Another Life

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) gives a heartening and encouraging message and advice to the 象山徐徐体育俱乐部 (Xiàngshān Xúxú Chess Club) in 丹西街道 (Dānxī Subdistrict), 象山县 (Xiàngshān County), 浙江省 (Zhèjiāng province), China. Video: 象山徐徐体育俱乐部 (Xiàngshān Xúxú Chess Club).

The Witch and the Tsar

The recent attention paid by the Chess Federation of Russia to women’s successes on the domestic and international front must have warmed the heart of three-time Russian Women’s Champion Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, since she — according to an official announcement by Executive Director of Chess Federation of Russia Alexander Vasilyevich Tkachev — changed her mind from her original plan to enjoy a well-deserved rest, and instead accepted the invitation and the offer of Russian Federation to play the Superfinal of the Russian “unisex” Chess Championship (for the second time in her life). The venue will be the Tsarskoye Selo Museum in Saint Petersburg, while no other detail is given about the other participants.

Of course, Edna, you and you only are the only team you ever played for

Artwork © Mariana Barquero

Times Two

12th Women’s World Chess Champion Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk and 13th Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) raise the first prize trophy for their WR team at the inaugural FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. Photo: FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess.

It So Happened That

Women’s Chess World Cup queen Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina and Executive Director of Chess Federation of Russia Alexander Vasilyevich Tkachev held a press conference Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at the International Multimedia Press Centre MIA Rossiya Segodnya — in fact, one of the most governmental media outlets — in Moscow, Russia, to comment and discuss on topical issues related to chess. In most cases, under such circumstances, one cannot help but count down the number of unconventional answers to conventional questions. And in this sense it should be noted that the tsarina of Russian chess confirmed that no one assisted her in her victorious march through the Women’s World Cup. “Chess is a specific discipline. We still can work on our own”, she said. “As for women’s chess, it is much better if you can work alone. It so happened that no one really helped me [through the World Cup]. I am flattered when I read pundits labelling my opening preparation with annotations such as ‘She is clearly aided by a strong Grandmaster’. Nonsense! I’m all by myself, alone!”. Photos: Eteri Kublashvili/MIA Rossiya Segodnya.

Take heart, Edna. As Diderot said, “Gratitude is a burden, and every burden is made to be shaken off”

Artwork © True_Might

One in a Crowd

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and women’s world No. 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) signs autographs for crowds in the Rheinterrasse Düsseldorf. Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

Yes, Edna, and then there were none

Artwork © Jack Gorman (@uglyartbyjack)

Blessed Among Women

Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, the boss of the WR Group, poses for selfie with two former Women’s World Chess Champions: Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Lennart Ootes/WR Chess.

Logistically speaking

Quod erat demonstrandum — the WR Chess team, sponsored by the homonymous group, triumphed in the first ever FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. Pictured standing, left to right: Wesley So, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Jan Gustafsson (Trainer), Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Vincent Keymer, and Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi. Seated: Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

Clair de Lune

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; ASV AlphaEchecs Linz – WR Chess; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Düsseldorf, August 28, 2023

French Defence C02

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 Nge7 7. 0-0 Ng6 8. Be3 Be7 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. a3 c4 11. g3 f6 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. b3 b5 14. a4 a6 15. Re1 h6 16. Bf1 e5 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8 Qxa8 19. dxe5 Ngxe5 20. bxc4 bxc4 21. Nxe5 Nxe5 22. Bd4 Ng4

23. Nf3? It is difficult to believe that, however precarious her situation, White has still sufficient strength to hold on; for example: 23. Bxf6 Nxf6 (or 23. ... Rxf6!? 24. Nf3 d4! 25. Bxc4+ Kh8 26. Be2 Bc6 with even play) 24. Nf3 Bg4 25. h3 Bxf3 26. Qxf3 Ne4 27. Qe3 Nxf2 28. Qd4 Ne4 29. Bxc4 with equality.
23. ... Bxd4. Gives little for much: Black secures a clear advantage by virtue of her strong passed c-Pawn.
24. cxd4 Bf5 25. h3 Be4 26. hxg4 Bxf3 27. Be2 Be4 28. Qd2 Qc6 29. Rc1 Qf6 30. Qe3 Bf3 31. Re1 Bxe2? Black should have recognised the futility of 30. ... Bf3 and moved the Bishop back to e4, to be possibly followed by ... Rf8-e8.
32. Rxe2 Rb8

