Nay, Edna, there is no need of a magnifying glass to distinguish who is Othello, and who is Iago

Artwork © spybutterfly🧚‍♀️ (@spybutterfly)

第三轮 (Round Three)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Evgeny Yuryevich Tomashevsky

4th Blitz & Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 27, 2024

Spanish Game C89

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Qe2 Bg4 16. Qf1 Qh5 17. Nd2 Rae8 ½–½.

If one is interested in theory as a set of Großmeister-Remisen, there is still much to be learned by heart: 18. f3 Bh3 [18. ... Rxe1 19. Qxe1 Bxf3 20. Nxf3 Qxf3 21. Bd2 Qg4 22. Qd1 Qd7 23. Qf3 Re8 24. Re1 Rxe1+ 25. Bxe1 Bf8 26. a4 Nb6 27. axb5 axb5 28. Bf2 g6 29. Qe4 Nd5 30. Kg2 h5 31. Bd1 Nf6 ½–½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – M. Adams, 10th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2012] 19. Qf2 Rxe1+ [19. ... f5 20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. Nf1 f4 22. Bxf4 Bxf4 23. gxf4 Qg6+ 24. Ng3 h5 25. Re1 h4 26. Rxe8+ Qxe8 27. Qe2 Qf7 28. Nf1 Qg6+ 29. Kf2 Kf8 30. Bxd5 cxd5 31. Ne3 Qd6 32. Ng2 Bxg2 33. Kxg2 Qxf4 34. Qe5 Qd2+ 35. Kh3 Qxb2 36. Qd6+ Ke8 37. Qxa6 Ke7 38. Qb7+ Kd6 39. Qb6+ Kd7 40. Qb7+ Kd6 41. Qxg7 Qxa2 42. Qe5+ Kc6 43. Qe8+ Kb6 44. Qb8+ Kc6 45. Qc8+ Kd6 46. Qc5+ Ke6 47. Qxb5 1–0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – A. O. Muzychuk, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12, 1st stage, Rostov-on-Don 2011] 20. Qxe1 Bf4 21. Bxd5 Bxd2 22. Bxd2 Qxd5 23. Qe4 Qd7 24. Re1 Be6 25. a3 Re8 26. g4 f6 27. h3 Bf7 28. Qf4 Rxe1+ 29. Bxe1 h6 30. Qe4 Bd5 31. Qe3 Qe6 32. Kf2 Qxe3+ 33. Kxe3 Kf7 34. h4 g6 35. Bg3 h5 36. gxh5 gxh5 37. Bd6 ½–½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Lékó, 75th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2013.

第二轮 (Round Two)

Seyyed Mohammad Amin Tabatabaei – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

4th Blitz & Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 27, 2024

Catalan Opening E06

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. Qd3 c6 7. 0-0 b6 8. b3 Nbd7 9. Nc3 Ba6 10. a4 Rc8 11. Bb2 Bb4 12. Rfd1 Qc7 13. e3 h6 14. Rac1 Qb8 15. Qb1 Rfd8 16. cxd5 cxd5 17. Qa1 Ne4 18. Nb5 Bb7 19. Ba3 Bxa3 20. Nxa3 Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Rc8 22. Bf1 Ndf6 23. h3

23. ... Nxf2! An ingenious try to win which in fact ends up with a draw.
24. Rxc8+ Bxc8 25. Kxf2 Ne4+ 26. Ke2 Ba6+ 27. Nb5 Qxg3 28. Qe1! The only move, but a very easy one.
28. ... Qd6 29. Kd1 Bxb5 30. Bxb5

30. ... Qa3! In getting the third Pawn for her piece, Black also equalises the pairs.
31. Nd2 Nxd2 32. Qxd2 Qxb3+ 33. Ke2 a6 34. Bxa6 Qxa4 35. Bd3 Qc6 36. Kf2 Qc7 37. Kg2 Qd8 38. Qf2 Qg5+ 39. Kh2 g6 40. h4 Qe7 41. Qg3 Kg7 42. Kh3 h5 43. Qe5+ Qf6 44. Kg3 Qxe5+ 45. dxe5 f6 46. Kf4 Kf7 47. Be2 Ke7 48. Bf1 Kf7 49. Bd3 Kg7 50. Bb5 Kf7 51. Ba4 Ke7 52. Bc6 Kf7 53. Bb5 Ke7 54. e4 dxe4 55. Kxe4 Kf7 56. Kf4 Ke7 57. Bd3 Kf7 58. Ke4 Kg7 59. Kd4 Kf7 60. Be2 Ke7 61. Bb5 Kf7 62. Bd3 Kg7 63. Ke4 Kf7 64. Kf4 Kg7 65. Ke4 ½–½.

