One Day In June

After all, Edna, a Mona Lisa is a Mona Lisa regardless of its size

Artwork © AdrieniFerreiraArt (@adrieni_ferreira)

A Footnote to a Dialogue

Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen
11th Norway Chess; Stavanger, May 30, 2023
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6. “I was surprised by it, but I wasn’t surprised that I was surprised”, Caruana then said sibyllinely.
2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Ne2 Qb6 9. Qc1 Be7 10. c3 0-0 11. g3 f6 12. Bg2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Qa5+. “Carlsen’s opening choice as Black, the French Defence 1. e4 e6, was intended as a surprise, but Caruana still recalled that at Black’s 13th Qb5! was the right choice rather than Qa5+, which gave a position where White’s Knights were active”, Leonard Barden will write in his The Guardian column of Friday, June 2, 2023.
14. Nc3. Another decent option is 14. Bd2 Qd8 15. 0-0 Nb6 16. exf6 Rxf6 17. b3 Bd7 18. Ne5⩲ Vallejo Pons – Danielsen, 18th European Team Chess Championship, Porto Carras 2011.
14. ... Nb6 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. b3 Bd7 17. 0-0 Rac8 18. Qd2 Be7 19. Ne2 Qxd2 20. Bxd2 Rc7 21. Rac1 Rfc8. Black is struggling for survival in a typically cramped French Defence.

22. f5! Caruana throws the gauntlet in the face of his illustrious opponent, with the tactical pointe of 22. ... exf5 23. Bf4 winning the Exchange. Hence Carlsen’s reply is more or less forced:
22. ... Ba3 23. Rce1 Bb4 24. Bxb4 Nxb4 25. fxe6 Bxe6 26. Nf4 Bf5 27. Ne5 g6 28. g4 Be4 29. Bxe4 dxe4 30. a3 N4d5. Even better may be 30. ... Nc2 31. Rxe4 Re7! regaining the Pawn and securing a balanced game.
31. Rxe4 Rc3? This allows White to consolidate without any difficulty. 31. ... Nxf4 32. Rexf4 Nd5 33. R4f3 Rc3 would still leave Black with some compensation for the Pawn.

32. Nd7! Rxb3? As Tartakower said, “A second mistake often lacks a predecessor”. Perhaps Black should have exchanged a pair of Rooks while he could.
33. Nxd5 Nxd5

34. Re5! Nc3. If 34. ... Ne3 then 35. Nf6+ Kf7 (35. ... Kg7 36. Re7+ Kh6 37. Rxh7+ Kg5 38. h4#) 36. Rxe3! winning the Knight.
35. Nf6+ 1 : 0.

The time limit has its justification for an “endless” match. Photo: Norway Chess (@NorwayChess).

Before After

[CONSOLATION.] IV. 142 LIFE, — does it disappoint thee? Grieve not, nor be angry thou! In days of sorrow gentle be: Come shall, believe, the joyful day. In the future lives the heart: Is the present sad indeed? ’T is but a moment, all will pass; Once in the past, it shall be dear. Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, 1825 English translation by Ivan Nikolayevich Panin

Edvard Munch, Consolation, 1894. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.

Of course, Edna, when a carpet is dusty, it should be cleaned by shaking and beating

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

Elemental

范冰冰 (Fàn Bīngbīng) poses on the red carpet to attend the closing ceremony and the screening of the animated film Elemental out of competition, during the 76th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. Photo: Lionel Hahn/Getty Images.

And yet, Edna, to quote Pushkin, “’T is but a moment, all will pass; Once in the past, it shall be dear”

Credit: neural.love

A Queen’s Checkmate

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) just made #TheBigMove. Screenshot from Tech Mahindra Global Chess League ad campaign.

Yes, Edna, it’s like the theory of opposites without opposites

Artwork © Robin Parks

The Abacus

After all, the end justifies the means. The fourth and last stage of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23, held in the island of Cyprus, was won by a dark horse, Dinara Mergenovna Dordzhieva-Wagner, the lowest-rated participant. But all eyes were on the combined ranking of the four stages which was to designate the two lucky candidates. And here Russia was successful in achieving its main near-term objectives, as Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno and Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina won the first two places of the Grand Prix, thus earning admission into FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024, which is scheduled for April of next year in Toronto, Canada.

Yeah, Edna, how many people say things all the time, but don’t they know what they’re saying?

