Ah, yes, Edna, in every wall there is a door — although it opens only once, at most twice, in a lifetime

Artwork © TheStickyMix

36th Golden Melody Awards Red Carpet

Stars and Stardust

The chess stars form up for a souvenir photo at the VDNKh (Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy) Azerbaijan Pavilion (No. 14) in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, June 28, 2025. In the centre stands the queen, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), surrounded by young fans and fellow participants. In the back row, left to right, are Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno, Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin, Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev, Evgeny Yuryevich Tomashevsky, Teimour Boris oghlu Radjabov (hidden), Raunak Sadhwani, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, and Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva. Photo: chessstars.ru.

The Mirror’s Tale

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "10.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Sadhwani, Raunak IND"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B21"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "50"]

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qd3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Nc3 d6 7.Be2 Nf6 8.O-O O-O 9.Nd5 Nd7 10.c3 e6 11.Ne3 Nc5 12.Qc2 f5 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Rd1 Qc7 15.Nf1 Kh8 16.Ng3 f4 17.Nh5 e5 18.Nxg7 Qxg7 19.Rxd6 Bh3 20.g3 Bf5 21.Qd1 Ne4 22.Rd5 fxg3 23.fxg3 Nxg3 24.Bg5 Nxe2+ 25.Qxe2 Bg4 0-1

Sneakers, jeans, and ponytail. Photo: chessstars.ru.

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "11.1"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Gunina, Valentina Evgenyevna RUS"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B23"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "93"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 e5 4.Ng3 d6 5.Bc4 g6 6.d3 Bg7 7.h4 h5 8.Bg5 Bf6 9.Qd2 Be6 10.Nd5 Bxd5 11.Bxd5 Bxg5 12.hxg5 Nge7 13.a3 Qd7 14.f3 Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.Ne4 O-O-O 17.Nf6 Qa4 18.O-O-O Kb8 19.g3 Rc8 20.Rh4 Qa6 21.Re4 Nf5 22.Qf2 c4 23.dxc4 Rxc4 24.Rxc4 Qxc4 25.Kb1 Rc8 26.Rd3 Qa4 27.Ne4 Qa6 28.Qd2 Nd4 29.Nc3 Qc4 30.f4 b5 31.fxe5 dxe5 32.Qe3 Re8 33.Qe4 a5 34.b3 Qc5 35.Re3 b4 36.axb4 axb4 37.Na4 Qd6 38.Rd3 Re7 39.Kb2 Rc7 40.Rd2 Rd7 41.Qd3 Qxd5 42.Nb6 Qa5 43.Nxd7+ Kc7 44.Nxe5 Nb5 45.Qd7+ Kb6 46.Qc6+ Ka7 47.Rd7+ 1-0

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "12.5"]
[White "Alexandrovich Karjakin, Sergey RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C67"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "38"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.Bf4 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Ne8 13.c3 d5 14.Bd3 g6 15.Nd2 c6 16.Qe2 Ng7 17.Re1 Bf5 18.Bxf5 Nxf5 19.Nf3 Qd7 1/2-1/2

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "13.2"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Goryachkina, Aleksandra Yuryevna RUS"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B45"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "93"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.O-O Nf6 9.Qe2 O-O 10.b3 Qc7 11.Bb2 Bd6 12.h3 d4 13.Na4 e5 14.c3 dxc3 15.Bxc3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nd7 17.Bb2 Bb7 18.Qe3 Rfe8 19.Rfd1 Nf8 20.Nc5 Bc8 21.Bf1 Ng6 22.Rd2 Nf4 23.Ba3 Bxc5 24.Bxc5 Qg5 25.Kh2 Qh5 26.Qg3 Be6 27.Be3 Rac8 28.Bxf4 exf4 29.Qxf4 Qa5 30.Qe3 h6 31.Rc5 Qb4 32.f3 a5 33.Bc4 Bxc4 34.Rxc4 Qb5 35.Qc5 Qb8+ 36.Qd6 Qb6 37.Rdc2 Re6 38.Qd7 Rc7 39.Qd8+ Kh7 40.Rc5 Rg6 41.Re5 a4 42.Re8 Rf6 43.bxa4 c5 44.e5 Rfc6 45.Rh8+ Kg6 46.Qd3+ Kg5 47.Qe4 1-0

A geopolitical Eurasia in the making? Photo: chessstars.ru.

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "14.4"]
[White "Lagno, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B84"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "136"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 a6 4.a4 e6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Be2 Qc7 8.O-O b6 9.f4 Bb7 10.Bf3 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Rc8 12.Be3 Be7 13.f5 e5 14.Nb3 O-O 15.Rad1 Qb8 16.Nd2 Qa8 17.Bf2 Rfe8 18.Nc4 Qb8 19.Nd2 d5 20.exd5 Bb4 21.Nde4 Bxc3 22.bxc3 Nxd5 23.c4 N5f6 24.Nd6 e4 25.Nxe8 Rxe8 26.Bg4 Qc7 27.Bh3 Qc6 28.Bg3 h6 29.Rd6 Qc5+ 30.Kh1 Rc8 31.Rfd1 Bc6 32.Bf2 Qb4 33.Bh4 Bxa4 34.Bxf6 Nxf6 35.Rxf6 gxf6 36.Qxe4 Qxc4 37.Qe7 Bxc2 38.Re1 Kg7 39.Re3 Bd3 40.Rg3+ Kh7 41.Re3 Qc1+ 42.Re1 Qc4 43.Qxf6 Re8 44.Rg1 Qd5 45.Qc3 a5 46.f6 Bg6 47.Bg4 Qe5 48.Qc6 b5 49.Bf3 Re6 50.Qa8 a4 51.Rf1 Rxf6 52.h3 Bd3 53.Rc1 Bg6 54.Rc8 Rd6 55.Rc1 Qe3 56.Rf1 Qe5 57.Rc1 Qf4 58.Re1 Re6 59.Rd1 Qg3 60.Qa5 a3 61.Qxa3 Re1+ 62.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 63.Kh2 b4 64.Qb2 Qc3 65.Qe2 b3 66.Kh1 b2 67.Be4 Qc1+ 68.Kh2 Qf4+ 0-1

