此刻永遠 (Timeless)

Seeing is believing, Edna! Let him know what you want as a Christmas present and he’ll deliver

Artwork © KeithCartoons (@keithcartoons)

The Mysticism of Sound

The Triumph of Youth

A pictorial report from the inside of four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Peking University’s Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s and Woman Grandmaster 王瑜 (Wáng Yú)’s special day at the 泰康之家 (Tàikāng Home) and 和平府 (Hépíngfǔ) Elderly Care Centre in 东城区 (Dōngchéng District), 北京 (Běijīng), China, Wednesday, November 26, 2025. The intervention included a lecture on chess and AI followed by questions and answers and a simultaneous exhibition against the most enterprising elderly residents. Photos: 泰康之家 (Tàikāng Community).

Hold on, Edna. You know, it’s incredible, but you are always on top of the world!

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

Improv Comedy

And It Fades

大濛的暗眠 (A Foggy Midnight)

Don’t say goodbye, Edna, and don’t go to bed without dessert, because the best is yet to be

Artwork © AuraKnight100

The House of Smiles

Ah! That’s the secret, Edna; to quote Dante, “My soul tasted that heavenly food, which gives new appetite while it satiates”

Artwork © Mil Maravilhas

Cocoon

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Peking University’s Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) on her special day at the 泰康之家 (Tàikāng Home) and 和平府 (Hépíngfǔ) Elderly Care Centre in 北京 (Běijīng), China, Wednesday, November 26, 2025. Photos: 北青体育 (Běijīng Youth Sports).

Second Life

The queen of chess, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), receives the adulation of the crowd at the 泰康之家 (Tàikāng Home) and 和平府 (Hépíngfǔ) Elderly Care Centre in 北京 (Běijīng), China, Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

A Gift from Above

The queen of chess, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), takes on many elderly residents of the 泰康之家 (Tàikāng Home) and 和平府 (Hépíngfǔ) Elderly Care Centre in 北京 (Běijīng), China, Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

Elixir of life

On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Peking University’s Professor 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), and Woman Grandmaster 王瑜 (Wáng Yú), brought their grace and charm to the elderly residents of the 泰康之家 (Tàikāng Home) and 和平府 (Hépíngfǔ) Elderly Care Centre in 东城区 (Dōngchéng District), 北京 (Běijīng), China. The intervention included a lecture on chess and AI followed by questions and answers and a simultaneous exhibition against the most daring residents. Photos: 北京日报 (Běijīng Daily).

Yes, Edna, Mumbai is one of the best places for tasting creamy, voluptuous desserts

Artwork © 💧Mandyk 慢滴💧 (@man_dy.k)

A Piper: For Solo Piano

For the second year in a row, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) signed as female superstar the Alpine SG Pipers for Season 3 of Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) which will take place at Royal Opera House in Mumbai (Bombay), India, from December 13–24, 2025. For further details and information, click here. Playbill: SG Pipers Official (@sgpipers).

We understand each other, Edna, I see! It was just like when Abebe Bikila won the marathon in Rome running barefoot

Artwork © IDREA (@i.d.r.e.a)

Steal The Show

To be sure, Edna, things seen from the outside cannot be the same as things seen from the inside

Courtesy of Sunpartyprintables

Minimax

New stars shine in the heavens of Caïssa: Her Highness 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and her very young teammates finished third in the 10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship, just behind the unbeatable all-Russian FIDE team and the Azerbaijan team. Photos: Raúl Martínez.

Cycles and recycles

Her Majesty 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) today handed over the stage to her young heirs, who proved her trust to be well founded.

Liya Kurmangaliyeva – 鹿妙夷 (Lù Miàoyí)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Small Final & Final; Match 2; China vs. Kazakhstan; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 23, 2025

6k1/5p2/4pP2/3br2P/pb3Bp1/3B2P1/1P6/2K4R b - - 7 54

Position after 54. Bh6-f4

54. ... a3! A little bit trickier move order than 54. ... Bxh1 55. Bxe5 a3 with somewhat similar outcomes.
55. Bxe5 a2 56. b3 Ba3+ 57. Kc2 Bxh1 58. h6? A useless illusion as the Pawn will go nowhere. Salvation was within reach by 58. b4! (intending Kc2-b3) 58. ... Bxb4 59. Kb2 with a draw in view.

