Of course, Edna, when the going gets tough, the tough get going

Artwork © Beyza Koçak

First is not best

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2025; match game 1; 上海 (Shànghǎi), April 3, 2025

Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bf4 d5 8. Nd2 g6 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 Be7 11. 0-0 a5 12. Qe2 0-0 13. Rad1 Nd7 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. c4 Ne5 16. exd5 Nxd3 17. Qxd3 cxd5

18. Qe3! 18. cxd5 Ba6 19. Nc4 exd5 20. Qxd5 Rfd8 would give Black more than enough compensation for the Pawn.
18. ... Qg5! 19. Qxg5 hxg5 20. cxd5 exd5 21. Rfe1 (21. Nf3 g4 22. Nd4 Re8)
21. ... Rb8 22. b3 g4 23. Nf1

23. ... a4! 24. bxa4 Rb4 25. a5 Ra4. As Judit Polgár noted, “It’s frustrating to defend something which is completely drawish — just because objectively it is it doesn’t mean that you can hold it!”.
26. Rxd5 Be6 27. Rc5 Rxa2 28. Ne3 Ra8 29. Nd5 R8xa5 30. Rxa5 Rxa5 31. Nf4 Bf5 32. h3 gxh3 33. Nxh3 Bxh3 34. gxh3 Kg7 35. Kg2 Rg5+ 36. Kf3 Rf5+ 37. Kg2 Rg5+ 38. Kf3 Rf5+ 39. Kg2 ½–½.

Despite playing Black, the challenger held her own, with apparent ease, throughout the whole game. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

What say, Edna? May the best lady win — whoever she may be

Artwork © Nutting Over Lovejoy

Through the Looking Glasses

Be confident, Edna: he will raise tariffs against everyone except you, without demanding, in return, any of your conscious attentions

Artwork © addictedtodisney.uk (@addictedtodisney.uk)

Giraffe Reflections