Artwork © º𝚘º MartsArtUK º𝚘º (@martsartuk)

Eve’s Apple

On a late Friday afternoon, still daylight. There’s joy to be had just wandering around the Holistic Garden at Anconella Park in Florence, Italy.

Plans and Diagrams

There is nothing too hard for thee, Edna

Artwork © Callihan Creative | Darren (@callihancreative)

Once Upon a Desert

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Ray Robson
6th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship; Sharjah, May 25, 2023
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 0-0 7. Re1 h6 8. h3 a6 9. a4 Re8 10. Nbd2 Be6 11. b4 Ba7 12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. Qc2 Qd7 14. Nf1 d5 15. Be3 d4 16. cxd4 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Bxd4 18. Bxd4 Qxd4 19. Qxc7 Qxd3 20. Qxb7 Ree8 21. Rad1 (21. Red1 Qxe4 22. Qxe4 Nxe4 23. Rac1 Rec8 24. Rxc8+ Rxc8 25. Ne3 Nc3 26. Rd6 Nxa4 27. Rxa6 Nc3 28. Ra5 Rb8 29. Rc5 Na4 30. Rxe5 Rxb4 31. g4 Nc3 32. Kg2 Ne4 33. Nd5 Ra4 34. Nb6 Rd4 35. Re8+ Kh7 36. Nd7 Rxd7 37. Rxe4 g5 38. Ra4 Rd3 39. Re4 Kg7 40. Ra4 Kh7 41. Re4 Kg7 42. Ra4 Kh7 ½ : ½ Swiercz – Robson, 65th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2021)
21. ... Qa3 22. a5 Reb8 23. Qe7 Rxb4 24. Qxe5 Rb5 25. Qf4 Qxa5 26. Ne3 Qc3 27. Nf5 Qe5 28. Qe3

28. ... Nd5? (28. ... Rb4 29. Nd6 Ne8)
29. exd5 Qxf5 30. d6 Rb7 31. g4 Qc8 32. Qf3 Raa7 33. Rd3 Qc5 (⌓ 33. ... Qb8 Δ ... Rb7-d7)
34. Rc3 Qd4 35. Rd1 (35. Re8+ Kh7 36. Rcc8+−)
36. ... Qe5 36. Re3 Qf6 37. Re8+ Kh7 38. Qe4+ Qg6 39. Qc4? (39. Qd4!)
39. ... Rb1 40. Rxb1? (40. Ree1 Rxd1 41. Rxd1 Rd7 42. Qxa6±)
40. ... Qxb1+ 41. Kh2 Rd7 42. Rh8+ Kxh8 43. Qc8+ Kh7 44. Qxd7 Qb6 45. Kg2 Qd4 46. Qf5+ Kg8 47. Qc8+ Kh7 48. d7 Qd5+ $8 49. Kg3 Qd3+ 50. f3 Qd6+ 51. f4 Qd3+ 52. Kf2 Qd2+ 53. Kf3 Qd3+ 54. Kf2 Qd2+ 55. Kg3 Qd3+ 56. Kg2 (56. Kh4?? Qe3!−+ Δ 57. d8=Q Qe1+ 58. Kh5 g6#)
56. ... Qd2+ 57. Kg3 Qd3+ 58. Kg2 ½ : ½.

At her rentrée OTB (over the board), 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) showed at her best, and it was only a bit of bad luck that kept her from winning against Robson today. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

Ciao Bella

Almost inevitably, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina’s uninspired play and her tribulations in the fourth and last stage of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23 in Nicosia, Cyprus, did not go unnoticed and were discussed by the high hierarchies of Russian chess. “Aleksandra Yuryevna is playing in an uncharacteristic way in this tournament. She indulges in unnecessary complications that she does not handle convincingly”, Vice President of the Chess Federation of Russia Sergey Borisovich Smagin told TASS on Thursday. “But, despite all difficulties, I have no doubt that Goryachkina will make it to the Candidates Tournament. In terms of sport, she is ready. She has already played with the main competitors, so I think it will be a little easier from now on”.
As often happens, this turned out to be an éclatant case of famous last words:

Bella Khotenashvili – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 4th stage; Nicosia, May 25, 2023
Grünfeld Defence D78

