Well, Edna, you know, one must not take literally all what is said and written

Artwork © D💖 (@dresstothedrama)

Power of Gardens

Spent Sunday wandering around the stalls of the Wellness Festival at Anconella Park in Florence, Italy, where Mado Flynn featured her art in the exhibit of the A.M.A. (Friends of Animal World) Cattery. One of the highlights of the programme was the lecture given by philosopher Luigi Lombardi Vallauri, an acknowledged authority in animal law and rights. If then one needed signs, posters, labels, here they were: give peace a chance and say no to NATO.

Yes, Edna, they did not take into account that, unlike you, they have no jurisdiction in airspace and outer space, nor have they power to do any thing without your permission

Artwork © Dreamland Character Hunt (@dreamland_character_hunt)

Heart of the Moon

Naturally, Edna, it goes without saying that you assumed a 🧘 lotus position just to remind your fans you’re still around

Artwork © Никита З. (Nikita Z.)

Laughing Matters

Behind the scenes at 2023 Women’s World Chess Championship match: 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) and 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) burst out into liberating laughter.

Summer’s Tail

It’s a lost cause, Edna. They need war as much or more than the money they make from selling arms, and the sole idea of a world in peace simply terrifies them

Artwork © Zamora30

³

Lee Miller, Exercises, triple exposure, Limbering up for the big push, London, UK, 1942. Photo: Lee Miller Archives.

It’s an optical trick, Edna. The longer the legs are, the narrower the waist appears to be

Artwork © hit-gal

Tamta Longlegs

To be sure, Edna, every school has its ponytails, but your one is brighter and farther in the sky than a rainbow tail

Artwork © Georgio The Artiste (@georgiotheartiste)

The Wish of Wishes

On Saturday evening, September 7, 2024, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and PKU Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above, front row, from back right) joined teachers and special guests in the grand ceremonies of “2024 PKU First Run”. Photo: Peking University/Office of Student Affairs.

Hey, Edna, there must be an untold reason why students are never late for your classes!

Artwork © Maldives Business School (@maldivesbusinessschool)

NearFar

Berlin Wall, Niederkirchnerstraße, 1988. Photo: Roland Arhelger via Wikimedia Commons.

You know, Edna, no matter whether a story is zero or ten thousand words, what counts is that it’s a story that gets repeated time and time again forever

Photo © chunchuntoy (@chunchuntoy)

The Solitude of Prime Numbers

Science and happiness

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, September 8, 2024

In spite of the usefulness we believe we derive from it, sciences cannot make us happy, because man is a speaking being, who needs to express in words joy and pain, pleasure and affliction, while science ultimately aims at a mute being that can be known numero et mensura (by number and measure), like all the objects in the world. The natural languages that men speak are, if anything, an obstacle to knowledge and, as such, must be formalised and corrected, eliminating as “poetic” those redundancies about which, instead, we care most when we express our desires and our thoughts, our affections as well as our aversions.
Just because it addresses a mute man, science can never produce an ethic. The fact that illustrious scientists performed without any scruples in the interests of science experiments on the bodies of deportees to Lagers or condemned men in American prisons should not, in this sense, surprise us. Science is indeed founded upon the possibility of separating at all levels the biological life of a living being from its relational life, the mute vegetative life that man has in common with plants from his spiritual existence as a speaking being. It is well to remember it, now that men seem to have put aside everything they believed in, to entrust to science an expectation of happiness that can only be disappointed and betrayed. As recent years have shown beyond any doubt, men who look at their own lives with the eyes of their doctor are consequently willing to give up their most elementary political liberties and to subject themselves without limits to the powers that govern them. Happiness can never be separated from the simple, trite words we exchange, from the scream and laughter of joy, nor from the emotion that makes us cry, who knows whether of pain and delight. Let us leave scientists to the silence and solitude of numbers, let us lucidly watch that they do not invade the sphere of ethics and politics, which is the only one that can truly fulfil us.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Jan Toorop, The Desire and the Satisfaction, 1893. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Don’t worry, Edna, you are as safe as houses because they can stole your ideas not your genius

Artwork © JiESHi / ジェシー (@jieshi_illust)

Swann’s Way

Magnus (a.k.a. Roberto Raviola), sketch for Il miracolo di Teofilo (Le Miracle de Théophile), 1960. Courtesy of Finarte.

Of course, Edna, there is no match between you and all other hers in the world

Courtesy of HarleyV(joe-mama)! (@harleyvjoemama)

Asian Esotericism

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and PKU Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) gives her best wishes and blessing upon the students who are to take the Cheung Kong College entrance exam. Video: 蒙自长水实验中学 (Méngzì Chángshuǐ Experimental High School).