第一回合 (Round One)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina

4th Blitz & Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 27, 2024

Richter–Veresov Attack D01

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4 e6 4. Nb5 Na6 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 0-0 7. h4 c5 8. c3 Bd7 9. a4

9. ... cxd4? A grave error, which leaves White with a free hand on the Kingside. Better is 9. ... c4 10. b3 Qa5 11. bxc4 (11. Nd2 might have been less complacent) 11. ... Bxb5 12. axb5 Qxc3+ 13. Nd2 Nb4 14. Rc1 Nd3+ 15. Bxd3 Qxd3 16. Qe2 dxc4 17. Rxc4 Qa3 18. 0-0 Rfc8 19. e4 a5 ½–½ Najer – Sjugirov, 75th Russian Chess Championship, Cheboksary 2022.
10. exd4 Ne4 11. Bd3 Be8 (11. ... Bxb5 12. axb5 Nc7 13. Ng5!)
12. Ng5! Bxg5 13. hxg5 f5 14. Qc1. So, simply, while defending the g5-Pawn, the Queen is heading to e3 and from there to the h-file.
14. ... Bxb5 15. axb5 Nc7 16. Qe3 Qd7 17. Qh3 g6 18. f3 e5 19. Bxe5 Nxg5 20. Qg3 Nge6

21. Rh6! Ne8 22. Kf2 Nf6 23. Rah1 Rae8 24. Bxf5 Re7 25. Qh4 Ne4+ 26. fxe4 dxe4 27. Bf6 e3+ 28. Ke1 Qxb5

29. Rxg6+! hxg6 30. Bxg6 1–0.

莉莉瑪蓮 (Lili Marleen)

The queen of chess, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the only one that can make the hell a heaven, showed up in grand style on a gala dinner yesterday night in Moscow, Russia, in the white city of Nâzım Hikmet’s best days, to raise her song to all tombs of all unknown soldiers of all wars and to bless all souls.
Today, she just made her debut cameo in the unofficial chess “Tournament of Stars”, an independent brand developed by her old friend Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin, a former Vice World Champion who paid his loyalty to his master by his chess career.
Of course 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was perfectly aware of what her choice would have entailed due to her status of chess world’s woman Number One. Indeed, and not unsurprisingly, her joining the “Z” tournament promptly earned her harsh criticism, especially from her Slavic detractors, as well as from Magnus Carlsen’s mentor, Peter Heine Nielsen, who, from the very beginning of the so-called “special military operation”, pledged to recommend a punitive, zero tolerance line against all Russian people, regardless of their involvement and responsibility in any warmongering campaigns and policies. By the irony of fate Nielsen’s protégée will be playing on the same team as 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in the forthcoming FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championships, scheduled to begin in Astana, Kazakhstan, on August 1, but, in this case, he decided, at least apparently, to close an eye to the presence of the matryoshka queen of China.
Beyond the vulgar storytelling of “who are the good guys and who are the bad guys”, however, one can and should wonder why a high-ranking diplomat such as 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) willingly exposed herself and her dear ones, through her prayer for peace and love, to the threats and reproaches of Western and Slav war ultras.
They will say, that money is the basis of everything, and yes, it is true that a very important person in China once said, “to get rich is glorious”. But in her case? No, she did not need to be showered with rubles and dessert vouchers. She needs nothing except what she does not have. Next July, she will take a tour of the United States, but in such case her detractors, who manage to make ends meet solely through Uncle Sam’s dollars, will not dare accuse her of being venal — i.e., of being “a material girl in a material world”.
Good money, bad money? Just wars, unjust wars?
No doubt war ultras need you to make easy sense of their Manichean trivialisations and dichotomies. They say they are the “right side of history”, and it matters little that their “fair world” is littered with jails and cemeteries where to lock up and bury anyone and everyone who doubts their doctrine.
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) aims much higher than going to war to kill other human beings. She is a cultured lady and an university professor of Education. She believes in peace and arbitration. Wicked warmongers and hireling slanderers cannot even touch her without risking being turned into a still life of rusty rifles and melting of bullets.
Anyone who knows her knows what is worth her heart, and what is not.