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 Nf6 5. c4 c6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. a4 a5 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. Nc3 Nc6 10. Qb3 Bg4 11. Qxb7. When interviewed afterwards, Khotenashvili said that, probably, after 10. ... Bg4 11. Qxb7 Black’s arguments proved not to be sound, as White emerged from the ensuing complications with a solid extra Pawn. From then on, her only concern was to capitalise on her advantage, being careful not to blunder, which took her a lot of time and patience.
11. ... Nb4 12. Bf4 Nh5 13. Bc7 Qd7 14. Nb5 Ra6 15. Rfc1 Rfa8 16. Rc5 Qe8 17. Bxa5 Rxa5 18. Nc7 Qd7 19. Qxb4 Rxa4 20. Rxa4 Rxa4 21. Qb8+ Bf8 22. Rc1 Bxf3? According to International Master Michael Rahal, this is Goryachkina’s crucial mistake, based on a miscalculation. Instead she ought to have played 22. ... Rc4 in order to limit damage.
23. Bxf3 Qd6. Rahal guesses that only now Goryachkina realised that 23. ... Nf6? would fail to 24. Nxd5! Nxd5 25. Rc8 with a win by force.
24. Bxh5 gxh5 25. e3 Rb4 26. Qa8 Rc4 27. Rxc4 dxc4 28. Nb5 Qb4 29. Qc6 e6 30. h4 Qb3 31. Kg2 Qc2 32. Nc3 Qxb2 33. Ne4 Kg7 34. Qxc4 Qb7

35. f3. Here Khotenashvili missed the much stronger 35. d5! which would have left Black without a satisfactory reply. Nevertheless, she patiently proceeded to consolidate and turn her advantage into a win.
35. ... Qb2+ 36. Nf2 Qd2 37. Qd3 Qe1 38. e4 Bd6 39. f4 Bb4 40. Qb5 Qd2 41. Qe5+ Kg8 42. f5 exf5 43. exf5 h6 44. f6 Bf8 45. Qe4 Qb2 46. Qd3 Bb4 47. Kf3 Qc1 48. d5

48. ... Qa1 49. Ne4 Qh1+ 50. Kf4 Qc1+ 51. Ke5 Qa1+ 52. Kf5 Qa5 53. Qc4 Bf8 54. Kf4 Qa3 55. Qc6 Qa1 56. d6 Qf1+ 57. Ke5 Qa1+ 58. Qc3 Qa4 59. Qd3 Qd7 60. Qd5 Qe8+ 61. Kf4 Qd7 62. Kf3 Qg4+ 63. Kf2 Qd7 64. Ke3 Qa7+ 65. Qd4 Qd7 66. Qd5 Qa7+ 67. Kf3 Qa3+ 68. Ke2 Qb2+ 69. Ke3 Qa3+ 70. Qd3 Qa7+ 71. Kf3 Qd7 72. Kg2 Kh8 73. Qd5 Kg8 74. Qxh5 Qe6 75. Qf3 Qa2+ 76. Kh3 Qd5 77. Qf4 Kh7 78. Kh2 Kh8 79. Qg4 Qa2+ 80. Kh3 Qd5

81. h5 Kh7 82. d7 Kh8 83. Nf2 Qa5 84. Qd1 Qd8 85. Qd4 Kg8 86. Nd3 1 : 0.

It was an unexpected setback for Goryachkina, who now will have to strive hard to maintain her second spot in the overall Grand Prix standings. Photo: Mark Livshitz/FIDE.

Just to say, Edna, the difference between them and you is the difference between nothing and everything

Artwork © cutebutwrong

High Tech and Hot Pot

Hey, Edna, if you don’t want to walk into a fork, you better put your glasses on

Photo: Carousell

Queen Move

The inaugural Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL), to be held at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from June 21 to July 2, will feature a stellar lineup of very important champs, including, among others, Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), and women’s world No. 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). “Global Chess League has already sparked widespread interest. I am grateful to Tech Mahindra and FIDE for inviting me to participate in the league’s inaugural season, and I cannot wait for the season to begin”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said. “GCL, with its unique joint format of men and women players on the same team, is certain to take the game in new directions and open doors, which have never been explored before. Chess fans all over the world are in for a treat”. Playbill: The Bridge.