33. Rc2? An oversight that seals White’s fate. There are several reasonable moves for White, one of the most convincing being 33. Qe5! Qxe5 34. Rxe5 c3 35. Re2! with a draw in view.
33. ... Qg6 34. Rc3 Qxg4 35. Qe5 Rd8 36. Re3 Qd7 37. Kg2 Rc8 38. Rc3 Re8 39. Qf4 Re4 40. Qb8+ Re8 41. Qf4

41. ... Qf7! 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s superb technique leaves no escape to her opponent.
42. Qg4 Qe6! 43. Qh5 Qe4+ 44. Kg1 Rf8 45. Qd1 Rb8 46. Rc1 Rf8 47. Qd2 Re8 48. Kh2 Qe2 0 : 1.

Mindfully Ever After

Jovanka Houska – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; Chess Pensioners – WR Chess; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Düsseldorf, August 28, 2023

Neo-Queen’s Indian Defence A47

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 3. g3 Bb7 4. Bg2 c5 5. c4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Qd1 g6 8. b3 Bg7 9. Bb2

9. ... a6. A vintage reference is 9. ... 0-0 10. 0-0 d5 11. cxd5 Qxd5 12. Qxd5 Nxd5 13. Bxg7 Kxg7 14. Rc1 Rac8 15. Nc3 Nxc3 16. Rxc3 Nb4 17. Rxc8 Rxc8 18. Ne1 Ba6 19. Kf1 Nc2 20. Rd1 Nxe1 21. Kxe1 Rc2 22. Rd2 Rc1+ 23. Rd1 Rc2 24. Rd2 Rc1+ 25. Rd1 ½ : ½ Lundin – Tartakower, Interzonal Tournament, Saltsjöbaden 1948.
10. 0-0 0-0 11. Nc3 d6 12. e3 Rb8 13. Qe2 Nd7 14. Rfd1 Nce5 15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. Nd5 e6 17. Nf4

17. ... Bxg2. In fact, Black’s position is so sound that she has more than one way to equalise comfortably (for example: 17. ... Nf3+!).
18. Kxg2 Qc7 19. Nd3 Qc6+ 20. f3 Nxd3 21. Rxd3 Bxb2 22. Qxb2 b5 23. Qd2 Rfd8 24. cxb5 axb5 25. Rc1 Qa6 26. e4 Ra8 27. Rc2 Ra7 28. Qb4 Rad7 29. Rcd2

29. ... h5 30. h4 Qc6 31. Qc3 Rc8 32. Qb4 Rcd8 33. Rc3 Qb7 34. Rcd3 Qc6 ½ : ½.

Oh, Edna! They stole your shoes, too?

Artwork © True_Might

Triple Play

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Keti Tsatsalashvili

1st FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; WR Chess – Kompetenzakademie Allstars; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Düsseldorf, August 27, 2023

Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Qd3 h6?! Dogmatically speaking, this appears to be losing time.
6. Be2 Nf6 7. c4 g6 8. Nc3 Bg7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. h3 Be6 11. Be3 Rc8 12. Nd5 Nd7 13. Qd2 Kh7 14. Nf4 Nc5 15. Nxe6 fxe6?! Retaking with the Knight was probably wiser.

16. e5! White temporarily sacrifices a Pawn in order to triple Black’s Pawns on the e-file.
16. ... Nxe5 17. Nxe5 dxe5 18. Qc2 e4 19. Rad1 Qc7 20. b3

20. ... Rcd8? Black gives back her extra Pawn in the worst way, since she does not get rid of any of her weaknesses with the last move.
21. b4 Nd3 22. Bxd3 exd3 23. Rxd3 Rxd3 24. Qxd3 a6 25. Rd1 Rc8 26. c5 Qc6 27. Qb3 Rc7 28. Qd3 Qa4 29. a3

29. ... Bb2? Black simply cannot afford such luxuries. White now breaks through.
30. Qd8 Qc6 31. Bf4 e5 32. Be3 Bd4 33. Qf8. Threatening Qf8-f7+ followed by Rd1xd4. It should be noted that 33. Rxd4! at once was even stronger.
33. ... Bxe3? Black does harakiri as she has no better idea. Now after 33. ... Qf6 34. Qd8 Qc6 White would probably have noticed 35. Rxd4! exd4 36. Bxd4 winning handily.
34. Qf7+ Kh8 35. Rd8+ 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) continued her triumphant march on the Rheinterrasse, scoring her fourth victory in a row. Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