And yet, Edna, the closer she gets to you, the more she realises you’re are an unreachable star

Artwork © Jane Erlandson

At Her Feet

She Too

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova

6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship “Julius Bär” Main Event; Final match game 1; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, September 5, 2024

Semi-Tarrasch Defence D41

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 0-0 11. Bc4 b6 12. d5 Ba6 13. Bxa6 Nxa6 14. d6 Nc5 15. e5 f6

16. exf6. If 16. 0-0 then 16. ... Rf7 17. Rad1 Rc8 18. Qe3 Rd7 19. exf6 gxf6 20. Nd4 Qe8 21. Rfe1 Qf7 22. h4 Re8 23. Rd2 Kh8 24. Nc6 Qg7 25. Ne7 Red8 26. Red1 Qf7 27. Rd4 e5 28. R4d2 Qe6 29. Qf3 e4 30. Qf5 Qxf5 31. Nxf5 Kg8 32. g4 Kf7 33. h5 Ke6 34. Rd4 Rg8 35. f3 Rgd8 36. Kg2 exf3+ 37. Kxf3 Nb7 38. Re1+ Kf7 39. Rde4 Nxd6 40. Re7+ Kf8 41. Rxd7 ½–½ Kortschnoi – Mecking, 47th Hastings International Chess Congress, Hastings 1972.
16. ... Qxf6 17. 0-0 Rad8 18. Rad1 Rd7 19. Rfe1 Rfd8 20. Ne5 Rxd6 21. Qxd6 Rxd6 22. Rxd6 h6

23. h3!? And finally, here is the novelty! Yet nothing is so new under the sun: 23. Rd4 Kh7 24. h4 g6 25. g3 g5 26. hxg5 hxg5 27. Kg2 Qf5 28. Nf3 Kh6 29. Re5 Qc2 30. Nxg5 Qxa2? (30. ... Kg6! 31. Rd6 Kf6 32. Nf3 Qxa2 33. Re3) 31. Nf3 Qc2 32. Rh4+ Kg6 33. Rf4 1–0 C. Horváth – Pčola, 17th Mitropa Cup, Montecatini Terme 1997.
23. ... Kh7 24. Rd4 Qf5 25. Re2 b5 26. g4 Qb1+ 27. Kg2 a5 28. h4 g5. Otherwise there follows h4-h5, Ne5-g6, and Rd4-d8-h8#.
29. hxg5 hxg5 30. Nf3

30. ... Kg6? Unlike the game mentioned in the note above, here Black’s fate is sealed by an erroneous King move, in an attempt to get closer to the sensible area. Instead, correct was 30. ... Kh6! 31. Re5 Qc2 32. Rxg5 (32. Rd6 Qc4=) 32. ... Nd3 33. Rh5+ Kg7 34. Rd7+ Kg6 35. Rd8+ Kg7 36. Rd7+ with a draw by perpetual check.
31. Re5 Nd3. Or 31. ... Qc1 32. Rd6 with decisive gains.
32. Rxe6+ Kf7. A kind of help-mate, but 32. ... Kg7 33. Nxg5 also gives no hope.
33. Nxg5+ Kf8 34. Rd8+ Kg7 35.Rd7+ Kf8 36. Rf7+ Kg8 37. Re8# 1–0.

Once again, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) followed in the footsteps of her most illustrious peer 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), finally winning the coveted Women’s Speed Chess Champion Crown. Screenshot from the live stream.

And so, Edna, to say it with King Lear, “Nothing can come of nothing”

Artwork © So Funny Vidz Effect Creator (@sofunnyvidz)

Looking Ahead

洪東祿 (Hóng Dōnglù) (Hung Tung-Lu), Lynn Minmay 2, 2003. Courtesy of Eli Klein Gallery, New York.

You know, Edna, a lot of things can change in a year

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

Second Thoughts

What can one do, Edna? Monday is always a bad day wherever it is

Courtesy of Queen Of The Ratchet (@queenoftheratchet)

Titled Tuesdays, Untitled Mondays

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova

6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship “Julius Bär” Main Event; Quarterfinal match game 1; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, September 2, 2024