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "15.3"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Assaubayeva, Bibisara Erkhanovna KAZ"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B90"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "115"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nd5 Nd7 11.Bc4 Rc8 12.Qe2 Nb6 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.Bxe6 Qxe6 15.a5 Nd7 16.b3 O-O 17.O-O Rc3 18.Rfd1 Rfc8 19.Rd2 Nf6 20.Rad1 Ne8 21.h3 h6 22.Nh4 g6 23.Nf3 Kg7 24.Nh2 R8c5 25.Ra1 Nf6 26.Ng4 Nxg4 27.hxg4 d5 28.exd5 Rxd5 29.Rad1 Rxd2 30.Rxd2 e4 31.Rd4 e3 32.f3 Qe5 33.Rd3 Rxd3 34.cxd3 Qd4 35.g3 g5 36.Kg2 Kf6 37.Qc2 Qb4 38.Kf1 Qxa5 39.Ke2 Qe5 40.Qc8 Qe7 41.Qf5+ Kg7 42.d4 b6 43.Qd3 a5 44.d5 Qd6 45.Qd4+ f6 46.Kxe3 Kf7 47.Qc4 Ke7 48.Qe4+ Qe5 49.Kd3 Kd6 50.Kc4 Qb2 51.Qe6+ Kc7 52.Qc6+ Kd8 53.Qxb6+ Ke8 54.Qe6+ Kd8 55.d6 Qc2+ 56.Kb5 Qd3+ 57.Kxa5 Qd2+ 58.b4 1-0

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "16.3"]
[White "Tomashevsky, Evgeny Yuryevich RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D31"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "27"]

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 a6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be6 7.e3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 c6 9.Qc2 Bd6 10.Bf4 Qc7 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.O-O O-O 13.h3 Qe7 14.Rab1 1/2-1/2

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "17.4"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Artemiev, Vladislav Mikhailovich RUS"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B49"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "138"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Be2 b5 8.Nxc6 Qxc6 9.a3 Bb7 10.Bf3 Qc7 11.e5 Ne7 12.Be4 Ng6 13.f4 b4 14.axb4 Bxb4 15.Bxb7 Qxb7 16.O-O Bxc3 17.bxc3 O-O 18.c4 Rfc8 19.Qd3 Nh4 20.Rf2 Nf5 21.c5 a5 22.Rd2 Nxe3 23.Qxe3 h6 24.Qd4 Ra7 25.Rd3 Qc6 26.Rc3 a4 27.Raa3 Ra5 28.Rc4 Rxc5 29.Rxc5 Qxc5 30.Qxc5 Rxc5 31.Rxa4 Rxc2 32.Ra8+ Kh7 33.Rd8 Rd2 34.h3 g5 35.fxg5 hxg5 36.Kh2 Kg6 37.Kg3 f6 38.exf6 Kxf6 39.Rf8+ Kg7 40.Rd8 d5 41.Kf3 Kf6 42.g3 Rd4 43.Rf8+ Kg7 44.Re8 Kf7 45.Rd8 Rb4 46.Rc8 Ra4 47.Rd8 Kg7 48.Re8 Kf7 49.Rd8 Rc4 50.Ra8 e5 51.Ra6 Rb4 52.Rd6 Rb3+ 53.Kg4 d4 54.Kf5 Re3 55.g4 d3 56.Kxg5 Rxh3 57.Kf5 Re3 58.g5 Ke7 59.Rd5 e4 60.g6 Re1 61.g7 Kf7 62.Rd7+ Kg8 63.Kf6 Rf1+ 64.Kg6 Rg1+ 65.Kf6 Kh7 66.Kf5 Rxg7 67.Rd4 Re7 68.Kf6 Re8 69.Kf5 e3 0-1

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.30"]
[Round "18.2"]
[White "Radjabov, Teimour Boris oghlu AZE"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B50"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.d3 e6 5.O-O Nf6 6.c3 Be7 7.Re1 a6 8.a4 O-O 9.Nbd2 b6 10.Nf1 Bb7 11.Bf4 Nh5 12.Be3 d5 13.exd5 exd5 14.Ba2 Nf6 15.Ng3 Qd7 16.Qd2 Rad8 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxh6 gxh6 19.Qxh6 Nh7 20.d4 Qd6 21.Qd2 Bc8 22.Bb1 Bg4 23.Ne5 Nxe5 24.dxe5 Qc6 25.Qf4 Bc8 26.Nh5 Kh8 27.Nf6 Rg8 28.Qh6 Rg7 29.Bxh7 Bxf6 30.Bc2+ Kg8 31.exf6 1-0

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is thinking far and high. Photo: chessstars.ru.

Well, Edna, in two and a half words, “Meow and Bow”

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

🐱

A Woman in a Hurry

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Sadhwani, Raunak IND"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B90"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "75"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.a3 Nc6 8.Qe2 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 e5 10.Be3 Be6 11.O-O-O Rc8 12.Qe1 Qc7 13.Bd3 Be7 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 O-O 16.Kb1 Ng4 17.Qg3 Ne5 18.h4 Rfe8 19.Rhf1 Qa5 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Bf6 22.Bd2 Qd8 23.Rxf6 Nxd3 24.Rxd6 Qc7 25.Bc3 Ne5 26.Rf6 Ng6 27.d6 Qd7 28.Rf3 Rc4 29.h5 Rg4 30.Qf2 Nf8 31.h6 gxh6 32.Rh3 Rg6 33.Qd4 f6 34.Qd2 Re6 35.Bb4 Qg7 36.d7 Rxg2 37.Qxg2 Qxg2 38.d8=Q 1-0

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Gunina, Valentina Evgenyevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D37"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "125"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.c5 b6 6.cxb6 c5 7.Bf4 Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.dxc5 Qxc5 10.Qd4 Qd6 11.e3 Nbd7 12.Be2 e5 13.Qd2 Nxb6 14.O-O O-O 15.Rfd1 Rd8 16.Rac1 h6 17.h3 Bb7 18.a4 Rac8 19.b3 Nbd7 20.Qb2 Qe6 21.b4 Nb6 22.a5 Nc4 23.Bxc4 dxc4 24.Nd2 Qc6 25.f3 Rd3 26.Nf1 Qd7 27.Rxd3 cxd3 28.Nd2 e4 29.Ncxe4 Nxe4 30.fxe4 Qe6 31.Rxc8+ Qxc8 32.Kf2 Bxe4 33.b5 Qf5+ 34.Kg1 axb5 35.Qb4 Bb7 36.Qd4 Qd5 37.Qxd5 Bxd5 38.e4 Bb7 39.Kf2 b4 40.Ke3 Ba6 41.Nb3 Kf8 42.Nc5 Bb5 43.a6 Ke7 44.a7 Bc6 45.Kxd3 Kd6 46.Kc4 b3 47.Nxb3 Bxe4 48.g3 Bd5+ 49.Kc3 Kc7 50.Nd4 g6 51.Nb5+ Kb7 52.Kd4 Be6 53.h4 Bd7 54.Nd6+ Kxa7 55.Nxf7 h5 56.Ke5 Kb6 57.Kf6 Bf5 58.Ne5 Kc5 59.Nxg6 Bg4 60.Nf4 Kd4 61.Kg5 Ke4 62.Nxh5 Kf3 63.Nf6 1-0