The Good Old Times

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova

1st FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; WR Chess – Freedom; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Düsseldorf, August 27, 2023

Scandinavian Defence B01

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. d4 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 0-0-0 6. Nc3 Qf5 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Bxf3 Nf6 9. Bxc6 Qe6+ 10. Be4 Nxe4 11. 0-0 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Qc6 13. Qd3 e6 14. Bg5!? (14. c4 Be7 15. Rd1 Bf6 16. Be3 Rd7 17. Qb3 Rhd8 18. c3 Qa6 19. a4 c5 20. dxc5 Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 22. Qxd1 Qxc4 23. Qh5 Qxa4 24. Qxf7 Qd7 25. Qg8+ Kc7 26. Qxh7 a5 27. Bf4+ e5 28. Be3 a4 29.Qb1 Qe6 30. Qb4 Qb3 31. Qa5+ Kd7 32. c6+ Kxc6 33. c4 Qxc4 34. Qb6+ Kd7 35. Qxb7+ Ke6 36. Qb6+ Kf7 37. Bc5 ½ : ½ Giaccio – Rodríguez Céspedes, Gran Torneo Abierto Internacional Miguel Najdorf, Buenos Aires 1997)
14. ... Rd5 15. Bd2 Be7 16. Rfe1 Bf6 17. a4 Kb8 18. a5 a6 19. Be3 h5 20. Reb1 Ka8 21. Rb4 g5 22. c4 Rd7 23. Rab1 Rb8 24. c3 g4

Black has bet on the sharp, double-edged feature of heterogeneous castling, but a nasty surprise awaits her:
25. h4! Thus neutralising any initiative for Black on the Kingside.
25. ... Be7. Not 25. ... Bxh4?? because of 26. d5! followed by Qd3-d4 with mating attack.
26. R4b2 Bf6 27. g3 Qf3 28. c5. With the threat of Qd3xa6+.
28. ... Qc6 29. Qc4 Rd5 30. Rb4 Bg7 31. Qe2 Rd7 32. Qf1 f5? (⌓ 32. ... e5)
33. Bf4 e5 34. dxe5 Rd5

35. e6?! A gamble which will pay off.
35. ... Rxc5? The drama begins. Black should have played at once 35. ... Bxc3 36. R4b3 Be5 37. e7 Bxf4 38. gxf4 Rd4! 39. Re3 Re8 with a defensible game.
36. e7! Bxc3

37. Bxc7? But White too misses her winning chance: 37. Rb6! cxb6 38. Rxb6 leaving Black the choice of losing the Queen or being checkmated; for example: 38. ... Qc8 39. e8=Q! Qxe8 40. Rxa6+! and mate next move.
37. ... Bxb4! (37. ... Qxc7? 38. Qxa6+!+−)
38. Bxb8 Kxb8 39. Rxb4 Re5?? A last blunder due to the clock. 39. ... Qe6 40. Qxa6 Qxe7 41. Qb6 Rc6 would have saved the day for Black.
40. Qd1! Re6 1 : 0. Black resigned without waiting for 41. Rb6.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is playing brilliantly and quite up to her form of the Swiss summer of 2017. Photo: Mark Livshitz/FIDE.

What they do not know, Edna, is that you are invincible regardless of whether you win or not

Artwork © TatteredLotusStudios (@tatteredlotus)

Future Arctic

On Friday, August 25, 2023, Women’s Chess World Cup queen Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina held a public meeting with authorities and journalists for the sake of the students of the Polar Chess School named after Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov in Salekhard, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia. She didn’t shy away from answering the pupils’ questions such as “Why did you delete all your social media?”. Goryachkina answered that the Internet takes too much time, and excellence demands total dedication. She also shared her future plans, which are causing her some apprehension. Because of the fatigue, she said she will not play the Superfinal of the Russian Chess Championship next fall. Instead, she is now trying to urgently apply for a visa to England in order to participate in the 2023 FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss. Due to the well-known geopolitical situation, she is far from sure that she will get it in time. Finally, she plans to play in the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships at the end of the year. Photo: Klara Galimzhanova/Gazeta Polyarnyy Krug (Gazzette Polar circle).