8/8/6Q1/pq5p/7P/1k4P1/5PK1/8 w - - 0 51

Position after 50. ... Kb4xb3

51. Qg5? White now misses an easy win with 51. Qb1+! Kc4 52. Qxb5+ Kxb5 53. g4! a4 54. g5! a3 55. g6 a2 56. g7 a1=Q 57. g8=Q as Black cannot avoid further loss of material. If nothing else, the text should still be enough to save a draw, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will let it slip by too.
51. ... Qb7+ 52. Kh2 a4 53. Qxh5 a3 54. Qd1+ Kb2 55. Qd2+ Kb1 56. Qd1+ Ka2 57. Qd2+ Qb2 58. Qd5+ Ka1 59. Qd1+ Qb1 60. Qd4+ Qb2 61. Qd1+ Ka2 62. Qd5+ Qb3 63. Qd2+ Kb1 64. Qe1+ Kb2 65. Qd2+ Qc2 66. Qd4+ Kb1 67. Qb4+ Qb2 68. Qe4+ Kc1 69. Qe1+ Kc2 70. Qe4+ Kc3 71. Qe5+ Kc4 72. Qe6+ Kb4 73. Qe7+ Kb3 74. Qe6+ Kc2 75. Qe2+ Kb1 76. Qe1+ Ka2 77. Qe6+ Ka1 78. Qe1+ Qb1 79. Qe5+ Ka2 80. Qe2+ Qb2 81. Qe6+ Kb1 82. Qe1+ Qc1 83. Qe4+ Qc2 84. Qe1+ Kb2 85. Qe5+ Qc3 86. Qe2+ Kc1 87. Qf1+ Kd2

88. h5? And this loses the game. Most of the White Queen moves on the light squares (except for c4, d1, d3, e2, and h3) would have prevented the advance of the a-Pawn and still ensured a draw (if not an easy one).
88. ... a2 89. h6 a1=Q 90. Qg2 Qf6 91. f4+ Kd3 92. Qf3+ Kc4 93. Qe4+ Qad4 94. Qc2+ Qc3 95. Qe4+ Kb3 96. h7 Qb2+ 97. Kh3 Qh6+ 98. Kg4 Qbg7+ 99. Kf3 Qh5+ 100. Kf2 Qh2+ 0–1.

Not less disconcerting, and yet dramatically consistent, was the very last game — a decisive one — in which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) forgot about the clock while thinking on her 59th move in a winning Knight ending:

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova

6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship “Julius Bär” Main Event; Quarterfinal match game 17; time control: 1 minute plus 1 second per move; chess.com, September 2, 2024

8/7N/4k3/np6/3PK1p1/2P5/6P1/8 w - - 0 59

Position after 58. ... g5-g4

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) exceeded the time limit and so lost!

Time up, game over. Screenshot from the live stream.

One More, One Less

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-01"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B21"]
[TimeControl "300+1"]
[PlyCount "200"]