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "3.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Alexandrovich Karjakin, Sergey RUS"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B90"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nd5 Nd7 11.Bc4 Rc8 12.b3 Nb6 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.Bxe6 Qxe6 15.O-O O-O 16.Qd3 Nd7 17.Rfd1 Rc6 18.Nd2 Rd8 19.Nc4 Nf6 20.Ne3 g6 21.f3 h5 22.Rd2 Qc8 23.Qe2 Rc3 24.Nd1 Rc5 25.Ne3 b5 26.axb5 axb5 27.c4 bxc4 28.bxc4 Kg7 29.Qf2 Qc7 30.Nd5 Nxd5 31.cxd5 Rc1+ 32.Rd1 Rc2 33.Rd2 Rc3 34.h4 Rc8 35.Kh2 Qe7 36.Ra7 Qf6 37.Qg3 Rc1 38.Rb2 R8c7 39.Rxc7 Rxc7 40.Ra2 1/2-1/2

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "4.2"]
[White "Goryachkina, Aleksandra Yuryevna RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B22"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Nf6 6.Na3 a6 7.Nc4 Nbd7 8.a4 cxd4 9.Qxd4 Bc5 10.Qh4 O-O 11.Be2 b6 12.O-O Bb7 13.Be3 Qc6 14.Bxc5 Nxc5 15.Nce5 Qc7 16.Rad1 h6 17.Rd4 Rad8 18.Rfd1 Nce4 19.h3 Rxd4 20.Rxd4 Rd8 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Ng4 Qd6 23.Nxf6+ Nxf6 24.Qd4 Qxd4 25.Nxd4 Kf8 26.Nb3 Nd7 27.a5 b5 28.f3 Ke7 29.Kf2 Kd6 30.Ke3 Bd5 31.Nd2 Nc5 32.b4 Nd7 33.c4 bxc4 34.Nxc4+ Kc7 35.Kd4 f6 36.h4 Bb7 37.g4 e5+ 38.Kc3 Nf8 39.Ne3 Ne6 40.Bd1 Nf4 41.Nf5 Nd5+ 42.Kb3 Bc8 43.Nxg7 Bd7 44.Nh5 Kd6 45.Be2 Bc8 46.Ng3 Nf4 47.Ne4+ Ke7 48.Bf1 Be6+ 49.Ka3 Bc8 50.Nc5 Ng6 51.Bxa6 Bxa6 52.Nxa6 Kd6 53.Nc5 Nxh4 54.a6 Nxf3 55.a7 Kd5 1-0

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Lagno, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna RUS"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C55"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "39"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bg5 f6 7.Be3 Nxe3 8.fxe3 Na5 9.Nxe5 fxe5 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxe5+ Qe7 12.Qxh8 Qxe3+ 13.Kf1 Nxc4 14.dxc4 Qc1+ 15.Kf2 Qxh1 16.Nc3 Qxa1 17.Nd5 Be6 18.Qe5 Kf7 19.Qxc7+ Ke8 20.Qe5 1-0

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "6.3"]
[White "Assaubayeva, Bibisara Erkhanovna KAZ"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B28"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "48"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Bc4 Bb4 8.O-O Bxc3 9.bxc3 d6 10.Ba3 Na5 11.Bb3 Nxb3 12.axb3 Nxe4 13.Re1 f5 14.c4 Be6 15.Nd2 Nxd2 16.Qxd2 Qd7 17.Bxd6 e4 18.c5 Rd8 19.f3 Qc6 20.fxe4 fxe4 21.Qg5 Rd7 22.Rad1 b6 23.b4 bxc5 24.bxc5 h6 1-0

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "7.3"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Tomashevsky, Evgeny Yuryevich RUS"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C88"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "124"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Bf6 13.Nd2 Na5 14.Ba3 Re8 15.Ne4 Bxe4 16.Rxe4 Rc8 17.Qh5 g6 18.Qf3 c5 19.Rd1 Kg7 20.Ree1 Nxb3 21.axb3 Qd7 22.c4 Rc6 23.Bb2 Rce6 24.Re4 Kg8 25.Rde1 Bg7 26.Ba3 Qc7 27.R4e2 Rd8 28.Qe3 Rc8 29.Qd2 Rd8 30.Bb2 Rde8 31.Qc1 bxc4 32.bxc4 e4 33.Bxg7 Kxg7 34.Rxe4 Rxe4 35.dxe4 Qe5 36.Qa3 Re6 37.Qe3 a5 38.f4 Qd4 39.Qxd4+ cxd4 40.Ra1 Rxe4 41.Rxa5 Re2 42.Rd5 Rxc2 43.Rxd4 h5 44.h4 Kf6 45.Kh2 Ke6 46.Kg3 Kf5 47.Rd5+ Kf6 48.c5 Ke6 49.Rd6+ Kf5 50.Rd5+ Ke6 51.Re5+ Kd7 52.Kf3 f6 53.Rd5+ Ke7 54.f5 Rc3+ 55.Kf2 g5 56.hxg5 fxg5 57.g3 Kf6 58.Kg2 h4 59.gxh4 gxh4 60.Kh2 Kg5 61.Re5 Kf6 62.Rd5 Kg5 1/2-1/2

Just a breath of roses. Photo: chessstars.ru.

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "8.4"]
[White "Artemiev, Vladislav Mikhailovich RUS"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A08"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.O-O h6 5.b3 Nc6 6.Bb2 Qc7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 e5 9.Nb5 Qb6 10.N5c3 d4 11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Bh3 13.Bg2 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Be7 15.c3 Rd8 16.cxd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Qc6+ 18.f3 Rxd4 19.Qc1 Qxc1 20.Rxc1 Kd7 21.e3 Rd3 22.Kf2 e4 23.Nc3 exf3 24.Rd1 Rxd1 25.Rxd1+ Ke6 26.Kxf3 Rd8 27.Rxd8 Bxd8 28.Ke4 f5+ 29.Kd3 Ke5 30.Nb5 a6 31.Na3 Kd5 32.Nc2 h5 33.Nd4 g6 34.Ne2 g5 35.h4 gxh4 36.Nf4+ Kd6 37.gxh4 Bxh4 38.Nxh5 Ke5 39.Nf4 Bd8 40.Ng6+ Kd5 41.Nf4+ Ke5 42.Ng2 Kd5 43.Ne1 Bf6 44.Nf3 Bd8 45.Nd4 Ke5 46.b4 Be7 47.a3 Bd6 48.Nb3 Kd5 49.Na5 b6 50.Nc4 Bc7 51.a4 b5 52.axb5 axb5 53.Na3 Bd6 54.Nc2 Be7 55.Nd4 Bxb4 1/2-1/2