Yeah, Edna, they are a team, but they are a team only because you are one and only one and no one else is like you

Photo © Theme Park Professor (@themeparkprofessor)

Trickle Down Effect

Sanan Vyacheslavovich Sjugirov – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
6th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship; Sharjah, May 22, 2023
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. 0-0 Nd7 7. h3 0-0 8. Be3 Bd6 9. Nfd2!? It’s just a bit of an eccentric novelty. Most usual is 8. Nbd2 Nd7 9. Nc4 f6 10. Be3 Bf8 11. Nfd2 Nc5 12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 b5 14. Na5 Qd4+ 15. Kh1 Ne6 16. Ndb3 Qxb2 17. Bc1 Qe5 18. Nxc6 Qc3 19. Nca5 Qe5 20. Rf5 Qg3 21. Rf3 Qh4 22. Be3 c5 23. Nd2 Bd6 24. Qe1 Qxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Bd7 26. Rb1 Rac8 27. Rff1 a6 28. Nf3 Rc7 29. Kg1 Nf4 30. Kf2 c4 31. dxc4 Bc5 32. Bxc5 Rxc5 33. Rfd1 Be6 34. cxb5 Rxc2+ 35. Rd2 Rxd2+ 36. Nxd2 axb5 37. Rxb5 Bxa2 38. Nc6 h6 39. Rb8 Rxb8 40. Nxb8 Nd3+ ½ : ½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Naiditsch, 3rd Chess World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2009, match game 1.
9. ... Nc5 10. Nc4 Ne6 11. a4 f6 12. Nc3 b6 13. Ne2 c5 14. Kh1 Bd7 15. b3 a6 16. Bd2 b5 17. Ne3 g6 18. axb5 axb5 19. Rxa8 Qxa8 20. Nd5 f5

21. f3 f4 22. b4 Qa3 (22. ... cxb4! 23. Bxb4 c5)
23. bxc5 Bxc5 24. c3 Bd6 25. d4

25. ... Bc6? (25. ... c6!? 26. Bc1 Qa7 27. dxe5 Bxe5 28. Nb4 Rd8 29. Nd3 Bc8)
26. Bc1 Qa8 27. Qb3 Kh8 28. Nb4 Bd7 29. dxe5 Bxe5 30. Nd3 Bg7 31. Nexf4 c5 32. Nxe6 c4 33. Qb4 Bxe6 34. Nf4 Bd7 35. Be3 Rf7 36. Nd5 Bc6 37. Qc5 Bxd5? (37. ... Bf8 38. Qd4+ Bg7 39. Qd2 Rd7 40. Rd1)
38. exd5 Rf5 39. Rd1 Qa4 40. Re1 Qa8 41. Bd4! Rxd5

42. Qa7! 1 : 0. Black cannot avoid mate.

After a roaring start, 17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) suffered two losses in a row. Photo: Niklesh Jain/ChessBase India.

After all, Edna, having a day off on Monday is not the same as having a day off on Sunday

Artwork © Rebecca Christy

Go and Stop

Haik Mikaeli Martirosyan – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
6th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship; Sharjah, May 21, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 0-0 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. 0-0 cxd4 11. Ne4 Qe7 12. a3 Ba5 13. Qxd4 Rd8 14. Qe5 Bb6 15. Rfd1. 15. Qh5 Bd7 16. Ne5 Be8 leads nowhere for White, 郭琦 (Guō Qí) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), First China Women’s Chess Open Finals 2022, 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 2023, Semifinal match game 2 (time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move).

15. ... Nd7. Black’s best is 15. ... Bd7 16. Qd6 Kf8 17. Qf4 Nc6 18. g4 g5 19. Qf6 Qxf6 20. Nxf6 Bc8= 21. Bb5 Ke7 22. Ne4 Bd7 23. Nc5 Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Rac8 (24. ... f6 25. Kg2 Rac8 26. Kg3 Ne5 27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Bxd7 Nxd7 29. Nd4 Ne5 30. h4 Nc6 31. Rc1 Kd7 32. Nb3 b6 33. Nd2 Rf8 34. f4 gxh4+ 35. Kxh4 f5 36. gxf5 Rxf5 37. Nf3 Rf8 38. Kg3 Rg8+ 39. Kf2 Rf8 40. Rd1+ Kc7 41. Rc1 Kd7 42. b4 a6 43. Rd1+ Kc7 44. Rc1 Kd7 45. Ke2 Rg8 46. Kd3 Rg2 47. Nd2 Ne7 48. Nc4 Nd5 49. e4 Nxf4+ 50. Ke3 Nh3 51. Nxb6+ Kd6 52. Rc5 Rg3+ 53. Kd4 Nf4 54. e5+ Ke7 55. Rc7+ Kd8 56. Rc8+ Ke7 57. Rc7+ Kd8 58. Rc8+ Ke7 59. Nc4 h5 60. Rc7+ Kf8 61. a4 h4 62. b5 axb5 63. axb5 h3 64. b6 Rb3 65. Rh7 Kg8 66. Rh4 Ng2 67. Rh5 Nf4 68. Rh4 Ng2 69. Rh6 Kg7 70. Rf6 Nh4 71. Rf1 Nf5+ 72. Kc5 Ng3 73. Re1 h2 74. Na5 Rb2 75. b7 h1=Q 76. Rxh1 Nxh1 77. Kc6 Nf2 78. Nc4 Rxb7 79. Kxb7 Nd3 ½ : ½ Grachev – Predke, 14th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2016) 25. Rdc1 a6 26. Be2 Na7 27. Kg2 Rxc5 28. Rxc5 Rc8 29. Rxc8 Nxc8 30. Kg3 Nd6 31. Nd2 f6 32. h4 ½ : ½ Berkes – Pârligras, 22nd European Team Chess Championship, Batumi 2019.
16. Qd6 Kf8 17. Qf4 Nf6 18. Ne5 Kg8 19. Rxd8+ Bxd8 20. Bd3 Nd5? This allows a petite combinaison which leaves White a Pawn up with the much better endgame. The prophylactic move of 20. ... Ne8! was now called for.