Well, Edna, as far as one can judge by his philippics, the least we can deduce is that his mood doesn’t seem to be so “pH neutral”

Artwork © Alf Wen (@alfwen_bd)

The Sheltering Sky

People cool themselves off in a fountain in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Ahn Young-joon/AP.

You know, Edna, one day, sooner or later, they’ll give you, too, the recognition you deserve

Artwork © Evan Newby (@artnewbs)

Monte Cristo

Midnight Express

Metaphorically speaking, Edna, they are living evidence of Galilean law of free fall

Artwork © AVChick

🐼

Yeah, Edna, summer is coming and heat is getting hot

Artwork © just-hyde (@just-hyde)

Leisure Hours

A giant panda plays at 重庆动物园 (Chóngqìng Zoo) in 重庆 (Chóngqìng), China. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images.

Forewarned is forearmed, as they say, Edna

Artwork © Lazy Manifesting

In Translation

Minesweeper

陈漫 (Chén Màn), No. 9 1950 ALAN TURING PROPOSES THE IMITATION GAME, 2001. Photo © 陈漫 (Chén Màn).

In truth, Edna, it is of very little importance who will finish second, third, etc.

Artwork © 𝕯𝖎𝖘𝖓𝖊𝖞 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕕 🌈🍿✨️ (@the.quinn.collections)

Blue Moon

陈漫 (Chén Màn), No. 6 1997 IBM’S DEEP BLUE DEFEATS KASPAROV, 2016. Photo © 陈漫 (Chén Màn).

Like a Rolling Stone

陈漫 (Chén Màn), No. 4 2016 ALPHAGO DEFEATS WORLD GO CHAMPION, 2016. Photo © 陈漫 (Chén Màn).

To be sure, Edna, they might as well save themselves the trouble of holding the awards ceremony, because everyone already knows you’re without rivals

Artwork © wadarysart (@wadarysart)

Circles & Squares

For the first time 9m88 was nominated for “Golden Melody Award for Best Female Mandarin Singer” at the 35th Golden Melody Awards ceremony which will be grandly held at the Taipei Arena in 松山區 (Sōngshān District), Taipei, Taiwan, on June 29, 2024. Photo: TTV.

And yet, Edna, they can’t help but wonder, how long can they wait for you to show up?

Artwork © Roque Rivera (@roqitz)

Chords and Keys

Indeed, Edna, only you can save them from their own self-referential social narcissistic Pavlovian tactics to collect likes and praises on a selfie

Artwork © TheFieryHawk

The Narrow Path

In the second episode of the educational TV program “Champions Talk: From the Arena to the Workplace”, co-produced by the Peking University Youth League Committee and China Education Television (CETV), and broadcasted on CETV Channel 1 Sunday, December 17, 2023, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and PKU Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) talked to the students. How does one decide to become a professional player? “As a pro, one’s path is relatively narrow”, she said. “One must be objective in his judgment, along with an understanding of the big picture, trying not to make premature decisions”.

To be sure, Edna, they always try to reinterpret whatever you say, but alas! they don’t understand what you say

Photo © DisTrackers (@dis.trackers)

Parallel Time

On Saturday, June 15, 2024, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and PKU Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above, seated first from right) was one of the speakers invited to give addresses at a roundtable dialogue on “Integration of sports and education and career transformation” which was held at Peking University Khoo Teck Puat Gymnasium in 北京 (Běijīng), China.

Suddenly This Summer

Viola suddenly realised that she had already spent six days of her one-week holiday in Istanbul, Turkey, and had not sent us any pictures as yet. Photos: Viola & Elvis.

A Jolly Summer

On a sunny Sunday in June, in and around the walls of Poggio a Caiano, province of Prato, Tuscany, Italy, along with Mado Flynn in a street art market.

As they say, Edna, the good things in life are often not fat free

Artwork © Molly Rose (@thepaperposies)

Dondurma külahı

Viola enjoys enjoys an ice cream in Istanbul, Turkey. Video: Elvis.

Yeah, Edna, sometimes small things lead to inestimable joy

Artwork © True_Might

Amber and the Moonstone

Set your alarm clock if you’d like to take a Sunday stroll through Poggio a Caiano, province of Prato, Tuscany, Italy, and do not miss the chance to have a look at Mado Fynn’s stall in the street art market in Piazza Risorgimento on Sunday, June 16, 2024, from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M.