[Event "5th Blitz «Tournament of Stars»"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "9.2"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Radjabov, Teimour Boris oghlu AZE"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C50"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "104"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 h6 5.O-O d6 6.c3 Bb6 7.Re1 Nge7 8.d4 O-O 9.h3 Ng6 10.Be3 Qf6 11.Bb3 Re8 12.Na3 Nf4 13.Nc4 exd4 14.Bxf4 Qxf4 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.Nxd4 Bd7 17.Re3 Ne5 18.Ne2 Qf6 19.Ng3 g6 20.Qf1 Be6 21.Bxe6 Rxe6 22.f4 Nd7 23.Qf3 Rae8 24.Rf1 R6e7 25.a3 c6 26.Rd1 Nc5 27.Rde1 b5 28.Qd1 Qxf4 29.Rf3 Qe5 30.Ref1 Ne6 31.Qd3 Ng5 32.Rf6 Re6 33.R6f4 d5 34.exd5 Qxd5 35.Qxd5 cxd5 36.h4 Ne4 37.Nxe4 dxe4 38.Rxf7 R8e7 39.Rxe7 Rxe7 40.Rf6 Kg7 41.Rb6 Rd7 42.Rxb5 e3 43.Kf1 Rd2 44.Rxb7+ Kf6 45.a4 Kf5 46.a5 Ke4 47.a6 Kd3 48.Rd7+ Kc2 49.Re7 Kd3 50.Rd7+ Kc2 51.Re7 Kd3 52.Rd7+ Kc2 1/2-1/2

Time for a handshake and a draw. Photo: chessstars.ru.

9（九）

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Teimour Boris oghlu Radjabov

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 28, 2025

Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Re1 0-0 9. Nbd2 Nd6 10. Nf1 c6 11. Ng3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Na6

13. c3 Nc7 14. Re2 Re8 ½–½.

Come on, Edna, the only thing that counts at the end is that you are not winning but you are winning anyway

Courtesy of mclaren

36th Golden Melody Awards

8（八）

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 28, 2025

Queen’s Gambit Declined D31

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e3 c5 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. g3 Bg4 9. Bg2 cxd4 10. exd4 Bb4 11. Qd3 0-0 12. 0-0 Qd7 13. Be5 Bf5 14. Qf3 Be4 15. Qf4 Nh5 16. Qh4 Bxg2 17. Kxg2 g6 18. Qh3 Qxh3+ 19. Kxh3 Rad8 20. Bc7 Rd7 21. Bb6 Re8 22. Rac1 Nf6 23. Nf4 Ba5 24. Bxa5 Nxa5 25. Na4 Nc4 26. b3 Nd2 27. Rfd1 Nde4 28. Kg2 Rde7 29. Nb6 Rd8 30. Re1 g5 31. Nd3 Re6 32. Na4

32. ... Rde8? (⌓ 32. ... Ree8 Δ 33. Rc7 Rc8!⇄)
33. Rc7 b5 34. Nab2 g4 35. Nf4 Rd6 36. Nbd3 Kf8 37. Ne5 Re7 38. Rec1 Rxc7 39. Rxc7 Ng5 40. h4 gxh3+ 41. Nxh3 Ne8 42. Ra7 Nxh3 43. Rxf7+ Kg8 44. Kxh3 Rf6 45. Rxf6 Nxf6 46. f3 Kf8 47. Kh4 h6 48. Ng4 Ng8 49. Kh5 Kg7 50. f4 Kh7 51. f5 Ne7 52. Nxh6 Nc6 53. g4 Nxd4 54. g5 Nf3 55. g6+ Kg7 56. Ng4 1–0.

7（七）

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Evgeny Yuryevich Tomashevsky

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 28, 2025

Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. Bd3 d5 14. Bf4 c6 15. Nd2 g6

16. Qe2 Ng7 17. h3 Bf5 ½–½.

Wow, Edna, you’re brighter and shinier than the sun and all stars

Courtesy of nuradin

Witches in White Coats

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) stands on the red carpet at the 5th “Tournament of Stars” premiere on Thursday, June 26, 2025. Photo: chessstars.ru via OK! Russia.

6（六）

Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 27, 2025

Sicilian Defence B42

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. 0-0 Qc7 7. Qe2 d6 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3 Be7 10. Nc3 0-0 11. Kh1 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 e5 13. Be3 b5 14. fxe5 dxe5 15. Bg5 b4 16. Nd1 Bg4 17. Qe1 Bxd1 18. Rxd1 Nh5 19. Bd2 a5 20. Qe2 Nf4 21. Bxf4 exf4

22. e5! Bg5? 23. Qh5 h6 (23. ... Bh6 24. Rxf4!)
24. h4 g6 25. Qg4 Qxe5 26. hxg5 hxg5 27. Rde1 Qc5 28. g3 fxg3 29. Qxg3 Rae8 30. Rxe8 Rxe8 31. Qf2 Qxf2 32. Rxf2 Kg7 33. Kg2 f5 34. Re2 Ra8 35. Re6 Ra7

36. Kf3? (36. Ra6+−)
36. ... Rc7 37. Ra6 Rc5 38. b3? (38. Rb6)
38. ... Kh6 39. Bc4 Kh5 40. Bf7 Rc3+ 41. Kf2 Rxc2+ 42. Kf3 Rc3+ 43. Kf2 Rc2+ 44. Kf3 Rc3+ 45. Kf2 ½–½.

5（五）

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 27, 2025

Four Knights Game C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Bg5 c6 11. Qf3 Bd6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Qxf6 gxf6 14. Ne2 Rb8 15. b3 Re8 16. Ng3 Bd7

17. Nf5 Bxf5 18. Bxf5 Re7 ½–½.

4（四）

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 27, 2025

Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 c6 7. e3 Be7 8. Bd3 Ne4 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Qc2 Ndf6 11. 0-0 Bf5 12. Ne5 0-0 13. a4 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Bxd3 15. Nxd3 Ne4 16. c4 dxc4 17. Ne5 Nd6 18. Nxc4 Rac8 19. Rfc1 h6 20. h3 Rfd8 21. Nxd6 Rxd6 22. Rab1 Rc7 23. Rb3 Rd5 24. Rc3 Qe6

25. Rc5 Rxc5 26. Qxc5 b6 27. Qc3 (27. d5 bxc5 28. dxe6 fxe6 29. Rxc5 Kf8=)
27. ... c5 28. Qc4 Qxc4 29. Rxc4 Kf8 30. Kf1 Ke7 31. Ke2 Kd6 32. Kd3 a6 33. h4 b5 34. axb5 axb5 35. dxc5+ Rxc5 36. Rg4 g6 37. f3 h5 38. Rf4 Ke6 39. Re4+ Re5 40. Rb4 Rd5+ 41. Kc3 Rc5+ 42. Kd3 Kd5 43. g4 hxg4 44. fxg4 Ke6 45. g5 Kd6 46. Rf4 Rc7 47. Rd4+ Kc5 48. Rf4 Rb7 49. Kc3 Re7 50. Rf3 Kd5 51. Kb4 Ke4 52. Rh3 Re5 53. h5 gxh5 54. Rxh5 Kxe3 55. Rh7 Rf5 56. Rg7 Kf4 57. Ka5 Ke4 58. Kb4 Kf4 59. Ka5 Ke4 60. Kb4 Kd4 61. Rg8 Ke3 62. g6 fxg6 ½–½.

