Ariadne’s Thread

And finally, just before turning off the lights and wishing each other happy holidays, Arianna was handed the special end-of-year gift by Mado Flynn, which left her speechless from happiness.

First duty, then pleasure

Today was the last day of July, as well as the last day of dance school at Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”. Yet no mercy was shown Arianna by her inflexible teacher, according to the motto “first duty, then pleasure”.

Uncountable set

Francisco Vallejo Pons – Arshak Bagratovich Petrosian

2nd FiNet Chess960 Open; time control: 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Mainz, August, 2003

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Position #352

1. c4 c5 2. b3 e5?! A very dubious gamble. 2. ... Ng6 was a solid and good reply.
3. f4! Vallejo Pons claims the initiative with emphasis. If 3. Nd3 Black can reply with 3. ... d6 4. f4 f6 aiming at holding on to control.
3. ... b6?! Black prefers to give up rather than accept a Pawn, a decision which probably his position does not justify. Whether good or bad, it was time to put cards on the table: 3. ... exf4 4. g3!↑ with the upper hand for White.
4. fxe5 Ng6 5. Nd3 d5!? 6. cxd5 Bxd5 7. Ng3 Nce7 8. Rc1 Nc6 9. Qe3 0-0-0?! To say it with Bobby Fischer, add another to those melancholy case histories entitled “castling into it”. On the other hand, there is no easy solution for Black; for example: 9. ... Bxg2 10. Rg1 Bd5 11. Nf5 with a dominating advantage for White.

10. b4! Natural and strong. Nonetheless, 10. Nxc5! bxc5 11. Qxc5 would also have been hopelessly crushing (if now 11. ... Bxg2? then 12. Be4!+−).
10. ... Rfe8 11. bxc5 b5

12. Nf5! Threatening check at d6.
12. ... Ngxe5 13. Nxe5 Bxe5 14. Bxe5 Rxe5 15. Qxe5! A little tactic which yields White both a material and positional advantage.
15. ... Nxe5 16. Ne7+ Kc7 17. Nxg8 Rxg8 18. 0-0. Sic et simpliciter: White intends to advance his Pawns in the centre with devastating effect. Black can prevent it only at the cost of further losses.

18. ... Nc6 19. Bxh7 Re8 20. Bd3 a6 21. a4 bxa4 22. Bc4 Bxc4 23. Rxc4 f6 24. e3 a3 25. Ra1 Rb8 26. Rxa3 Rb2 27. d4 a5 1 : 0.

Yet, Edna, they are still far from suspecting that the only thing that counts in the end is to be in your good graces

Artwork © Encanto Ilustrado (@encantoilustrado)

Worst by Test

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian – Levon Grigori Aronian

2nd FiNet Chess960 Open; time control: 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Mainz, August, 2003

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Position #70

1. e4? Just forget about classical chess and Bobby Fischer’s definition of 1. e2-e4 as “best by test”. He didn’t want to be remembered for that, but rather for his last great invention: Fischerandom chess. An infinite set of worlds, a multi-dimensional board where things can happen that could never happen in standard chess. And, indeed, what happens here now, happens because of the presence of undefended Pawns in the starting array (in the classical one all Pawns are defended!). So Vaganian’s Pavlovian “best” turns out to be a blatant mistake! 1. f3 is one of the possible good first moves, after which there may follow: 1. ... Nb6 2. d4 f5 3. Nc3⩲ with a preference for White.
1. ... f5! That’s simple — and true: Black wins a Pawn by force.
2. Nc3 fxe4 3. d3. 3. Nxe4?? Qe6 would cost even more.
3. ... exd3 4. Bxd3 Nc6 5. Be3 e5. Black is a sound Pawn ahead, which, theoretically speaking, is sufficient to terminate debate. The rest of the game is given just for duty of chronicle:
6. 0-0-0?! (6. Bg5!? Be7 7. Bxe7 Nxe7 8. f4 Qe6)

6. ... Bb4?! 6. ... d5! seems to be much stronger: if 7. Bg5 then 7. ... d4 8. Bxd8 dxc3 with great advantage to Black.
7. Nd5 Qf7 8. Kb1?! (8. Nb3!? 0-0 9. Bc4 Kh8)
8. ... d6 9. Bg5