A Matter of Small Matters

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk

1st FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; WR Chess – Ashdod Elit Chess Club; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Düsseldorf, August 26, 2023

Giuoco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. a4 d6 6. h3 a6 7. c3 0-0 8. 0-0 Be6 9. Bxe6 fxe6 10. b4 Ba7 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. fxe3 d5!? Tempting, but probably not as solid as 12. ... Ne7 13. Nbd2 Ng6 14. d4 Qe7 15. Qb3 Kh8 16. b5 axb5 17. axb5 exd4 18. cxd4 e5 19. Rxa8 Rxa8 20. Rc1 exd4 21. exd4 Nxe4 22. Nxe4 Qxe4 23. Rxc7 Rf8 24. Qc2 Qd5 25. Qc4 Qxc4 26. Rxc4 Kg8 27. b6 h6 28. Nd2 Nf4 29. Rc7 Rf7 30. Nc4 Nd5 31. Rc8+ Rf8 32. Rxf8+ Kxf8 33. Nxd6 Nxb6 34. Nxb7 Ke7 35. Kf2 Ke6 36. Ke3 Kd5 37. Na5 Na4 38. Nb3 Nb2 39. Nd2 Nd1+ 40. Ke2 Nb2 41. Nb3 Kc4 42. Nc5 Kxd4 43. Ne6+ Ke4 44. Nxg7 Nc4 45. Kf2 Kf4 46. g3+ Ke4 47. g4 Kf4 48. Nh5+ Kg5 49. Kg3 Ne5 50. Nf4 Kf6 51. Kh4 Ng6+ 52. Kg3 Nxf4 53. Kxf4 Kg6 54. h4 Kf6 55. Kf3 Kf7 56. Ke3 Ke7 57. Kd3 Kd7 58. Kc4 Ke6 59. Kd4 Kd6 60. Ke4 Ke6 61. Kf4 Kf6 62. Ke4 Ke6 63. Kf4 ½–½ Carlsen – So, 5th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017.
13. Nbd2 dxe4 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. dxe4 Qe8 16. Qe2! Qg6 17. Qc4 Rf6

18. b5? This is simply premature, as it releases Black from all her trouble. Simply 18. Kh2! first would have made the threat of b4-b5 extraordinarily strong.
18. ... axb5 19. axb5 Rxa1 20. Rxa1 Rxf3 21. bxc6 bxc6 22. Ra8+ Rf8 23. Qxc6 Rxa8 24. Qxa8+ Kf7 25. Qc6 Kf6 26. Qxc7 Qxe4 27. Qd8+ Kf7 28. Qd2 Qc4 29. Kf2 h5 30. Qc2 h4 31. e4 g5 32. Ke3 Kg6 33. Qc1 Qa2 34. Kf3 Qc4 35. Qd2

35. ... Qf1+? Black overlooks here a little, but very effective tactic: 35. ... g4+! 36. hxg4 (but not 36. Kxg4?? Qxe4+ followed by mate) 36. ... Qf1+ 37. Qf2 (or 37. Ke3 h3! 38. gxh3 Qxh3+ 39. Ke2 Qxg4+ 40. Kd3 Qf3+ with a perpetual) 37. ... Qd3+ with a draw by perpetual check.
36. Kg4 Qf6 37. c4 Kh6 38. c5 Qg6 39. Kf3 Qf7+ 40. Ke2 Qb7 41. Qc2 Qc6 42. Ke3

42. ... Kh5?? A terrible blunder, which loses straight away. The Black King should have oscillated between g6, g7 and f6 or h6.
43. Qd1+! Kg6 44. Qd6 Qb5 45. Qxe6+ Kh5 46. Qf7+ Kh6 47. Qf6+ Kh5 48. Qxe5 Qb3+ 49. Kf2 Qd1 50. Qe8+ Kh6 51. Qe6+ Kh7 52. Qe7+ Kh8 53. Qxg5 Qc2+ 54. Kf3 Qd3+ 55. Kf4 Qd2+ 56. Kf5 Qd7+ 57. Ke5 Qe8+ (57. ... Qc7+ 58. Ke6 Qc6+ 59. Kf7 Qc7+ 60. Qe7+−)
58. Kf4 Qf8+ 59. Ke3 Qf7 60. Qxh4+ Kg7 61. Qg5+ Kh8 62. Qe5+ Kg8 63. Qd5 1–0.

As they say, Queen endings are always tricky, and this was no exception. Photo: Lennart Ootes/WR Chess.