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qd3 d6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Be2 Nf6 8.O-O O-O 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Bf5 11.Qd1 Nb4 12.c3 Na6 13.Nd4 Bd7 14.Bxa6 bxa6 15.Re1 Re8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Be3 Rc8 18.Qd2 Kh7 19.Nb3 a5 20.Bd4 a4 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Nd4 Qb6 23.Re3 Rb8 24.b3 Qc5 25.c4 e5 26.dxe6 Bxe6 27.Rae1 Bd7 28. Qc3 Kg8 29.Re7 axb3 30.axb3 d5 31.R7e5 Bc6 32.Nxc6 Qxc6 33.Rxe8+ Rxe8 34. Rxe8+ Qxe8 35.cxd5 Qe2 36.g3 Qd1+ 37.Kg2 Qxd5+ 38.Qf3 Qd7 39.h4 h5 40.Qe3 a5 41.Qc3 Qd5+ 42.Qf3 Qb5 43.Qc3 Kf8 44.Qc8+ Ke7 45.Qc7+ Ke6 46.Qc8+ Ke5 47.Qc3+ Kd6 48.Qf6+ Kc5 49.Qxf7 Kb4 50.Qxg6 Kxb3 51.Qg5 Qb7+ 52.Kh2 a4 53. Qxh5 a3 54.Qd1+ Kb2 55.Qd2+ Kb1 56.Qd1+ Ka2 57.Qd2+ Qb2 58.Qd5+ Ka1 59. Qd1+ Qb1 60.Qd4+ Qb2 61.Qd1+ Ka2 62.Qd5+ Qb3 63.Qd2+ Kb1 64.Qe1+ Kb2 65. Qd2+ Qc2 66.Qd4+ Kb1 67.Qb4+ Qb2 68.Qe4+ Kc1 69.Qe1+ Kc2 70.Qe4+ Kc3 71. Qe5+ Kc4 72.Qe6+ Kb4 73.Qe7+ Kb3 74.Qe6+ Kc2 75.Qe2+ Kb1 76.Qe1+ Ka2 77. Qe6+ Ka1 78.Qe1+ Qb1 79.Qe5+ Ka2 80.Qe2+ Qb2 81.Qe6+ Kb1 82.Qe1+ Qc1 83. Qe4+ Qc2 84.Qe1+ Kb2 85.Qe5+ Qc3 86.Qe2+ Kc1 87.Qf1+ Kd2 88.h5 a2 89.h6 a1=Q 90.Qg2 Qf6 91.f4+ Kd3 92.Qf3+ Kc4 93.Qe4+ Qad4 94.Qc2+ Qc3 95.Qe4+ Kb3 96.h7 Qb2+ 97.Kh3 Qh6+ 98.Kg4 Qbg7+ 99.Kf3 Qh5+ 100.Kf2 Qh2+ 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-02"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E16"]
[TimeControl "300+1"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nf3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.Nc3 d6 9.Qc2 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Be4 11.Qd1 Nbd7 12.Bh3 Bb7 13.Re1 Ne4 14.Rc1 f5 15.Bg2 Qe7 16.b3 Nxc3 17.Rxc3 e5 18.d5 Nc5 19.a3 Ne4 20.Rc1 c6 21.dxc6 Bxc6 22. Nd2 Rad8 23.Nxe4 fxe4 24.e3 d5 25.cxd5 Bxd5 26.Qh5 Bf7 27.Qe2 Qxa3 28.Bxe4 Qxb3 29.Rb1 Qe6 30.Qb5 Rd6 31.Red1 Rxd1+ 32.Rxd1 Qb3 33.Qd7 a4 34.Rb1 Qc4 35.Bd3 Qd5 36.Qxd5 Bxd5 37.Rxb6 a3 38.Ra6 a2 39.e4 Bb3 40.Kf1 Rc8 41.Ke2 Rc1 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-03"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C44"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "300+1"]
[PlyCount "72"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Bc5 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 Re8 9.a3 a5 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bg4 12.h3 Bh5 13.Be3 Qd6 14.a4 Rad8 15.g4 Bg6 16.Nh4 b6 17.Qd2 Re6 18.Rab1 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Rde8 20.Rb5 Na7 21.Rd5 Qa3 22.f4 exf4 23.Rxe6 fxe6 24.Rd7 Qxa4 25.Rxc7 Nb5 26.Rc4 Qa1+ 27.Kh2 Rf8 28. Nxg6 hxg6 29.Qe2 Kh7 30.Bf3 Nxc3 31.Qe5 Qf1 32.Rc7 Qf2+ 33.Bg2 Rg8 34.Rf7 Ne2 35.h4 Qxh4+ 36.Bh3 Qg3+ 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-04"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[ECO "A46"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "300+1"]
[PlyCount "78"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b5 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.O-O Be7 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.c3 d6 9.Nbd2 O-O 10.a4 a6 11.e4 Nd7 12.Qe2 Bc6 13.axb5 axb5 14.h4 Nb6 15.Rfc1 Qd7 16.Ne1 b4 17.Nd3 Rxa1 18.Rxa1 Bb5 19.Qe3 bxc3 20.bxc3 Nc4 21.Nxc4 Bxc4 22.Ra7 Rb8 23.Nb4 Be7 24.Kh2 d5 25.exd5 exd5 26.Nc6 Re8 27.Nxe7+ Rxe7 28. Qf4 Qc6 29.Qf5 g6 30.Qc8+ Re8 31.Qxc7 Qxc7 32.Rxc7 Re2 33.Kg1 Re1+ 34.Kh2 Re2 35.f4 Rc2 36.Kg1 Rc1+ 37.Kh2 Rc2 38.Kg1 Rc1+ 39.Kh2 Rc2 1/2-1/2

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-05"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C54"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "180+1"]
[PlyCount "71"]

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.O-O d6 6.c3 Bb6 7.Bb3 h6 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.Nc4 Be6 10.h3 Re8 11.Re1 Na5 12.Ba4 Nc6 13.Nxb6 axb6 14.d4 Bd7 15.Bc2 b5 16.a3 Na5 17.b3 Nc6 18.Bb2 b6 19.Qd2 Qe7 20.Rad1 Na5 21.Qe2 Rad8 22.c4 bxc4 23.b4 exd4 24.Nxd4 Nc6 25.Qxc4 Nxd4 26.Bxd4 Be6 27.Qc3 c5 28.Be3 Rc8 29.bxc5 dxc5 30.e5 Nd7 31.f4 Nf8 32.f5 Bd7 33.f6 Qe6 34.Bxh6 Ng6 35.Bxg7 Nxe5 36.Qg3 1-0