9. ... Be6! Black picks up a second Pawn, though at the cost of the Exchange.
10. Nxb4 Nxb4 11. Bxd8 Bxa2+ 12. Kc1 Qf4+ 13. Rd2 Kxd8 14. g3 Nxd3+ 15. cxd3 Qa4 16. Qd1 Qxd1+?! 16. ... Qc6+! 17. Rc2 Qb5 would have kept up the initiative.
17. Rhxd1 Bd5 18. d4?! (⌓ 18. f4!)
18. ... e4 19. Nc2 Rf8 20. Ne3 Bb3 21. Rf1 Nb6 22. d5? Probably best was 22. f3! Nc4 23. Re2 Nxe3 24. Rxe3 Bd5 25. f4 h5 with a dynamically balanced ending.
22. ... Nd7 23. Re2 Ne5 24. Kd2

24. ... Ba4? 24. ... Nc4+ 25. Kc3 Nxe3 26. Rxe3 Bxd5 would have ensured Black a much better endgame.
25. Ra1 Bb5 26. Rxa7 Bxe2. 26. ... Nf3+! 27. Kd1 Bxe2+ 28. Kxe2 Nd4+ 29. Kf1 b5 is a slightly better version of the game’s ending.
27. Kxe2 b5 28. Ra8+ Ke7 29. Rxf8 Kxf8 30. Nd1 Ng4 31. b4 Ke7 (31. ... Nxh2 32. Nc3=)
32. h3 Nf6 33. Nc3 Kd7 34. Ke3 c6 35. Kd4 h5 36. h4 g6

37. Nxe4?? A blunder due to lack of time. White could draw in more ways than one; for example: 37. dxc6+ Kxc6 38. Ne2 Nd5 39. Nf4 Nxb4= (but not 39. ... Nxf4?? 40. gxf4 d5 because of 41. Ke5+−).
37. ... Nxd5 0 : 1.

Yes, Edna, you are goddess wearing infinite masks

Artwork © Michalis Kountouris/Efimerida ton Syntakton

Strange Weather

Just got lucky, Edna

Artwork © Tik Art Work (@artwork748)

The Emperor’s New Clothes

You know, Edna... or maybe you don’t know, but Socratic questions may be useful at expanding the boundaries of a Victorian conversation

Artwork © S.m.k_art ❤️ (@samambaia_draws)

Wuthering Heights

Circumstantially speaking

At first forbidden from participating in the imminent 10th Chess World Cup, Ukrainian Grandmaster Vasyl Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk was finally granted a sort of parole by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine following a petition signed by not less than three former World Chess Champions. Apparently the petition has been accepted just because the chances that Ivanchuk can play Russian and Belarusian opponents are quite unlikely, if not impossible. But what if it were to happen? Ivanchuk stated to gordonua.com — a pro-government news site — that he has discussed such an eventuality with Yuriy Pavlovich Gnyp, executive director of the Ukrainian Chess Federation. “He said to me that if such a situation arises, decisions will be made according to the circumstances”, Ivanchuk said.

Nay, Edna, no point in asking who won

Artwork © Sammi (@ainrsy_artist)

The Ethereal Realms

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and women’s world No. 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) joined FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich and FIDE managing director Dana Reizniece-Ozola in celebrating 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), just confirmed as a Women’s World Champion for the fourth time, as she deserved, in 重庆 (Chóngqìng), China, on Monday, July 24, 2023. Screenshots from FIDE footage.

From Red to Green

To be sure, Edna, even if one is the boss of a group, choosing a captivating stage name offers more opportunities

Artwork © HelluvabossDoctorwho

A Room with a View

A Matter of Logistics

From August 25 to 29, 2023, Düsseldorf will host the inagural FIDE World Team Rapid Chess Championship, co-organised and sponsored by WR Logistics GmbH, featuring the participation of 44 teams from all over the world.

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and women’s world No. 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will be starring in the top-seeded team of the boss of WR Group, namely Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, to compose a 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.