Now and Another Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Dana Reizniece-Ozola

1st FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; WR Chess – FIDE Management Board; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Düsseldorf, August 26, 2023

Modern Defence B06

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 a6 5. h4 h5 6. Nh3. Just two years ago, she pursued her way with 6. f3 b5 7. Qd2 Bb7 8. a4 b4 9. Nd1 a5 10. c3 bxc3 11. bxc3 Nf6 12. Nh3 Nbd7 13. Rb1 Nb6 14. Bb5+ Nfd7?! 15. Ng5 e6 16. 0-0 0-0 17. Nf2 Ba6 18. Bxa6 Rxa6 19. Qd3 Ra8 20. c4? (20. f4! d5 21. e5) 20. ... d5? (20. ... e5!) 21. cxd5 exd5 22. e5 Nc4 23. e6! and White broke through, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Mammadova, 3rd Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event, chess.com, June 20, 2021, round of 16 match game 14 (time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move).
6. ... b5 7. Ng5 Bb7 8. g4 hxg4 9. Qxg4 Nf6 10. Qg1!? Only a nuance away from 10. Qg2 e5?! 11. 0-0-0 (11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nxf7! Kxf7 13. Rg1→) 11. ... Qe7 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Be2 Nbd7 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. exd5 Nf6 16. Bf3 0-0-0?? (16. ... e4!) 17. d6!+− Kollars – Sokolovsky, Titled-Tuesday-Blitz-October-12-2021, chess.com, October 12, 2021 (time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move).
10. ... e6 11. 0-0-0 Qe7?! (⌓ 11. ... Nbd7)

12. e5! Nd5 (12. ... Nh5 13. Bd3! Bxh1 14. Nxf7! Kxf7 15. Bxg6+ Kg8 16. Qxh1 c6 17. Ne4→)
13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Bg2 Bxg2 15. Qxg2 d5 16. h5 gxh5 17. Rdg1 Bf8?! (⌓ 17. ... Nc6 18. Qf3 h4)
18. Qf3 Nc6 19. Rxh5 Rxh5 20. Qxh5 0-0-0. Castling costs Black a Pawn, but not castling might cost much more.
21. Nxf7 Rd7 22. Ng5 Nd8 23. f4 Qb4. Black desperately seeks counterplay, but it is White who continues to lead the dance.
24. Qe8 Qe7 25. Qg6 Kb7 26. Rh1 Qg7

27. Qd3. It’s quite understandable that given such a fast time control, White doesn’t want to exchange Queens, but indeed it would have been the best plan for her to take (27. Qf6!).
27. ... Qg8 28. f5 exf5 29. Qxf5 Rg7

30. e6? A little too hasty. White ought rather to consolidate with 30. Nh7 Qf7 31. Nf6 Rg3 32. Kb1!± (32. ... Rxe3? 33. Qf2+−).
30. ... Kc6? No time to reflect, but enough time for panic. After the correct 30. ... Be7! 31. Qxd5+ Kb8 the e6-Pawn will fall, leaving White with hardly a valorisable extra Pawn.
31. Rf1 Bd6 32. Nf7 Nxf7? Equivalent to surrender, but Black has no good moves anymore.
33. exf7 Qh8 34. f8=Q Bxf8 35. Qxf8 Qh3 36. Qc5+ Kb7 37. Qxd5+ c6 38. Qf3 1 : 0.

Almost seven years have passed since the then Latvian Minister of Finance Dana Reizniece-Ozola’s attack caught 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) by surprise in the 42nd Women’s Chess Olympiad, and apparently they have not passed in vain. Photo: Lennart Ootes/WR Chess.

Ties off, ties on

Night brings counsel, it is said, and so the WR Chess team announced its new liberal dress code. Pictured top to bottom, left to right are 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Jan Gustafsson (Trainer), Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Vincent Keymer, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi, and Wesley So. Photos: Lennart Ootes/WR Chess.

You know, Edna, the more the ties, the bigger the difference between you and them

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

No Tie Required

The WR Chess team can’t wait for tomorrow. Pictured (left to right, first row) are Wesley So, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Wadim Alexandrowitsch Rosenstein, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi. Back row: Jan Gustafsson (Trainer), and Vincent Keymer. Photo: Lennart Ootes/WR Chess.

Through the Eyes of Another

Yet, Edna, nothing symbolises an order of magnitude of time more than two lovers talking to each other endlessly on Steinitz’s wireless telephone

Artwork © Em. Z.