58. ... Bd6! 59. h7+ Kh8 60. Bd4 Bxg3 61. b4. Also after 61. Kb2 Bd6 62. Kxa2 g3 the ending is hopeless for White (63. Bg6? e5−+).
61. ... Bf2 62. Ba1 (62. Be5 g3 63. Kb2 Bd5−+)
62. ... g3 63. Bf1 g2 64. Bxg2 Bxg2 0–1.

Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno. Photo: Pavel Arkadievich Dvorkovich.

Oh yes, Edna, you are living proof that victory is not always about finishing first

Courtesy of iQIYI

Dragon Flute

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Semifinals; Match 2; FIDE vs. China; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 22, 2025

Sicilian Defence B52

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 g6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bg7 9. f3 0-0 10. Be3 Nc6 11. 0-0 a6 12. Nb3 Ne5 13. Qe2 Qc7 14. c5 Rad8 15. Rad1 Rfe8 16. cxd6 exd6 17. Bg5 Qb8 18. Kh1 Rc8 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Nd5 Bg7 21. f4 Nd7 22. f5 b5 23. Qg4 Qa7 24. Qh4 Ne5

25. Nd2?! The usually staid Goryachkina embarks on an unsound attack, abandoning the Queenside to its fate. Maybe the same idea could be carried out better by 25. Nd4!? Rc4 26. Ne2 Rc2 27. Nef4, for if now 27. ... Rxb2? then 28. Rc1 with the upper hand for White.
25. ... Rc2 26. Nf3 Nxf3 27. gxf3 Rxb2 28. Nf6+ Bxf6 29. Qxf6 Rxa2 30. fxg6 fxg6! But not 30. ... hxg6? on account of 31. Rg1! with annoying threats. Instead, now Black would reply to 31. Rg1 with 31. ... Qf7 disarming any threat.
31. Rxd6 Rf8!? Better seems to be 31. ... Qe7! as after 32. Rxa6 Qxf6 33. Rxf6 Rb8∓ the ending would be very favourable for Black.
32. Qg5 Qf7 33. h4 Ra3

34. Qg4? Allowing Black to liquidate into a winning endgame with two Pawns ahead. If nothing else, 34. Kg1! was an idea worth a try, for if 34. ... Rxf3 then 35. Rxf3 Qxf3 36. Rxg6+! with a draw by perpetual check.
34. ... Rxf3 35. Rxf3 Qxf3+ 36. Qxf3 Rxf3 37. Kg2 Re3 38. h5 Kg7 39. hxg6 hxg6 40. Rxa6 Rxe4 41. Rb6 b4 42. Kf3 Rc4 43. Rb8 Kf6 44. Rb6+ Kg5 45. Rb8 Rc3+ 46. Ke4 b3 47. Rb6 Kh5 48. Rb8 Kg4 49. Rb4 Rf3 50. Rb5 g5 51. Rc5 Rf4+ 52. Kd3 Rb4 0–1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) at her best today, but her young, inexperienced teammates nothing could do against the all-Russian FIDE team. Photos: Pavel Arkadievich Dvorkovich.

Ab Imperio

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Semifinals; Match 1; China vs. FIDE; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 22, 2025

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. h3 a5 8. Bb3 h6 9. Re1 Ba7 10. Nbd2 Be6 11. Ba4 Rb8 12. Nf1 b5 13. Bc2 d5 14. exd5 Qxd5 15. Ng3 Rfe8 16. Bd2 Qd6 17. Qc1 Bd7 18. Nh4 Nd5 19. Qd1 Qf6 20. Nf3 g5

21. d4 exd4 22. Nh5 Rxe1+ 23. Qxe1 Qd6 24. Qe4 Nf6 25. Nxf6+ Qxf6 26. h4 Qg6 27. Qxg6+ fxg6 28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Bxg5 Kg7 30. Rd1 Re8 31. cxd4 Bg4 32. Be3 Bxf3 33. gxf3 Rd8 34. d5 Bxe3 35. fxe3 Nb4 36. Be4 Nxa2 37. Kf2 Nb4 38. Rc1 Nxd5 39. Rc5 c6 40. Rxc6 Nf6 41. Rc7+ Kh6 42. Bc2 Rd2+ 43. Ke1 Rg2 44. Kf1 Rd2 45. Ke1 Rg2 46. Kf1 Rh2 47. Rc6 Kg7 48. Rc7+ Kh6 49. Rc6 Kg7 50. Rc7+ Kh6 51. Rc6 ½–½.