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-06"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[ECO "E24"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "180+1"]
[PlyCount "142"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c6 7.e3 O-O 8.Bd3 b6 9.Ne2 Ba6 10.cxd5 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 cxd5 12.O-O Nc6 13.e4 h6 14.Ng3 Rc8 15.Bd2 Na5 16.Rae1 Qc7 17.e5 Nh7 18.f4 Nb3 19.Re3 Qc4 20.Be1 Qxd3 21.Rxd3 g6 22. Ne2 Na5 23.g4 f5 24.exf6 Nxf6 25.h3 Nc4 26.Bf2 Ne4 27.Kg2 Nxa3 28.Ra1 Nb5 29.Be1 Rf7 30.Re3 Nbd6 31.Rd3 a5 32.Bg3 Nc4 33.f5 gxf5 34.Nf4 fxg4 35.hxg4 Nb2 36.Re3 Nc4 37.Rd3 Rc6 38.Rh1 Rf6 39.Nh5 Rf7 40.Nf4 Kh7 41.Ra1 e5 42. dxe5 Nxe5 43.Rxd5 Nxg3 44.Rxe5 Rxf4 45.Kxg3 Rfc4 46.Kh4 Rxc3 47.Rd1 Rc1 48.Rd7+ Kg6 49.Ree7 Rh1+ 50.Kg3 Rg1+ 51.Kf3 Rc3+ 52.Kf2 Rxg4 53.Re6+ Kf5 54.Rxb6 Rb4 55.Ra6 Rb2+ 56.Ke1 Rc1+ 57.Rd1 Rxd1+ 58.Kxd1 Rb5 59.Rxh6 Ke4 60.Kc2 Kd4 61.Ra6 Kc4 62.Ra8 Kb4 63.Kb2 Rc5 64.Rb8+ Kc4 65.Ka2 Rb5 66.Rxb5 Kxb5 67.Ka1 a4 68.Ka2 Ka5 69.Ka1 Kb5 70.Ka2 Ka5 71.Ka1 Kb5 1/2-1/2

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-07"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C55"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "180+1"]
[PlyCount "112"]

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Nc3 d6 6.a3 O-O 7.h3 h6 8.Be3 a6 9. O-O Be6 10.Nd5 Re8 11.Qd2 Bf8 12.Rfe1 Bxd5 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Ne7 15.c4 Nf5 16.Qc2 Nxe3 17.fxe3 e4 18.dxe4 g6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Rad1 e4 21.Nd4 Qg5 22. Qf2 Bd6 23.Ne2 b5 24.cxb5 axb5 25.Nf4 h5 26.Rf1 Re7 27.Qe2 Rb8 28.Qf2 Qe5 29.g3 Kg7 30.Rd4 Qf5 31.Qg2 Qe5 32.Qf2 Rh8 33.Qe2 Qg5 34.Qg2 Rhe8 35.h4 Qg4 36.Rd2 Re5 37.Qe2 Qxg3+ 38.Qg2 Qxh4 39.Nh3 Qg4 40.Qxg4 hxg4 41.Nf4 Bc5 42.Re1 Rf5 43.Kg2 Bxe3 44.Rxe3 Rxf4 45.Rc2 Rf3 46.Ree2 Re7 47.Rc5 f5 48. Rxb5 Rd3 49.Rc2 Rd7 50.Rb7 Kh6 51.Rcxc7 Rxc7 52.Rxc7 Rxd5 53.b4 Rd2+ 54. Kf1 Ra2 55.Ra7 f4 56.b5 g3 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-08"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[ECO "E20"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "180+1"]
[PlyCount "50"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 O-O 6.e4 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.g4 exd5 9.cxd5 Bxg4 10.fxg4 Nxe4 11.Nf3 Re8 12.Be3 Qf6 13.Bg2 Qxc3+ 14.Ke2 Qb2+ 15.Kf1 Nc3 16.Qe1 Rxe3 17.Qxe3 Qxa1+ 18.Kf2 Qb2+ 19.Kg3 Nd7 20.Qe7 Ne2+ 21.Kh4 Nf4 22.Qxd7 Qxg2 23.Ng5 Ng6+ 24.Kh5 Ne5 25.Qxd6 Qxg4# 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-09"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C26"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "48"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.exd5 c6 5.Bg2 cxd5 6.d4 e4 7.Bg5 Be6 8.Nge2 Nbd7 9.Nf4 h6 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.Qd2 Bd6 12.f3 Bf5 13.fxe4 dxe4 14.O-O O-O 15.Nh5 Nxh5 16.Rxf5 Nf6 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Qe7 19.Bd5 Kh8 20.Raf1 f6 21. Rh5 Rad8 22.Re1 Qc7 23.Be4 Qf7 24.c4 Qxh5 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-10"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Nf6 6.Bd3 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.c4 Qh5 9.Nc3 Nc6 10.d5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nb4 12.Bc4 Rd8 13.Re1 Bd6 14.a3 Na6 15.Bg5 Bg4 16.Bxf6 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Qxh2+ 18.Kf1 gxf6 19.g3 Bf8 20.Ne4 Bg7 21.d6 Kh8 22.Rad1 Qh6 23.Rd5 Qg6 24.Rf5 Nb8 25.Nxf6 Nc6 26.Re4 Rxd6 27.Nh5 Nd4 28. Rxd4 Bxd4 29.Bxf7 Qh6 30.Kg2 Rf8 31.Qxb7 Rdd8 32.Qxa7 Qc6+ 33.Bd5 Qd6 34. Be4 Rxf5 35.Qb7 Rxh5 36.Bf3 Qh6 37.Bxh5 Qxh5 38.Qe7 Qd5+ 39.Kh3 Rg8 40.Qe2 Qh1# 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-11"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C26"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "125"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.exd5 c6 5.Bg2 cxd5 6.d4 e4 7.Bg5 Be6 8.Nge2 Nbd7 9.Nf4 h6 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.Qd2 Bd6 12.f3 exf3 13.Bxf3 O-O 14.O-O Bxf4 15.Qxf4 Qb6 16.Rab1 Rac8 17.Na4 Qc7 18.Qxc7 Rxc7 19.Nc5 b6 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.c3 b5 22.Rbe1 Rc6 23.a3 a5 24.Re3 Rb8 25.Rfe1 Kf7 26.Ra1 Rb7 27.Kg2 g5 28.Bd1 b4 29.cxb4 axb4 30.a4 Ne4 31.a5 Nd6 32.Bg4 Nc4 33.Rf1+ Ke7 34.Ref3 Kd6 35.Rf6 Re7 36.Re1 Kd7 37.Rxh6 Nxa5 38.Re5 Nc4 39.Rxd5+ Kc7 40.Rxg5 Nxb2 41.Rb5 Nd3 42.Be2 Rc2 43.Kf3 Nc1 44.Bd1 Rc3+ 45.Ke4 b3 46.Rhh5 Kd6 47.Rhc5 Rxc5 48.dxc5+ Kc6 49.Rb4 Kxc5 50.Rb8 Rh7 51.Rc8+ Kb4 52.Rxc1 Rxh2 53.Bxb3 Kxb3 54.Ke5 Rg2 55.Kf4 e5+ 56.Kf3 Rd2 57.g4 Rd4 58.g5 Rf4+ 59.Ke3 Rg4 60.Rc5 Rxg5 61.Ke4 Kb4 62.Rxe5 Rxe5+ 63.Kxe5 1/2-1/2