On the Eve

The two female stars of WR Chess team, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, spotted in Düsseldorf, Germany, while preparing for the very imminent FIDE World Team Rapid Chess Championship under the benevolent eyes of Grandmaster Maurice Ashley, who will serve as commentator. Photo: WR Chess via Instagram.

A Man in a Hurry

With the victory in the World Chess Cup 2023, Magnus Carlsen has won everything it was possible for him to win in a lifetime, elevating to a position of strength that quite possibly will get him and his entourage to dictate the agenda to FIDE. His thought can pretty much be summed up in one GIF posted on his last “X-File” of the day: “Chess? Completed it”. Yet, in other ways, he expressed his position more argumentatively in an interview for his own chess24.com platform. When asked what could possibly induce him to re-enter the FIDE World Championship cycle, he answered: “The one non-negotiable point for me, if I were to play the World Championship again, is that there would have to be more games and shorter time controls. I think specifically two games in a day is very, very interesting, and then time control could be for instance an hour per player with some increment at some point. So with the classical time control I think there’s just no way that I’m going to return to the World Championship”. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Yep, Edna, the only way to get rid of them was to ask them for a donation

Artwork © Margarita Cabarcas (@cabarquitas)

The Solitude of Prime Numbers

In an interview with the press attaches of the Chess Federation of Russia, when asked about who helped her along the way to victory in the Women’s Chess World Cup 2023, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, who, until recently, was aided by the late Grandmaster Konstantin Yuryevich Landa, answered: “I could only rely on the moral help of my dad and fans. To be sure, I’d never have expected so many cheers around me. As for coaching and mentoring, it was indeed a challenge, for no one helped me there, which can make life pretty difficult in a knockout tournament”. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

Yes, Edna. That’s why one is more likely to believe in UFOs rather than to believe that one would ever receive retirement pension

Artwork © Patchwork Witch

Laika in the Sky with Diamonds

A small crowd of enthusiasts and officials cheered and applauded Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, fresh winner of the Women’s Chess World Cup 2023, upon her arrival at Sheremetyevo International Airport. She alone saved the honour of the Russian expedition to Azerbaijan, but success did not go to her head. “I feel the same emotions as always — I am very tired”, Goryachkina said. “I do not like welcome meetings at the airport, when you arrive all crumpled and shabby, and all eyes are upon you. My health problems have not yet gone away, so now I just want to relax. It is one of the greatest victories of my career, but not the most important”. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Chess Federation of Russia.

Naturally, Edna, it is entirely possible to build a home debt free in the Big Apple without being noticed

Artwork © Bluesimile (@bluesimile)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Speaking with a TASS correspondent, the new Women’s Chess World Cup queen Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina confessed she thought she would have never saved her second classical game against Nurgyul Salimova. “In the tie-breaker I didn’t feel particularly nervous, but in the final classical game, at some point I was so desperate that I couldn’t even dream of saving myself”, she said. “But then it was as if my opponent was replaced. I feel like I have been playing with two completely different people, the first of whom, before the time control, literally crushed me. And then after — with the other one — unexpectedly, I even ended up with an extra piece. It’s a pity it didn’t help me”. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Mad, Sad, Glad

Finally, in a dramatic tie-breaker, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina won the Women’s Chess World Cup, beating Nurgyul Salimova — the revelation of the tournament — but not without seriously risking a sensational débâcle the day before yesterday, yesterday, and today. It should go without saying that Salimova just missed too many chances, but her greatest mistake was perhaps playing her second tie-break game in her opponent’s hands, i.e., a technical Karpovian vacuum in which Goryachkina most feels at home. Slowly, inexorably, Goryachkina built her web, but then let her opponent off the hook. It is an unimportant detail anyway. A draw appeared imminent, but no. Salimova finally fell apart under the burden of her nerves. Yet since where there is virtue but no happiness: “Throughout the final I did not feel well in health, and thus now there are no special emotions. I’m just glad the tournament is over”, Goryachkina said.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nurgyul Salimova

2nd Women’s Chess World Cup; Final tie-break game 2; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Baku, August 21, 2023