As Ambra flees Ombrone, Lorenzo de’ Medici says in his poem Ambra, stanza 41, her limbs changed (“mutar le membra”) and, as she turned to stone, she appeared as a “sketched figure unfinished in hard stone” (“come suol figura / bozzata e non finita in pietra dura”). Photo: Comune di Poggio a Caiano.

You know, Edna, the heaven they long for is likely to be just an antechamber to the white city of your dreams

Artwork © Mateus Forte (@maateusforte)

A Journey Far Away

Alice Lee – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
4th Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, June 13, 2024
Queen’s Indian Defence A50

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. a3 e6 5. d5 Bd6 6. Nf3 0-0 7. e4 exd5 8. exd5 c6 9. Be2 cxd5 10. cxd5 Na6 11. 0-0 Nc7 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 g5 14. Bg3. This implies the sacrifice of a Pawn for a nebulous compensation, whereas instead 14. Nxg5!? hxg5 15. Bxg5 would leave White with two Pawns and the initiative for the sacrificed Knight. No wonder Lee, whose overly cautious opening repertoire makes it often difficult for her to play for a win even with White, opted for the least expensive price.
14. ... Bxg3 15. hxg3 Nfxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Nd4 Qf6 18. Bd3 Ne6 19. Nf5 Nc5 20. Bc2 Be6 21. Nd4. Interesting was 21. Nd6! Qxb2 22. Rb1 Qxa3?! 23. f4! Qxg3 24. Rf3 Qg4 25. f5 Ba2 26. Ra1 Bb3 27. Bxb3 Nxb3 28. Rxb3 Qxd1+ 29. Rxd1 a5∞ with four Pawns for the Knight and an asymmetrical balance.
21. ... Bc4 22. Re1 Rfe8 23. Qd2 Kf8 24. Nf5 d5

25. g4? So far White had achieved little or nothing for the Pawn, but now Lee has further bad judgment, conceding her opponent too much. Best was 25. Rab1 Rxe1+ 26. Rxe1 for if Black continued with 26. ... Qxb2 27. Nxh6 Ne4 (as in the game), the rejoinder would be 28. Rxe4! dxe4 29. Qd6+ Kg7 (29. ... Ke8?? 30. Nf5 Qa1+ 31. Bb1!+−) 30. Nf5+ Kg8 31. Qh6 Re8 32. Qxg5+ with a draw by perpetual check.
25. ... Qxb2 26. Nxh6 Ne4 27. Qd1 Nc3 28. Qf3 Ne2+ 29. Kh2 Nf4 30. g3 Be2! 31. Qb3 Qxb3 32. Bxb3 Nd3 33. Bxd5 Rad8 34. Bxf7 Nxe1 35. Rxe1 Re7 36. Nf5 Kxf7 37. Nxe7

37. ... Bf3! The pointe: White’s Knight is doomed, and its moves are numbered.
38. Nf5 Rh8+ 39. Nh4 gxh4. Now the ending is easily won by Black.
40. Kh3 Rg8! 41. Re3 Bxg4+ 42. Kxh4 Kf6 43. f3

43. ... b5! 44. Rc3 (44. fxg4 Rh8#)
44. ... a5 45. Rc6+ Be6 46. g4 Rh8+ 47. Kg3 Rb8 48. f4 Ke7 49. f5 Bd5 50. Rc2 b4 51. axb4 axb4 52. Kf4 b3 53. Rb2 Kd6 54. g5 Rb4+ 55. Ke3 Ke5 56. Kd3 Kxf5 57. Kc3 Rf4 58. Rd2 Bf7 59. Rg2 Kg6 0–1.

The grand debut in the Cairns Cup of 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí). Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

To be sure, Edna, no one likes being the only one in a mug-shot album

Artwork © Joe Germain (@art.by.joeg02)

The Fading Hours

After all, Edna, it’s better to lose than to win if winning means having to die for warmongering’s sake

Artwork © ice (@illustraice)

The Afternoon Snack

Giant panda 福宝 (Fú Bǎo) enjoys a snack at 卧龙国家级自然保护区 (Wòlóng National Nature Reserve) in 汶川县 (Wènchuān County), 四川省 (Sìchuān province), China. Photo: 新华社 (Xīnhuá News Agency)/Rex/Shutterstock.