. But it might be the final nail driven into the coffin of civilization; we just don’t know. Nikola Tesla, the great inventor, said that he could take down the Brooklyn Bridge with a small vibrator. Today, we can probably do the same thing with a pocket computer. Log in, log out, load and download; we’re all wired up”.
Saturday, December 24, 2022
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Friday, December 23, 2022
Strawberry Fields Forever
A woman visits illuminated decorations assembled ahead of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, at a department store in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters. |
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Simple But Not Easy
Verica Jovanović – Clarice Benini
Women’s Western European Zonal Tournament; Venice, July 10, 1951
French Defence C10
Women’s Western European Zonal Tournament; Venice, July 10, 1951
French Defence C10
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Bd3 Ngf6 7. 0-0 Nxe4 8.
Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bd3 0-0 10. Bg5 b6 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Be4 Rb8 13. Qd3 g6
14. Ne5. This is pretty insignificant, but the women of third millennium did not show much more either: 14. Rad1 Qd6 15. Rfe1 Rd8 16. Qe2
Bd7 17. c3 Bc6 18. Nd2 Bg7 19. Nc4 Qd7 20. Ne5 Bxe5 21. dxe5
Qe8 22. h4 h5 23. g3 ½ : ½ Sebag – Chiburdanidze, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2009–11, 6th stage, Doha 2011.
14. ... Bxe5 15. dxe5 Qxd3 16. Bxd3 Bb7 17. Rad1 c5 18. c4 Rfd8 19. Bc2 Ba6 20. b3 Bb7
21. f3 Kf8 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Bxd1 g5 25. Bc2 h6 26. h4 f6 27.
exf6 Kf7 28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Kf2 Kxf6 30. Ke3 Ke5 31. g3 a6 32. f4+ gxf4+ 33.
gxf4+ Kd6 34. Be4 Bxe4 35. Kxe4 b5?? A gross blunder which throws away a completely drawn King and Pawn ending. By simply 35. ... Kd7 Black would hold her own; for instance: 36. f5 (36. Ke5 Ke7 37. a3 a5 38. a4 Kd7 39. Kf6 Kd6=) 36. ... Ke7! 37. Ke5 exf5 38. Kxf5 Kf7 39. Ke5 Ke7 40. Kd5 Kd7 41. a3 a5 42. a4 Kc7 43. Ke6 Kc6= with a draw.
36. cxb5?? But White turns her back on fortune’s gift: 36. a4!+− bxa4 (36. ... bxc4 37. bxc4 a5 38. f5! transposes, while if 36. ... b4 then 37. a5+−) 37. bxa4 a5 38. f5!+− is an elementary win.
37. ... axb5 37. a3. If 37. a4 then 37. ... c4! 38. axb5 cxb3= with a draw in hand.
37. ... Kd7
37. ... axb5 37. a3. If 37. a4 then 37. ... c4! 38. axb5 cxb3= with a draw in hand.
37. ... Kd7
38. Kd3 (38. Ke5 Ke7= 39. a4?? c4!−+)
38. ... Kc6 39. Kc3
Kb6 40. a4! Ka5! 41. Kd3?? Most dramatically, Jovanović misses, both now and afterwards, her only saving grace. She likely discarded 41. axb5 Kxb5 42. Kc2 Kb4 43. Kb2 c4 44. bxc4 Kxc4 45. Kc2 Kd4 because she judged lost the ending, when instead there was 46. f5!! exf5 47. Kd2 forcing the draw.
41. ... c4+?? Once again Benini overlooked a relatively “easy” win (41. ... bxa4 42. bxa4 Kb4!−+), but she is lucky enough that her opponent does not know it.
42. bxc4 bxa4 43. Kc3 a3 44. Kb3 a2 45. Kxa2 Kb4 0 : 1 (??). And White resigns, just when she was so close to saving herself, transposing to the variation given after White’s 41st move: 46. Kb2 Kxc4 47. Kc2 Kd4 48. f5!! exf5 49. Kd2 with a draw.
42. bxc4 bxa4 43. Kc3 a3 44. Kb3 a2 45. Kxa2 Kb4 0 : 1 (??). And White resigns, just when she was so close to saving herself, transposing to the variation given after White’s 41st move: 46. Kb2 Kxc4 47. Kc2 Kd4 48. f5!! exf5 49. Kd2 with a draw.
Star Gates
11th World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer (centre) with his sister Joan, his niece Elisabeth, and his brother-in-law Russell Targ in 1962. Photo: Carl Mydans/Life magazine. |
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Elon Musk, already founder and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, and recently CEO of his newest acquisition Twitter as well, said Wednesday he “will resign as [Twitter’s] CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job! After that, I will just run the software & servers teams”. The big announcement came after millions of respondents in an unscientific Twitter poll asked him to step down.
“Love, that released no beloved from loving” (Dante, Inferno, 5, 103). Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images. |