Yep, Edna, you shine with your own light, like a public street lamp in a dark night

Courtesy of dadrien

3（三）

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 26, 2025

Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 c6 13. Bf4 Ne8 14. Nd2 d5 15. Bd3 g6 16. Qe2 Ng7 17. Re1 Bf5 18. Bxf5 Nxf5 19. h3 Qd7 20. Nf3 Ng7 21. Be5 Re8 22. Qd2 Bd8 23. Bxg7 Kxg7

24. Kf1 (24. Rxe8 Qxe8 25. Qf4 Qe7 26. Qe5+ Qxe5 27. Nxe5 f6 28. Nd3 Be7 29. g4 Kf7 30. Kg2 Ke6 ½–½ Robson – Anand, 1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, Santon 2019)
24. ... Rxe1+ 25. Nxe1 ½–½.

Two old friends meet again. Photos: Moscow Chess Federation.

2（二）

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 26, 2025

Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 h6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. c5 c6 7. b4 Qc7 8. Bb2 Be7 9. Bd3 b6 10. 0-0 a5 11. a3 Ba6

12. b5!? cxb5 13. c6? Gunina’s idea to turn her less than sound opening into a successful gambit is a pipe dream.
13. ... Qxc6 14. Rc1 Qb7 15. Nxb5 0-0 16. Rc7 Qb8 17. Qc2 Rc8 18. Rc1 Ne8 19. Rxc8 Qxc8 20. Qe2 Qd8

White is down a Pawn, with nothing in return for it. Gunina’s further insistence on searching what cannot be found only makes things easier for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).
21. e4 dxe4 22. Bxe4 Bxb5 23. Qxb5 Nd6 24. Qd3 Nxe4 25. Qxe4 Rc8 26. Rxc8 Qxc8 27. d5 Bf6 28. dxe6 Bxb2 29. exd7 Qxd7 30. Qa8+ Kh7 31. Qe4+ f5 32. Qb1 Bxa3 33. Ne5 Qe6 34. f4 Bc5+ 35. Kf1 Bd4 36. Nf3 Bf6 37. Qb5 Kh8 38. Kf2 Kh7 39. h3 Kg6 40. Kg3 Kh7 41. h4 g6 42. Qa6 Bg7 43. Qa7 Qb3 44. h5 gxh5 45. Qd7 a4 46. Qxf5+ Kh8 47. Qc8+ Qg8 48. Qa6 a3 49. Kh2 a2 50. Ne5 Bxe5 51. fxe5 h4 52. Qf1 Qe6 53. Kg1 Kg7 54. Qa1 Kf7 55. Qc3 Kg6 56. Qd3+ Kg5 57. Qe3+ Kf5 58. Qc3 Qd5 59. Qc8+ Kxe5 60. Qc7+ Ke4 61. Qc2+ Kd4 62. Qb2+ Kc5 63. Kh2 Qd6+ 64. g3 Qxg3+ 65. Kh1 Qe1+ 66. Kh2 a1=Q 67. Qc2+ Qac3 0–1.

1（一）

Raunak Sadhwani – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

5th Rapid “Tournament of Stars”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Moscow, June 26, 2025

Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. a3 Nc6 8. Qe2 Nxd4 9. Bxd4 e5 10. Be3 Be6 11. 0-0-0 Rc8 12. Qe1 Qc7 13. Bd3 Be7 14. f4

14. ... 0-0? An obvious strategic error, which ultimately costs Black the game. 14. ... exf4 15. Bxf4 0-0 was playable enough.
15. f5 Bc4 16. Bxc4 Qxc4 17. Bg5 Rfd8 18. Kb1 d5 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Rxd5 Rxd5 21. exd5 e4 22. Qxe4 Bxc3 23. Qxc4 Rxc4 24. bxc3 Kf8 25. Kb2 Rc5 26. Rd1 Ke7 27. Rd4 b5 28. c4 bxc4 29. Kc3 Kd6 30. Rxc4 Ra5 31. a4 Kxd5 32. Rg4 Rc5+ 33. Kd3 Kd6 34. Rxg7 Rxf5 35. Rxh7 Rf4 36. Rh6+ f6 37. a5 Ke6 38. Rh5 Rf2 39. g3 Kd6 40. c4 Ra2 41. Kd4 Rd2+ 42. Kc3 Ra2 43. Kb3 Re2 44. g4 Re1 45. Rd5+ Ke6 46. Kb4 Re2 47. h3 Re3 48. Rh5 Kd6 49. Rh6 Ke5 50. Kc5 Rb3 51. h4 Rb8 52. g5 Rc8+ 53. Kb6 fxg5 54. hxg5 Rxc4 55. Kxa6 Rg4 56. Rb6 Kd5 57. g6 1–0.

Miracle at the Mall

Almost everything is like last year’s, except for the location of the stage, which was moved from the OKO Tower’s Crystal Ballroom of Moscow City International Business Centre to the VDNKh (Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy) Azerbaijan Pavilion (No. 14) in Ostankinsky District, Moscow, Russia. It is the fifth anniversary of one of the most boycotted brands on earth, namely the “Tournament of Stars”, conceived and developed by former World Champion Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin as a sort of welfare safety net for all the dispossessed who cannot access the big money circuit of the so-called “free world” due to their being banned on either ethnic or political grounds.
And so one finds oneself “in hell”, together with unbelievers and a queen, the only one queen of chess, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who for the second year in a row slapped her detractors with the pride of a Cleopatra who kissed away a kingdom for love. Of course she doesn’t need rubles as much as she needs noodles, and that is perhaps what her detractors do not forgive her at court. They are all so free, that there’s nobody else free.
Nevertheless, this is only a pit stop for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), on her way first to the Corsica island and then, a few days later, to Paris, just in time to claim the sceptre in the 100th jubilee anniversary of Paris City Chess Championship.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), queen of heaven, queen of hell. Photos: chessstars.ru.