21. Qxf7+! Qxf7 22. Nxf7 Kxf7 23. Nd6+ Kf8 24. Rxc8 Rxc8 25. Nxc8 Bf6 26. b3 a6 27. Be4

27. ... b5? (27. ... Bd8 28. Nd6 Be7 29. Nxb7 Bxa3 30. Kf1±)
28. Bxd5 exd5 29. Nb6 Bb2 30. Nxd5 Bxa3 31. b4 Ke8 32. Nc7+ Kd7 33. Nxa6 Kc6 34. Kf1 Kb6 35. Nc5 Bxb4 36. Nb3 Bd6 37. h3 Kc6 38. Ke2 g5 39. Kd3 Kd5 40. g3 b4 41. f4 41. f4 h5 42. e4+ Ke6 43. Nd4+ Kd7 44. e5 Bc7 45. Ke4 h4 46. g4 gxf4 47. Kxf4 Bb6 48. Ke4 Bxd4 49. Kxd4 Ke6 50. Kc4 Kxe5 51. Kxb4 Kd4 52. Kb3 Kd5 53. Kc3 Ke4 54. Kc4 Ke5 55. Kd3 Kd5 56. Ke3 Ke5 57. Kf3 Kf6 58. Ke4 Kg5 59. Ke5 Kg6 60. Kf4 Kh6 61. Ke4 1 : 0.

Three-time Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), apparently tired of being centre stage, lost her bearings in an opening variation which she should have known well. Photo: Sharjah Masters (@shj_masters).

Yeah, Edna, they forgot that saying, “Never say cat if you don’t have it in the bag”

Artwork © Тhe world of Stacia (@stacia_lya)

The Cat Sitter’s Nine Lives

Zsuzsa (Susan) Polgár captions: “Bobby [Fischer] and me at our family home in Hungary. He loved that little kitten 🐈”. Photo: Zsuzsa (Susan) Polgár.

Long Hot Summer

There’s little or no doubt that the WR Chess team will be a top-ranking team in the forthcoming FIDE World Rapid Teams Championship 2023, sponsored by the homonymous WR Logistics GmbH, and scheduled to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, on August 25–29, 2023. It was the very founder & CEO of WR Group, Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, who announced the team’s impressive lineup that includes (as pictured top to bottom, left to right): Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Vincent Keymer, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi, Jan Gustafsson (Trainer), Wesley So, Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Playbill: Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein.

Such a Long Journey

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Seyyed Mohammad Amin Tabatabaei
6th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship; Sharjah, May 20, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Bb4 6. e3 h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. Qb3 Qd6 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 Bf5. After 10. ... 0-0 11. Bd3 Bg4 (Keene – Inkiov, 7th European Team Chess Championship, Skara 1980) “one way to retain a positional edge is 12. Rc1 c6 13. h3 Be6 and then 14. Ne2 followed by 0-0 and a minority attack (b4-b5); the more assertive 14. f4!? is also promising after 14. ... Re8 15. Nf3 f6 16. 0-0 Nd7 17. Nh4, exploiting Black’s Kingside light squares and preparing moves like Rf1-f3, Bc2-g6 and Qc3-d3”, International Master John Watson wrote in his book “A Strategic Chess Opening Repertoire for White”, Gambit Publications, London, 2012, p. 10.
11. Qb4. Or, by transposition, 11. Rc1 c6 12. Ne2 0-0 13. Ng3 Bg6 14. h4 Nd7 15. h5 Bh7 16. Bd3 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 Qe6 18. Ne2 Rfe8 19. Nf4 Qf6 20. Kf1 a5 21. b3 a4 22. b4 Nb6 23. g3 Nc4 24. Kg2 b5 ½ : ½ Donner – Lombardy, 14th Chess Olympiad, Leipzig 1960. It is just the case to note that the position after Black’s tenth move was reached via 1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. e3 h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. Qb3 Qd6 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 Bf5 (Nimzo-Indian Defence E30).
11. ... Qxb4+ 12. axb4 Ke7 13. Ne2 Nd7 14. Nc3 Nb6 (14. ... c6 15. b5 a6=)