Catalan Opening E05

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 0-0 6. 0-0 dxc4 7. Qc2 b5 8. a4 Bb7 9. axb5 a6 10. Nc3 axb5 11. Rxa8 Bxa8 12. Nxb5 c5. A questionable line of play, as Black is going to struggle long and hard to show too much of nothing for the Pawn minus. A topical theoretical line is 12. ... Bd5 13. Bf4 c5 14. dxc5 Qa5 15. Nc3 Qxc5 16. Be3 Qa5 17. Bd2 Ba8 18. Nd1 Qc5 19. Ne3 Rc8 20. Rc1 Bd5 21. Nxd5 Nxd5 22. Ne5 Nb6 23. Qe4 Bf6 24. Bc3 N8d7 25. Bd4 Qd6 26. Nxd7 Bxd4 27. Nxb6 Qxb6 28. e3 Bxb2 29. Rxc4 Qa6 30. Rxc8+ Qxc8 31. Qb7 Qxb7 32. Bxb7 g6 33. Kg2 Kg7 34. Ba8 Ba1 35. Bb7 Bb2 36. Ba8 Ba1 37. Bb7 Bb2 ½ : ½ Nepomniachtchi – Radjabov, Candidates Tournament 2022, Madrid 2022.
13. dxc5 Na6 14. Qxc4 Bd5 15. Qc2 Be4 16. Qd1 Bxc5 17. Qxd8 Rxd8 18. Nc3 Bc6 19. Rd1 Rxd1+ 20. Nxd1 Ba4 21. Nc3 Bc2 22. Ne1 Bb3 23. Nd3 Bb6 24. Kf1 Kf8 25. h3 Ke7 26. Ke1 Nd7 27. Bd2 Bc4 28. Na4 Bd4 29. Nb4 Nxb4 30. Bxb4+ Kd8 31. Bc3 e5 32. Bxd4 exd4 33. b4 Kc7 34. Kd2 Kd6 35. Nb2 Bb5 36. Be4 Nf6 37. Bd3 Bd7 38. h4 Nd5 39. Bc4 Nxb4 40. Bxf7 h6 41. Nc4+ Ke7 42. Ne5 Bf5 43. Bc4 Kd6 44. Nf3 Kc5 45. Bd3 Be6 46. Ne1 Nd5 47. Ng2 g5 48. hxg5 hxg5 49. Ne1 Nf6 50. Nf3 g4 51. Ng5 Bd5 52. Bf5 Kd6

53. Nh7? An inaccuracy which allows Black to escape the worst. 53. Kd3 Ke5 54. Bg6 leaves Black a Pawn down in a poor endgame.
53. ... Be4! 54. Nxf6 Bxf5 55. Nh5 Ke5 56. Nf4 Be4 57. Nd3+ Kd6 58. Kc2 Bd5 59. Kb2 Bc4 60. Ka3 Kd5 61. Kb4 Ba6 62. Kb3 Bc4+ 63. Kc2 Ke4 64. Kd2 Bb5 65. Nc5+ Kd5 66. Nb3 Bc4 67. Na1 Ke4 68. Nc2 Ba6. 68. ... Bxe2! would have forced a draw almost immediately.
69. Ne1 Bb5 70. f3+ gxf3 71. exf3+ Kd5

Now here is a tablebase draw, for what it’s worth.
72. Nd3 Bc4 73. Nf2 Ke5 74. Nd3+ Kd5 75. Ne1 Ke5 76. Nc2 Bd5 77. Ne1 Kf5 78. Ke2 Bc4+ 79. Kf2 Ke5 80. Ng2 Bb5 81. Nf4 Bc4 82. Nh3 Bb5 83. Ng5 Bc4 84. Ne4 Bd3 85. Nd2 Bb5 86. Kg2 Kd5 87. g4 Bd3 88. Kg3 Bb5 89. Kf4

89. ... Be2? Curiously enough, the difference between a draw and a loss lies all within one square: the text move loses, while 89. ... Bd3! saves the day.
90. Kf5. Or — as a dual — 90. g5 Bd3 91. Ne4 Bb1 92. Kf5+− and game over.
90. ... Bd3+ 91. Kf6 Bc2 92. g5 Bd3 93. g6 Kc6 94. g7 Bh7 95. Kf7 Kd5 96. f4 d3 97. Ke7! But not 97. g8=Q? Bxg8+ 98. Kxg8 Kd4 with only a draw.
97. ... Kd4 98. f5! Ke3 99. Nc4+ Kd4 100. Nb2 d2 101. f6 Kc3 102. Nd1+ Kc2 103. Nf2 d1=Q 104. Nxd1 Kxd1 105. f7 1 : 0.

And there was a podium for three places. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.