The first match between the two Eurasian stars resulted in a hard-fought draw. Photos: Raúl Martínez.

No, Edna; a queen cannot constantly live in the fear of being skewered with a spit from a bishop pair

Photo © GalinaEremenko

Dubbing

La Vie en Rose

China’s dream team enjoys the spotlight after winning their quarterfinal match against United States at the 10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship in Linares, Spain. Pictured above, from left to right, are: 鹿妙夷 (Lù Miàoyí), 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) (Captain), 李雪怡 (Lǐ Xuěyí), 宋宇新 (Sòng Yǔxīn), 郭琦 (Guō Qí), and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photos: Raúl Martínez.

The Pink Panther Strikes Again

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Quarterfinals; Tie-break 1; China vs. United States; time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; Linares, November 21, 2025

Spanish Game C79

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 d6 6. c4 Nxe4 7. d4 Bd7 8. Re1 f5 9. dxe5 Nxe5? (9. ... dxe5 10. Nbd2)
10. Nbd2? (10. Nxe5 dxe5 11. Rxe4!)
10. ... Nc5? (10. ... Nd3!)
11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. Rxe5+ Be7 13. Bxd7+ Nxd7 14. Rxf5 Nf6 15. Qe2 0-0 16. Nf3 Qd7 17. Rf4 Bd6 18. Rd4 c5 19. Rd3 Rae8 20. Be3 Qc7 21. h3 h6 22. Re1 Re6 23. Qd1 Rfe8 24. b3 Ne4 25. Qc2 Qf7 26. Rd5 Bb8 27. Red1 b6 28. Rd7 Qf6 29. Rb7

29. ... Qg6? (29. ... Ng3!? Δ 30. Rdd7 Nf5)
30. Rdd7+− Kh8 31. Rxg7 Qxg7 32. Rxg7 Kxg7 33. Qb2+ Kh7 34. Qc2 Kg7 35. Bc1 Nf6 36. Bb2 Re2 37. Qc1 R8e6 38. g3 Bc7 39. Kg2 Bd8 40. Nh4 Kh7 41. Bxf6 Rxf6 42. Qb1+ Kg8 43. Nf5 Bc7 44. Qd3 Re5 45. g4 Rfe6 46. Qd7 1–0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) didn’t disappoint her admirers or the team in the tie-breaker. Photo: Raúl Martínez.

The Rescuers

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Quarterfinals; Match 2; China vs. United States; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 21, 2025

Spanish Game C72

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. 0-0 Bd7 6. c4 g6 7. d4 Nf6 8. Nc3 exd4 9. Nxd4 Bg7 10. Bxc6!? Anti-dogmatic. There are probably more arguments in favour of 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. c5!⩲↑ Luckis – Guimard, 11th International Tournament, Mar del Plata 1948.
10. ... bxc6 11. Re1 0-0 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 Qb8 14. Qd2 Re8 15. f3 a5 16. c5!? A desperate bid for the initiative.
16. ... Qb4 17. cxd6. Latently unsound, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was not content with 17. Bf2 a4= and its equal balance.
17. ... Nxe4! 18. Rxe4 Rxe4 19. Nxe4 Bxd4+ 20. Bf2 Qxd2 21. Nxd2 Bxf2+ 22. Kxf2 cxd6 23. Ne4. White wins back her Pawn thanks to a little tactic.
23. ... Be6 24. Nxd6 a4 25. Rc1 Rb8

26. b3! axb3 27. axb3 Bd5 28. Ne4 Rxb3 29. Nf6+ Kg7 30. Nxd5 Rb2+. Or 30. ... cxd5 31. Rc6 Rb2+ with outcomes similar to the game.
31. Ke3 cxd5 32. g4 Kf6 33. Rc6+ Kg5 (33. ... Ke5?? 34. f4#)
34. Rd6 Rb5