No, Edna, slot machines can’t tell the difference between his Vegas and your Vegas

Artwork © Personajes AI (@alexitogonzalezai)

Sugar and Spice

杨飞云 (Yáng Fēiyún), 揪辫子的女孩 (Girl with braids), 1999. Courtesy of Artnet.

It’s a form of involuntary advertising publicity, Edna. The more they boycott you, the more you will be covered with gold

Artwork © Personajes AI (@alexitogonzalezai)

Cherry Thoughts

杨飞云 (Yáng Fēiyún), 荷花屏风 (Lotus screen), 1995. Courtesy of Artnet.

Oh, Edna, if it were a fairy tale, it could only be titled “Once upon a vodka”

Artwork © Personajes AI (@alexitogonzalezai)

Free Time

杨飞云 (Yáng Fēiyún), 自在 (Free), 1998. Courtesy of Artnet.

So, Edna, when in Third Rome, do as the Third Romans do, and enjoy Oreos instead of ladyfingers

Courtesy of Cleanpng.com

Cool Cat Nights

杨飞云 (Yáng Fēiyún), 少女与猫 (Girl and cat), 1989. Courtesy of Artnet.

No doubt, Edna, a hot coffee topped with whipped cream is a compromise that makes sense for the jaws of a gluttonous queen

Courtesy of Uzma Mirza

The Razor’s Edge

12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov interviewed by the French TV channel GPTV in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, May 10, 2025.

You don’t need to ask, Edna, as it’s no secret that you much prefer a creamy tiramisu to fruit salad

Courtesy of Allah

Strawberry and Watermelon

9m88 performs 《决定不想你》 (Sent) at the 2025 Strawberry Music Festival in 杭州 (Hángzhōu), Sunday, June 15, 2025. Video: 🍎🌧️.

Yeah, Edna, if he isn’t careful it will get to be too late for him to save either his cape or his Clark Kent identity

Courtesy of Soy Rich y ya. (@richietoons)

A Day at the Museum

You know, Edna, the world is eagerly awaiting your next cinematic shot — and what a shot it will be!

Courtesy of squawt

Put flowers in their guns

11,787 drones put on a phantasmagoric drone light show in 重庆 (Chóngqìng), China. Photo: 李洪波 (Lǐ Hóngbō)/VCG/Getty Images.

To be sure, Edna, a superhero’s cape is the ultimate disguise for any villain who wanted only to be a statesman

Artwork © KLIS Ilustrador

Vader, Voldemort and Other Villains

The state and war

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, June 14, 2025

What we call State is, ultimately, a machine for waging wars, and sooner or later this constitutive vocation ends up emerging beyond all more or less edifying aims it can give itself to justify its existence. This is particularly evident today. Netanyahu, Zelenskyy, European governments pursue at all costs a policy of war for which aims and justifications can certainly be identified, but whose ultimate motive is unconscious and lies on the very nature of the state as a war machine. This explain why war, as is evident in the case of Zelenskyy and Europe — but as is true even for Israel — is pursued even at the cost of coming up against one’s own possible self-destruction. And it is vain to hope that a war machine can stop in the face of this risk. It will go on till the end, whatever the price to pay.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Francisco Goya, Ravages of war, 1810. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Yes, Edna, nothing is more unforgivable than arriving late to a dessert table to find that there is only one remaining piece of tiramisu

Courtesy of dollsguide

A Summer to Remember

Crown of Midnight

And, once again, the queen, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), shone in the spotlight of a World Championship awards ceremony, even if only for the Blitz title, for the sake of her charm and glory as well as for the sake of her WR Chess teammates. Photos: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE.

Sunday Sunday

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Round of 16 | Game 2"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "2.5"]
[White "Bulmaga, Irina ROU"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteTeam "Malcolm's Mates"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.a3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc5 7.b4 Bb6 8.Bb2 f6 9.Bd3 fxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Bxe5 Qg5 12.Bg3 Nf6 13.Nd2 O-O 14.h4 Qh5 15.O-O Qxd1 16.Raxd1 a5 17.c4 axb4 18.axb4 Ra3 19.Nb1 Rb3 20.c5 Bd8 21.Bd6 Rf7 22.b5 Ng4 23.g3 e5 24.Be2 Bf5 25.Bxg4 Bxg4 26.Rxd5 Be2 27.Rxe5 Bxb5 28.Rfe1 Rbf3 29.Re8+ Bxe8 30.Rxe8+ Rf8 31.Bxf8 Rxf8 32.Re6 Bf6 33.Nd2 Bd4 34.Ne4 h6 35.Kg2 Rf5 36.c6 bxc6 37.Rxc6 Re5 38.f3 Ra5 39.g4 Ra2+ 40.Kf1 Kf7 41.h5 Be5 42.Rb6 Bd4 43.Rd6 Be5 44.Rd7+ Ke6 45.Rb7 Bd4 46.Rb5 Rc2 47.Ra5 Rb2 48.Ra6+ Ke5 49.Rg6 Kf4 50.g5 Kxf3 51.Ke1 Kxe4 52.gxh6 gxh6 53.Rxh6 Kd3 54.Kf1 Rf2+ 55.Ke1 Rg2 0-1

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Quarter-Finals | Game 2"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Dordzhieva-Wagner, Dinara Mergenovna GER"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Germany and Friends"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "195"]