Samson and Delilah

Well, okay, Edna, it’s time to undress and turn off the light and get into bed, or vice versa

Photo courtesy of Collectors.com

Sleeping Beauties

Dead souls

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, July 24, 2023

In his book about Gogol, Nabokov tried to define what poshlost is, the cheap and blatant squalor in which the characters of that immense writer from under whose overcoat, said Dostoevsky, “we all came out”, live. Emblem, cop and, at the same time, incarnation of the poshlost is Chichikov, the ineffable buyier of dead souls, i.e. of those deceased serfs, for whom the landlord continued to pay the capitation tax, thus providing them with a sort of phony survival. I don’t believe I’m proposing anything extravagant, suggesting that Chichikov is for us the symbol of those who are now governing — or believe they are governing — the life of mankind. Like Chichikov, they manipulate and trade, indeed, now dead souls, whose only semblance of life is that they themselves pay the head tax and buy the consumer goods they are told to buy. Whether these souls are really dead or whether they appear as such ony to those who rule them, does not make too much difference, since it is essential that they behave — and they do it so well — as if they were dead. “Yes, of course, they’re dead”, says Chichikov of his souls, “but on the other hand what about those people who are now listed as living? What sort of people are they?”. And he replies indignantly to the interlocutor who objects that these at least are alive, whereas his souls are only a dream: “A dream? No, it’s not a dream! If only you had seen them... I’d like to know where else you’ll find such a dream”.
It is good to reflect on what such a state-poshlost is, where everything is organised in every detail presuming that we are dealing only with dead souls, which must be punctually recorded, counted, stamped and steered in the desired direction. If some soul escapes counting and results invincibly alive, provision will be made, when it is not necessary to eliminate it, to isolate it or push it back to the edges. Such a state-poshlost, indeed, only needs dead souls and woe to anyone who insists on being alive, in not obeying to the televised decrees and the prescriptions of the cell phone which was providentially included in his coffin.
Yet even Chichikov can’t get through to the end. The one who bought only dead souls ultimately finds oneself empty-handed and only by running away can escape punishment. One day, even if we don’t know when, the souls who have allowed themselves to be treated as dead up to then will abruptly awaken and it is not certain that this time Chichikov will be able to save his skin.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Henri Matisse, Woman in a Purple Coat, 1937. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Gogol’s Overcoat

It’s July and Florence is in the grip of a heatwave, but Viola can’t wait to flaunt her new Zara coat!

Another Summer

This evening, on the penultimate class day before summer holidays, Mado Flynn offered Letizia and Viola an exclusive preview of her new card holders!

The Art of Being Ruled

On the government of men

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, July 24, 2023

“To be ruled is, at every operation, transaction, movement, to be noted, registered, counted, assessed, stamped, rated, patented, licensed, authorised, apostilled, admonished, forbidden, reformed, amended, corrected by beings who have neither the right nor knowledge nor virtue”.

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

(English translation by I, Robot)

仇英 (Qiú Yīng), The Imperial Examinations, ca. 1540. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Don’t worry, Edna, no one in the world can take away the crown from your head, and even if they could, they couldn’t afford to pay such prices

Artwork © Carrie Arnold (@snartkety)

Play it Again, Sam

Russian Grandmaster and journalist Sergei Yuryevich Shipov believes that the outcome of the just-ended Women’s World Chess Championship match may be a good omen for three-time Russian Women’s Champion Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, who is to play in the 2024 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament scheduled in Toronto, Canada, from April 3 to 25, 2024. “Indeed, in women’s chess, China is ahead of all others. But yet I believe it is quite possible to take away the world crown from them”, Shipov told TASS on Sunday. “I think Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, who is at a good mature age, is quite capable of winning the Candidates Tournament and defeating 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) the second time. I believe in it”.

Lose to Win

As a warm-up for the forthcoming 19th Asian Games, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and the young rising star 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) faced each other in a 4-game rapid match held at 天马大酒店 (Tiānmǎ Hotel) in 绍兴 (Shàoxīng), 浙江省 (Zhèjiāng province), China, on July 21–22, 2023, resulting in a win for the latter by 2½ – 1½. “I cherish very much the opportunity to participate in the Asian Games”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said. “I will train and prepare carefully for it, and go all out to strive for the best”. Photo: 潮新闻 (Tide News).