15. Kd2 (15. Ra5 c6 16. b5⩲)
15. ... a6 16. f3 c6 17. h4 h5 18. b3 Rae8 19. Bd3 Bxd3 20. Kxd3 Rd8 21. Rad1 Nc8 22. e4 dxe4+ 23. fxe4 Rh6 24. g3 Nd6 25. Rhf1 Rg6 26. Ne2

26. ... f5 27. exf5 (27. e5 Ne4 28. Rxf5 Nxg3=)
27. ... Rf6 28. Nf4 Rxf5 29. Rde1+ Kd7 30. Re5 Rdf8 31. Rfe1 R8f7 32. R1e2

32. ... R5f6! 33. Nxh5 Rf1 34. Re1 R1f2 ½ : ½.

Three-time Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) continues undeterred in her “desert crossing”. Photo: Sharjah Masters (@shj_masters).

That is, Edna, the only goal is to take the cover

Cover photo & design © Igor’s PLASTIC HEARTS (@igorplastic)

Bare Bones

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Oliwia Kiołbasa
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 4th stage; Nicosia, May 19, 2023
8/8/1k4p1/p1p1N2p/P3P2P/2K3P1/b7/8 b - - 0 53

Position after 53. Nd3xe5

The last key moment came at the climax of a long and arduous battle:
53. ... Bb1? Curiously, this natural move is Black’s losing blunder. Instead she should have sacrificed a Pawn by 53. ... Be6! 54. Nxg6 Kc6 55. Nf4 Bg4 with a fortress-like defence.
54. Nc4+ Ka6

55. Nd2! Elegantly forcing liquidation to a won King and Pawn ending.
55. ... Ba2 56. Nb3 Kb6. The pointe is 56. ... Bb1 57. Kb2!! winning the Bishop.
57. Kb2 Bxb3 58. Kxb3 Kc6 59. Kc4 Kd6 60. Kb5 Ke5 61. Kxc5 1 : 0.

After all, Goryachkina finally arrived at a winning Pawn endgame. Photo: Mark Livshitz/FIDE.

White Rock

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa
6th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship; Sharjah, May 18, 2023
Catalan Opening E08

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 a5 6. Bg2 0-0 7. Qc2 Be7 8. 0-0 c6 9. Bf4 Nbd7 10. Rd1 a4 11. Ne5 h6 12. h3. 12. a3 Qb6 13. Nc3 Qa6 14. cxd5 (14. c5 seems better) 14. ... exd5 gave White very little in Koustav – Praggnanandhaa, 18th Asian Continental Chess Championship, New Delhi 2022.
12. ... Qb6 13. Nc3 Qa6

14. c5. This appears to be clearly better than c4xd5, as seen in the game referred to.
14. ... Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Nd7 16. Bc7 b6 17. cxb6 Bd8

18. e3. 18. e4 looks a little more promising.
18. ... Bxc7 19. bxc7 Bb7 20. Ne2 Rfc8 21. Nf4 Rxc7 22. Nd3 Qa5 23. Rac1 Ba6 24. e4 Rac8

25. b4 axb3 26. axb3 c5 27. Ra1 Qb6 28. Nxc5 Nxc5 29. dxc5 Rxc5 30. Qd2 Bb7 31. exd5 Bxd5 32. b4 Rb5 33. Bxd5 Rxd5 34. Qb2 Rb5 35. Rd4 e5 36. Re4 Rb8 37. Rxe5 Rxb4 38. Qe2 Rb1+ 39. Rxb1 Qxb1+ 40. Kg2 Qb7+ ½ : ½.

White has long enjoyed a slight edge, but Praggnanandhaa demonstrated he could defend, and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) conceded the draw on move 40. Photo: Sharjah Masters.