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qd3 Nf6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be2 Bg7 8.O-O O-O 9.Nd5 Bd7 10.c3 Ng4 11.Bg5 Re8 12.Rad1 Nge5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Qe3 Bc6 15.f4 Nd7 16.Kh1 Bxd5 17.exd5 Qb6 18.Qd2 Nf6 19.Bh4 a6 20.Bf2 Qa5 21.b4 Qc7 22.Qd3 a5 23.a3 axb4 24.axb4 Ra3 25.Bd4 Nd7 26.Bxg7 Kxg7 27.Qd4+ f6 28.Bb5 Rea8 29.Rde1 Nf8 30.c4 Ra2 31.Qe4 Kf7 32.h3 Rb2 33.Rb1 Raa2 34.Rxb2 Rxb2 35.Qe1 Qb6 36.Qc3 Ra2 37.Kh2 h5 38.Qb3 Rd2 39.Qc3 Ra2 40.Qd3 h4 41.c5 dxc5 42.Bc4 Ra8 43.d6+ e6 44.bxc5 Qxc5 45.Rb1 Rd8 46.Rxb7+ Rd7 47.Rxd7+ Nxd7 48.Bb5 Nb6 49.d7 Nxd7 50.Qxd7+ Kf8 51.Be2 Qe3 52.Qd1 Qxf4+ 53.Kh1 Kg7 54.Qd7+ Kh6 55.Qxe6 Qc1+ 56.Kh2 Qf4+ 57.Kg1 Qc1+ 58.Bf1 Qc5+ 59.Kh1 Qf2 60.Qc4 Qg3 61.Qc1+ Kg7 62.Qd1 Qf2 63.Bd3 Qg3 64.Qe2 Qf4 65.Qe7+ Kh6 66.Qf8+ Kg5 67.Qc5+ Kh6 68.Qc2 Qg3 69.Qe2 Qf4 70.Be4 Qc1+ 71.Kh2 Qf4+ 72.Kg1 Qc1+ 73.Kf2 Qf4+ 74.Bf3 Qd6 75.Qe3+ Kg7 76.Qe4 Qd2+ 77.Kg1 Qc1+ 78.Kf2 Qd2+ 79.Be2 Qg5 80.Bd3 Qg3+ 81.Kg1 Qg5 82.Qe7+ Kh6 83.Qf8+ Kh7 84.Qf7+ Kh6 85.Qf8+ Kh7 86.Qe7+ Kh6 87.Qd6 Qc1+ 88.Kh2 Qg5 89.Qc7 Qd2 90.Be4 Qg5 91.Bf3 Qe3 92.Qc4 Qg5 93.Qg4 Qe5+ 94.Kg1 Qe1+ 95.Kh2 Qe5+ 96.Kg1 Qe1+ 97.Kh2 Qe5+ 98.Kg1 1/2-1/2

With much luck (and a little help of her opponent), Dordzhieva-Wagner managed to save the day against 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE.

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Semi-Finals | Game 1"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "6.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Deshmukh, Divya IND"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Hexamind Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "125"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Qd2 b5 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bd3 Qb6 11.Bf2 h6 12.O-O Bxf2+ 13.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 14.Kxf2 g5 15.g3 Nc5 16.Ne2 gxf4 17.gxf4 Nb4 18.Rfd1 Bb7 19.Ned4 Rc8 20.a3 Nc6 21.Rg1 Ke7 22.Nxc6+ Bxc6 23.Nd4 Bd7 24.Rg7 Rcg8 25.Rag1 Rxg7 26.Rxg7 Kf8 27.Rg3 Ke7 28.Ke3 Rb8 29.b4 Na4 30.Nb3 Rc8 31.Kd4 Kf8 32.Rh3 Kg7 33.Re3 Rc7 34.Re1 Bc8 35.Ke3 Bb7 36.Kd4 Bc8 37.Rc1 Kf8 38.c3 Kg7 39.Rc2 Kf8 40.Nc1 Nb6 41.Ne2 Nc4 42.Bxc4 dxc4 43.Ke3 Bb7 44.Nd4 Bd5 45.Rc1 Rc8 46.a4 bxa4 47.Ra1 Bc6 48.Nxc6 Rxc6 49.Rxa4 f6 50.Kd4 fxe5+ 51.fxe5 Kf7 52.Ra5 Kg6 53.Rc5 Rb6 54.Rxc4 Kf5 55.Rc8 Rb7 56.Rf8+ Kg4 57.Rf6 h5 58.Rxe6 h4 59.Rf6 Kh3 60.Rf2 Rd7+ 61.Ke4 Rc7 62.e6 Rxc3 63.Rf3+ 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Semi-Finals | Game 2"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "7.5"]
[White "Deshmukh, Divya IND"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B42"]
[WhiteTeam "Hexamind Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "148"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.O-O Qc7 7.c4 Nc6 8.Be3 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 Bc5 10.Bc3 d6 11.Nd2 e5 12.h3 O-O 13.Kh1 Qb6 14.f4 Bd4 15.c5 dxc5 16.Nc4 Qc7 17.Nxe5 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Re8 19.Qf3 Rxe5 20.fxe5 Qxe5 21.Bc4 Bd7 22.Bd5 Rb8 23.Rad1 Ba4 24.Rd2 h6 25.Rb2 b6 26.Rd2 Be8 27.Qf4 Qxf4 28.Rxf4 Nd7 29.Bxf7+ Bxf7 30.Rxd7 Bxa2 31.Ra7 a5 32.Rg4 Bf7 33.e5 Re8 34.Rb7 Rxe5 35.Rxb6 Re3 36.Rb8+ Kh7 37.Rb7 Kg8 38.c4 Rc3 39.Ra7 Rxc4 40.Rxc4 Bxc4 41.Rxa5 Be6 42.Rxc5 Kf7 43.Kg1 Kg8 44.Kf2 Bf7 45.Kf3 Be6 46.Kf4 Bf7 47.Kf5 Kh7 48.Rc7 Bd5 49.Rc2 Kg8 50.Ke5 Bf7 51.g4 Kh7 52.h4 Bg6 53.Rc7 Bd3 54.Rc3 Be2 55.Kf5 Bb5 56.Rc7 Bd3+ 57.Kf4 Be2 58.Ra7 Bd1 59.Ra1 Bc2 60.Rc1 Bb3 61.Rc3 Be6 62.g5 hxg5+ 63.Kxg5 Bd5 64.Rc7 Be4 65.Re7 Bd3 66.Rd7 Be4 67.Kf4 Bg6 68.Ke5 Kh6 69.Rd8 Kh5 70.Rh8+ Kg4 71.Rg8 Kxh4 72.Rxg7 Kh5 73.Kf6 Bd3 74.Rg3 Kh4 1-0

So be it, Edna; the die is cast, the stage is set and the carpet is rolled out

Courtesy of Elizabeth

Quickies

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Jalving, August DEN"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B66"]
[WhiteTeam "¡Ållez-Y Initiative!"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "48"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bc4 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.O-O-O Be7 12.f4 Rb8 13.Bb3 d5 14.Rhe1 O-O 15.a3 Bd8 16.f5 Ba5 17.fxe6 Bxe6 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 cxd5 20.Qd4 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Rfc8 22.Re5 Bxc3 23.Qxc3 Rxc3 24.Rxg5 hxg5 0-1

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "2.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Osmak, Yuliia Vladyslavivna UKR"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Ashdod Elit Chess Club"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "94"]