35. Kd4? A dramatic faux pas, which loses at once a probably drawn endgame. After 35. Rd7! is not evident how Black can make any progress.
35. ... Rb3!−+ 36. Rxd5+ Kf4 37. Rd7 Rxf3 38. Rxf7+ Kxg4 39. Rg7 g5 40. Ra7 Rf2 41. h3+ Kxh3 42. Ke3 Rf6 43. Ra5 Kg3 44. Re5 g4 45. Rh5 Re6+ 46. Kd4 0–1. White resigns without waiting for 46. ... Kf4.

A bad defeat but not a total catestrophe as 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was lucky that her friends and teammates were able to get her into the stage again. Photo: Pavel Arkadievich Dvorkovich.

Unequal Englishes

叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Quarterfinals; Match 1; United States vs. China; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 21, 2025

French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Bd3 Ngf6 6. Qe2 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. Nxf6+ Nxf6 9. 0-0 Bd6 10. Rd1 0-0 11. Nxd4 e5 12. Nb5 Bg4 13. f3 Bc5+ 14. Kh1

14. ... Bd7? Consistent was 14. ... e4! 15. Bxe4 Qxd1+ 16. Qxd1 Nxe4 17. Qf1 Nf2+ with a draw by perpetual check which may be regarded as a fair outcome of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s unambitious opening policy.
15. Qxe5 Bxb5 (15. ... Qb6 16. a4±)
16. Qxc5. Not 16. Bxh7+? Kxh7 17. Rxd8 Rfxd8 and White cannot take the Bishop on account of 18. ... Rd1+, Black coming out a Piece ahead.
16. ... Bxd3 17. Rxd3 Qe8 18. Bg5 Rc8

19. Qf5. The materialistic 19. Qxa7! Rxc2 20. Rd2 would leave White with a Pawn ahead and the better position, but 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip) doesn’t need to push hard, since almost all of her teammates are winning.
19. ... Rxc2 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Rd4. 21. Qxf6 would also be answered by 21. ... Qc6 as after the exchange of Queens the Rook on the 2nd (7th) rank gives Black enough compensation for the Pawn.
21. ... Qc6 22. h4 Kh8 23. Rad1 Rc1 24. Qf4 Rc8 25. Rd6 Rxd1+ 26. Rxd1 Kg7 27. Qg3+ Kf8 28. h5 Qc5 29. Qg4 h6 30. b4 Qc7 31. Rd7 Qe5 32. f4 Qe4 33. a3 Re8 34. Kh2 a6 35. Rd6 Re6 36. Rd8+ Re8 37. Rd6 Re6 38. Rd8+ Re8 39. Rd6 ½–½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s resilience was not enough to prevent Chinese team’s defeat against United States team. Photos: Pavel Arkadievich Dvorkovich.

To recapitulate, Edna, the debate is still open whether gluttony is a sin or a virtue

Photo © Elena-345

Sic Transit

Nino Batsiashvili – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Pool Stage B; Georgia vs. China; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 19, 2025

Nimzo-Indian Defence E21

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 d6 6. Qc2 0-0 7. e4 e5 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. 0-0 exd4 10. cxd4 Bg4 11. d5 Nb4 12. Qc3 Nxd3 (12. ... Bxf3 13. Qxb4 Bxe4 14. Bxe4 Nxe4 15. Qxb7 Nc5 16. Qb4 Nd3 17. Qc3 ½–½ Makhnev – Dotzer, 15th GM Open, Fagernes 2025)
13. Qxd3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Nd7 15. Bb2 Re8 16. Rae1 f6 17. Re3 Re7 18. Rfe1 b6 19. h4 Qf8 20. h5 h6 21. Qf5 Ne5 22. Rg3

22. ... Kh8 23. Rc1 Qc8 24. Qf4 Qe8 25. Qf5 Qd7 26. Qf4 Qe8 27. Qf5 Qd7 28. Qf4 Qe8 ½–½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s “Grandmaster’s draw” wasn’t enough to avoid team’s defeat. Photo: Raúl Martínez.