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-12"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[ECO "B90"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "76"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3 g6 7.f3 Qb6 8.Be2 Bg7 9.Na4 Qb4+ 10.c3 Qa5 11.b4 Qc7 12.Bd2 Nc6 13.Rc1 Bd7 14.O-O O-O 15.Be3 b5 16.Nb2 Qb7 17.a3 Rac8 18.Kh1 d5 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.e5 Nd7 21.f4 d4 22.cxd4 Bxg2+ 23.Kg1 Bxf1 24.Bxf1 Rxc1 25.Qxc1 Rc8 26.Qd2 Qc6 27.Bd3 Qc3 28.Qe2 Qxa3 29.Nd1 Qxb4 30.Nf2 Nb6 31.f5 Nd5 32.Be4 Nxe3 33.Qxe3 Rd8 34.fxg6 hxg6 35.e6 f5 36.Bf3 Bxd4 37.Qg5 Qe1+ 38.Kg2 Qxf2+ 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-13"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C93"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "74"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 d6 7.c3 O-O 8.Re1 h6 9.Nbd2 b5 10.Bc2 Re8 11.d4 Bf8 12.h3 Bb7 13.a3 g6 14.b3 Bg7 15.Bb2 a5 16. Bd3 Na7 17.b4 c6 18.Qc2 Nd7 19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.c4 axb4 22.axb4 Qf6 23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Nb3 bxc4 25.Bxc4 Nb5 26.Bxb5 cxb5 27.Nc5 Bc6 28.Qc3 Rad8 29.Ra6 Rd6 30.Ra7 Red8 31.Qe3 Kg7 32.Nb7 Bxb7 33.Rxb7 Rd3 34.Qe2 Rd2 35.Qe3 R8d3 36.Qc5 Rd4 37.Rb8 Qxf2+ 0-1