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.cxd3 c6 7.Nf3 Bd6 8.Qb3 Bxf4 9.exf4 Qb6 10.Qa3 Qc7 11.Ne5 Qe7 12.Qb3 O-O 13.O-O Qc7 14.Na4 Nbd7 15.Rac1 Rab8 16.h3 h6 17.Rfe1 Rfd8 18.Nc5 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Nd7 20.d4 Nxc5 21.Rxc5 Qb6 22.Qc3 a6 23.a3 Rf8 24.Qc2 f5 25.Re3 Qd8 26.Rb3 Qd7 27.g3 Kh8 28.Kg2 Rg8 29.h4 Qf7 30.Qe2 g6 31.a4 Rbd8 32.Rbc3 Rd7 33.b4 Ra8 34.b5 axb5 35.axb5 cxb5 36.Qxb5 Re7 37.Qb6 Rg8 38.Rc7 Rge8 39.Qxb7 Kg7 40.Qb6 Kg8 41.Qd6 Kg7 42.Rxe7 Rxe7 43.Rc8 Rd7 44.Qb8 g5 45.hxg5 hxg5 46.fxg5 Rb7 47.Rf8 Qg8 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "3.5"]
[White "诸宸 (Zhū Chén) CHN"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E16"]
[WhiteTeam "FIDE MB Team"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "155"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 a5 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.O-O Bxc3 9.Bxc3 d6 10.Nd2 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Re8 12.e4 e5 13.Qc2 Qe7 14.Rae1 Nfd7 15.b3 Na6 16.a3 exd4 17.Bxd4 Nac5 18.h3 Ne5 19.Re3 h6 20.Bb2 Qf8 21.Rfe1 Re6 22.Qc3 Rae8 23.Ba1 Nc6 24.b4 axb4 25.axb4 Nd7 26.Bb2 Ra8 27.Ra1 Ree8 28.Ree1 Nde5 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Ra1 Rxa1 31.Bxa1 f6 32.f4 Nd7 33.Bb2 Qa8 34.Qb3 Kh8 35.Kf2 Nd8 36.Qa3 Qc6 37.Qd3 Qa8 38.Qa3 Qc6 39.Qd3 Kg8 40.Qd5+ Qxd5 41.cxd5 Kf7 42.Ke3 h5 43.Kd3 g5 44.Bd4 gxf4 45.gxf4 f5 46.Nf3 fxe4+ 47.Kxe4 Nf6+ 48.Bxf6 Kxf6 49.Nd4 Nf7 50.Nb5 Nh6 51.Nxc7 Nf5 52.Nb5 Ng3+ 53.Kf3 Nf5 54.Nc3 Nd4+ 55.Ke4 Nc2 56.b5 Na3 57.h4 Kg6 58.f5+ Kf6 59.Kf4 Nc2 60.Ne4+ Ke7 61.f6+ Kf7 62.Kg5 Ne3 63.Nxd6+ Kf8 64.Kxh5 Nxd5 65.Kg6 Nf4+ 66.Kf5 Nd5 67.Nc4 Nc3 68.Nxb6 Nxb5 69.Kg6 Nd6 70.h5 Nf7 71.h6 Nh8+ 72.Kh7 Nf7 73.Nd7+ Ke8 74.Nc5 Kf8 75.Ne6+ Ke8 76.Kg6 Nxh6 77.Kxh6 Kf7 78.Kg5 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "4.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Roebers, Eline NED"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A85"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Knight Dance"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.g3 g6 6.Bg2 Bg7 7.h4 h6 8.Bxf6 Nxf6 9.e4 c6 10.Nge2 O-O 11.Nf4 Qe8 12.h5 g5 13.Ng6 Rf7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nxe5 Rf8 16.Qe2 Ng4 17.Nxg4 fxg4 18.O-O-O Qf7 19.Rd2 Bf5 20.Be4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Qxc4 22.Re1 Rad8 23.Qxe7 b5 24.Qe6+ Qxe6 25.Rxe6 c5 26.d5 b4 27.Ne4 c4 28.d6 c3 29.bxc3 bxc3 30.Rd3 Rf3 31.Kc2 Bf8 32.Rxf3 gxf3 33.Kxc3 Kf7 34.Rf6+ Ke8 35.Kc4 Kd7 36.Kd5 Kc8 37.Rxf3 Kb7 38.Rb3+ Ka6 39.Nc5+ Ka5 40.Nb7+ 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "鹿妙夷 (Lù Miàoyí) CHN"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D31"]
[WhiteTeam "Turkish Airlines Sports Club"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "124"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.a4 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.e4 c5 9.d5 Nd7 10.Bxc4 Nb6 11.Ba2 exd5 12.exd5 Bg4 13.O-O Bxf3 14.Re1+ Be7 15.Qxf3 Qxf3 16.gxf3 Rd8 17.Re2 Kf8 18.a5 Nc8 19.Ne4 h5 20.Rc1 Rh6 21.Nxc5 Bxc5 22.Rxc5 Nd6 23.Rc7 Re8 24.Re3 Rf6 25.Kg2 Rg6+ 26.Kf1 Rf6 27.Ke2 Rd8 28.Bb1 g6 29.Bc2 Rf4 30.Rb3 Re8+ 31.Re3 Rd8 32.Rb3 Rd4 33.Be4 Nxe4 34.fxe4 Rxe4+ 35.Kf3 Re5 36.Rbxb7 Rf5+ 37.Ke4 Rxf2 38.b4 Re2+ 39.Kd4 Rf2 40.Kc5 Rf5 41.Kc6 Rdxd5 42.Rxf7+ Ke8 43.Rxf5 Rxf5 44.Rb6 Rf4 45.Kc5 Rf5+ 46.Kd6 Rf2 47.Ke6 Re2+ 48.Kf6 Rb2 49.Kxg6 h4 50.h3 Rb3 51.Kg5 Rxh3 52.Rxa6 Rb3 53.Rb6 h3 54.a6 h2 55.Rh6 Rxb4 56.Rxh2 Ra4 57.Rh6 Kd8 58.Kf5 Kc7 59.Ke5 Kb8 60.Kd5 Ka7 61.Kc5 Rxa6 62.Rxa6+ Kxa6 1/2-1/2

Generations on the move: 鹿妙夷 (Lù Miàoyí) and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE.

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "6.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Ulziikhishig, Khishigbat MGL"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "The MongolZ"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "62"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4 d5 4.e3 Bd6 5.Qf3 c6 6.g4 h6 7.h4 Bb4 8.Bd3 Qa5 9.Ne2 c5 10.g5 Ng8 11.Be5 c4 12.Bxg7 cxd3 13.Bxh8 dxe2 14.Kxe2 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Qxc3 16.Rac1 Qc4+ 17.Kd2 Bd7 18.Bg7 hxg5 19.hxg5 Nc6 20.Rh8 O-O-O 21.Qxf7 Nge7 22.Rxd8+ Kxd8 23.Bf6 Qb4+ 24.c3 Qb2+ 25.Rc2 Qb1 26.g6 Be8 27.Qf8 Kd7 28.g7 Bg6 29.Rc1 Qb2+ 30.Kd1 Bh5+ 31.f3 Bxf3+ 0-1