Thus, Edna, the comparison of two seemingly identical stories in the end only serves to make the difference stand out

Artwork © Gregg Azzopardi

The Three Weeks

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2023; match game 12; 重庆 (Chóngqìng), July 22, 2023

Queen’s Pawn Game D04

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. b4 a5 6. c3 axb4 7. cxb4 b6 8. Bb5+. As Irving Chernev noted in his book “The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy”, Dover Publications, New York, 1965, p. 34, “if White continues stubbornly by 8. Ba3, then 8. ... bxc5 9. bxc5 Rxa3 10. Nxa3 Qa5+, and Black wins two pieces for a Rook”.
8. ... Bd7 9. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 10. a4 bxc5 11. b5 Qc7 12. Bb2 Bd6 13. 0-0 0-0 (13. ... g5!?)
14. Nbd2 Rfc8 15. Qc2 c4?! (15. ... e5! 16. e4 c4 17. Rfc1 Bb4=)
16. Bc3 Nc5 17. a5 Nb3

18. Bxf6?! (18. Ra2!⩲/±)
18. ... Nxa1 19. Bxa1 Qxa5 20. Qc3 Qxc3 (20. ... Bf8! 21. Rb1 f6)
21. Bxc3 Rcb8 22. Nd4 e5?! (22. ... Bc5! 23. Rb1 Ra3 24. Ne2 f6 25. Kf1 e5 26. Ke1 Kf7⩱)
23. Nf5 Bf8 24. Bxe5 Rxb5

25. g4!? (25. Bc3!?)
25. ... g6 26. Nd4 Rb2? (26. ... Rb6! 27. g5 Bg7 28. N2f3⩲)
27. Nb1! (Δ Nb1-c3)
27. ... Bg7?! If nothing else, the exchange of a pair of Rooks with 27. ... Ra1 28. Nc3 Rxf1+ 29. Kxf1 Bg7 30. Bxg7 Kxg7 31. Nxd5 just makes things more complicated for White.
28. Bxg7 Kxg7 29. Nc3 Ra5 30. Rd1 Rb6 31. Nde2 32. Kg2 (32. Nxd5 Rd3!)
32. ... h6 33. Kf3 f6 34. Rc1 Kf7 35. Nf4 d4 36. exd4 g5 37. Nfe2 f5 38. gxf5 Rxf5+ 39. Ke3 g4 40. Nf4 Rb8

Finally the time control was reached and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) can show off all her technique and coolness.
41. d5 Rf6 42. Rc2 Ra8 43. Nb5 Rb6 44. Nd4 Ra3+ 45. Ke4 c3 46. Nfe2 Rb2 47. Kd3 Rb1 48. Nxc3 Rh1 49. f3 gxf3 50. Nxf3 Rf1 51. Nd4 Ke7 52. Kc4 Rf4 53. Rb2 Rh4 54. Rb7+ Kf6 55. Rb2 Ra8 56. Kc5 Rh3 57. Ncb5 Re3 58. d6 Ke5 59. Nc6+ Ke4 60. d7 Rd3 61. Nd6+ Kf4 62. Rb8 1 : 0.

A victory that was worth waiting nearly three weeks for, as 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) finally succeeded in equalling the record set by her fellow compatriot 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), both having won the world title four times. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Of course, Edna, all’s fair in love and war, but only to a certain extent

Artwork © Art of Renee Rienties

Midnight Express

In an open letter published on the FIDE web site six top Grandmasters, including three former World Chess Champions, urge Ukraine’s government in general and the Minister of Youth and Sport of Ukraine in particular, Vadym Markovich Gutzeit, to let Grandmaster Vasyl Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk free and allow him to participate in the forthcoming 10th Chess World Cup.

Aqua Incognita

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and her teammates of Ganges Grandmasters enjoying Franco Dragone’s aqua permanent show La Perle at Al Habtoor City in Dubai, UAE, on Thursday evening, June 29, 2023.

And thus, Edna, we may be able to say, as Shakespeare says, “But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do”

Artwork © Shannon Kohn (@shannonkohncreates)

Force of Faith

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s wish for the anniversary of the International Chess Day, which falls annually on July 20, is “A true veteran never stops believing in themselves”. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/Tech Mahindra Global Chess League.

Florence Next Time

Had a nice afternoon today at Railway Recreational Chess Club in Florence with the Bartolini-Tocchioni family. Pictured, right to left, are Doriano, Pietro and Tommaso.

Yes, Edna, they are like Eleanor Rigby, even if they boast that they have thousands of likes and adorators

Artwork © n_creations96 (@n_creations96)

Just a Few Lines

Well, life may be disappointing, but it’s not your fault, Edna, so you don’t have to feel guilty for them

Artwork © L.S 🦋 (@painted_wingsx)

Two Days in July

To The Last Byte

Although renovation works are still going on, Prato Call (it was once called Venus), the only surviving Internet point in downtown Florence (and not only downtown), offered hospitality and connectivity to its most faithful aficionados, who thus will continue to meet each other in between the working hours.