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-14"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[ECO "B52"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "103"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nf6 6.Re1 Nc6 7.c3 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.a3 Be7 12.Nbd2 Nxd2 13.Bxd2 O-O 14.Re3 f6 15. exf6 Rxf6 16.Bc3 Bd6 17.h3 Raf8 18.Qd3 Bf4 19.Re2 Bb8 20.Re3 h6 21.Rae1 Bf4 22.R3e2 Qf7 23.a4 Bd6 24.Re3 a6 25.b3 Qd7 26.Qe2 Re8 27.g3 Qf7 28.Kg2 Rf8 29.Rf1 Rg6 30.Nh4 Rf6 31.Rf3 Rxf3 32.Nxf3 Qf5 33.Re1 Re8 34.Nh4 Qf7 35.Qd3 Ne7 36.Re2 g5 37.Nf3 Ng6 38.Qe3 Kh7 39.Qd2 Kg7 40.Bb4 Bxb4 41.Qxb4 Rf8 42.Qc3 Qf5 43.Qe3 Rf7 44.Nh2 Re7 45.Ng4 h5 46.Nh2 g4 47.hxg4 hxg4 48. Rd2 Qh5 49.Qe2 Qh3+ 50.Kg1 e5 51.Qxg4 Qxg4 52.Nxg4 1-0

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-15"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C89"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "109"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5 9.d3 dxe4 10.dxe4 Qxd1 11.Bxd1 h6 12.a4 Be6 13.Nbd2 b4 14.Be2 Bd6 15.Bc4 Rfe8 16.Bxe6 Rxe6 17.Nc4 Nd7 18.Be3 Nc5 19.Bxc5 Bxc5 20.Red1 Rb8 21.Rd5 Bd6 22.Nfd2 bxc3 23.bxc3 f6 24.Kf1 Kf7 25.Ke2 Be7 26.Rd7 Rb7 27.Rb1 Rxb1 28.Nxb1 Ke8 29.Rxc7 Kd8 30.Rb7 Kc8 31.Rb2 Bc5 32.Nbd2 Nb8 33.Nb3 Rc6 34. Nxc5 Rxc5 35.Nd6+ Kd7 36.Nf5 Nc6 37.Kd3 g6 38.Rb7+ Kc8 39.Nd6+ Kd8 40.Rg7 Na5 41.Rxg6 Kd7 42.Nf5 Nb3 43.Rxf6 Nc1+ 44.Kd2 Na2 45.Rd6+ Kc7 46.Rd3 Ra5 47.Kc2 Rxa4 48.Kb2 Ra5 49.Ne3 Kc6 50.Nc4 Ra4 51.Nxe5+ Kc5 52.Rd5+ Kb6 53. Nd3 Rxe4 54.Kxa2 Kc6 55.Rh5 1-0

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-16"]
[White "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "98"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Nf6 6.Bd3 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.c4 Qh5 9.Nc3 Rd8 10.Ne2 cxd4 11.Ng3 Qa5 12.a3 Nc6 13.Re1 e5 14.h3 h6 15.Qe2 Bd6 16.Bd2 Qc7 17.b4 b6 18.Rac1 Re8 19.c5 bxc5 20.bxc5 Bf8 21.Nh4 Bb7 22.Ne4 Nd5 23.Nf5 Nce7 24.Ned6 Nxf5 25.Nxe8 Rxe8 26.Bxf5 Nf6 27.c6 Bc8 28.Bxc8 Qxc8 29.Qc4 Bd6 30.c7 Re7 31.Ba5 Ne8 32.Qc6 Bxc7 33.Qb5 Qd8 34.Bxc7 Nxc7 35.Qa5 Qd6 36.Qxa7 Kh7 37.Qc5 Qf6 38.Qc2+ g6 39.Qe4 Nb5 40.Rc5 Nc3 41.Qd3 e4 42.Qc4 Rb7 43.Rc7 Rxc7 44.Qxc7 d3 45.Qd7 Ne2+ 46.Kf1 Ng3+ 47.Kg1 Ne2+ 48.Kf1 Ng3+ 49.Kg1 Ne2+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event"]
[Site "chess.com"]
[Date "2024.09.02"]
[Round "02-17"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shuvalova, Polina Sergeevna RUS"]
[ECO "C01"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]
[PlyCount "116"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3 Nf6 6.d4 d5 7.Bd3 Bd6 8.O-O O-O 9.Bg5 Bg4 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.c3 Bh5 12.Bh4 Bg6 13.Qc2 c6 14.Bg3 Bxg3 15. hxg3 Qc7 16.Rfe1 Rfe8 17.Bxg6 hxg6 18.Ng5 a5 19.Ndf3 Qd6 20.a4 Ng4 21.Qd2 Ndf6 22.Qd3 Rab8 23.Rad1 Rbd8 24.Rd2 Rxe1+ 25.Nxe1 Re8 26.Re2 Qd7 27.f3 Nh6 28.g4 Rxe2 29.Qxe2 Ne8 30.Nd3 b6 31.Kf1 f6 32.Ne6 Nf7 33.Nef4 g5 34. Qe6 Qxe6 35.Nxe6 Ned6 36.Nc7 Nd8 37.Na8 b5 38.axb5 cxb5 39.Nb6 Nc4 40.Nxd5 Nc6 41.Ke2 a4 42.Ne3 Nd6 43.Kd2 Na5 44.Kc2 Kf7 45.Nc5 Nc6 46.b3 axb3+ 47. Kxb3 Na5+ 48.Kb4 Nc6+ 49.Kb3 Na5+ 50.Kc2 g6 51.Kd3 Ke7 52.Ne4 Nxe4 53.fxe4 Kd6 54.Nd5 f5 55.gxf5 gxf5 56.Nf6 Ke6 57.Nh7 fxe4+ 58.Kxe4 g4 0-1

Well, Edna, we could say, “The early ladybird catches the worm”

Artwork © PON (@drawing_pon)

Smart Luck

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship “Julius Bär” Main Event; Round of 16 match game 8; time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, August 26, 2024

Sicilian Defence B47

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. g3 Nc6 7. Bg2 Nf6 8. 0-0 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 Bc5 10. Bf4 d6 11. Qd2 h6 12. Rad1 e5 13. Be3 Be6 14. Bxc5 dxc5 15. Nd5 Bxd5 16. exd5 Qd6 17. f4 Nd7 18. f5 0-0 19. g4 Rfe8 20. Rfe1 Nf6 21. g5 hxg5 22. Qxg5 e4 23. Re3 Kf8 24. Rh3 Rad8 25. c4 Ke7

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said afterwards she thought to be “much worse after ... Kf8-e7”, but, in truth, there’s nothing irremediably wrong with it. Also sound is 25. ... Re5 26. a4 Ke7 27. a5 b5 28. axb6 Qxb6 29. b3 Qd6= with equality.
26. Bxe4. Not 26. Qxg7 because of 26. ... Rg8 27. Qh6 Rg4 followed by the doubling of the Rooks on the g-file.
26. ... Kd7 27. Bg2 Re7 28. Qg3 Rde8 29. Qxd6+ Kxd6 30. Rb3 Ng4 31. h3 Re1+ 32. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 33. Bf1 Ne3 34. Kf2 Rxf1+ 35. Kxe3

35. ... Kc7? (35. ... b5! 36. cxb5 c4 37. Rb4 Kc5 38. Ra4 axb5=)
36. Ke4 Re1+ 37. Re3 Rb1 38. b3 Kd6 39. Kf4 Rf1+ 40. Kg4 Rg1+ 41. Rg3 Rf1 42. h4 Ke5 43. Re3+ Kf6

44. d6? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) then breathed a sigh of relief, pleased at having somehow managed to save the ending, which probably would not have been possible if White had played 44. Rd3! or 44. Re8! holding her grip.
44. ... Rd1 45. Re7 b5 46. Rc7 bxc4 47. bxc4 Rd4+ 48. Kg3 Rxc4 49. Rc6 Rd4 50. Rxa6 Kxf5 51. a4 Ke6 52. a5 Ra4 53. Kf3 g6 54. Ke3 f5 55. Kd3 f4 56. Ke2 Ra3 57. Kf2 Kd7 58. Ke2 c4 0–1. The ending should be drawn with correct play, but Bodnaruk flagged on time.

Gypsy Lou

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk

6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship “Julius Bär” Main Event; Round of 16 match game 7; time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, August 26, 2024

Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 5. Be2 Nc6 6. Qd3 g6 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. 0-0 Nf6 9. Nd5 0-0 10. c3 Nd7. Instead of 10. ... Bg4 as in game 5.
11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 Nc5 13. Qc2 f5 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. Qd1 g5 16. Bg3 Ne4 17. Bd3 e6 18. Ne3 d5 19. Nd4 Nxd4 20. cxd4 Bxd4 21. Bxe4 dxe4 22. Nc4 Qf6 23. Qe2 b5 24. Nd6 Bxb2 25. Rad1 Rad8 26. Nxe4 Qg7 27. Nc5

27. ... Rde8? (⌓ 27. ... Ba3! 28. Nxa6 Qb2)
28. Nd7 Rf7 29. Ne5 Bxe5 30. Bxe5 Qg6 31. Rd6 Rc8 32. Rfd1 Bc2 33. Rc1 Rff8 34. Rd7

34. ... Bf5? A ruinous mistake. 34. ... Bd3! 35. Qb2 Rxc1 36. Qxc1 Bc4! 37. Rg7+ Qxg7 38. Bxg7 Kxg7 39. a3 Rf5 still gave hope to the hopeless.
35. Rxc8 Rxc8 36. h3! Kf8 37. Bd6+ Kg8 38. Be5 Kf8 39. Rg7 Qe8 (39. ... Qxg7 40. Bxg7+ Kxg7 41. g4+−)
40. Qd2 Qd8 41. Qb4+ Ke8 42. Rg8+ 1–0.

社会达尔文主义 (Social Darwinism)